David is an award-winning pianist from Hamilton, Ontario. He studied at The University of Western Ontario in the Music Education program. David had the unique opportunity of being the piano player under the direction of Phil Nimmons, outstanding Canadian Jazz Ambassador, in the UWO Jazz Orchestra. He majored in Music Education at The University of Toronto and has successfully been teaching music for 30 years. He is the director and founder of the BR Xpression, an award-winning 250 contemporary vocal ensemble. David continues to change students lives through his passion + unique ability to elevate their talents.

Adrean, JUNO Award winning pianist, comes to Tabone Academy of Music as one of Canada's most distinct voices on the piano. Having toured exclusively throughout Canada, the US, Europe, Australia, the UK, Israel, and beyond, it's no surprise that Adrean is in extremely high demand. Whether he's performing with various groups such as, the Matt Dusk Band, Turboprop, and more, or working on his solo albums, Adrean's undeniable talent and passion shines throughout his work. You can currently find Adrean on the Mohawk and Humber College Faculties of Music, where he teaches contemporary piano, ensembles, and improvisation. Adrean has also been a performer and panelist at the 63rd, 67th, 69th and 70th annual
Conference on World Affairs in Boulder Colorado. Adrean is endorsed by Shigeru Kawai pianos.

Jessica Pellicciotta started singing from the day she was able to talk. Jessica is trained heavily in musical theatre and pop, along with being trained in jazz and classical music as well. In 2015, she won the Maestro Award in Boston with the St. Thomas More All Star Jazz Band. She also placed first in 2017 at the Provincial Qualifiers for the Hamilton Music Festival for advanced musical theatre. In addition to singing, Jessica is also an actress. She currently teaches drama at Stagecoach Burlington, and also taught musical theatre for The Star Project Canada. She is a George Brown Theatre School graduate and starred in several musicals while she trained with Theatre Aquarius’ Summer Programme (which has now become Zamprogna Arts). She is so excited to be working at TAM and looks forward to sharing her passion for singing! 

Keaton Tye is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter based in Hamilton, Ontario with a passion for all genres. Be it rock, folk, jazz - any music is good music. He is a graduate of the jazz performance program at Mohawk College and is currently working toward his Bachelors of Music at McMaster. He is super excited to be joining the talented TAM teaching team as a piano, guitar, vocal and ukulele instructor...because what can't he do?!

Olivia Presti is a professional actress with a strong background in music. With a decade of classically-trained piano experience, 5 years of music theory, and 3 years of guitar, Olivia has earned 9 certificates and 4 awards. Olivia is a soloist in the Bishop Ryan High School’s Xpression group and is also a member of both the student council and music council. You may recognize Olivia from the children’s TV show “Odd Squad” as the lead character “Oona.” She has also acted in the shows “Dino Dana,” “Creeped Out” and the short film “Lay Them Straight.” Olivia’s passion for the arts shines through her day-to-day life and she is thrilled to be sharing her love for music with the academy.

Chris Lamont is a professional Drummer who resides in the GTHA. He brings extensive live, and session experience along with his genuine love for Drums to TAM. Chris’ passion for playing, teaching, and sharing his music experience is reflected with each individual lesson, with styles of music ranging from Rock, Jazz, Funk, Latin and more. Touring the country, he has performed at venues with audiences from 50 to 5,000, played on tracks that have made it to mainstream radio and has learned from the greatest drummers in the world. In addition, Chris has enjoyed sharing the stage and/or has collaborated with such fine artists as; Jeff Healey (Jeff Healey Band), Chuck Jackson (Downchild Blues Band), Steve Negus (Saga), Anvil, Sheriff and others.

Having studied music at Mohawk College + McMaster University, Alex's passion is in contemporary, jazz, and blues styles. When he is not performing, Alex can be found in the classroom. Alex has his Bachelor of Education in Music from Western University and continues to strive towards inspiring more students to develop their musical talents.

