Cheryl achieved an ARCT Teacher's with First Class Honours from the Royal Conservatory of Music and has been inspiring students for over 45 years. Her principal teachers were Joyce Langford and Daryl Irvine. Further pedagogy studies were taken with Valery Lloyd Watts and Carole Bigler. Many wonderful teaching ideas have been acquired over the years from master classes and lectures from renowned teachers including Nelita True, Yoheved Kaplinsky, Robert Silverman, Seymour Bernstein, and numerous others.  She continues to update her teaching techniques with attendance at North America’s finest pedagogy conferences annually. Cheryl has been given the designation CFMTA recognized professional and is an RCM Certified Teacher as an Advanced Specialist in Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced Piano, Theory, Advanced Harmony and History.

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Cheryl specializes in the teaching of pedagogy and has trained many teachers over the years.  Her patient, persistent and constant belief in each student has resulted in many pursuing careers in music.  Although her studio consists of many advanced students, Cheryl enjoys nurturing young musical talent.  Cheryl maintains a busy teaching schedule at her home-based music studio, Joyful Sounds Music Studio, in Springwater, Ontario. Her students have won numerous awards at the local, provincial, and national levels. Some of these awards include:

·       The prestigious Adelmo Melecci Exam Prize for the highest exam grade for the ARCT Piano Teacher's practical exam

·       Gordon Hallett Exam Prize for achieving the highest mark on both the written and practical components of the ARCT Piano Teacher's Exam in Canada

·       Great Composers Global Online Competition, First and Second Place Winners

·       Crescendo International Music Competition, First Place Award with performance in the Awards Concert in Carnegie Hall, NYC

·       Hal Leonard Carol Klose Composition Competition, 1st place Winner Collegiate Level, students music will be published by Hal Leonard

·        Alliance for New Canadian Music Compositions, 1st place Winner

·        CMC finalist and prize winner

·       ORMTA Young Artist Winner, Yamaha Canada Scholarship & Concert Tour of Ontario

·       Winners of the ORMTA Student Instrumental Provincial Competition

·       Ester Su Memorial for a student who shows promise musically, awarded at the ORMTA Provincial Competition

·       Ontario Music Festival Provincial (OMFA) finalists and award winners annually including most recently First Place in Level 10 Piano OMFA 2023

·       Barrie Arts Award for the Most Promising Youth

·       RCM Regional Gold Medalists for the highest examination mark in the province

        RCM National Gold Medalists for the highest examination mark in Canada

·       Cora B. Ahrens award for the highest mark in Ontario on the ARCT Teacher’s written pedagogy exam

·       Barrie Kiwanis Music Festival Junior and Senior Rose Bowl Winners

·       Annually numerous top awards & scholarships for students of all levels at local music festivals

 

Cheryl has been a church pianist for over 45 years, and a church music director for 40 years. She has enjoyed training many church pianists the art of improvisation. These former students serve in churches throughout North America, and abroad. Cheryl enjoys directing church cantatas and musicals annually. Sacred concerts have been given for Midday Music with Shigeru and Seniors Serenade. She has worked as a collaborative pianist with vocal ensembles, violinists, and in the recording studio for sacred music recordings. Along with her students, Cheryl has organized “Music to Make a Difference” concerts, where several thousand dollars have been raised for a Cambodian orphanage and school as well as “From Violence to Violins”; supporting the program started by violinist Moshe Hammer to offer free violins and lessons to students in the Jane Finch corridor.

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Cheryl is an active member of the Barrie Branch of the Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association and has served in the role of Vice President, President, and Past President.  She was instrumental in implementing the Scholarship Evaluation Weekend and Awards Recital and continues to co-ordinate this event each year.  Workshops have been presented on topics such as technique, teaching beginners, and motivating students. Cheryl was the 2009 recipient of the ORMTA Special Teacher Award.  Her goal of instilling a love of music in her students helps them focus and be capable to achieve higher goals in life.