Making music should first and foremost be fun!

I am Kimberly Wong, the Founder of Volo Academy of Music. I started this because I have experienced and witnessed in others the incredible benefits of musical study, and strongly believe in this as a strong foundation and building block of life.

I started playing the piano when I was four years old, and music has been my passion ever since. I was originally from Vancouver, BC, where I attained my Royal Conservatory of Music Teacher's ARCT and Piano Pedagogy. I have been teaching since age fifteen, and am proud to be the head of an academy where we nurture the love of music in our students and help them grow in their goals and passions. I believe in a well-rounded musical education, including repertoire, sight reading, ear training, theory, performance skills, and improvisation.

I studied piano with Winfried Rompf, the Vice President of BC Conservatory of Music and musical director of Vancouver Piano Ensemble. Throughout my piano education, I competed and won many first place piano performance awards in the Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festivals. I played and sang in my church congregation music team since age eleven and led the children's music program at the Pacific Grace Mennonite Brethren Church in Vancouver for eight years. For my Teacher's ARCT and Piano Pedagogy, I studied with Edward J. Parker, the father of concert pianist Ian Parker and uncle of concert pianist Jon (Jackie) Parker. I graduated from The University of British Columbia, where I earned my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Sociology with a focus on child developmental psychology and cognitive neuroscience. I studied classical voice with Rachel Casponi, Master of Music in Vocal Performance, and achieved my RCM Level 9 Classical Voice. I also play the guitar for fun! As an adult, I have made covers and collaborated with friends in recordings and music videos. I have sung in the North Peace Community Choir at Carnegie Hall, New York.

Keep reading to see the rest of the amazing Volo Academy of Music team. Each member brings their own background, experience, and specialties. We have vast knowledge and experience from teaching people of all ages (4 - 77), abilities (beginner to advanced), needs, and purposes. Meet some of our amazing team below!

Music is a language, the most abstract yet most specific one, the one that goes straight to your soul.

Hi! I’m Federico. I'm a professional violinist and former concertmaster in the Youth Nacional Argentinian Symphony Orchestra in Argentina, with 15 years of experience teaching the instrument. In 2020, I was the winner of the third prize and a special mention in the international orchestra auditions awards from Samnium University of Music in Italy, together with Salzburg Mozarteum.

I was invited to be a member of the Arianna chamber music festival 2020 and 2021 by violinist John McGrosso (1st violinist in the Arianna string quartet and professor in the University of Missouri, US), with whom I also take private lessons. Before that I've studied with some of the most distinguished teachers from my country, the most important of them being Daniel Robuschi, concertmaster in the Argentinian National Symphony Orchestra, with whom I've studied for 7 years. I went to Lanús National University in Argentina, specializing in chamber music. I also took lessons with renowned violinists from Belgium and Italy.

I’ve played in the best theaters and concert Halls from my country, including Teatro Colón, and played with international opera singer José Carreras on his farewell tour both in Argentina and Uruguay. I love sharing my love for music and the violin through teaching with Volo Academy of Music!

I think that music is one of the greatest gifts that I could ever give to anyone.

My name is Cat and I started playing piano in January of 2015. I studied with Mary Folette in St Albert for Royal Conservatory of Music Levels 1 - 5, and then been working with Deborah Gallant (ARCT, BMus) for Levels 6 - 8. I am currently in RCM Level 10.

I completed all of my piano exams with First Class Honours and Music Theory with First Class Honors with Distinction. I grew up in Alberta, and have performed at Contemporary Showcase Edmonton, St Albert Rotary Music Festival, Concert in the Country in Millet in my band (Strong Sunday), as well as performed in church worship bands and at banquets. I’ve also played in numerous recitals as a solo pianist, solo vocalist, performed vocal duets, and have also served as a piano accompanist. In addition, I have 7 years of experience in musical theater as an actress as well as a member of the stage crew. I have gold, silver and bronze awards for both voice and piano from St Albert Rotary Music Festival.

Working with children is a huge passion of mine. I have babysat for numerous families around my neighborhood for many years, worked a volunteer job in a daycare for a year that involved working with a diverse group of kids aged 4-12, and have worked with casts that have had children involved in their productions.

I am always excited to share my love of music at Volo Academy of Music and for the opportunity to grow as both a teacher and a performer!

I love how music gives us the ability to express ourselves and show who we are.

My name is Duncan, and I’ve been playing the piano for fifteen years. I love how music gives us the ability to express ourselves and show who we are. I have a broad appreciation for all musical genres, and enjoy playing all of them!

Studying piano has also benefited me as I attribute my razor-sharp focus and enhanced hand-eye coordination to this, as well as my ability to think mathematically from a very young age. I took lessons from Shirley Schepp in Stony Plain, near where I grew up. Shirley has always given me opportunities to perform in local events throughout the years. She always made learning fun and inspired me in many ways. I love passing this onto my students and incorporating everything I’ve been given into my own teaching style.

Besides teaching piano, I’ve also been working at the Stony Plain Public Library since 2017. During summers, I run children’s programs and events there, and volunteer for the Summer Reading Program.

