Symposium: Full Schedule

Aug. 18, 2025

**need locations

Schedule Summary

Friday, October 17

Keynote Address

Resonant Legacies: The Lifelong Professional and Personal Impact of Music Teachers

James Anagnoson

• Location: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall, 75 University Ave. W, Waterloo
• Time: 6:30 - 9 p.m.

Tickets for Friday only

Saturday, October 18: Morning

Masterclass and Workshop: Canadian Music

Vincent Ho

• Location: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall Lobby, 75 University Ave. W, Waterloo
• Time:
  • Workshop: 9 to 10:30 a.m.
  • Masterclass: 10:30 a.m. to noon

Saturday, October 18: Afternoon

1:00 p.m. 

Workshop 1:

Piano in Occupational Therapy: both a desired outcome and a therapeutic modality 

Presenter: Olivia Adams

Workshop Synopsis: This workshop explores motor skill development through piano pedagogy and occupational in an interactive approach. Developed together with an OT and adaptive music educator, the workshop explores supports for motor development at the piano. 

Workshop 2:

Listen Up! The Artistic Impact of Playing Piano with Hearing Loss 

Presenter: Michèle Wilmot

Workshop Synopsis: Most hearing aids are designed for speech—not music. As a result, many students and teachers cannot hear the sounds they are trying to make or teach, affecting not just learning, but confidence and communication. Listen Up!, developed with Unwrap Theatre, seeks to change this. This workshop explores how to make music education more accessible for hard-of-hearing musicians.  Join Michèle Wilmot for an interactive lecture and workshop. Through presentation, group research, discussion, and interactive activities, expand your pedagogy to include the knowledge and the nuance that will serve musicians with hearing loss. 

2:15 p.m. 

Coffee Chat: Descriptio of coffee chat

******* location

or

Alexander Technique Workshop with Daniel Cabena **location

3:15 p.m. 

Workshop 1:

Communities of Musical Practice:  Creating a Space for Connection, Collaboration and Well-Being 

Presenter: Alessandra DiCienzo 

Workshop Synopsis: This session will demonstrate how Communities of Musical Practice foster professional growth and development and can enhance the well-being of piano teachers through mentorship, peer learning, and collaboration. New and experienced teachers can benefit from belonging to a Community of Musical Practice which provides support, fellowship, and improved teaching strategies through shared knowledge. 

Workshop 2:

A New Approach to Improvisation: Rediscovering the Partimento Tradition

Presenter: Peter Nikiforuk

Workshop Synopsis: Throughout the 20th century, improvisation pedagogy has been melodically driven, but it wasn’t always so. In the 18th century, the Italian conservatories dominated the entire European continent with their graduates who were trained through a method called Partimento. This method prevailed until the late 19th century not just in Italy, but throughout Europe. And then it disappeared for over a century until about 15 years ago, when scholars began rediscovering the tradition. For those who struggle with improvisation, Partimento is a game changer. This workshop will explore how it works and resources for exploring its possibilities in piano teaching. 

Saturday, October 18: Evening

Concert in Celebration of Terry Kroetsch

Join us for a special evening of music honouring the life and legacy of Terry Kroetsch—a gifted pedagogue, mentor, and champion of Canadian music. This concert reflects the musical diversity and spirit of creativity that Terry so deeply valued at both the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Through performances by colleagues, students, and friends, we celebrate Terry’s remarkable contributions to piano pedagogy and the wider musical community. From classical masterworks to jazz standards to Chinese instrumental ensembles - the program embodies the curiosity, generosity, and joy that defined his life in music.

• Location: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall Lobby, 75 University Ave. W, Waterloo
• Time: 7 p.m.

 Tickets for Saturday only

Sunday, October 19: Morning

9 a.m.

Alexander Technique Workshop with Daniel Cabena

10:00 a.m. 

Workshop 1:

Women of the Paris Conservatoire 

Presenter: Eleanor Gummer and Cécile Desrosiers

Workshop Synopsis: Cécile Desrosiers and Eleanor Gummer explore the challenges that women faced at the Conservatoire, as well as their achievements. The lives and works of composers including Hélène de Montgeroult, Louise Farrenc, Edwidge Chrétien, Marie Jaëll, Cécile Chaminade, Mel Bonis, and others will be presented. Composition remained a difficult career choice for women into the 20th century, and those who pursued it tested the limits of what was considered an acceptable feminine occupation. Despite obstacles and challenges faced at the Conservatoire, women students and teachers kept contributing new works to the repertoire, asserting and establishing their own voice and identity, while navigating gendered expectations. 

