As a young pianist earning her B. Mus. and B. Ed. at the University
of Manitoba (1995), and her A.M.M. in Performance from the Western
Board of Music with the late Ann Lugsdin, Chantal performed
frequently in her home province of Manitoba winning scholarships,
medals, and trophies in master classes, local festivals and in the
Provincials. Unfortunately throughout these years she performed in
pain with tendonitis that lasted for nine years. She had seen many
specialists without relief, which prompted her to quit playing for a
while and focus on teaching, choral conducting, and singing. In
1999 she and her husband happened to move to Portland, Oregon and
came upon several key people that would help her recovery. Chantal
studied with Harold Gray at Portland State University for her
Masters in Piano Performance (2003). Professor Gray introduced her
to Lisa Marsh and Barbara Conable with whom she also studied for two
years in the weekly Coordinate Movement program. "This is the
course that every music program should have." It consists of a
combination of weekly master class sessions and of discussions on
the material of the Body Mapping course: What Every Musician Needs
to Know About the Body, as well as technique, performing,
performance anxiety, the self-map, and one's inclusive awareness in
performance and in the practice room. Chantal has since been
certified with Andover Educators in June 2006.
She has also trained with Robert Durso, Kendall Feeney, Marc
Steiner, John Bloomfield, and Edna Golandsky of The Golandsky
Institute, based on the piano technique of Dorothy Taubman.
Chantal enjoys teaching in her home piano studio, conducting choirs,
singing and accompanying for weddings and other special occasions.
Her philosophy is to take the student from where they are and help
them achieve their goals musically, efficiently, and with physical
freedom. She strives to culture problem solving skills, ownership
of learning, music integrity, and musicianship in her students.
She is teaching at the Unviersity of Manitoba. Dr. Juliette Cooper, a Ph.D in Occupational Therapy, and Chantal have developped the course "Anatomy for Musicians". The course was offered for the first time in January 2008. There were many positive changes in the students playing in that short time. The course has been well received and will be returning in the upcoming fall and winter terms. Chantal is also teaching private lessons in piano, bodymapping, voice and theory at the Division of Preparatory Studies, a division of the University of Manitoba.
Chantal is now residing back home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is now available to teach private lessons at the Division of Preparatory Studies....consult other instrumentalists... She is now available to
teach private piano lessons in her home studio, consult other
instrumentalists regarding their body movements and awareness, and
teach the course What Every Musician Needs to Know About the Body to
individuals or groups.