I’m love passing on my love of music and piano, and to give kids the opportunity to enjoy music the way that I do.

Online Guitar Lessons instructor Michael Turlock with Volo Academy of Music — Music is freedom, self discovery, allowing the inner heart to connect with others.

Hi, I’m Michael! I started playing guitar at age 6. I’ve been teaching guitar for 25 years.
I started a band with my brother and friend in high school, where we played at events and functions. After high school, we bought a 66 passenger school bus and traveled all over western Canada, playing 6 nights a week in different towns. After 3 years of full time traveling and performing, I took voice and classical guitar at Alberta College. I’ve joined many part time bands performing Classic Rock, Country Rock, and Blues, and also write and record my own original music. I started teaching in 1990, about 50 students per week. In my spare time, I have also been a Flight Instructor, Motorcycle Instructor, and Physical fitness Trainer!
I love music, and with all my experience, have much to give to help aspiring musicians to expand and go further with their guitar at Volo Academy of Music.

That power music has— to connect people of all locales, cultures, and backgrounds; which has been practiced for thousands (even millions) of years— will always be the part I love the most about it.

Hey! I’m Joshua, a piano/keyboard player currently residing in Spruce Grove, Alberta. I work and gig all around the Greater Edmonton Area, and I’ve been taking formal piano lessons for almost 11 years now. As a very young child, my grandmother used to have a digital piano in her apartment, and I would teach myself various songs by browsing through the classical repertoire and repeat passages over and over again, using the display to tell me which notes to play, until it was just right. Eventually, I convinced my parents to put me into formal piano lessons at age 12, learning classical music with local piano teacher Betty Anne Nissen, and achieving my RCM 10 in about 5-6 years…

… But my heart beat louder for Jazz! Now, I have a BMus from MacEwan University in Piano Performance for Jazz and Contemporary Music, where I’ve had the opportunity to take private lessons under local Edmonton Jazz piano luminaries Chris Andrew, Stephanie Urquhart, Mboya Nicholson, Andrew Glover, and Rob Thompson. I’ve played in the MacEwan Jazz Combo under Montréal drummer Dave Laing, and at the Winspear Centre with the MacEwan Big Band under saxophonist Ray Baril. As well, I’ve had the distinct pleasure of making work performing around the city in venues such as the Yardbird Suite, Spotlight Cabaret, and Polar Park Brewery, playing all sorts of things from Jazz, Blues, R&B, Soul, Funk, and Latin genres.

I was always very shy growing up, but music has given me my most powerful form of expression. Music has connected me with so many people in the local music community, many of whom I consider to be and have welcomed me in like a second family away from home, and the bonds I’ve built through it will always be something I cherish for my entire life. That power music has— to connect people of all locales, cultures, and backgrounds; which has been practiced for thousands (even millions) of years— will always be the part I love the most about it. Teaching this beautiful art awards me the special privilege of imparting that onto the future musicians of the world, and being part of the team at Volo Academy of Music gives me the opportunity to share that with a wider diversity of students than I could ever reach alone.

Music is a unique language separate from any art form in the world, that is capable of shifting a listener’s emotions in an instant and induce sensations that are impossible to experience otherwise.

I’m Gary, and I’ve been playing the piano since I was four years old! I live in St Catherines, Ontario, I love teaching and basketball (playing and coaching).

I love how much can be said and expressed just through a simple melodic phrase without the use of any words. To me, music is a unique language separate from any art form in the world, that is capable of shifting a listener’s emotions in an instant and induce sensations that are impossible to experience otherwise.

Learning how to play the piano is the best way to get introduced to the foundations and fundamental concepts of music as a whole. I also find that playing the instrument can bring you peace and enjoyment whenever you hear those beautiful sounds being made!

I have achieved a second-place finish in the Stamford Kiwanis Festival held in Niagara falls, and I have won The Passion Award for piano performance at a local talent show!

I would like to share all of my knowledge and experience with each and every student I’m fortunate enough to encounter. I sincerely hope that there will be something they can take away from me to inspire them on their journey.

Volo Academy of Music Online Piano Instructor Celina — Music is the language of our souls, unspoken yet deeply understood. Without it, we’d be mere containers.

Hi! My name is Celina, I’m from Rosario, Argentina. My first encounter with a piano was in a restaurant, where I was having dinner with my parents. As soon as I saw the instrument, I ran to see in person what I had seen in movies and cartoons. It turned out that the piano was empty, it was a mere decoration, it had no strings or hammers or keys, nor could it be played. I was shocked, I could not understand why something whose true purpose is inside had been turned into an empty container.
After that first little shock, I took private lessons with Professor Alejandro Gori at the age of 8, and then I entered Rosario’s Municipal School of Music, "Juan Bautista Massa", first with the wisdom of Professor and Concertmaster Alicia Correa, and then with the guidance of Professor and Concertmaster Adrián Pistono.
I try to make each student feel that the lesson is their own space to find what they want to say through each song, while we learn technique, theory and other tools to express ourselves more and better through music.
I hope we can share this magical journey together!