Between her childhood RCM piano exams and eagerness playing flute in school ensembles, Shirley knew early on that she wanted to be a music teacher. For her, music-making and teaching are two sides of the same coin. In lessons, Shirley is constantly looking for ways to engage her students in the material and enjoy the process of music-making. Moreover, she recognizes that not every student’s vision of musical success is the same; it is her goal to help her students achieve theirs.
While she is primarily a classically trained musician, Shirley also embraces more “casual” genres such as jazz, musical theatre, and film/video game soundtracks. Her musical versatility has allowed her to play in ensembles ranging from orchestra, flute choir, jazz ensemble, pit band, four hand piano duets, and collaborative piano work. There are two reasons for the varied music background: (1) a belief that a broad musical background makes a stronger musician and (2) it is fun to play music, no matter where it comes from!