Angelkeys Music Studio

Musicians aren’t made overnight. Most of us were motivated by an event or a person. I distinctly remember being six years old and singing in an old church with a microphone that seemed twice my size. I soon wanted to take piano and voice lessons . Growing up in Germany I studied piano with Hedwig Eschmann through the Conservatory of Music in Mannheim. My vocal teacher, Christa Mohrig was affiliated with the Public Music School and Conservatory in Worms. Starting in grade 5 I attended a high school which specialized in languages and performing arts. I studied with Dr. Juergen Seyfried and Gerhard Holl and completed all Music Performance and Theory requirements to an equivalent of the ARCT level of the Royal Conservatory. I also participated in the school’s classical recorder ensemble for many years. Our school sponsored many performance trips throughout Europe, staged plays and musicals and always encouraged its students to excel in music. Many of us were hired as performers for concerts, matinees, folk festivals and theatre performances in our region. The opportunities were endless. By the time I was 19 years old I had performed in Switzerland, England, France, Holland and at many regional events. I also sang with semi-professional choirs and music groups not linked to our school. We were encouraged to pass on our knowledge to younger students and I produced musicals and plays featuring performers 10 – 14 years of age from 1980 – 1982. Upon graduating in 1982 I received the “Award for Excellence” from the Ministry of Culture and Education for my involvement in the Performing Arts during my High School years. A new chapter in my life saw me immigrating to Canada. I continued to perform in with different Choirs (including the Vancouver Bach Choir, and the Cowichan Valley Musical Society) and as a soloist and choir member in various churches and community groups. I participated in and staged Christmas and Easter Plays. I served as a Worship Leader, working with youth and young adults, training them to work together as a Band and improving their musical skills. I took a short leave from Music between 1986 and 1992 and achieved a Diploma of Technology in Operations Management from the BC Institute of Technology in Burnaby. For the next 6 years I worked in the Aircraft Manufacturing Sector in the Lower Mainland. I returned to my first love and started teaching piano and voice again after the birth of my daughter in 1992. Since then I have worked with many students in Williams Lake and area, teaching all styles of music and encouraging my students to excel on their respective instruments playing the music they love. I have successfully prepared students to take Music Exams in Piano, Voice and Theory through the Royal Conservatory and Canadian Conservatory of Music, to participate in the Cariboo Music Festival, to play and improvise without written Music and I always mentor my senior students to become student teachers. My students have composed pieces for the piano and written their own songs and simply play for the enjoyment of music. I love being involved in the community and my studio participates in many public community events. I have arranged many favorite pieces for my students and have written a book on improvisation for the piano called Off-Road Piano Playing and an exercise series called Modern Vocal Course.