About

Krissy has a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Acadia University and a master’s in piano performance from McGill University. She completed her PhD in Music Education at McGill University, where she focused her doctoral research on elements of piano pedagogy and teacher effectiveness. She continues to research teacher effectiveness, effective practice methods, and best practices for error correction. 

 

Krissy’s university training is in classical music, but she has a broad experience performing piano music in other styles: jazz, blues, folk, congregational, show tunes, Latin-American, and pop. As an accompanist, she is especially recognized for her rehearsal and performance skills in choral settings. She has worked with the Annapolis Valley Honour Choir, Nova Scotia Youth Choir, Canadian Chamber Choir, and numerous internationally renowned choral conductors (e.g., Elise Bradley, Scott Leithead, Micahel Zaugg). As a gig musician, she continues a busy schedule of playing and singing at weddings, conferences, church services, restaurants, and other special events. 

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The guiding principle behind her teaching philosophy is the belief in the importance of the well-rounded musician, which includes being able to improvise and compose, as well as the more traditional skills of learning to read and interpret music.

 

In addition to her home studio, Krissy currently teaches applied piano, comprehensive keyboard, and courses on “how to practise” at Acadia University. She also loves adjudicating at music festivals and leading workshops on various topics such as improvisation, teaching, and practising. 

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