Teachers

Our Teaching Staff...

If there is one thing which makes our school better than others it is our staff. Hand picked over the past 15 years, most of our instructors have been with us for many years and call Kaos their primary job. While uniquely different, each of our teaching staff share one very important quality, they are all wonderful people. We believe that all of the music education in the world means nothing if it can't be communicated to the student in a fun way. Music lessons are an elective activity for most which means it should be first and foremost, fun. It is with this in mind that we consistently produce high quality results from students who can enjoy music for the rest of their lives.

Sheri is a veteran educator with over 17 years experience, most of which is with us here at Kaos. Sheri not only teaches a full schedule of private students, she is a fully certified Yamaha Music Education instructor as well as our school administrator. Sheri and colleague Yoanna Mesa have developed our early childhood education program using Yamaha’s Music Education System. When asked, Sheri would tell you that she gets the most joy out of her teaching when her students enjoy their lessons and leave feeling good about their accomplishments.

When not working for us here, Sheri spends many hours volunteering in the community and relaxing with her husband Jon (also a talented piano player) and friends. She also enjoys a good hockey game and can always be found watching football on Grey Cub Sunday.

Sheri Josephson

Private Piano Instructor

Yamaha Certified Instructor

School Administrator

Many years ago, Yoanna and her husband Rubens relocated their lives from Cuba to Toronto, lucky for us. Since then she has established herself as a valuable member of the music community in Toronto. Yoanna performs regularly in Toronto’s better Latin night clubs. Classically, she has performed many times with the Toronto Operetta Theatre company. While she continues to work on the performing aspects of her career, Yoanna maintains a full schedule of private and group students for us here at Kaos.

Privately, Yoanna teaches piano and voice. As well, Yoanna is a certified Yamaha Music Education Instructor which qualifies her to teach some of our young children group classes. Yoanna has been one of our valued instructors for the past 7 years.

Yoanna Mesa

Private Piano Instructor

Private Vocal Instructor

Yamaha Certified Instructor

Tessa joined our school last year with many years of varied musical experiences. After graduating from Humber College’s music program as a vocal major Tessa went on to spend many years performing and teaching. Tessa feels as comfortable teaching piano as she does teaching jazz vocal or a youth vocal ensemble. She has classical piano and vocal experience as well as a long list of theatrical vocal experience. Beyond that, Tessa has completed the Yamaha Music Education training which qualifies her to teach many of Yamaha’s young children’s programs.

Aside from an impressive list of qualifications and experiences, Tessa brings her vibrant personality to our school, we are happy to have her.

Tessa Springate

Private Piano Instructor

Private Vocal Instructor

Yamaha Certified Instructor

Tiffany has been involved with music since an early age participation in various choirs and musical theatre groups. She attended Cawthra Park High School for the Performing Arts, majoring in voice. During this time she received numerous awards and scholarships. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Music Degree at Humber College. During her spare time she takes pleasure in composing her own music as well as taking in the vibrant Toronto live music scene.

We are pleased to have had Tiffany join our staff in ’06 as she brings a great combination of technical know how and young enthusiasm. Her casual yet no nonsense approach has produced great results among her students.

Tiffany Hanus

Private Piano Instructor

Private Vocal Instructor

Jill began piano lessons at the age of 8. She attended the Etobicoke School of the Arts as a music major where she played int eh the ESA’s symphony, chamber and pit orchestras. She also studied classical piano during this time. Her studies in jazz piano began at Humber College under the direction of Brian Dichinson and Anthony Panacci.

In 1999 Jill began teaching and in 2001 she joined the staff of Kaos Music on a full time basis. Since joining our staff, Jill has helped hundreds of students find their enjoyment of piano with her unmistakably enthusiastic personality and teaching style.

Jill Del Degan

Private Piano Instructor

Frank is one of those guys who truly is one of the hardest working guys in the business. Franks has been performing for well over 20 years in and around the Toronto area. He is well known as one of this cities finest blues guitarist. While not teaching for Kaos, which he does 5 days a week all year, every year since 1989, Frank is likely performing with his own band somewhere in the GTA.

While Frank practices hard, he is well known as one of our easiest going teachers. Don’t mistake a relaxed attitude with a lax teaching attitude. Frank gets great results and is no question one of our favorite teachers.

