Meet Our Faculty
Nathan Shreve
Bachelor of Music
ARCT
(Piano, Theory, Composition, Musicianship)
Nathan Shreve is a composer and pianist with an ARCT in Piano Performance and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Juilliard School, where he studied composition with Dr. Melinda Wagner. He has tutored music theory for seven years. For two years, he was an Ear Training Teaching Fellow at the Juilliard School, working with multiple faculty members in the department. He also served as an assistant for graduate level theory classes. Nathan has experience teaching in structured environments where great care is given to each student.
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(Language: English)
Xiao Dong
PhD Candidate in Music
(Violin, Chamber Music)
Xiao Dong holds her Master's Degree in Violin Performance at Soochow University, and she is pursuing her PhD in Music Education at Western University. Dong Xiao is a well-rounded musician who is proficient in violin teaching and violin virtuosity. Xiao Dong believes that music learning shapes one's life and understanding of society and the world. The contents of her lesson are diverse, from the training of performance fundamentals to listening and respecting the needs of students. Xiao Dong is dedicated to letting students acquire new knowledge in their own way and be able to think independently. Her students are from various countries around the globe and have made a significant impact on their local communities.
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(Languages: English, Mandarin)
For more than 25 years, Pianist Vladimir Oppenheim has been teaching piano and chamber music to students of every age and at every level of expertise: young children, teenagers, and mature adults; absolute beginners, highly competent amateurs, and professional performing artists. Vladimir takes pride in his ability to reach the students' potential and help them grow into mature musicians. His experience in teaching piano in different countries and familiarity with cultures and foreign languages add unusual dimensions to his teaching.
Vladimir believes in teaching students how to analyze what they are doing through an in-depth practicing process, so that they gradually become independent. Taking a student through the long process of development involves also knowing when to hold back information and not overwhelm, as well as developing a supportive and mentoring role as an important figure in the student's life.
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(Languages: English, Russian, Hebrew)
Vladimir Oppenheim
Bachelor of Music
(Piano)
Parnian Aghaiani
Master of Music
(Violin, Viola)
Michael Tai
Master of Arts, LRCM, ARCT
(Piano)
Jimmy Jin
PhD in Composition (on-going)
Master of Composition
Bachelor of Composition
(Composition, Harmony
Ear-training)
Michael Tai holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with distinction from Queen's University, a Master of Arts in Music Theory from the University of Toronto, and both the ARCT and Licentiate (LRCM) Piano Performance Diplomas from the Royal Conservatory of Music. He was privileged to have studied the piano with George McElroy for many years, as well as with Dr. Ireneus Zuk during his time at Queen's University. Michael has taught in various schools/music institutes and private home studio since the year 2012.
Aside from being classically trained, Michael shares his music as a Cover Artist/Arranger/Composer/Improviser on YouTube and various other Social Media platforms. He specializes in arranging piano (sometimes guitar and drum) covers for a wide variety of ACG related genres including Video Game/Anime/Film Soundtracks, Metal, and Pop. Since 2011, he has posted 500+ music videos, reached 80k+ subscribers on YouTube, has an average of 150k monthly listeners on Spotify, distributed 25+ music albums, recorded 60+ piano solo improvisations, and has written piano sheet music for 200+ of his own arrangements on Musicnotes.
Michael is an advocate on spreading the love and passion for music in his role as a music teacher. His compassionate/sensitive demeanour and his deep interests in both Classical/Pop Culture genres help to bring a special sense of connection into his lessons, which he believes can greatly contribute to the growth of the student as both a developing musician and as an individual.
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Michael's performance channels:
(Language: English)
Violist Parnian Aghaiani is a passionate and active performer. She began learning the viola at age 11 studying at the Tehran Music Conservatory. She holds a Bachelor of Music from Tehran University of Art, where she graduated in 2018. Parnian is a violist who has had vast performance experience all over venues in Iran. In addition to being an active chamber musician, she has worked with some of the professional Iranian Orchestras and regular player at the Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra and the Iran National Orchestra. As a music teacher, she has experience with the Suzuki & RCM method in teaching viola and violin since 2014. She has taught children as young as five to adults well into advanced age. She won 2nd prize at the Iran Youth Music competition, in 2016.
Parnian moved to Canada in the summer of 2019 to pursue a Master’s degree in Music Literature & Performance under supervision of Professor Sharon Wei and Dr. Caitlin Boyle at Western University of Ontario. She is honoured to be a recipient of the Gordon Jeffery Strings and Chamber Music Graduate Award at the time there.
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(Languages: English, Persian)
Jimmy Jin is a dynamic composer, violinist, and music teacher actively engaged in both Canada and China. Currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Composition, he also serves as a Theory Teaching Assistant at Western University. Jimmy's musical expertise spans a broad spectrum, encompassing genres from pop to classical music.
