Our Team

Piano, Theory

Beverley McKiver is an Ottawa-based pianist, composer and teacher who frequently collaborates with singers, choirs and instrumentalists. Beverley completed a certificate in Piano Pedagogy from the University of Ottawa in 2019. 

She has performed at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Banff Centre for the Arts, and Native Earth Performing Arts in Toronto. Her “Odaabaanag” song cycle commissioned by Jumblies Theatre and Soundstreams in Toronto was performed at Toronto’s Harbourfront in November, 2019. 

Beverley has a philosophy of life-long learning and continues her own classical and jazz piano studies. As a teacher, she brings her creativity and love of music to students of all ages.

Piano

Debra Bourne has a passion for helping people achieve their goals and in assisting individuals of varied age groups to learn to play music. Piano has been a part of Debra’s life since the age

of 7. Through hard work and determination, she achieved Grade 8 piano level and Grade 2 theory.. Debra especially enjoys teaching students who want to learn to play the piano and have fun while doing so. Enjoying oneself while learning, where the lessons “fly by” and progress is made for that particular individual, is very rewarding for Debra.

Interacting with individuals of all ages in a teaching environment has always energized Debra and she carries this through in other forms as well, also being the founder / director of the Russell Village Ringers which is a handbell choir, ringing a 3 octaves set of handbells. She volunteers at Russell Meadows and teaches some of the residents to play choirchimes which are similar to handbells however easier to ring. In her spare time, she has a few accounting clients and she teaches Little Rocks curling at the Russell Curling club, is learning to play bridge, loves spending time with her husband Jim and her grandchildren and their families. Life Coaching and being involved in Family Connections are other volunteer passions of Debra.

“Being engaged keeps me young,” says Debra. She has a goal of living the Blue Zone lifestyle

to age healthily.

Drum-set, Percussion

Bio/ Pic- coming soon

Piano, Guitar, Double Bass, Voice, Band

Kelsea Hopkins is a dedicated music educator based in Ottawa, ON, teaching piano, guitar, double bass, and voice. She earned a Bachelor of Music in double bass and composition from the University of Ottawa and received the SOCAN Young Canadian Composer Award in 2023. With nearly a decade of teaching experience, she works with students of all ages, from infants to adults.

Raised in Vancouver, BC, Kelsea’s early studies included piano, guitar, double bass, and voice. As a double bassist, she performed with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and at diplomatic events for the Philippines Embassy. Her guitar journey evolved from classical studies to exploring mariachi and son Cubano, traveling to Cuba and Mexico to learn the tres Cubano and vihuela. During high school, she sang, played guitar, and bass in her own rock and jazz ensembles.

As a singer, Kelsea sang competitively with the White Rock Children’s Choir and the BC Girls Choir, performing at Carnegie Hall and earning national and international awards. A pianist since age six, she now uses her skills to compose, accompany her students and collaborate with peers.

Guitar, Piano, Band

 Matthew is a twenty eight year old multi-instrumentalist. His main studies have been on the guitar with a focus on progressive rock, jazz, fusion, and contemporary music. Matthew is a Carleton University graduate with a Bachelors in Music. He has been teaching for over seven years in the Ottawa/Gatineau region along with the city of Montreal and the villages of the Laurentians. These lessons have been with both young and older students specializing in a variety of different studies and genres. He has an extensive background in theory/analysis as well as performance, and composition.  

Guitar, Piano, Band

Bio coming soon