Frank Cosentino

Private Guitar Instructor

Chris has been playing guitar for over 20 years and teaching for over 10 years. As a teenager, Chris studied rock, jazz, classical and theory at the Eli Kassner Guitar Academy in Toronto under renowned instructor Rob Campbell. He has recorded 3 CDs with his own band and has been labeled by the Toronto Sun “ a songwriting Charles Atlas” He continues to play live in Toronto with his own band and many others.

Chris believes anyone should walk out from their first guitar lesson with three chords under their belt and a smile on their face. His approach emphasizes fun for the student, technique on the instrument and enthusiasm for music.

Chris Staig

Private Guitar Instructor

Heather started taking classical guitar training at the age of nine and discovered her true love, the Fender Stratocastor, by age 12, when she began to pursue her passion for the blues and rock & roll. She graduated from Cawthra Park's Regional Arts Program with honors before being accepted into the Humber College jazz program, where she is currently pursuing a degree in contemporary applied music.

Heather brings a young enthusiasm combined with a serious musical ability to her lessons. As a result, students young and old find their lessons fun and productive.

Heather Crawford

Private Guitar Instructor

Jeremy Bellaviti has lived in Canada for the past ten years, during which time he studied for a number of years with guitar great, Rob Piltch. He also spent three years studying under Canadian cellist, Shauna Rolston among others. Jeremy also took several lessons in musical composition with multi-instrumentalist/composer, Phil Dwyer. He is actively involved in a variety of groups, including his original 'Americana' string trio and has toured Italy on several occasions including a duo-tour with slide guitarist, Don Rook (The Henry's).

Jeremy has been teaching for us here at Kaos for many years. He has developed a faithful following of students likely due to his extremely calm and friendly disposition. He consistently achieves great results from his students while providing a fun weekly activity.

Jeremy Belavitti

Gino Del Sole began his music career in 1981 playing in cover bands in Sudbury, Ontario. Gino became interested in jazz music, so he enrolled in the music program at Humber College in 1995. While at Humber, Gino studied with such notable guitarists as Ted Quinlan, Tony Zorzi, Lorne Lofsky and Rob Bulgar. He played with the Humber College big band, which featured Don Thompson and Pat Labarbera. Upon graduating with honors in 1998, he formed his own jazz group now performing at parties and functions. Gino has also done many musicals in the last few years including A Chorus Line, Joseph, Fiddler on the Roof, and British Invasion I and II at Stage West in Mississauga. He was the full-time guitarist there for the debut of “California Dreaming”.

Over the past 10 years, Gino has taught for us here at Kaos. Gino combines his considerable experience with a highly formated lesson approach to guide his students.

Private Guitar Instructor

Gino Del Sole

Private Guitar Instructor

Justin is a fellow that wears many hats. While Justin mainly teaches bass for us here at Kaos, he is completely capable of teaching guitar and drums. Justin is truly one of our most versatile teachers. Aside from teaching full time for Kaos, Justin keeps a busy playing schedule. With no less then two original and two cover bands at any given time, Justin is playing essentially all of the time.

Justin’s extremely easy going disposition is a great asset when it comes to providing his students a fun and relaxed learning environment. As with many of our teachers, their easy going outer dispositions are not to be mistaken for a serious commitment to learning.

Justin Snikar

Private Bass/Guitar Instructor

Paul has been performing and teaching music since he played guitar in his high school Jazz band. Later he taught Jazz theory and performed regularly with the faculty of the first Jazz Diploma Program in Nova Scotia at St. F.X. University.

In 1999 Paul received a Professional Development Grant to study with Toronto jazz bassist Steve Wallace. Since then he has been active performing and teaching in Toronto and beyond. He has performed and recorded with the Jorge Miguel Flamenco Company, Sambacana, Geordie Haley's Everytime Band, Robert Michaels, jazz guitarist Roy Patterson and J.V. Dixon & Rhythm Changes. He was accepted into the University of Toronto Faculty of Education Teacher Training Program in 2006 and has been awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts for composition. In 2007 he released his debut Brazilian Jazz CD "Rio Bossa".

Paul Donat

Private Bass/Guitar Instructor

Thomas has over 20 years experience playing guitar including six years with the band Joydrop. As a producer, Thomas works primarily from his home studio and has produced records for The Populars, Rebekah Higgs and Kathryn Rose among others. Thomas is also a sound designer/composer for the theatre and received two Dora nominations last season for Leo (Tarragon) and bloom (Modern Times). Currently Thomas is recording a solo album, performing with Kathryn Rose and new band Parker, preparing for various sound design productions and holding his two month old daughter, Hazel.