Workshop 2:

Spice Up Your Studio: How to Foster Communication, Self-Expression, and Focus with Flexibility for the Unique Learner

Presenter: Joscelyn Alexander

Workshop Synopsis: “Neurodivergent”, “Unique Learner”, “Neurospicy”. There are so many terms to describe a plethora of learning patterns and behaviours that can impact musical learning and understanding. This can be challenging, draining, and frustrating unless you have a toolkit packed with strategies and approaches. This workshop will take a case study approach to discuss how we can discern a student’s learning patterns, lean into their strengths for improved results, and work to bolster the skills they are improving.

If you’ve ever had a student in your studio hanging upside down on their couch in an online lesson, racing around the studio and refusing to sit on the bench, hiding under the piano with their hands over their ears, or resisting your instructions or practice and just doing their own thing, then this workshop can help!

11:30 a.m. 

Workshop 1:

Historical status of women in music 

Presenter: Eleanor Gummer 

Workshop Synopsis: Throughout history, women were expected to learn to play instruments along with basic music concepts. Until the 20th century, however, it was considered immodest for women to perform publicly other than in a private dwelling. Women were not permitted to attend institutions of higher learning but rather tracked into less demanding curriculum. The study of counterpoint, composition and orchestration was left for men to master. Composition was even more discouraged than public performance. Women were seen as emotional rather than intellectual, unable to produce works of any merit and publishing was problematic because of their gender.

Their family often determined the status of women in music - women who came from musical families with a supportive husband were permitted to have some success, allowing them to compose and perform within limited settings. And despite these obstacles, women composed.

Eleanor Gummer will present her research on the lives, challenges, successes of women and their and compositions through the last 300 years. This rich trove of works is a welcome addition to the canon and presents a rich resource of teaching material. Also brought to light will be “Teacher Choice” works for Royal Conservatory examinations. Discover a world beyond the traditional “Bach, Beethoven and the boys.”

Sunday, October 19: Afternoon

Student and Teacher Recital ***********women composers

• Location: Maureen Forrester Recital Hall Lobby, 75 University Ave. W, Waterloo
• Time: 1:00 p.m.

Tickets for Sunday only

Presenter Biographies

Olivia Adams

Olivia Adams is a pianist, teacher, researcher, and author. She is the Director of Education at the Lotus Centre for Special Music Education, a music school that serves the neurodivergent and disability communities, where she trains teachers in adaptations for students with exceptionalities. Olivia is a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Ottawa and researches performance adaptations and accommodations for neurodivergent musicians. Her research intersects of music education, critical disability studies, and artistic advocacy. Olivia holds a MA in Music and Feminist Studies from the University of Ottawa, and an Honours B.Mus. in Piano Performance from Western University. She has been awarded numerous federal and provincial research grants, including a Canadian Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Doctoral Fellowship. Olivia is the author of Loud and Clear: A Guide to Levelled Piano Music by Women Composers in the 20th and 21st Centuries published by Debra Wanless Music.

Michèle Wilmot

Michele Wilmot (she/her) (BSc.hon, A.R.C.T, L.B.C.M.hon). Michele Wilmot was born in St. Bruno, Quebec. Michele is most dedicated to piano performance, performing across North America in British Columbia, Ontario and most recently in New York City to represent Canada at the Beethoven Sonata Marathon in celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday. Michele has studied with Gertrude Lavoie, Carol Ditner-Wilson, Boyd McDonald and currently with Koichi Inoue. Most recently Michele’s piano and organ solo music has been featured in Stephen W. Young’s local films of Dickson and Bruce: History meets Mystery, Episodes 5 and 6. A large part of her last year has been spent recording and researching for hard of hearing musicians and music enthusiasts. An initiative she calls ListenUp! Alongside, her solo and collaborative concert work she enjoys curating concerts, giving to the community, supporting many organizations, and accompanying upcoming solo artists. For her work as a concert curator and pianist, she was nominated for a Denny Award at the KW Arts Awards. Next up, Michèle will be hosting a second Listen Up! workshop with Unwrap Theatre - back by popular demand.

