Private Music Instructors

Rockway offers its students the opportunity to schedule private music instruction in guitar, strings, voice and piano at the school and during the school day. Learn about our instructors below.

Guitar - Mike Erb

Mike Erb  is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter who has been teaching guitar, drums, piano, theory and song writing for the last 10 years covering all styles, levels and ages. In addition to teaching privately, Mike has been contracted to arrange and write for semi-professional stage productions and orchestras, and regularly leads music workshops for different events and organizations. Mike is also a singer/songwriter/freelance musician. Over the years, he has released numerous CD's under his name, on top of lending his hand to other artists' projects and albums. Mike brings extensive experience as a guitar teacher able to teach and inspire a wide range of ability levels.

Fees:

• $18.00 for a 30-minute lesson or $252 per semester ($18.00 x 14 lessons).

Guitar - John Wiebe

John Wiebe has studied the Rudiments of Music and Harmony and classical guitar. He participated in an early music program at Brock University, which included instruction on the lute, a renaissance instrument.    He continued studying harmony and musical analysis at Wilfrid Laurier University. John’s interest in different methods of notating music has brought him to rediscover shaped notes used in old hymnals, and the Nashville number system used in chord charts, allowing the musician to play in any key. A similar number system was also used by the Russian Mennonites writing four part harmony. John incorporates the number system in his approach to teaching theory related to the guitar and bass, using chord numbers and scale melodies. In the fall of 1981 John started a business in New Hamburg which has evolved and grown into Many Streams Music Teaching/Recording Studio. John has previously taught at Rockway from 1984 - 2001.

Strings - Alison Feuerwerker

Alison Feuerwerker has a B.Mus. degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and an ARCT in violin performance. She has been teaching violin in Kitchener-Waterloo for two decades, maintaining an active home studio of around 35 students. Alison is a founding member of the Waterloo Chamber Players, a member of the Guelph Symphony, a freelance violinist and occasional recitalist. Her favourite kinds of music to play include chamber music, musical theatre, and contemporary worship music.
 

Fees:

• $18.00 for a 30-minute lesson or $252 per semester ($18.00 x 14 lessons).

Voice - Stephanie Kramer

Stephanie Kramer is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University with an Honours Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance.  As a soloist she has performed locally with groups such as Menno Singers, Da Capo Chamber Choir, The Renaissance Singers and Nota Bene Period Orchestra.  She has also performed in Toronto with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and in Germany and Austria as a guest soloist with the Grand Philharmonic Choir.  In addition to her performing career, which has spanned twenty-five years, she has been active as a teacher both privately and within the school system.  She is currently the voice instructor at Conrad Grebel University College - a position she has held since 1998.

Fees:

• $18.00 for a 30-minute lesson or $252 per semester ($18.00 x 14 lessons).

Voice - Bethany Horst

Soprano, received her early training in piano and voice in Kitchener, Ontario. She holds a Masters of Music in Literature and Performance from the University of Western Ontario. Ms. Horst has participated in several international competitions and was twice honoured as the District Winner and Regional Finalist at the Metropolitan Opera National Auditions. She has appeared in numerous productions with Opera Kitchener, Ottawa Opera Lyra, UW Operas, KW Musical Productions, L’Opera du Périgord (France) and London Musical Theater and sung solo oratorio works with many chamber choirs and symphony orchestras. Ms. Horst teaches voice, piano and theory at her studio in Kitchener. She is a grad of Rockway and happy to return in the capacity of voice instructor.

Piano - Kathleen King Martin

Kathleen King Martin received a B.A. in Music from Goshen College, Indiana, with emphasis in Piano Performance, and Piano Pedagogy. She has over 25 years of teaching experience with all ages, from beginner to advanced piano, as well as theory and pipe organ. Her students receive high marks in conservatory examinations, as well as study contemporary music idioms. Kathleen is well-known for her accompanying work with soloists and choirs, and has several CD recordings in this capacity. In 2006, Kathleen received an Associate Degree from the Royal Canadian College of Organists, winning two national awards. She has a varied music career as Director of Music/Organist at First United Church, Waterloo, where she conducts 4 choirs, and as the past director of MacKay Choristers of Goderich, a 70-voice community choir.

Fees:

• Grades 1 - 5 = $18.00 for a 30-minute lesson or $252.00 per semester ($18.00 x 14 lessons).
• Grades 6 - 7 = $27.00 for a 45-minute lesson or $378.00 per semester ($27.00 x 14 lessons).
• Grades 8 - 9 = $36.00 for a 60-minute lesson or $504.00 per semester ($36.00 x 14 lessons).
• Grades 10 - ARCT = The instructor will negotiate, directly with the individual, an appropriate fee.

Practice Times

The school facilities are available between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Lesson times are to be arranged between the teacher and the student. Students will be permitted to leave scheduled classes for private lessons if they do not have spares and no other time is suitable. Lessons are given in the practice rooms upstairs.

Terms of Payment

NOTE: Students will pay the music instructor directly. Payment must be made at the beginning of each semester. Students should bring with them a cheque for lessons for one semester, or a series of postdated cheques dated for the 1st of each month. Payment is based on fourteen lessons per semester starting as early as September 8th.

Additional lessons may be arranged with the teacher, understanding that the student will be charged accordingly. If a student needs to miss a lesson, a make-up lesson can be arranged with the teacher. If a student chooses not to do a make-up lesson, or forgets a lesson without an acceptable reason, the student will not receive a refund.

If for reasons of health a student needs to discontinue taking lessons at any point during the semester, she/he will be refunded the monies for the balance of the lessons in that semester. If the teacher needs to cancel a scheduled lesson and a mutually satisfactory make-up lesson cannot be arranged, the student will be refunded the monies for that lesson. Whenever possible, students should notify their teacher of any schedule changes (ie Schedule #3) and class trips.

If, for any reason, a student or the teacher cannot meet for a scheduled lesson, the other party will be notified at least 24 hours before the scheduled lesson time. If a student is going on vacation during the school year, the student must give ample notification. Serious attempts should be made by the student or teacher to personally inform the other party and only as a last resort should the school office be used to transact communications. When calling the Student Attendance Mailbox, it should also be noted to inform the music teacher of the student’s absence.

Contact

Students may contact their private music instructor through the main office.