Louise began piano lessons when she was 6 years old and later, taught herself ukulele and guitar. Louise was involved in school choir as a child and was part of her Church's choir for majority of her upbringing. In high school,  Louise was a part of BR Xpression as a soloist and successfully travelled and competed. In her grade 12 year, Louise and friends started their own band "Tabitha," in which they came out with their very first single in 2019. Aside from musical extra curriculars, Louise taught piano throughout high school at the Ontario Conservatory of Music, now called the Hamilton Academy of Music and occasionally fills in for teachers when needed. Louise also enjoys writing her own music and collaborating with other talented musicians during various jam sessions.

Ben has been playing the guitar for over 14 years. From a young age, music has been an extremely important part of his life. Ben has taught guitar lessons for the City of Hamilton for two years and currently writes his own music. Ben was a singer and guitarist for the Bishop Ryan Xpression for two years, where he
performed at various different prestigious events. Ben was the winner of two Maestro Awards from the Heritage Music Festival for Outstanding Solo Performance. Ben has experience as a guitar student himself, and therefore understands the wants and needs of his own students. In the future, Ben plans on releasing more original music onto Spotify, and ultimately, continuing to educate children about music and the guitar!

Kiana Sofia is a Hamilton based singer-songwriter. Kiana began singing when she was only 3 years old. She has been trained by vocal coach Teresa Nocita, Owner of Studio E and now author of “the Vocal Compass.” Kiana has preformed at many singing competitions and has received multiple 1st place awards - Hamilton music festival, London

Forest City Music Festival, Niagara Music Festival, and The Singing Contest With John Santos. She then moved onto “The Singing Contest” in 2019 winning first place during the finale. Here she worked with producer/composer “Anthony Wright” who has played alongside Canadian Idol Eva Avila, Jada Kiss, BoB, FloRida, Fergie, Bryan Adams and joined Beyonce for her I Am Sasha Fierce Tour. Kiana is so excited to be working at TAM and looks forward to hearing all of the beautiful voices, and is excited to inspire her students!

Danielle Tabone has been playing piano since she was six years old and has completed the Royal Conservatory of Music programs up to Grade 8 Piano and Grade 2 Theory Courses. Danielle has been trained in vocals by Canadian singer/songwriter Ray Lyell. She actively sings at her local Parish for masses and was a runner up in the Juno Juniors Sound original song competition in 2015. She graduated from McMaster in 2020 with a degree in Medical Radiation
Sciences and previously worked at the Hamilton General hospital in Diagnostic Imaging. She is now embarking on her second career in teaching! She is currently in her first year of teacher's college and hopes to teach primary/junior students one day. She looks forward to meeting her new students and embarking on this musical journey with them!

Ryan knew he wanted to be involved with music ever since buying a Who CD at the local Zellers when he was young child. Through practical application and training at both Mohawk college and Humber, Ryan has developed a stylistic agility. Teaching not just theory and text, Ryan strives to engage each student individually at their own specific level. Outside of teaching, Ryan can be found getting creative, playing and writing on  different instruments for different bands and music projects. Ryan hopes to one day develop a music therapy program for senior citizens living in long term care homes. 

George is a drummer, percussionist, and educator with more than 15 years of experience in live shows, musical theatre productions, and recording studio sessions. His performance experience features shows with Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award-Winning artist Armando Manzanero, multi-platinum selling Brazilian singer Daniela Mercury, and Grammy Award-Winning artist Lila Downs. He also served as a drummer for the internation production "Elvis Live in Concert" feat. Priscilla Presley and a 50 piece orchestra. As lead drummer for the Argentian folk dance group Malevo (America's Got Talent semi-finalist), he has performed at great venues around the world such as the "Fall For Dance Festival" in 2019 at the NYC Center, "Gloval Village" multi-cultural amusement park in Dubai, "Salles Des Etoiles" in Monaco, and "World's Got Talent" in China. One of his fields of expertise is musical theatre, having performed in Argentinian Broadway productions such as Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret, A Chorus Line, Rent and more!

