Marie Calvert

Early Years Department Co-Chair; IN-PERSON & ONLINE LESSONS

Marie Calvert has been teaching piano and music classes in the greater Vancouver area for over thirty years. She started her piano lessons at age 6, began her own piano teaching career at age 16, and has been actively involved in the music community ever since. Marie studied piano performance at University with Dale Reubart, Robert Rogers, Jane Coop and Jeffrey Gilliam. She has been a life-long learner of music and education, studying various learning styles, pedagogies and methodologies. She brings a breadth of knowledge to her studio and classroom, adapting her lessons to suit the needs of her students at hand.

Miss Marie, as her students call her, enjoys working with young children, helping them to develop a keen ear, strong music skills, and of course a great love for music. She believes strongly in the importance of developing the ear and innate musicality in children before they begin to study an instrument. She believes that children learn best when they are happy, relaxed and engaged. Marie enjoys being playful and creative in her lessons, making great use of imagination and games. With her piano students, she often includes the parent at the lesson. Students doing exams and festivals achieve first class honours.

At the VSO School of Music, Miss Marie teaches piano, Suzuki piano, and Pathways – a VSOSoM specialty program for young beginning students. She teaches “Mini-Music Makers” classes with a Colourstrings focus, and she teaches the class, “Music Inside Out – Skills for Young Musicians” which has a focus on solfege, Dalcroze, and fundamental skills of musical literacy. In her piano studio she focuses on how to play with a relaxed technique, and how to produce a beautiful sound on the instrument. Marie was previously on the faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music as both a Suzuki Piano and Kodaly teacher. She is currently also a music specialist at Monarch Montessori. She was a founding faculty member at both the St. James Music Academy in the D.T.E.S. and the East Vancouver Community Music School. She has taught in other schools and learning environments in the greater Vancouver area, and she was a music specialist in the Surrey School district, teaching classes for over two decades. In addition, she has maintained a private piano studio in her home.

She holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from U.B.C., a Master of Music Degree in piano performance, as well as an A.T.C.L. Piano Teacher’s Diploma, an L.T.C.L. Piano Performer’s Diploma, Suzuki teaching certification, and she is currently working on her second certificate in Colourstrings Music Kindergarten. She has undergone other training including Alexander Technique, Kodaly, Orff and Dalcroze. In addition, she holds a B.C. Professional Teaching Certificate for public schools. Marie is a member of the B.C.Registered Music Teachers’ Association.

Marie enjoys drawing people together in the spirit of collaboration and joyous music making! In her spare time, she enjoys playing chamber music with her family and friends, riding her bike, hiking on various mountain tops, or working in her garden. The dog likes music, too, and loves to lie on her foot when she’s pedalling – the up and down motion providing extra tummy rubs!