Teachers

Andrew is a recent graduate of Humber College's Bachelor of Music program, having studied with great Toronto guitarists like Nathan Hiltz and Jocelyn Gould. With nearly 6 years of teaching experience, he prides himself on an interest-forward teaching style - with every lesson, he builds on a student's connection with music, not just their technical abilities. With a wide variety of musical interests, he can provide insight on just about anything a student may want to play. Andrew is currently working on his first album, set to be released later this year.

Deniz Tafaghodi is a pianist, sound artist, and founder of 'Zerone Duo'. She began her musical journey at the age of four with Orff Music and began studying classical piano at the age of six. Deniz earned her degree in Music (Piano Performance) from the Art & Architecture University of Tehran. She has been teaching classical piano and music theory since 2016. She has also been an active collaborator in various artistic mediums, including live electro-acoustic/audiovisual performances, sound installations, sound design and music composition for theaters contemporary dance performances, and computer games.

Originally from Havana, Cuba, Raul started his musical career at the age of eight. Dazzled by the sound of drums and percussion, he took lessons with several private teachers, who encouraged him to pursue music as a profession. After finishing his studies in Cuba, he immigrated to Canada in 2005 and continued his studies at Humber College, where he finished his Degree in “Contemporary Music” in 2010. During his time at Humber, he was awarded the Millennium Scholarship and, as a member of the Humber Studio Jazz Ensemble, gained valuable experience working with world class artists such as Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Dave Douglas, Labarbera Brothers, Chris Potter and others. Today, he teaches and continues performing and recording professionally in the city of Toronto.

Giancarlo is a guitarist who recently graduated from the 'Music Industry Arts and Performance Program' at Centennial College. His primary focus lies in playing the guitar, which has led to his performing at multiple venues across Toronto. He started his musical journey at the age of 12 by learning classical guitar and immersing himself in a wide range of musical genres such as blues, rock, bluegrass and improvising. Following his high-school graduation, he finished a pre-university program at the Barranquilla School of Fine Arts and then continued his studies at Centennial College in Toronto. Giancarlo has practical experience in recording techniques and studio recording utilizing digital audio workstations, and providing his expertise as a session musician to others. He is filled with enthusiasm for music and is committed to sharing it with his students as he helps them to develop as musicians.

Taisiya is a jazz vocal performance student at the University of Toronto. She was raised in Russia in a musical family and grew up in a family vocal ensemble. Prior to her musical education at the University of Toronto, Taisiya studied jazz at the Jazz Academy in Moscow and got to perform in numerous jazz vocal ensembles, sing in a band, and perform with an orchestra. She graduated from Earl Haig Secondary School in 2021 with a musical degree as a piano major from Claude Watson Music Program. There she started learning about composition and modern music. Taisiya also has experience in musical theatre and has been a part of the Mainstage Theatre crew until recently. She has experience in working with kids and knows how to make classes both professional and fun!

Senya has been studying classical piano since she was 4 and teaching classical piano since she was 14. She has completed her RCM Piano Level 8 Certificate by age 14 and RCM 10 Practical by age 16. In high school, Senya was active in the music department as a violinist, and co-president of the music council. With this involvement she gained experience in stage band, chamber string orchestra, competed in the Kiwanis music festival, and took on the role of a piano accompanist for classical violinists. Her current music goals include diversifying her performance repertoire and expanding her knowledge of music history. In the classroom, her goal is to help students build the necessary skills for success while having fun creating music.

Matthew is a Jazz Bassist who has performed both the electric and upright bass for 12 and 10 years, respectively. He began his musical journey at the age of 4, studying in the Community Music Program at Humber College for 14 years. Matthew then graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Performance at the University of Toronto in 2022, studying with noteworthy Jazz musicians, such as Dave Young and others. Matthew has had the privilege of performing at festivals such as the 2021 Toronto Undergrad Jazz Festival, the 2020 & 2021 World of Jazz Festival in Brampton, as well as the 2023 TD Niagara Jazz Festival. He looks forward to seeing his students succeed by sharing his own passion for music.

Linda Wang is currently studying jazz vocals at Humber College in her Bachelor Degree program. She also enjoys playing and teaching piano and believes in the fulfillment and joy that music can bring to people. Linda has performed as a member of numerous ensembles, most notably Humber's Gospel Choir and World Drumming Ensemble, which has helped her grow as a musician and a person. She aspires to work in music production and composition in the future. However, her goal in the classroom is to ensure that each student can learn while having fun!

Jonathan Stuchbery is a classical guitarist and a specialist in lutes and historical guitars. As an educator, he encourages students to explore their musical interests while laying strong technical foundations and helping students approach their instruments and music with ease. Jonathan is experienced as a guitar (all styles) and lute teacher, as well as a repertoire coach for vocalists and instrumentalists working on baroque and renaissance music. He is busy as a performer at home and abroad where he is active with multiple ensembles and festivals. Jonathan holds a Master's in Historical Performance from the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya in Barcelona. He was also recognized for outstanding achievement in lute at McGill's Schulich School of Music, receiving his B.Mus. in guitar and lute under teachers Jérôme Ducharme and Sylvain Bergeron.

Oksana Skira is a professional pianist, accompanist, performer, teacher, and a recording artist. She began her music education at Barvinsky State Music College of Drohobych (Drohobych, Ukraine), going on to receive a Masters in Piano Performance from Mykola Lysenko Lviv National Music Academy (Lviv, Ukraine). While studying in Drohobych, she won 2nd place in the Western Ukraine Musical Competition. Oksana has recorded and released three independent CDs and continues to be active as a performer, accompanist, and teacher in Toronto and the GTA. At DCAM, Oksana teaches beginner to advanced piano.

Taras (Terry) Babyuk started his musical journey with accordion lessons at the age of seven. In his teens, he became fascinated with piano and never looked back. With over 10 years of experience in the field of education, Terry holds a Level 9 RCM Certificate in piano and has taught beginner to high intermediate piano and beginner to advanced music theory for many years. In addition to his fondness for Classical and Romantic-Era music, he also loves film music and enjoys composing original piano pieces in his spare time. Aside from his occasional teaching duties at DCAM, he is also its co-founder and Managing Director.