Congratulations to the 2022 Teachers of Distinction

Alberta, Northwest Territories, Nunavut

Gloria Chu

Gloria Chu a member of The RCM College of Examiners. She is a dedicated piano, violin and vocal pedagogue, a festival adjudicator, composer, and performer. In addition, she is also a Chartered Professional Accountant.

Gloria has been recognized by Steinway & Sons with a Top Teacher Award for her outstanding instruction and leadership in piano education.

Gloria presented at the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Association 2022 conference. A few of her compositions have been accepted into Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects’ Contemporary Showcase Syllabus.

Several of her students have won competitions and been awarded provincial Gold Medals from the RCM.

Gloria is currently a mentor to several developing teachers and artists. Her innovative teaching methods motivate students to develop confidence in expressing their unique voice in both music and life.

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Atlantic (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island)

​Robert Colbourne

British Columbia, Yukon

Stanislava Deltcheva

For Stanislava Deltcheva music is a universal language and an endless source of discovery and joy. She is always looking for ways to bring meaningful experiences to her students, and strives to inspire curiosity, creativity, diligence, and independence at all skill levels.

Stanislava has performed an extensive repertoire for solo piano, ensembles, and concerti with orchestras.

Stanislava has had extensive musical training in her native Bulgaria, followed by Graduate Studies in piano performance at the University of Victoria, and at Temple University in Philadelphia. As a life-long learner, she continues to search for new ideas and methods.

Manitoba

Barbara Cornish

Barbara L. Cornish studied with Walter Thiessen, Gertrude Greaves and Dr. Lyell Gustin in Saskatoon, and with Thomas Manshardt at the University of Regina.

After teaching in the Saskatoon area, she moved to Caronport, Saskatchewan, where for many years she taught music at the Briercrest College. After moving to Winnipeg, she taught with the University of Manitoba Preparatory Division and at Providence University College.

Currently she maintains a private studio teaching Piano, Theory, Harmony, and Piano Pedagogy. In addition to adjudicating, she enjoys working as a consultant for teachers and students in preparation for examinations, auditions, competitions, or other performances. Her students have received scholarships and awards from assorted organizations and institutions, including RCM Gold Medals in Piano and Piano Pedagogy.

She delights in hearing from former students who now have careers in music, and/or those who continue to contribute through music and other arts to their respective communities.

Ontario

Rachel Newallo-Huang 

Rachel teaches piano, theory, harmony and history from her private studio in Richmond Hill. She has 25 years of teaching experience, is passionate about teaching and adapts to each individual’s learning style. Rachel inspires students to enhance life skills; time management, discipline, concentration, responsibility, and public speaking.

Rachel earned her ARCT in Piano Performance and is an Advanced Teacher Specialist with the Royal Conservatory. She is expanding her musical horizons by studying violin and voice for her own pleasure. Several of her students have won competitions and some have continued their music education at the post-secondary level.

When not teaching, Rachel enjoys spending time with her family.

Quebec

Li Si Zhang

Li Si comes from a long line of musicians and has been deeply influenced by music since she was a child. She graduated from Concordia University, and is now a senior professor of music education, with 50 years of experience. Li Si has adjudicated many international and local music competitions. Her teaching methods have fostered a comprehensive understanding of music in her students.

Many of Li Si’s students have won music competitions and earned gold medals from The RCM Certificate Program. She has trained several outstanding teachers and is an avid community volunteer who is loved by all her students.

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Saskatchewan

Cherith Alexander

Cherith Alexander has been a respected piano and theory teacher in Weyburn, Saskatchewan for twenty-seven years. During this, time she has worked with students of all ages and levels. Many have received awards including RCM gold medals and provincial festival honours. Some of her students have pursued professional careers as musicians and music educators.

An experienced collaborative pianist, Cherith has performed with many renowned musicians. She especially enjoys coaching young instrumentalists “from the piano bench.”

Cherith is passionate about the value of music festivals and has adjudicated over fifty times at festivals throughout Western Canada. In 2017 she created and led the first “Adjudicator Boot Camp” in Saskatchewan, a workshop designed to train and inspire new and current adjudicators.

Committed to life-long learning, Cherith recently joined The RCM College of Examiners and is now enjoying hearing pianists from around the world complete their examinations.

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North West (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington)

Laurie Miller

Laurie Miller studied violin and piano and holds a BA from Penn State, and a BFA from California College of Arts. After moving to the Bay Area, Laurie studied bass, music theory and jazz music theory with composer Rick Giovinazzo.

With her relocation to the Seattle area, Laurie focused on performing and has played over 4,000 gigs with over 100 bands. In 1999, she played bass for the Jimi Hendrix Family Guitar Tour. Laurie has recorded 6 CDs and released numerous singles.

She has been preparing students for Royal Conservatory Certificate Program exams for close to 15 years.

Several of her students have been recognized for their achievements at the Center, State, and Regional level in both piano and classical guitar.

In her current studio, Laurie teaches piano, classical guitar, violin, cello, and voice!

South West
(Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming)

Lawrence Blind

Lawrence Blind began his piano studies in Rochester, New York, and made his New York debut at Carnegie Recital Hall at age nine. He received his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Indiana University, and a Performer’s Certificate while studying with Nelita True at the Eastman School of Music.

Mr. Blind was a winner of the MTNA Collegiate Artist Competition, and the Young Keyboard Artist Association International Piano Competition. Reviewers have praised his playing as “Electrifyingly exciting…with amazing control, meltingly lyrical tone, flawless technique, and tremendous sonority…”

His talented students have consistently received scores of First-Class Honors and First-Class Honors with Distinction in the RCM examinations, and have been awarded both Southwest and National gold medals. In 2018 he was named the Teacher of the Year by the Professional Music Teachers Association of New Mexico. He is the currently the Director at the New Mexico School of Music.

North Central
(Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin) 

Suzanne Greer

Suzanne Greer currently serves as Artist Teacher at MacPhail Center for Music where she teaches both Suzuki and traditional piano lessons.

She received performance degrees from St. Olaf College and the University of Minnesota as well as the certificate in piano pedagogy from the University of St. Thomas. S

Suzanne was awarded the Robert Schmitt Professional Development Grant from the Minnesota Music Teachers Association (MMTA) and in 2017, was awarded a Top Music Teacher Award by Steinway and Sons. She has served as President of MMTA, the Minneapolis Music Teachers Forum and the Suzuki Piano Teachers’ Guild. In addition, she served as Certification Commissioner for the Music Teachers National Association from 2018 – 2020.

As an international bestselling author, she is featured in The Power of Why: Why 27 Musicians Captured the Lead and Why You Should Too compiled by Glory St. Germain.

South Central (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas) 

Maria Guénette

Dr. Maria Mika Guénette earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Ottawa under the tutelage of Jean-Paul Sevilla. Her Master of Music degree in Piano Performance at Tokyo Geijutsu Daigaku was made possible with an all-inclusive grant by the Japanese Ministry of Education (Monbusho). At the Eastman School of Music, she was awarded a Doctor of Musical Arts degree specializing in Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music, as well as a Master of Music degree in Harpsichord Performance. Dr. Guénette is the keyboardist for East Texas Symphony Orchestra and serves as staff pianist at Southern Methodist University. She was previously on faculty at University of Texas at Tyler, Winston-Salem State University, Greensboro College, and the North Carolina School of the Arts. Maria runs a private piano studio in Carrollton, Texas and is a member of the RCM College of Examiners.