Bio

• Master of Music in Piano Performance
• Senior Examiner, The Royal Conservatory
• Elementary​/​Intermediate​/​Advanced Specialist, RCM Certified Teacher
• Professor, Music Department, Capilano University
• Member, Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association
• Member, BC Registered Music Teachers’ Association

David Vandereyk is a pianist and music educator living in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Master of Music Degree in Piano Performance from the University of British Columbia; his principal teachers were Jane Coop and Robert Silverman. David’s interest in physiologically- based and injury-preventive piano technique led him to pursue further studies including the Alexander Technique, the Taubman Approach, and training with Nelly Ben-Or in London, England and Barbara Lister-Sink at Salem College, North Carolina.

A member of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association, Mr. Vandereyk has given master classes and adjudicated music festivals across Canada, as well as presenting lectures and workshops on a wide variety of pedagogical subjects. He served as a judge for the Knigge National Piano Competition, The Robert and Ellen Silverman Piano Concerto Competition and MusiQuest, a national competition in India, where he also presented a lecture, “Healthy Approaches to Piano Technique.” Recently he was invited to present masterclasses and a workshop on “Productive Practice Tips for Peak Performance” at The Academy of Music, Pune, India.

Vancouver piano teacher David Vandereyk offers private piano lessons to students of all ages and levels of advancement and with diverse goals. David Vandereyk Piano Studio is located on Vancouver’s Westside in the heart of Kitsilano and his students represent a large breadth of abilities and interests.

For over twenty-five years David Vandereyk’s students have gained recognition locally, provincially and nationally including numerous awards at music festivals, RCM gold medals, Canadian Music Competitions prize-winners, university entrance scholarships and performances at Carnegie Hall. Several of his top students have continued their studies in post-secondary institutions throughout North America and Europe and have gone on to rewarding careers in music and other creative and professional fields.

Mr. Vandereyk believes that music education is an enriching experience and a key component in a child’s well-rounded education. He maintains the positive effects learning a musical instrument has on a student’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual development are invaluable. His teaching promotes independent learning and musical self-reliance and provides students with usable skills to build on for the rest of their lives.

Biography

Mr. Vandereyk has been a Senior Piano Examiner, Royal Conservatory Examinations, since 1992 and has served on the Council of Examiners, which is responsible for establishing assessment standards across Canada and the United States. His students have been the recipients of numerous awards including Royal Conservatory of Music regional and national gold medals and their successes in international competitions have resulted in invitations to perform at historic halls in New York, London, Amsterdam, Rome, Salzburg and Vienna. In addition to maintaining an active private studio in Vancouver, David is a professor in the School of Performing Arts at Capilano University where he teaches piano and music theory. He has served as coordinator of the Music Diploma Program.

Teaching Info

The role of a great teacher is to open doors, and not to push the pupil through.
-Artur Schnabel

My teaching approach focuses on:

• Adeptness at modifying my approach to accommodate the individual unique needs and learning style of each student
• Providing students with a sound technical foundation which is physiologically based and injury preventive
• Teaching musical concepts that will guide students to ultimately developing their own approach and forming an independent interpretation
• Providing students with effective practice strategies which will aid in learning repertoire more efficiently and which will also serve students well in their other academic pursuits
• Performance preparation including exams, music festivals and competitions, masterclasses and regular studio recitals
• Enhancing the student’s self-esteem and confidence to enable them to express themselves and experience the joy of musical communication thus providing them with keys to achievement in other fields
• Inspiring and motivating the student by acting as a role model and demonstrating my desire for learning, love for the beauty of music and passion for teaching