We lucked out when Lauren was recommended to us by a friend when we were looking for a piano teacher for our firstborn. Fast forward five years later, our two children are currently preparing for the RCM Level 4 and Prep B exams and Lauren is helping them with that. Lauren is so talented and passionate about music and it shows. Oh, and on top of that, she has an absolutely beautiful singing voice! Her knowledge of the technicalities of piano skills is impressive, and is enthusiastic and affable in her teaching style. We really appreciate that Lauren is firm yet at the same time realistic and understanding with her expectations of our children (they are no little Mozarts and sometimes other after school activities and homework can get in the way of piano practice but she expects some progress no matter how small, which we completely agree with). Most importantly, she is able to manage both of their different personalities (our daughter can get a little teary-eyed and frustrated when she has difficulty mastering a technical part and Lauren is really good at reviving her self-confidence), and somehow transforms their weekly lessons into an enjoyable experience for them. It’s been five years since we started piano lessons with Lauren and our children have never once complained and asked to quit (which they have done so for other activities), and if that is not a clear endorsement of Lauren’s amazing teaching abilities we don’t know what is! Thanks for being our piano teacher 🙂 – Sara L. March 2020
My daughter, Sam, started piano with Lauren when she was 6. Lauren’s dedication to making sure learning music is fun and positive was so important to our family. Lauren took the time to get to know Sam and did an amazing job creating an individual learning plan for her (including writing out the music for some of Sam’s favourite top 40 hits!). Sam is really proud of what she’s learned over the past 2 years. She developed a real love for music and a special relationship with Lauren. We are sad that Lauren is moving away. – Johanna P. – June 2019
Lauren goes above and beyond to develop personalized curriculums for her students. As an adult beginner, I had difficulty remaining motivated while trying to learn the standard RCM curriculum as many of the pieces in Grades 1-3 are targeted towards children. Lauren was able to adapt the foundations from these workbooks with pieces that I wanted to practice and were more suited to my interests. She is an attentive teacher and provides constructive feedback throughout the lesson so that students remain engaged in actively learning and playing. I was able to progress and work my way up to Grade 3/4 level pieces despite having a busy working schedule due to Lauren’s diligence and patience. Even more importantly, I have gained the skill to self-study so that I am able to continue improving in between lessons. Nitasha S. – Oct 2019
I have been taking voice lessons with Lauren for almost 4 years and it has been fantastic. She is a great teacher. With her I have achieved success in 2 RCM Voice Exams and 1 RCM piano exam. She is structured and has an aim in her teaching, but she also listens to what her students want and tries to find a happy medium. She is very patient and kind, but most of all cares about her students and will do anything she can to help them reach their goals. I used to struggle with singing from my throat, but thanks to Lauren I am now singing from a much healthier place and reaching notes I never thought I could. Overall it has been a great experience and I look forward to many more years of voice lessons with her. Vanessa M. – Nov 2019
Our daughter started taking piano and voice lessons with Lauren when she was about 6 years old, and it has been a fantastic experience! Lauren is absolutely terrific with kids. She knows how to inspire them to develop a passion for music, and to express themselves in their music. She makes learning fun, encourages creativity but also works with them to ensure that they are mastering the skills and techniques necessary to perform well and progress through the Royal Conservatory program (if that is of interest). She encourages them to test boundaries and create (Why don’t you write a song? How about playing and singing a song? How about playing a duet with a friend?). It is clear that she cares about seeing her students achieve their goals as musicians, and she works to adapt her teaching to their needs. In short, we would highly recommend her to anyone interested in pursuing music lessons! Helen R – Nov 2019
Lauren’s approach to vocal training is not only engaging, but very accessible. I had tried other vocal teachers before, but what stood out about Lauren was how she could explain vocal techniques in an easy to understand and relatable way. Understanding how the technique feels by doing impersonations was not only very helpful, but made the sessions fun and lighthearted also. Lauren was also very flexible-both in scheduling and her teaching approach-and willing to adapt to my preferred music style and genre.
Lauren’s intuitive, insightful, and playful approach to vocal training created a learning environment that was both supportive and encouraging. I would highly recommend her if you’re new to singing, or want to refine your vocal approach. Jesse P. -Nov 2019