Composition

Private Lessons

VAM’s faculty roster contains internationally recognized educators and Vancouver’s leading performers providing expert instruction for all ages and skill levels. VAM lesson packages provide flexibility allowing scheduling at the mutual convenience of the student and teacher. Online lessons are available; contact [email protected] for remote instruction opportunities

  • Trial (1 lesson)
  • Half-semester package (9 lessons)*
  • Single-semester package (18 lessons)
  • Custom package (number of lessons to be decided with the teacher)*
  • Summer lessons (offered July and August, number of lessons to be decided with the teacher)

Fees
Lesson Fees: from $86 per hour
Adult Lesson Fees: from $76 per hour
Department Head Lesson Fees: from $90 per hour

*Students wishing to register for fewer than 18 lessons per semester must obtain permission from their private teacher.

Alfredo Santa Ana

Alfredo Santa Ana’s music has been described as “meaningful work offering substance as well as high style” (Vancouver Sun). His distinct compositional output encompasses genre-defying music for concert halls and film, as well as ongoing explorations into electronic music. In 2021, his album of dark chamber-like sample-based suite of miniatures, Nightscape, was praised as “…a… Read more »

Steven Charles

Steve Charles is a composer, performer, multi-instrumentalist and sound designer from the Pacific Northwest. Highlights include working with Bard on the Beach, Arts Club, VACT, Playhouse/MTC, Boca del Lupo, Bluemouth Inc., He music directs emerging Francophone artists with Pacifique en Chanson each year and toured with the talent show Galala on TV Unis. With the Escape Artists, he collaborated on Miss Shakespeare, Hey… Read more »

Jacqueline Leggatt

Dr. Leggatt has been teaching at VAM since 1997 and is currently Head of Theory and Manager of the VAM Library. Ms. Leggatt earned a Bachelor of Music (Piano) from Queen’s University and a Master of Music and Doctoral of Musical Arts from UBC in Composition. Also an active composer, Leggatt’s works -in both acoustic… Read more »

Edward Top

Edward was the Composer-in-Residence with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.  The VSO performed a dozen of his symphonic works with conductors Bramwell Tovey, Otto Tausk, and Allondra de la Parra.  In 2013, the VSO performed the commissioned work Totem on a U.S. West Coast tour.  Edward’s orchestral composition Eruption was commissioned and performed by the Toronto… Read more »