Piano Lessons
Laura Tyrrell, B. Mus. Director
Laura Tyrrell holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia and has been certified as an Advanced Music Specialist in Piano by Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music. Her teachers have included John Dupuis, Dr. Sara Davis Buechner, and Miranda Wong. She is a member of the Vancouver Bach Choir, the BC Registered Music Teachers’ Association and has maintained a vibrant following of students since she began teaching in 2004.
In 2014, Laura Tyrrell became the Director of West Point Grey School of Music where she assembles the talents of inspiring music teachers who also share her vision of community and connection through a love of music. She delights in organizing performance opportunies that challenge the status quo, inspire students to rise above their limitations, and create a stir with their audiences.
Parisa Moghaddam
Discover the joy of music with Parisa, a passionate pianist and educator based in Vancouver, BC. With over ten years of experience in teaching piano and music theory, Parisa brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her students. She holds degrees in Piano Performance and Piano Teaching from the prestigious Tehran Conservatory of Music, providing a solid foundation in both performance and teaching techniques.
In addition to her teaching experience, Parisa has been an active soprano chorister in a renowned choral ensemble, further enriching her musical background. She has extensive knowledge of a wide range of musical styles and is highly skilled in preparing students for Royal Conservatory and ABRSM exams.
Since 2023, Parisa has been sharing her expertise with piano students in Vancouver, offering tailored lessons for all ages and skill levels. Whether you’re a beginner or advanced student, Parisa’s approach combines deep music theory knowledge with personalized instruction, ensuring that every student makes steady progress in an engaging and enjoyable way. Her warm and supportive teaching style creates an inspiring environment where students not only learn but also develop a lifelong passion for music.
If you're ready to unlock your musical potential, Parisa is here to guide you every step of the way, helping you achieve your goals with both discipline and joy.
Crystal Yu, B.A., LRCM
Crystal Yu began playing the piano at the age of four, studying under Alice Enns and the late Mary Tickner. She has received numerous awards for her performances in local music festivals, as well as receiving the British Columbia District/Authority Scholarship in Piano in 2020. In 2019, Crystal was one of three students in British Columbia to obtain the RCM Licentiate Diploma in Piano Performance, the highest performance credential offered by the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM). She is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, where she studied Psychology and Music Technology. Crystal completed her Elementary Piano Pedagogy certification through RCM in 2024, and is currently pursuing Intermediate Piano Pedagogy under Prudence Leung.
Crystal is passionate about sharing her love of music with her students. She believes that the most meaningful piano education includes appreciation and enjoyment, ensuring students have a fun and rewarding learning experience.
Tiffany Tse, B. Eng., ARCT
Tiffany Tse began her piano studies in Toronto at the age of five and has since received numerous scholarships and awards from piano competitions and festivals. She completed the ARCT in Piano Performance Diploma at the Royal Conservatory of Music, receiving First Class Honours with Distinction, and has performed twice in Weill Recital Hall at CarnegieHall. Tiffany is a second prize winner and four-time national finalist at the Canadian Music Competition, and first prize winner at the Ontario Music Festival Association Provincial Finals. Furthermore, she has performed with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra, as a winner of both Solo and Concerto categories at the Ithaca College School of Music in New York.
Currently, she is completing her Master of Applied Science in Biomedical Engineering at The University of British Columbia. She continues her classical music journey through teaching, performing, and accompanying a variety of instruments. Tiffany is passionate about sharing her love for music with others, creating classical music content for an audience of over 20,000 followers on Instagram. She is committed to creating art while supporting others on their journey through musicianship and mentorship.
Fiorella Alvarenga, B.A.
Fiorella Alvarenga is a second-generation music teacher with ten years of teaching experience. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Music and an English Literature Minor from UBC. Her diverse musical interests have led her to study and perform African Music under the tutelage of Dr. Kofi Gbolonyo as well as becoming a skilled performer of Early Music under the guidance of Dr. Alex Fisher in his Renaissance Woodwinds Consort.
Aside teaching piano and theory lessons, Fiorella’s enthusiasm for music has led her to become an accompanist for the Vancouver Extracurricular Music Society (VEM) a non-profit group aimed at engaging elementary school children in choirs throughout Vancouver. Privately, she is a enthusiastic harpsichordist in the Baroque community.
Fiorella’s favorite aspect of teaching is getting to know her students unique perspectives and building upon them to create a sense of musical discovery together at the lesson. She strives to be her student’s biggest cheerleader providing support, encouragement, and fostering curiosity in their musical journey. Fiorella is well versed in the classical RCM curriculum but not afraid to explore other genres with her students such as Jazz, Soundtrack, and World Music.
This summer, Fiorella will be following her passion to provide alternate approaches to music teaching by completing her first level of the Orff-Schulwerk method.
Maya Schenk, B.A.
Maya’s love of music began in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where as a child she learned piano, training under the rigorous Russian school tradition. When the civil war broke out in Sarajevo in 1992, Maya and her family were forced to seek refuge in Vienna, Austria. During this time of loss and uncertainty, Maya was given the chance to continue her studies and pursue Piano Pedagogy at the world-renowned Viennese School of Music and Performing Arts. What had begun as tragedy transformed into an unexpected blessing: the gift of pursuing her passion for music in such an extraordinary place.
In 1996, Maya and her family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada, where she earned her Diploma in Piano Performance from Douglas College. Her passion for knowledge later led her to Simon Fraser University, where she completed a degree in Linguistics and was also introduced to film music composition, expanding her love and passion for music, and developing as a music composer.
Maya has 20 years of piano teaching experience. She has worked with students of every age and level, from beginners just learning to place their hands on the keys to ARCT diploma candidates preparing for examinations and competitions. While she has proudly guided many students to success with the Royal Conservatory of Music examinations, what she cherishes the most is witnessing the spark of joy when a student discovers their own musical voice. To Maya, music is not simply a career—it is her life’s devotion. She is honoured to share this love of music with her students and finds great satisfaction in witnessing their artistic development alongside her.
Janina Gevers, B. Mus. ARIAM
Nina Gevers is a classically trained Irish pianist with nine years of enthusiastic piano and music teaching experience. Having begun her musical journey with the piano at age 8 on a honky-tonk piano her dad bartered for on a building site, she now holds a Music Education Bachelor's degree from Trinity College Dublin/RIAM and an ARIAM in Piano Pedagogy. Her teaching style blends those of her own learning, her emphasis of musical joy and understanding with a touch of the pedagogical approach of Kodály, having studied at the Kodály Institute in Hungary in 2016. Musical connection is at the heart of her teaching purpose, and she adores supporting student’s musical development and love of piano, finding satisfaction in the balance of quality musical touch and the story it tells. She believes that communication, encouragement and compassion are just as essential elements to imparting musical knowledge as technical skill, and that music is for everybody.