Ian has been a music educator for over twenty years, having taught jazz, classical, and popular music traditions, including performance, theory, and history. He has had a private studio, taught in the public schools, as well as taught courses and lessons in various universities. He has instructed everyone from beginners through professional-level as well as ages that include the range from small children to teens to older adults.
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* Ian’s specialities for lessons include *
– jazz or popular music piano (all levels)
– jazz improvisation (all instruments, all levels)
– classical piano (beginner-to-intermediate)
– music theory (Rudiments up to Level 8)
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Ian’s approach:
“I think I am known for a thoughtful approach to teaching while maintaining humour and fun. With younger, less-experienced piano students, I especially prioritize discovery, incremental achievements, and, again, fun. As a student advances, I seek to encourage even higher levels of technique, creativity, and critical thinking as well as overall responsibility for learning – all while still keeping joy in music central. With all students, I try to be mindful of the differences in student’s learning styles and personalities. Put another way, my approach has focused primarily on building skills while building creativity and interpretive practice. A particular strength of mine is that I seek to build improvisational practices by engaging with aural (ears) ways of learning.”
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Ian has had a long standing track record as a jazz educator in particular. As post-secondary music faculty, he has taught a wide range of courses at institutions such as Vancouver Island University and the University of Idaho. In addition, while in graduate school, Ian was also a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Toronto, and before that at the University Of North Texas; at the latter, he directed an auditioned big band – the 6 O’Clock Lab Band. He has frequently been asked to be a clinician with high school and middle school students, having given presentations or clinics with students at public schools (including in Saskatoon), and at music festivals such as the Mill Creek Festival and Lionel Hampton Music Festival.
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Ian’s teaching is informed by his experience and continued practice as a professional musician. In jazz and related creative music, he has performed solo and in groups in Saskatchewan–and in Toronto where he spent 15 years in various prominent venues including at The Bassment and the Sasktel Jazz Festival. In 2018, with a “Creation Grant” awarded by the Toronto Arts Council and an “Artist Development” grant awarded by FACTOR, Ian recorded original compositions for his debut album, Know the Reflection. The list of jazz musicians he has performed with include several award-winning veteran Canadian musicians including Andre White, Nick Fraser, Dave Young, Terry Promane, Mike Murley, Kelly Jefferson, Brad Turner, Hugh Fraser, Christine Jensen, and Ingrid Jensen. Ian has also had other wide-ranging experience as a professional freelance pianist/keyboardist beyond jazz in musical theatre, dance pop, R&B, hip-hop, country, rock, and more.

Ian’s education and training have prepared him for many teaching situations. Ian completed Bachelor degrees in Education and Music Education from the University of Saskatchewan. He completed four years of classical piano lessons. Through this program, he also gained experience and training in directing and coaching concert bands and jazz ensembles with students from Grade 5 through 12. Since then, he has also completed graduate level courses at the University of North Texas in Directing College Jazz Ensembles and College Jazz Pedagogy.