Since launching his teaching career in 2018, Jimmy has specialized in teaching RCM music theory and history at advanced levels (Level 9 to ARCT), with many of his students achieving outstanding results in their RCM theory exams.
As a warm and dedicated educator, Jimmy is committed to working closely with each student, striving not only to foster academic success but also to cultivate a lasting passion for music.
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(Languages: English, Mandarin)
Alla Bokovaya
Bachelor of Music
(Violin, Piano, Musicianship)
Alexei Orechin
Master of Music
(Guitar, Ukulele, Composition)
Nini Wu
ARCT
(Piano)
Alla holds a Bachelor of Music from Novosibirsk Conservatoire in Russia. She worked as a violinist in the Academic Symphony Orchestra for 20 years and in the Chamber Ensemble as a soloist. She has taught violin to students of all ages and all talent levels for over 20 years in Russia, South Korea and Canada.
All places great emphasis on developing fundamental technical and artistic skills which help her students to achieve great standings at RCM examinations and receive high awards at musical competitions. Also, her students participate in school recitals and festivals.
Alla is an experienced RCM certified violin teacher, she also teaches piano and plays accompaniment with her violin students which is very good for ear training and musical expression. Music theory is also included in her teaching curriculum. Alla passes her knowledge and energy to her students which inspires them to push their talents and think beyond what they thought was their limit.
(Languages: English, Russian)
Nini obtained ARCT Piano Performer Diploma and started teaching piano while studying at the University of Toronto. Having 26 years of experience in piano education, Nini is a strong believer in building a solid foundation of knowledge and techniques while nurturing the development of students' musicality.
Nini is specialized in teaching RCM curriculum for all ages and levels. Her lessons are tailored to bring the best, yet drill on the weaknesses, of each and every one of her students. As Nini's teaching philosophy states, "...lessons are taught in a firm yet accommodating manner, aiming to give confidence and encouragement to students. There are no unattainable goals. When there’s a will, there is a way, and we will ALWAYS find a way."
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(Languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese)
Alexei’s philosophy to teaching music is to use it as a gateway to creative freedom; allowing the aspiring musician to explore and pursue any musical avenue regardless of genre or style. His lessons are rooted in rhythm as the foundation to learning any instrument.
'm i r a g e s', the debut release by Belarusian born guitarist & composer, Alexei Orechin is a musical self-portrait of an artist who brushes the limitless edge of contemporary jazz with chamber and ambient colouring. “A world full of mirrored light and illusion.” It is a showcase album of Orechin’s diverse & shimmering guitar style, exploratory compositions, and pure uninhibited musical expression.
A diverse talent that is reflected in the company he has shared the stage with: Nas, Akae Beka, Rana Mansour, Shad, Yaadcore, Nahre Sol, Sina Bathaie, Tara Kannangara, Andrew Forde, and Núria Andorrá. He has played in USA, Mexico, Europe, and Russia. Performances include the TD Toronto Jazz
Festival, Guelph Jazz Festival, Caribana, Irie Music Festival, Tirgan Festival, Manifesto, and Pride Toronto. His music for film has been featured at TIFF, CFC, NFB and the Warsaw Jewish Film Festival. He has been featured on CBC, Noisey & Vice, Global News, The Star, Dub Rockers, Huffpost, Afropunk, and Relix magazine.
2020 also saw the premier of ‘1992 Ambient’, a 45-minute work for chamber orchestra and electronics that is a ‘therapeutic experiment in slowly melting sound and colour; representing the acculturation and restructuring oneself through emigrating from Russia to Canada in 1992’. This music also marked the completion of a Master’s Degree in Composition from the renowned Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC) in Barcelona.
