Our Teachers

Kent Shores - B.Mus - Jazz Studies (Guitar Performance) - University of North Texas

Guitar, Ukulele, Mandolin, Bass

Kent is a musician, educator, and current owner of Beaumont Community Music. 

Kent holds a degree in Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas and has performed across the globe with various bands. As an educator, Kent has over 10 years of experience teaching private lessons ranging from complete beginners to more advanced players. His teaching philosophy is all about bringing out the best in his students and fostering a love of music for the rest of their lives. He strives to make sure that music lessons are fun and enjoyable. His students have a safe space to challenge themselves, recognize their strengths, and grow in a positive environment. He finds great joy in sharing music with his students and celebrating their achievements.

Helen Stuart - B.Mus with distinction - Piano Performance - University of Alberta

Piano and Voice

Helen is a private music teacher, a professional pianist and a choral conductor. Her specialty areas of teaching include Piano, Voice, and Theory Rudiments. 

As a teacher, she engenders in her students a love for the art of music. She loves to provide opportunities for her students to share their music with others in performance, and Helen will offer a guided program towards achieving personal success in exams and competitions if that is a chosen path for students. In the context of her 40 year teaching career, she has worked with many students who have carried their love of music forward into their future lives and communities. 

Over the years, her students have collectively been awarded over 50 provincial medals from the main national examination boards (the Royal Conservatory of Music and Conservatory Canada) for receiving the highest marks in the province exams in piano, voice, theory and history. Helen is a recipient of the Tom and Miggsie Lawson national teachers' award from Conservatory Canada.

Her voice and piano students have often been finalists and winners in the Alberta Provincial Music Festival,  and they have won many scholarships and awards from their local music festivals in Edmonton, Leduc, Wetaskiwin, Sherwood Park and Spruce Grove. 

Aside from teaching, Helen is a professional accompanist specializing in playing piano for singers and choirs - most recently this has included working with Greenwood Singers, The King’s University Community Choir, and Ariose Women's Choir.  As well, she is the conductor of  St. David's Children's Choir in Leduc.

When she is not engaged in the aforementioned musical activities, Helen can be found working for the Administration office of the Edmonton Folk Music Festival or could be sighted trekking along an extensive walk in the great outdoors or might be found baking a great batch of cookies.

Marty Verhagen - Dip. Music - Music Performance and Music Recording - MacEwan University

Guitar and Bass

Marty holds a Diploma in Music from MacEwan University and has been teaching for 13 years at various music schools and studios throughout and Edmonton and area. He started playing at age ten and was immediately interested in the sound of the electric guitar! Marty teaches all styles but particularly loves alternative and classic rock. One of his favourite gigs was playing with Silver Rollers at Dinofest in Drumheller in 2013 with Grady headlining. Marty looks forward to sharing his passion for music with his students!