My name is Jessica Opolko, and I have been teaching piano for the last 25 years. After completing both the Performers and Teachers ARCT with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), I continued post-diploma studies with Ms. Tanya Tkachenko. I won the ORMTA award for the highest mark on my piano pedagogy paper and started teaching children in my home studio.
After happily teaching for about 10 years I decided to homeschool my children… and teach them piano. That’s when the real learning took place! My kids taught me how to learn piano with a focus on the pleasure of playing, instead of playing just to complete exams and win festivals. Working with my own kids allowed me to see exactly what happens between the music lesson and the at home practice.
I now firmly believe that learning music and playing an instrument should bring joy to each student, even when they are working hard learning new techniques or new concepts.
I believe that learning the piano provides students with the opportunity to develop grit, perseverance, and a growth mindset, while developing a skill that will bring them joy for their entire life. There must be joy built into learning and so I have created an approach that mixes solid piano technique and repertoire with learning whatever it is that sparks joy in each student.
Piano teaching and music are not just my career — they are also my hobby and my passion! I have also loved traveling around the world, in the footsteps of the greats, including Vivaldi’s Venice, Mozart’s Salzburg, Debussy’s Anacapri, and many others. I love experiencing good music in movies, hearing the latest tunes on Spotify, watching Broadway musicals, and singing.
I love integrating technology into my studio (the amount of sheet music online is astounding) and I am continually inspired by amazing videos of other musicians (check out Jarrod Radnich). However, I also remember what it was like to be 7 years old and completely overwhelmed by learning a new piece myself.
Jessica Opolko Piano Studio 