Teachers

Originally from Havana, Cuba, Raul started his musical career at the age of eight. Dazzled by the sound of drums and percussion, he took lessons with several private teachers, who encouraged him to pursue music as a profession. After finishing his studies in Cuba, he immigrated to Canada in 2005 and continued his studies at Humber College, where he finished his Degree in “Contemporary Music” in 2010. During his time at Humber, he was awarded the Millennium Scholarship and, as a member of the Humber Studio Jazz Ensemble, gained valuable experience working with world class artists such as Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Dave Douglas, Labarbera Brothers, Chris Potter and others. Today, he teaches and continues performing and recording professionally in the city of Toronto.

Deniz Tafaghodi is a pianist, sound artist, and founder of 'Zerone Duo'. She began her musical journey at the age of four with Orff Music and began studying classical piano at the age of six. Deniz earned her degree in Music (Piano Performance) from the Art & Architecture University of Tehran. She has been teaching classical piano and music theory since 2016. She has also been an active collaborator in various artistic mediums, including live electro-acoustic/audiovisual performances, sound installations, sound design and music composition for theaters contemporary dance performances, and computer games.

Andrew is a recent graduate of Humber College's Bachelor of Music program, having studied with great Toronto guitarists like Nathan Hiltz and Jocelyn Gould. With nearly 6 years of teaching experience, he prides himself on an interest-forward teaching style - with every lesson, he builds on a student's connection with music, not just their technical abilities. With a wide variety of musical interests, he can provide insight on just about anything a student may want to play. Andrew is currently working on his first album, set to be released later this year.

Singing for joy is at the center of Julia's artistic identity and teaching philosophy. Since she began performing at the age of seven, Julia has gained substantial performance experience in operas, musicals, concerts, choirs, and competitions, obtaining several awards and scholarships along the way. In 2023 she graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor's of Music in opera performance. In Vancouver she taught private voice and piano lessons at a variety of music studios and performing arts schools. She hopes to inspire her students to sing for joy and is excited to guide them towards developing a beautiful instrument and artist identity that is unique to them.

Giancarlo is a graduate of the 'Music Industry Arts and Performance Program' at Centennial College. His primary focus lies in playing the guitar, which has led to his performing at multiple venues across Toronto. He started his musical journey at the age of 12 with classical guitar, later immersing himself in a wide range of musical genres such as blues, rock, bluegrass and improvising. After high school, he finished a pre-university program at the Barranquilla School of Fine Arts and then continued his studies at Centennial College in Toronto. Giancarlo has practical experience in studio recording utilizing digital audio workstations and has provided his expertise as a session musician to others. He is filled with enthusiasm for music and is committed to sharing it with his students as he helps them to develop as musicians.

Amanda began her music journey with the RCM piano curriculum at six years old. After earning the RCM Level 10 certificate five years later, she realized her passion for playing piano had simmered out due to the chore-like, repetitive routine. This experience is why Amanda's teaching is deeply rooted in the values of inspiring curiosity within students and integrating an element of play! With years of piano teaching and academic tutoring experience, Amanda loves to share her rekindled passion for music by fostering lifelong joys in others. In her free time, Amanda learns about music history from cultures around the world, plays flute, and is learning electric guitar.

Joe is a multi-instrumentalist currently in his third year studying Jazz Piano Performance at the University of Toronto. He started taking trumpet lessons when he was still missing his two front teeth, and began studying guitar only a couple of years later. Having been extremely lucky to study with teachers who prioritized building a personal relationship with music, Joe has spent the last decade learning new instruments, writing and recording original music, and geeking out over music theory. Today he dedicates time between his classes to performing in local venues and teaching a variety of musical instruments. His dream is to be able to help his students build the same joyous, curiosity-driven relationship to music that his teachers fostered in him.

Linda Wang is currently studying jazz vocals at Humber College in her Bachelor Degree program. She also enjoys playing and teaching piano and believes in the fulfillment and joy that music can bring to people. Linda has performed as a member of numerous ensembles, most notably Humber's Gospel Choir and World Drumming Ensemble, which has helped her grow as a musician and a person. She aspires to work in music production and composition in the future. However, her goal in the classroom is to ensure that each student can learn while having fun!

Matthew is a Jazz Bassist who has performed both the electric and upright bass for 12 and 10 years, respectively. He began his musical journey at the age of 4, studying in the Community Music Program at Humber College for 14 years. Matthew then graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Toronto in 2022, studying with noteworthy Jazz musicians, such as Dave Young and others. Matthew has had the privilege of performing at festivals such as the 2021 Toronto Undergrad Jazz Festival, the 2020 & 2021 World of Jazz Festival in Brampton, as well as the 2023 TD Niagara Jazz Festival. He looks forward to seeing his students succeed by sharing his own passion for music.

With over a decade of experience working with youngsters, Lauren is passionate about introducing toddlers to the enchanting world of music. Her warm, encouraging approach creates a supportive and fun learning environment where little ones can explore their musicality. Lauren's own musical journey began as a toddler through music lessons based on the Orff Method, igniting a lifelong love for the arts. Her passion for performance and music continued through competitive highland dancing and voice training in musical theatre style under Gerald Issac. As a member of various choral ensembles during university, she has continued to develop her musical talents while working toward her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Toronto. Lauren's next goal is to obtain a degree in Education to become an Elementary School Teacher.

Jonathan Stuchbery is a classical guitarist and a specialist in lutes and historical guitars. As an educator, he encourages students to explore their musical interests while laying strong technical foundations and helping students approach their instruments and music with ease. Jonathan is experienced as a guitar (all styles) and lute teacher, as well as a repertoire coach for vocalists and instrumentalists working on baroque and renaissance music. He is busy as a performer at home and abroad where he is active with multiple ensembles and festivals. Jonathan holds a Master's in Historical Performance from the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona. He was also recognized for outstanding achievement in lute at McGill's Schulich School of Music, receiving his B.Mus. in guitar and lute under teachers Jérôme Ducharme and Sylvain Bergeron.

Oksana Skira is a professional pianist, accompanist, performer, teacher, and a recording artist. She began her music education at Barvinsky State Music College of Drohobych (Drohobych, Ukraine), going on to receive a Masters in Piano Performance from Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy (Lviv, Ukraine). While studying in Drohobych, she won 2nd place in the Western Ukraine Musical Competition. Oksana has recorded and released three independent CDs and continues to be active as a performer, accompanist, and teacher in Toronto and the GTA. At DCAM, Oksana teaches beginner to advanced piano.

Taras (Terry) Babyuk started his musical journey with accordion lessons at the age of seven. In his teens, he became fascinated with piano and never looked back. With over 10 years of experience in the field of education, Terry holds a Level 9 RCM Certificate in piano and has taught beginner to high intermediate piano and beginner to advanced music theory for many years. In addition to his fondness for Classical and Romantic-Era music, he also loves film music and enjoys composing original piano pieces in his spare time. Aside from his occasional teaching duties at DCAM, he is also its co-founder and Managing Director.