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(Language: English)
MEET OUR FACULTY
Winter He
Bachelor of Music
(Piano, Theory,
Early Childhood Music)
Andrea Scala
Diploma of Arts
(Drums, Composition)
Tung Le
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Education (Honours)
(Guitar, Bass, Drums)
Winter received a Bachelor of Music from McMaster University and obtained a certified teacher certificate in Piano & Theory from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She is a member of the Ontario Registered Music Teacher Association & Early Childhood Music Education Association. In 2023, she completed the Advanced Early Childhood Music Education Program at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She also frequently works as a part-time coordinator in March break camp, summer camp, and smart start program at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Additionally, she is a music teacher who teaches ages 0-6 at Mastermind Montessori School. Aside from teaching private piano lessons at all ages and levels, she has specialized in teaching the Early Childhood Early Music Course for ages 0-6, theory group courses (RCM Level 5-8 Theory, Level 9 History). She has over 17 years of teaching experience. Her students were 100% passing RCM exams, and most of them received results above 80%. ​
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(Languages: English, Mandarin, Cantonese)
Born in Italy and based in Toronto, Andrea Scala is a drummer, artist and composer. He showed a natural inclination towards percussive instruments and creative arts since he was a kid. Andrea started from a teen age to work as a live and studio session drummer with various bands and songwriters, gathering several collaborations with established musicians in the field of rock and progressive music. While continuing his musical studies, he toured with pop, alternative, folk and world-music bands. In his career, his fellow colleagues have recognized him as a very versatile drummer and musician. Over the years, Andrea had the opportunity to collaborate with several projects, his concerts and recordings include collaborations with Jeffrey Kollman, Tommy Denander, Ron Thal, Karl Potter, Piccola Orchestra La Viola, Duo + 2 Quartet, etc. In 2017 he made his first travel to North America, extending his visit to New York. There, Andrea found a new inspiration and started working more on his compositions, feeling the need to make a step further in expressing his musical thoughts. In February 2020, he released his debut album as a leader “Coming Back, Leaving Again”, featuring a stellar cast of Italian jazz and pop musicians, as pianist Roberto Tarenzi, bassist Francesco Puglisi, guitarist Nicola Costa. The music is a mix of jazz, experimental and electronic, all well blended through Andrea’s vivid imagination.
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(Languages: English, Italian)
Tung Le is a musician with 33 years working in the music industry. At 17 he attended Mohawk College Applied Music program, with jazz guitar as his principle instrument. Tung studied under some of
Canada’s premier musicians including Mike Malone, Reg Schwager, Dave McMurdo and Chris Hunt. He studied guitar with Geoff Young, Joey Goldstein, Mark McCarron and Brian Hughes and many others.
An active performer and teacher since 1990, Tung has a busy schedule teaching, performing and studio works. He has played in many critically acclaimed groups, performs in major concert productions in Canada and the US, jazz and rock festivals, and works in major industry trade shows (NAMM and MIAC).
Tung has an Honors BA in Music Education, OCT certified in top standing from Brock University’s Teacher’s College. He teaches music in elementary schools, guitar for various prestigious music schools throughout Ontario in Toronto/Hamilton areas.
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(Languages: English, Vietnamese)
Lingxi Li
Master of Violin Performance
Master of Music Education
(Violin, Chamber Music)
Forest Muran
PhD in Musicology (on-going)
Master of Musicology
Bachelor of Composition
(Theory, History, Composition)
Violinist and music educator Lingxi Li graduated from The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland with a Master's degree in Music Performance (violin). Currently, she completed her second Master's degree in Music Education at Western University. She has nearly 15 years of teaching and performance experience in the UK, China, Singapore, and Canada. She is a certified Kodály teacher. She provides violin 1-on-1 tutorials, string ensemble coaching, and music theory lessons to students across different levels, with all students passing the ABRSM and RCM exams with distinction or merit. Her students went on to win championships in competitions, including the 2022 Colorado International Music Competition U.S., 2019-2021 HK International Music & Arts Festival, A. Mittag International Music Festival, Inter-school International Performance Challenge HK, Youth Olympic Music Festival, etc. Miss Li was awarded as 'Outstanding Teacher of the Colorado International Music Competition U.S., HK International Music & Arts Festival, A. Mittag International Music Festival.
Miss Li’s teaching style is passionate and humorous. She believes that music can bring people to travel through time and space to resonate with composers and stories. Music can heal people’s minds and spirits, which ascent individuals into a greater depth of internal peace. Music is a lifetime companion. Meanwhile, music study can help to boost students' resilience, problem-solving skills, understanding capacity, aesthetics, empathy, creativity, team spirit, communication skill, and responsibility. These abilities have a far-reaching influence on a person’s life.
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(Languages: English, Mandarin)
A composer, musicologist, and music instructor, Forest Muran has been writing music for 17 years and has been teaching theory and composition for 7. With a Bachelor of Music degree from Western University, as well as an MA in Musicology from the same institution, Forest Muran is currently working on a PhD dissertation. Forest also currently assists in teaching music theory and history courses at Western University and has worked with everyone from beginner to advanced students as a music educator in both Alberta and Ontario. Forest believes that music is a vital part of any culture, and that everyone can benefit from furthering our understanding of it, helping us develop both our imagination and the discipline necessary to guide it. Forest is also a classically trained pianist, has composed for film, and has released numerous electronic music albums.
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(Language: English)
Address: Unit #13, 155 East Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, L4B 2N1
Email: lessons@bmamusic.ca
Tel: 647-892-8112 (Text Only)​
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© 2020 by Brilliance Music Academy