Faculty

Meet with our highly qualified, Suzuki-certified music faculty.

We offer violinviolacellobassguitar, piano private lessons and group lessons.

Jessica Mah (Violin/Viola)

Since the age of five, Jessica has been a proud member of the STE community. During her time as a music student with STE she also studied piano, attended numerous Suzuki Institutes, participated in music festivals, and was a member of the Edmonton Youth Orchestra. Jessica joined the STE faculty in 2017 and has been sharing her passion for music and education ever since. She is a registered teacher with the Suzuki Association of the Americas and has taken teacher training in violin units 1-3. Read More

Lydia Metzger (Violin/Viola)

Lydia Metzger is an American violinist and music educator who is currently based in St. Albert, Alberta, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Music- violin performance from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and in December 2017 graduated with high honors from UW with a Masters degree in violin performance. While in Southern Wisconsin, Lydia taught piano and violin lessons at several schools and performed regularly with area orchestras. She also gave various solo and chamber recitals all across Minnesota and Wisconsin. Read More

Mikaela Olsen (Violin/Viola)

Alberta born violinist, Mikaela Olsen, began learning the violin at the age of six. She has had the privilege of studying with Dr. Vladimir Rufino and currently with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Concertmaster, Robert Uchida. 

Mikaela is currently entering her fourth year of study for a Bachelors in Music in Violin Performance at the University of Alberta. She is an alumni of the Edmonton Youth Orchestra and has performed as the concertmaster of the University Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, she had the opportunity to play with the National Academy Orchestra in Hamilton, Ontario for their 2023 summer season. Read More

Aliona Deacon (Violin/Viola)

Aliona’s passion for music started when she was very young in Ukraine when her mother was telling her stories of her grandfather and great grandfather playing the violin. This had inspired Aliona to start studying the violin. In 2009, Aliona successfully graduated from the College of Music in Dnipro City, the home of the famous violinist L. Kogan. Then she continued her Bachelor degree at the Conservatory of Dnipro. Later, Aliona took private lessons with a senior violin tutor N. Vallois of the Royal Birmingham Conservatory in England. 

In 2013, Aliona made Edmonton home. She had her Suzuki Teacher Training and continued her career as a violin teacher.Read More

Adele Bosse-Morgan (Cello)

Adèle Bossé-Morgan grew up as a Suzuki kid, starting cello at the age of 5 with the Society for Talent Education. She has also been a Suzuki parent, with all 4 of her children having taken lessons through the STE. As a teacher, she is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas and is enthusiastic about professional development. She has completed ECC (Every Child Can), SPA (Suzuki Principles in Action), Cello Teacher- Training Units 1 – 10, and most recently Double Bass Unit 1. Read More

Ryan Hoffman (Cello/Chamber)

Ryan Hoffman is a cellist with over 15 years of teaching experience, who recently moved to Edmonton from the United States. He has been teaching here since Fall of 2020, and has been active with Alberta String Association, Opus@12 Chamber Music Society, and Concordia Symphony.  Ryan’s academic degrees include a Doctor of Musical Arts from James Madison University, a Master of Music from Penn State University, and a BA in Music from Susquehanna University.Read More

Mark Eeles (Cello)

Mark Eeles is a cellist whose playing career has taken him through Canada, United States and Europe. He studied with Harvey Shapiro at the Juilliard School and with Florence Hooton at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. In 1986 he completed his Masters of Music with famed teacher and cellist Claude Kenneson. He returned to New York to compete in the 1986 Naumberg International Cello Competition. Read More

Janet Dougan (Cello/Chamber)

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Conrad Sobieraj (Cello)

Edmonton born cellist and composer Conrad Sobieraj began playing cello at age 4 under the instruction of his mother Grazyna Sobieraj. In preparation for university he studied with Silvia Buttiglione of the Vaughan String Quartet, and went on to complete his Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance from the University of Alberta under the instruction of Rafael Hoekman. During the first two years of his degree, the Vertex String Quartet premiered both of his compositions in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Read More

Sheryl Bowhay (Orchestra)

Sheryl Bowhay holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Saskatchewan, as well as a Graduate Diploma in Conducting from the University of Calgary. She specializes in instrumental music education and has taught both bands and orchestras at the middle school and high school levels. Sheryl is active as an adjudicator, guest conductor and clinician. Read More

Ted Tessier (Bass)

Ted Tessier (B.Ed, B.Mus, M.Mus.) has been a Suzuki bass teacher since 2005. He has completed both Education and Music bachelor degrees – specializing in standup bass. Ted has also has a Masters in Music with a focus on Musical Education.Read More

Michael Hunter (Guitar)

Michael Hunter (B. A. Soc) began playing steel string guitar at age six, and has performed solo, as part of a duo, and in bands over the years. He used his musical background to support early childhood education in Taichung, Taiwan, while continuing to perform in the evenings.  After a serious accident, Michael returned to Canada to recover.  He later switched to classical guitar and focused intently on technique, which allowed him to continue to play despite his injuries. Michael first completed Royal Conservatory Level 5 Theory and Level 3 Classical Guitar. Read More

Laura Mackay (Choir)

Coloratura-soprano Laura Mackay earned her Bachelor of Music at the University of Western Ontario, and received her Master of Music in Voice Performance at James Madisen University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She has appeared in operatic productions and concerts throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe. Some past performances include Giannetta in Elisir d’Amore, The Sandman/Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel, and Merab in Saul, all with Grande Prairie Opera, Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte and Zenobia in Radamisto, both with Accademia Europea dell’Opera in Lucca, Italy, Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, both with JMUOpera Theater, as well as Nella in Gianni Schicchi with Luray Opera Theater. Read More