PIANO TEACHERS
Colleen Denoni
Piano/Theory
Colleen Denoni has enjoyed being on the faculty at the Chilliwack Academy of Music for the past twenty-one years. However, she has decades of teaching experience throughout the lower mainland and Fraser Valley. Her students continue to win trophies and bursaries in festivals and for their RCM exams including the Provincials, where many have been top prize winners, however building a relationship with every student is most important to her.
Often choosing to major in music at the university level, her students have studied at some of the most prestigious schools in North America.
Mrs. Denoni is a recognized adjudicator who wishes to create in all students a love of music that will last a lifetime. Building a relationship with every student is most important to her.
Colleen Denoni is committed to giving her best to her students, inspiring them to reach their full potential.
Kathleen Feenstra
Piano/Theory
Kathleen Feenstra is a piano and music theory teacher based in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley, where she has been teaching since 2001. She is accredited by The Royal Conservatory of Music, holding an ARCT in Piano Performance (2010) and an ARCT in Piano Pedagogy (2019), and is a member of the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers’ Association.
Kathleen is passionate about teaching and dedicated to helping her students succeed in their musical studies. In addition to teaching, she enjoys composing and arranging music tailored specifically for her students.
Karin Fehlauer
Piano/Violin/Suzuki Pedagogy
Karin Fehlauer is a highly respected music teacher and performer in the Chilliwack area, with a long-standing presence in both private and institutional music education. She has taught privately and at Alberta College, and currently teaches at the Chilliwack Academy of Music.
An active performer, Karin has appeared with the Chilliwack Metropolitan Orchestra, the Handel Society, and the FourTe String Quartet. She holds a Licentiate from Trinity College, England in both Violin and Piano, and has completed extensive Suzuki training at Western Washington University as well as through workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest.
Karin previously served as String Section Coordinator for the Lions Club Music Festival and is a long-time member of the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers’ Association. She is known as an enthusiastic and dedicated educator who believes deeply in the power of music to positively shape each student’s life.
Jessica Jou
Piano/Theory
Jessica Jou is a concert pianist and piano teacher based in Chilliwack. She is a prize-winner at the Chilliwack Music Festival and BCCM Music Festival, and was selected as the provincial representative for the BC Performing Arts Festival for several consecutive years. She has performed as a soloist with the Chilliwack Metropolitan Orchestra and the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra, and regularly presents solo recitals for Elim Village and Chilliwack Elder College.
Jessica holds an ARCT in Piano Performance from The Royal Conservatory of Music and teaches at the Chilliwack Academy of Music, where she offers instruction in Piano, Theory Rudiments, Keyboard Harmony, Music History, and Analysis.
Emily Eggert-Botkin
Piano/Guitar/Ukelele/Voice
Emily Eggert-Botkin has been teaching piano since 2008, guiding students of all ages in lesson centers, private studios, and in their homes. She earned her ARCT in Piano Performance in 2013 under the mentorship of Lori Elder in Prince George, BC. An accomplished pianist, Emily has competed in local and provincial music festivals and is an experienced accompanist, collaborating with violinists, cellists, and vocalists in festivals and examinations.
In 2024, Emily combined her passion for music and entrepreneurship to launch Mobile Melodies School, offering in-home lessons in piano, guitar, ukulele, and voice to families in the Chilliwack community. Her mission is to make music education accessible, convenient, and inspiring, without compromising on quality.
Emily draws inspiration from composers such as Rachmaninoff, Chopin, and Beethoven, and loves exploring a wide range of repertoire with her students. Outside of teaching, she enjoys paddleboarding, swimming, skiing, traveling, and spending time in nature.
Nita Pelletier
Piano/Music Theory
Nita holds an ARCT Diploma in Piano Performance, a Bachelor of Music, and is a Royal Conservatory of Music certified teacher. With extensive experience as a pianist, chorister, conductor, and educator, she was honored with the “Heart of the Arts” award by Chilliwack’s Community Arts Council in 2003.
Nita teaches from her home studio and also offers lessons via Zoom, providing flexible options for students. She has authored workbooks for students studying Keyboard Harmony and believes that learning theory, music history, and analysis is essential for developing a deep understanding of music and fostering a lifelong engagement with it.
Shirley Isaac
Piano/Theory
Shirley Isaac began teaching piano as a teenager and earned her ARCT Diploma in Piano Pedagogy with First Class Honours at just 20. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity Western University and completed the Professional Development Program at Simon Fraser University. After receiving teacher certification from the BC Ministry of Education, Shirley taught in both the Chilliwack and Toronto school districts, primarily in music and English classrooms.
Shirley maintains a busy home studio, teaching students of all ages—from preschoolers to adults. She emphasizes individualized instruction, using a variety of methods and resources to help each student achieve their personal musical goals in a supportive and enjoyable way. Lessons incorporate ear training, sight-reading, technical exercises, piano repertoire, as well as improvisation and chord chart reading (keyboard harmony). She has also served as a pianist at Cooke's Presbyterian Church and is active in the local community.
Emily Jou
Piano/Theory
Emily holds an ARCT in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has performed with the Fraser Valley Symphony Orchestra, and played as a soloist with the Chilliwack Metropolitan Orchestra and the Abbotsford Youth Orchestra. Equally skilled as a collaborative pianist, Emily acts as accompanist for the Philomusica Chorus, the Re: Action Choir, Leary Elementary School Choir, and the award-winning Unsworth Elementary School Choir and Promontory Elementary School Choir. She has also held solo recitals at Elim Village and Elder college. Emily strives to help students of all levels reach their potential in music.
Clinton Denoni
Piano/Theory
Renowned Canadian concert pianist Clinton Giovanni Denoni has performed throughout North America and Europe in the world's most prestigious concert halls. “Mr. Denoni is intensely musical,” notes Vovka Ashkenazy. Internationally acclaimed pianist Shoko Inoue remarks, "Clinton has a limitless ability to strive for the hidden beauty found within each piece of music. Clinton’s complete dedication to his art, no matter the cost, is inspiring. He has a mastery of technique and control on the piano that few have. Clinton pours characteristics of life and profound depth, which comes directly from his genuine heart, into every piece of music he touches."
Tabea Hall
Piano/Theory
Tabea Hall holds her ARCT Performer’s Diploma (2016), ARCT Pedagogy Diploma (2018) and the LRCM Diploma (2023). She received the Royal Conservatory of Music's Gold Medal for the highest mark in BC on the Intermediate Pedagogy examination in 2017 and the Gordon Hallett Memorial Scholarship for the highest aggregate mark in the ARCT Piano Teacher’s examinations in 2019. In addition to her teaching activities, she serves as assistant registrar and piano coordinator for the Chilliwack Music & Dance Festival.
Teaching since 2013, Tabea is passionate about working with students of all ages and levels and desires that each student develop a lifelong love of music. Tabea’s goal for every student is that they strive for their personal best and find fulfillment and pleasure in their musical journey. When not at the piano, Tabea enjoys spending time with family and friends, loves reading a good book, or exploring the great outdoors through running, hiking and cycling.