Abbotsford - Piano Lessons

Jadzia Cardinal

Christopher Russell (Guitar, Piano, Banjo, Mandolin, Drums, Voice)

Online Lessons:

Teaching Style: blues, classical

Teaching Day(s): Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

Chris has been performing and teaching music professionally since 1998. He started out playing rock, blues and metal, before taking classical performance at York University. He later studied composition, theory and jazz at Grant MacEwan University. Chris has performed live with Oscar Peterson, recorded and performed with world renowned bluegrass artist John Reischman (Tony Rice), and worked in the CBC studios as a session musician. He is an expert in many genres including rock, blues, metal, classical, jazz, prog, funk, country, folk, bluegrass, world and finger picking.
His rate is $29 per half hour.

Jon Cottrill (Piano, Saxophone)

Online Lessons:

Teaching Day(s): Friday, Saturday

Jon is a life long musician with a deep love for performance and community. He's performed in theatrical productions, symphonies, jazz and rock bands, and several studio recordings. Jon completed his grade 8 Royal Conservatory with honours in both saxophone and piano.
Jon tailors his lessons to the needs of each student, giving them opportunities for growth, fun, and self expression. He has a varied background with genres of music and his lessons can include classical, pop/rock, and jazz music. Jon's rate is $27 per half hour lesson.

Karen Savage (Piano)

Online Lessons:

Teaching Style: classical

Teaching Day(s): Tuesday, Thursday

Karen has been performing and teaching piano professionally for 25 years. She holds a BA degree in piano performance and studied through ARCT level Royal Conservatory. She attributes her expertise to the extensive instruction she received from world renowned concert pianist Reid Alexander from University of Illinois, and renowned Canadian pianist and RCM editor and adjudicator, Dr. Dale Wheeler. Karen's enthusiastic teaching style especially motivates young students and those of all ages to learn easy playing techniques, strategic practicing methods and skillful playing abilities.
Her rate is $29 per half hour.

Liam Whatley (Voice, Piano, Guitar)

Online Lessons:

Teaching Style: Musical Theatre, jazz, blues

Teaching Day(s): Tuesday

Liam has been making music from a very young age. He started playing guitar at age 6, piano at age 7, and was singing in choirs even before that. This love for music led Liam to complete a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music (major in Composition) from MacEwan University in 2020. Liam has composed and performed a wide variety of music; including musical theatre, choir, classical, singer-songwriter, and jazz ensemble. In Spring 2024, Liam performed the roll of Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music with Abbotsford’s Gallery 7 Theatre. In Winter 2024, Liam composed music for and performed in a play adaptation of Prince Caspian, also with Gallery 7. Liam has taught private music lessons for over 5 years. His favourite part about teaching music is hearing people use what they’ve learned to bring a story to life through song. His rate is $28 per half hour.

Sophia Traub (Piano)

Online Lessons:

Teaching Style: classical

Teaching Day(s): Monday, Tuesday

Sophia is a Business Student at UFV, and has been playing piano throughout most of her life. She is at a professional level, having made her way through Royal Conservatory for piano, and has recently been learning piano pedagogy from her piano teacher, Karen Savage. Sophia has spent many years in the performing arts, doing theater and piano. She has always had a love for music that she enjoys sharing with others, and she is excited to teach students something she is passionate about. Her rate is $27 per half hour lesson.