Thomas has established himself as a uniquely soft spoken, gentle but highly effective guitar instructor. Thomas is a welcome addition to our teaching faculty.

Thomas Payne

Private Guitar Instructor

Martin Dubeau is a well versed guitarist who is just as comfortable performing jazz standards as he is at interpreting a classic disco or current R&B songs. He has been performing in Montreal, Toronto and internationally for the last 10 years. Martin studied composition and Jazz guitar performance at Vanier College from 1996 to 2000 and has won song writers competitions held by 99.9 Buzz Fm in Montreal in 1998. He is currently is performing with singer Tracy Francis in local GTA clubs. Martin has taught guitar privately since 2000 and has taught children and adults in both french and english, he has also taught children with learning disabilities to play guitar. When he is not teaching or performing he enjoys watching movies, composing original music and listening to Jazz.

Martin Dubeau

Private Guitar Instructor

Elena Kapeleris is a freelance saxophonist and vocalist living and working in Toronto. She is a graduate of the jazz program at Humber College where she studied saxophone with world renowned saxophonist Pat Labarbera. She has also studied vocals with Shannon Gunn and jazz composition with Don Thompson. Elena can be heard playing at various clubs in the Toronto area, as well as corporate functions, and studio recordings on film scores and recordings with musicians of many different styles of music. She has been teaching at Kaos music for many years and loves the opportuninty to help students love to play music.

Elena Kaperleris

Private Woodwind Instructor

Marco’s philosophy in music and in life is simple: “Make it Groove.”

Marco began playing the drums in 1993 and has since developed over 10 years of professional playing experience with shows and features throughout the GTA.

As a teacher, Marco’s approach to the drum-set is rooted in practical and musical fundamentals. He delivers a creative and enjoyable lesson by adapting to the needs of his students.

Personal achievements include touring the island of Malta with the Borg & Vella Group and creating a unique sound design for the TTC. Marco is further developing his drumming skills as a session musician with some of Toronto’s finest recording studios.

When Marco is not teaching, performing, writing or recording music, he likes to practice his martial art forms, read books, cycle throughout the city and go camping and portaging with his wife Jillian-Lee.

Marco Del Degan

Private Drum/Percussion Instructor

Jasmine joined our staff in 2006. Since then she has helped her students develop by providing a consistent approach of fun and interactive lessons. While small in stature, Jasmine more then makes up for it in her ability, her enthusiasm and dedication to all things music. We are happy to call Jasmine a member of our teaching staff.

Jasmine is a honors graduate from the Humber College Bachelor of Music Program. She spends much of her time performing in various musical acts in and around Toronto in between teaching and being a new mom.

Jasmine Jones

Private Drum/Percussion Instructor

Originally from Edmonton, Shannon received a diploma in vocal performance from Grant MacEwan College before coming to Toronto to get her degree in jazz voice from the University of Toronto. She plays many instruments, including piano, saxophone, flute, guitar and a little bit of harp and fiddle. She has performed with several choirs, including Kokopelli Youth Choir from Edmonton, and she co-directed a youth jazz choir.

Shannon joined our school in 2006 and has become a valued member of our teaching staff.

Shannon Kerr

Private Piano/Voice Instructor

Everett obtained his bachelor of Music through the Humber College extended Bachelors Program and holds his Grade 8 RCM. Everett plays piano at a grade 8 level and is an accomplished guitarist. He has worked as an educator in many different settings including music schools, dance schools and music theatre schools as music director. In and around Toronto, Everett can be found playing in many different jobbing bands where he plays guitar and sings.

Everett joined our school during the ’07 year and has quickly become a valued and popular member of our teaching staff.

Everett Mason

Private Piano Instructor

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Jaime is thrilled to be teaching for us here at Kaos! He began playing piano at age 5, and music quickly grew into a lifelong passion, picking up drums, guitar, and bass along the way. After pursuing his interest in history at university, he spent a year in Humber College's Jazz Performance program in piano, where he received a solid musical education in a variety of styles. Most recently, he was a Showband Musician on a cruise ship, a job that allowed him to explore the Caribbean while doing something he loves! Jaime joined our school to take over for a existing teacher. He was immediately embraced by his new students and is quickly becoming a student favorite. When he's not playing music, Jaime can be found reading, playing tennis, and watching reruns of The Simpsons.

Jaime Posen

Private Piano Instructor