• TEACHERS AND STAFF MEMBERS

Simon Gidora, violin, piano, voice

Simon Gidora began his musical studies with violin at age 5, followed shortly by piano and voice. He received a BMus in Violin Performance with a minor in Orchestral Conducting from McGill University and is now continuing his studies in opera as a baritone under the tutelage of Jason Howard at the Glenn Gould School in Toronto. An accomplished musician in multiple disciplines, Simon has received numerous awards including First Prize Chamber at the 2014 National Music Festival (as a violinist of the Forza Quartet), First Prize at the 2016 Barbara Clague Festival of Song (as a singer), and multiple recommendations to the provincial music festival in all three disciplines.

Simon has studied with some of Canada’s top musical pedagogues, including David Gillham, William van der Sloot, and Axel Strauss (for violin), Alan Corbishley, John mac Master, and Jason Howard (for voice), and Patricia Greenfield (for piano). Having previously trained in the Suzuki and RCM methods, Simon now takes a student-specific approach to teaching, working to help the student find physical freedom in their music making through the reduction of tension and a focus on sound production. Simon also cares deeply about the performance psychology side of music making, and specifically how to work to find efficiency and effectiveness in the practice room.

When not making or listening to music, Simon enjoys cooking, spending time in nature, and biking around Toronto (weather permitting).


BACK