Hannah Wilbiks is a piano teacher and musician living in Saint John, New Brunswick with her family, chickens and her sewing machine! Originally from the United Kingdom, Hannah moved to Canada in 2009 and has been a Maritimer now for five years.

 

Born and raised in Manchester, UK, Hannah began her piano teaching career when she was sixteen and her first ever job was accompanying ballet classes when she was fourteen! Needless to say, her passion for music and teaching has been around for her whole life, having been a part of music classes, examinations, competing and accompanying at festivals, teaching, and performing her whole life!

 

Hannah moved to Sheffield to complete her Bachelor of Music, graduating in 2008, focusing on music education, piano performance and piano accompaniment/ensemble studies. She then continued her studies, completing her Masters in Psychology of Music in 2009, with a case study thesis on “Music as therapy, not ‘music therapy’; the practical uses of and benefits of music for young children with autism.” During this time in Sheffield, Hannah also held employment at the chamber music company ‘Music in the Round’ where she was the education assistant – leading musical workshops for young children in schools, pre-schools, and at concert venues across the city, as well as providing assistance in the planning and creative processes of the children’s concerts throughout the year and at their May Festival.

 

After moving to Canada in 2009, Hannah worked in Toronto, Ontario as a piano teacher to thirty students (including adults) all over the city working with ‘Featherstone Music’, as well as leading Music Together group music and movement classes for babies and children aged 0-6, and later her own inhome music lessons. This vast experience working with many different students each with unique styles in learning brings a richness to her teaching, adapting to each students’ needs – with the focus always being on the enjoyment of learning music – wishing to develop not only the skills of the instrument, but also the lifelong passion for music through fun and engaging lessons.

 

During her time living in Ontario (and remotely after moving to New Brunswick), Hannah was also the Centre Representative for the Royal Conservatory of Music examinations, running the Toronto Central exam sessions – working with examiners, the RCM staff and the students who were taking their exams, giving her an extremely deep insight into this exam process and much knowledge to share with any students wishing to pursue this path.

 

Hannah’s love for music extends beyond piano playing and teaching, and she is a huge fan of live music, musical theatre, and especially in singing with others. Singing unaccompanied chamber music with the ‘Cantabile Chamber Singers’ in Toronto for five years (and again online during this pandemic year!), and the ‘Elliot Chorale’ in Sackville in 2016-2017 has been a particular joy for Hannah, as well as singing in choirs, and leading many vocal ensembles at the Toronto Estonian Baptist Church (2009-2016).

 

Hannah is absolutely thrilled to be working at the Alison Dawn Voice & Music studio and cannot wait to meet her new piano students. Having found Alison after moving to Saint John, bringing her youngest to group music classes and singing and art camp, and her eldest to group voice classes, Hannah knows what a wonderful program Alison is running and how passionate she is in sharing her love for music with young people in the area. She is very excited to be a part of this wonderful team of musicians.