Leadership Team
Sandra Low - Founder
I am an adult music student who started classical piano studies in September of 2013 at the age of 52. I have since completed my Conservatory Canada(CC) grades 1, 2, 4 and 6 classical piano exams. My most recent level 6 piano exam was completed in June 2024 in my 11th year of piano studies. I will continue to study classical piano from my sixth piano teacher, Kathleen van Mourik, who I started studying with, in April 2024.
I have completed my CC Music Theory Level 1 and Level 2 exams. I am currently learning Level 4 CC music theory (for grade 8 piano) with Julian Iafelice and my plan is to write this exam before the end of the year. Now that I have completed my level 6 exam, I will start searching for a jazz pianist to study the art of jazz piano. Jazz piano has always been my end game. But I will not add this to my plate until my Level 4 music theory exam has been completed as I want to set myself up for the best chance at success.
I am excited to announce that I started a new music journey with a new instrument in September! I have always been fascinated with the cello. I thought I had earned the opportunity to explore this beautiful instrument after my successful June exam. I joined the Westwinds Green Strings band and went to the my first weekly rehearsal on Monday, September 9th. I also started my weekly private cello lessons with David Morrissey on that same day. I have never touched a stringed instrument before so this will be a whole new experience.
This is the other reason I want to delay learning jazz piano is because I want to see how I can organize my time best so I can give this huge learning undertaking the focus it needs, and coordinate with the learning I already have on my plate.
I love singing! I sang in a community choir for 8 years (2004 - 2011) but started concentrating on solo jazz voice in April 2017. I have had vocal jazz and voice lessons from four different teachers but had to pause my vocal learning lessons in May 2023 because I was preparing for my level 6 piano exam. I am going to explore the art of singing and playing at the piano at our November masterclass "Marriage of the Piano with Voice" to see if that is where I want to go next, with my singing.
If you want to learn more about how I came to found this group and what led me to be such an avid music learner, you can read my story. In March 2023, the story of how I came to learn piano was published as a CBC First Person story. You can find it
Updated Sept 18, 2024
Leadership Team
Edel Larkin - President
Under Construction
Leadership Team
Kaylene Duttchen - Vice-President
I am a mother of two, wife of more than 26 years and a busy physician by trade. However, my personal passion lies in music. I grew up playing violin but I never played at a high level. I went off to university and essentially stopped playing for about 25 years. When my children started music lessons, I was inspired to start playing again. In 2018 I started lessons with Rachel Hersey. I have entered in music festivals to try to improve my playing. I have taken a course on teaching violin but I have no plans to start teaching soon. I attended an adult music camp this summer and I have recently joined the Ambrose University Chamber Orchestra.
I enjoy watching others learn music and I find our group a wonderful support. Adult learners do not have the same family support to keep them practicing and moving forward. I am happy to be part this group that values music learning in adults!