Meet Your Teacher
Hi, I’m Season.
I’m a pianist, educator, and the founder of SW Music. For more than 16 years, I’ve worked with students at different ages, levels, and stages of their musical journeys.
My own education was shaped by rigorous classical training, examinations, festivals, performance, collaboration, and wonderful teachers. Today, I combine those strong musical foundations with a teaching approach that adapts to the individual student.
Why I Teach
Teaching has always been closely connected to the way I understand learning, growth, and opportunity.
My parents were my first teachers. As an immigrant family starting with very little, they placed enormous value on education and invested deeply in my development. Through their example, I learned the importance of curiosity, resilience, compassion, and hard work. Later, my own teachers continued to shape me. They helped me recognize my potential, encouraged me through challenges, and gave me the tools to become more independent.
These experiences have shown me how influential a thoughtful and caring teacher can be. That is the kind of teacher I aim to be.
I want my students to feel comfortable asking questions, exploring ideas, making mistakes, and discovering what interests them. Whether we are preparing for an examination, working toward a performance, solving a difficult technical problem, or simply learning a favourite piece, I want students to understand the purpose behind what they are doing and feel proud of their progress.
Over the years, I have been fortunate to build long-lasting relationships with many students and families. Watching students become more confident, curious, expressive, and independent has reinforced why I continue to teach.
For me, teaching is not a skill that is ever completely finished. It is a lifelong commitment to learning, adapting, reflecting, and finding better ways to help my students grow.
Students do not all learn in the same way, and they do not all come to music for the same reason. Excellent teaching means adapting to the student in front of you.
My Teaching Approach
Individualized Learning
No two students learn in exactly the same way.
I adapt lessons according to each student’s age, personality, strengths, interests, learning style, and goals. Some students thrive with clear structure and measurable milestones, while others respond more strongly to creativity, movement, visual learning, storytelling, or exploration.
This isn’t to lower expectations, but instead to find the approach that helps each student flourish.
Curiosity
I want my students to understand the why behind something, not just to simply follow instructions.
Questions are welcomed in my studio. Students are encouraged to experiment, notice patterns, listen critically, and make their own musical observations. Rather than giving every answer immediately, I often guide students toward discovering solutions themselves.
Over time, this develops musicians who can think independently instead of relying on someone else to think for them.
Progress with Challenges
Progress requires both encouragement and challenge.
I help students develop effective strategies for practising, preparing repertoire, responding to feedback, and working through frustration. Mistakes are not treated as failures. They give us information about what needs to be understood, adjusted, or practised differently.
Whether a student is preparing for a recital, competition, examination, or personal goal, the process is approached thoughtfully and with realistic expectations.
A Love for Music
Strong musicianship and enjoyment should support one another.
Technique, reading, rhythm, theory, listening, and musical understanding give students freedom. The stronger these foundations become, the more confidently students can explore repertoire, express themselves, collaborate with others, and pursue the music that interests them.
My aim is to help students develop excellent skills without losing the curiosity and enjoyment that brought them to music in the first place.
My background in tutoring, youth programming, classroom environments, conducting, and music education has shaped the way I teach.
Years spent leading after-school programs gave me practical experience with children’s cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development and led me to complete High Five certification in healthy child development.
Experiences studying languages, travelling, and learning within different communities have also reinforced the importance of approaching students with empathy, respect, and an openness to different perspectives.
Music lessons may begin at the piano, but many of the skills students develop: curiosity, perseverance, problem-solving, communication, and confidence, extend far beyond it.
My Musical Journey
A Foundation in Classical Music
My musical education began with classical piano training and eventually grew to include examinations, festivals, competitions, performances, ensemble work, theory, history, and collaboration.
Along the way, I was fortunate to study with teachers who challenged me, supported me, and helped me understand that musicianship involves far more than learning the correct notes.
Their influence continues to shape the way I teach today.
University of Victoria
I went on to complete my Bachelor of Music with Distinction at the University of Victoria, where I was the recipient of six scholarships.
University study gave me the opportunity to explore music from many perspectives: performance, theory, history, analysis, collaboration, and musicianship, and strengthened my understanding of both the technical and expressive sides of music.
Learning to Teach
My development as an educator happened alongside my development as a musician.
Before and throughout university, I worked extensively with children and young people through after-school programs, summer camps, tutoring, mentoring, and community programs. These experiences taught me how differently children learn and how important patience, creativity, communication, and flexibility are in education.
I later expanded this experience through academic tutoring, elementary and secondary classroom involvement, and individualized support for students with a wide range of learning needs.
Building SW Music
Later on, I founded SW Music.
Since then, I have worked with students from their earliest piano lessons through advanced repertoire, examinations, festivals, competitions, and performances. I have developed individualized curricula, practice resources, worksheets, games, guides, and teaching materials to make challenging ideas more understandable and engaging.
One of the most meaningful parts of this journey has been watching students grow over many years. Not only as musicians, but as increasingly confident and independent learners.
Beyond the Piano
My musical interests have continued to expand beyond piano.
I have pursued studies in conducting, directed a Choir Ensemble, worked with youth violin groups, and developed practical knowledge of instruments across the string, brass, woodwind, percussion, and keyboard families.
These experiences have helped me see music from a broader perspective and allow me to introduce students to ideas about orchestration, ensemble playing, musical roles, tone colour, and how different parts work together.
Always Learning
I do not consider my own education finished.
Teaching continually introduces new questions, new students, and new challenges. I continue to learn, reflect, develop resources, explore different teaching methods, and deepen my understanding of music and education.
That ongoing process is one of the things I value most about being a teacher.
Every student teaches me something too.
Music & Education
Bachelor of Music with Distinction — University of Victoria
Associate diploma (ARCT) of the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM)
RCM Certified Teacher
Specialist Designations: Elementary and Intermediate Piano, Elementary and Intermediate Theory, Advanced Harmony and Advanced History
BC Registered Music Teacher (RMT) of the BCRMTA
Recipient of six university scholarships
Advanced studies in piano, theory, history, and conducting
High Five Certification, Principles of Healthy Child Development
Every musical journey starts somewhere.
Whether your child is completely new to music, looking for a more supportive learning environment, or ready for their next musical challenge, I’d be happy to discuss their goals!