Joseph grew up surrounded by music in the Tabone family. His creativity and expressive nature makes his playing style unique and musically impressive. Although he plays ukulele, electric guitar, and piano, his passion is for the acoustic guitar. His patience and gentle demeanor makes him a perfect instructor for beginner students of all ages. He is excited to work with his students and help them develop their own unique strengths within the world of music. 

Mary is an active member of the Hamilton music community, acting as the HWCDSB's Arts Facilitator. She has sung as the lead vocalist in various bands and has been a catalyst in growing musical confidence in young students in the Greater Hamilton Area. Mary developed and grew the HWCDSB Junior Vocal Ensemble's from 70 students to over 300 in 2 years. Mary continues to teach music throughout her day to day life and acts as the Assistant Director to the BR Xpression Group.

Paula French (Tessaro) is a professional vocalist and vocal instructor. Paula has spent the better part of the past four decades in the music industry. As a founding member of the Juno nominated band Ray Lyell and The Storm, she has toured exclusively throughout Canada and the US. As well as lending her vocals to Top 40 hits, "Carry Me" and "Another Man's Gun," Paula has fronted bands throughout her entire career such as Tracy Kane, Ta-she, Powerhouse and The Paula Tessaro Band. Her musical passion has led her to teaching vocals for the past 30 years in private and studio settings. Currently, Paula enthusiastically entertains outside of Long-Term Care and Retirement Homes for seniors to spread some joy during the pandemic.

Chad is a singer/songwriter and music educator, born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. He has a diploma in music performance from Mohawk College, and his Bachelor of Music from Macmaster University. He has 20 years  of performing experience in the Hamilton area, and has been a music director for students from kindergarten to grade 12 with the HWCDSB for the last 9 years. He has worked side by side in the music program with Dave Tabone at Bishop Ryan Catholic Secondary School and is a past student of his as well. 

Breanna is a pianist, vocalist, and performer from Hamilton, Ontario. She began playing piano at 11 years old and has been singing her entire life. Breanna performed in the Jr BR Xpression and BR Xpression Vocal Ensembles, and while attending McMaster University, played as the rehearsal and official pianist for the MMT and MacSci Musical Orchestras. She also occasionally performs for patients of the Hamilton General Hospital to further spread joy in the community. As a First Class Honours student of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Breanna has completed many RCM exams and performed at several competitions in Ontario with outstanding success. She also won the top Piano Scholarship at the Forest City Music Festival in 2018. Breanna’s passion lies in helping students of all ages discover and develop their musical talents while gaining a lifelong appreciation and love for music.

Nigel Stewart is a professional drummer based out of Hamilton, Ontario. He has been playing drums for twenty years, with over twelve years of live performance experience and six years of teaching experience. Before completing the Mohawk College Applied Music program in 2017 he was mostly self-taught, learning by ear. He strives to use both facets of his own learning experience when he teaches, aiming to give students a fundamental understanding of reading, but also developing the ear so they can continue to learn on their own. Over the years, Nigel has taught all skill levels ranging from beginner lessons, to students preparing to study jazz at a post-secondary level. In the past, Nigel has performed with Juno-award winning musicians, from jazz pianist Adrian Farrugia, to members of punk-rock outfit The Dirty Nil. He currently performs and records with emerging Hamilton-based rock trio Captain WildChild.

Josephine Tavares is a Secondary School music teacher and runs her school’s vocal ensemble. She graduated from the Mohawk College Jazz Music Program and then received her Honours Bachelor of Arts in Music from McMaster University. Josephine has studied all genres of music, including pop, rock, classical and jazz and she loves to perform at weddings and events with her band Stella. She has been featured in the Hamilton Spectator, won numerous song writing competitions in Canada and overseas and was featured on the cover of Hamilton Magazine. Her album entitled Let There Be Love also made it to the #5 spot on Canada's national jazz charts. She has taught private music lessons for many years and loves to build relationships with her students, so they feel comfortable and confident while learning and exploring their instrument. Josephine is also a graduate of Bishop Ryan C.S.S. where she was taught by Dave Tabone and participated in the BR Xpression. She is happy to join the TAM academy and excited to share her love of music with others. 