Alessandra DiCienzo

Alessandra DiCienzo is an independent piano teacher in Niagara Falls, an instructor for Brock University Music Department, an examiner for Conservatory Canada, the Provincial Secretary- Registrar for the Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association, and workshop clinician. She is currently completing a PhD in Interdisciplinary Research in Music at the University of Ottawa and holds a Master of Arts in Piano Pedagogy Research, BMus (music history) and ARCT (piano performance). Alessandra is the recipient of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, ORMTA Contribution to Teaching Award and the Tom and Miggsie Lawson National Teacher Travel and Study Scholarship from Conservatory Canada. Alessandra loves to travel, read, garden and is a beginner guitar student. She enjoys the outdoors with her husband Calvin and their dogs Ruby and Poppy. 

Peter Nikiforuk

Peter Nikiforuk is an organist, conductor and pedagogue with an interest in keyboard music of the 17th and 18th centuries, particularly the stylus fantasiticus and, more recently, the Italian partimento tradition. He holds numerous degrees including a DMA from Yale University. He has also studied at the University of Toronto and the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. Dr. Nikiforuk was Director of Music at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Kitchener from 1989-2022 and was named Director of Music Emeritus upon his retirement. He has been an instructor of piano and music theory at the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts since 2000. Peter won the prestigious Leslie Bell Prize in Choral Conducting in 1996. He conducted Menno Singers from 1998-2017. He was National President of the Royal Canadian College of Organists from 2020-2022 and in 2025 was awarded the diploma of Fellow (honoris causa) by the RCCO.

Cécile Desrosiers

Pianist-harpsichordist Cécile Desrosiers holds performance degrees from the University of Western Ontario, McGill University and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, U.K. She appeared as guest soloist with Canadian symphony orchestras and as chamber musician in prestigious festivals. She was heard on numerous radio broadcasts (CBC, Radio-Canada, WQXR-New York), as well as on soundtrack and film music recordings produced in Toronto for the Cambria label. Desrosiers has taught university students for decades (University of Saskatchewan, Brock, McMaster, University of Ottawa, and Carleton University) and frequently serves as jury member for competitions, examinations and festivals. Her interest in women and BIPOC composers' works led to a series of Conservatory Canada webinars and to the inclusion of over 250 works in the piano syllabus. As a teacher, she emphasizes historically informed performance practices and nurtures students’ curiosity in discovering a wide range of repertoire, from standard masterpieces to lesser-known gems.

Eleanor Gummer

Eleanor Gummer has been teaching children of all ages for over 40 years. She holds a Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from McGill University, a Bachelor of Music degree (U of Manitoba), Fellowship and Licentiate diplomas from Trinity College of Music, London and an ARCT. In addition, Ms. Gummer studied in Europe, and New York and has performed across Canada. Ms. Gummer is a former Senior Examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music. Eleanor is actively involved in the research of women composers, publishing nearly 20 volumes of music by women. She is also the author of Pianokids® Violinkids® Guitarkids® and Ukulelekids®, methods for young children, published by One Eye Publications and available at Long & McQuade across the country. Ms. Gummer is the founder and director of Whitby School of Music and is active as an adjudicator, clinician and composer.

Joscelyn Alexander  

Joscelyn is the founder of Keys 2 Music KW, a private and group studio that specializes in increasing connection, communication, confidence, and self-expression in its students regardless of age or ability. The studio is 60% special needs students from age 5 through 48 and boasts a 97.7% annual retention rate. As a private music teacher since 2015, Joscelyn loves to introduce students and families to the benefits music can have in the lives of people who struggle to communicate. Her educational philosophy involves following the student and their motivation as the primary driver behind music education.

As a certified Ontario teacher since 2009, Joscelyn has experience in inner city special education programs through TDSB and WRDSB like the Mild Intellectual Disability (MID), Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), Early Literacy Intervention (ELI), and the Homeschool at School (HSP) programs. She is also a mom in a 5-person fully neurodivergent household, which has served as motivation to support families in similar circumstances who are driven to make music part of their lives.