About the Teacher
Hello! My name is Zoe Henderson and I am the owner of the Willow School of Music. I've been teaching music (piano, ukulele, acting) for over 25 years. Born and raised in Nanaimo, I recently moved back to the city in the summer of 2023. Before that, I was in Toronto for 25 years, teaching full-time at various private music schools and community centres. I sincerely love teaching! Teaching is my vocation and my full-time job.
PIANO. A classically-trained musician (RCM Grade 10 piano. Advanced Piano Pedagogy, and Grade 8 singing), I have been teaching piano for 25 years. I am also an award-wining composer and part-time professional arranger.
I discovered the Keynotes Group Piano program while researching class piano methods and was immediately won over by its musical values and pedagogical principles, its ability to accommodate incoming students, and its wonderful music and teaching materials! I look forward to introducing it Nanaimo-area families!
UKULELE. In additional to my classical training, I have a long background in popular music and came to the ukulele about 20 years ago while pursuing a career as a singer-songwriter. I simply got tired of lugging my keyboard to venues that didn't have a house piano . Enter.. . the ukuele! Having dabbled in guitar in my younger years, I took up the ukulele and fell in love with this charming and versatile little instrument. Soon, in a desire to spread the joy of ukulele, I enrolled in the James Hill Ukulele Initiative Teacher Training and have been teaching groups and private lessons ever since.
SPEECH ARTS, DRAMA, ACTING. I am currently the Artistic Director of Nanaimo Young People's Theatre where, in addition to planning the drama school curriculum, I also teach several classes. In the past, I have worked as an actor, playwright, producer and director. My formal education includes a B.A (Honours( in Drama (University of Alberta) as well as advanced certificates in Speech Arts & Drama from the Royal Conservatory of Music.