Abby Rose Kompare is a singer-songwriter that has been playing the guitar for 11 years, taught at an early age by Canadian musician Terra Lightfoot. Abby’s love for performing has led her to many festival stages, including the Winona Peach Festival! She was a soloist in both the Junior BR Xpression and BR Xpression Vocal Ensembles. She earned a Maestro Award for her solo performance of “The Sound of Silence” and sang backup for Lorde at the 2016 MMVAs. Her previous band, Tabitha, won second place at a local battle of the bands competition, where Abby played lead guitar and wrote the band’s original song. Her debut album “Arkeleven” (under the name “Roseboat”) has over 9,000 streams on Spotify and she is anticipating the release of more music later this year! Her true passion is music and she is so excited to be sharing this spark with her students! 

Dominique Poulin graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a Bachelor Degree in Music Theory & Composition in 2012. Dominique's main instrument has always been piano, but she also has experience studying vocal and flute, in which she completed a double major in during his first year of university. Dominique taught piano and voice at the London Conservatory of Music before moving to Hamilton, where she continued her passion of teaching privately from her home. Dominique's passion lies in helping students of any age discover their musical abilities and celebrating their successes!

Matt Soliveri is a professional drummer and instructor based out of Hamilton Ontario. Matt’s journey as a drummer began nearly 20 years ago, playing in numerous local acts before studying Music at Mohawk College. After completing his music degree, he began performing and recording with some of Canada's top artists such as Alessia Cara, Jesse Labelle and Brian Melo. These experiences allowed him to perfect his craft as a session and live drummer. Since joining the award-winning alt-country/ roots-rock band The Redhill Valleys in 2017, Matt has continuously proven his expertise as a drummer, songwriter and performer. The knowledge and experience Matt has gained working in the Canadian music industry has funnelled into his 10-year span as a music instructor. Above all else, Matt has a never-ending passion for drumming as an art form which he hopes to pass onto future generations of drummers and musicians alike. 

Kevin is a Hamilton-based pianist, composer, and teacher who studied at Mohawk College with some of Canada's great pianists such as Adrean Farrugia and Rob Fekete. Kevin started playing piano as a young child in church and now performs all around Ontario in different groups and styles from jazz, funk, salsa, pop and more. In 2020, he was the winner of the Dundas Valley Orchestra Composition Competition. He has a wide range of teaching experience including RCM classical repertoire, jazz & pop styles and theory/composition.

Corrina has grown up surrounded in a musical household and environment. She began playing violin 9 years ago and has been playing with multiple orchestras for a majority of those years, including an invitation-only chamber orchestra. Corrina also began playing cello 5 years ago and currently teaches both to various ages and with various skill levels. She is a member of the Bishop Ryan Music Council and has also successfully completed 8 levels of the prestigious Royal Conservatory of Music violin exams. She has volunteered at the Bel Canto Strings Academy's music camp. Corrina is looking forward to sharing her passion for music with her students of all ages! 

Lorretta holds degrees in both piano and voice, as well as a Master’s degree in Music Education.  She has taught private music lessons and music classes to students of all ages for over 25 years. Lorretta has vast experience in teaching, directing, and performing various musical styles from; jazz, contemporary, classical, musical theatre and opera. She is an active musician in the community and has recently performed in: West Side Story with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, FireHall Theatre’s “She Loves Me”, Jazz Trios, and Jazz Bands. She enjoys finding creative ways to help students of all backgrounds love the music they are playing. 

​Santiago is a professional pianist currently based out of Hamilton. He started classical training at the early age of 5. He studied music in several countries and with many mentors by the likes of esteemed concertist Christian Chamorel at the Conservatory of Geneva (Switzerland) and Freddie Mendizabal at the conservatory of La Paz (Bolivia). Later on, in Canada, Santiago went on to study jazz piano at Mohawk College with Hamilton's very own Adrean Farrugia. Alongside his formation, Santiago also built up plenty of experience as an educator with more than five years of teaching all ranges of skill level and age, and in different languages as well. Santiago is now a highly demanded multi-instrumentalist, producer and teacher in the GTA.