Miss Alyssa (Owner): Piano, Pedagogy, Theory, History
Miss Alyssa studied piano at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she earned her Honours Bachelor of Music, specializing in Music Education and Piano Pedagogy. She trained under Jan Atkinson, ARCT, RMT, and Dr. Joseph Ferretti, BMus, MMus, DMA, and obtained her ACCM Associate Teacher’s Diploma in Piano from Conservatory Canada with First Class Honours. She is the recipient of the Medal of Excellence for her written Pedagogy requirements with Conservatory Canada, as well as the Dr. D. F. Cook Associate Medal for Excellence in 2014. Miss Alyssa is an active member of the Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association (ORMTA). She recently served as an adjudicator for the 2025 Saskatoon Contemporary Showcase. She founded Sonata Piano Studio in 2012, Sonata Music Adventures in 2021, and most recently, Sonata on Stage — a musical theatre program for youth in Windsor-Essex. Together, these programs serve over 450 music students across the region, offering high-quality music education from early childhood through advanced levels, and now extending into the world of theatre arts. Alyssa teaches students of all ages and is deeply passionate about making music education accessible, engaging, and inspiring. You can also catch Miss Alyssa on YouTube as “Miss Alyssa” the music teacher, where she shares fun, educational, and interactive music lessons with young audiences worldwide through her successful YouTube channel. In addition, she continues to tour Windsor-Essex and nearby towns, championing the importance of music education through workshops, performances, and community outreach. Miss Alyssa loves to teach classical, contemporary, and pop music, and specializes in preparing students for Conservatory examinations while also encouraging creativity through improvisation and composition. Her students have gone on to win scholarships through Conservatory Canada and ORMTA Windsor, earn Medals of Excellence (for achieving the highest exam marks in Ontario), and take home top placements in countless Kiwanis Music Festival classes.
With over twenty years of performance experience, Miss Alyssa has appeared at charity events, recitals, weddings, vocal studio productions, and theatre choirs including the Windsor Light Music Theatre Youth Choir. She believes every student is unique in their music learning journey and adapts her teaching to fit each individual’s needs.
Miss Sam: Voice, Music Theatre, Piano, Little Sonatinas Piano
Sam Bourque is a Windsor-based musician and music educator with a deep love for connecting with her community through music. She has performed around the world, from New York City to Edinburgh to Cancun and beyond. After spending eight years in the Toronto area pursuing professional theatre and earning a degree in Music Theatre Performance from Sheridan College, Sam brought her passion and experience back to Windsor, where she now makes her living as a full-time musician.
Whether she’s singing and playing (many, many) instruments at local venues or music directing/performing with local theatre companies (primarily Kordazone, WECAP, and Broadway Bunch), Sam can usually be found making music somewhere in Windsor on any given day.
In addition to performing, Sam runs a private voice studio out of her home and teaches voice and early childhood music classes at Sonata Piano Studio. She is a proud member of the “Sonata Music Adventures” childhood music education YouTube channel, which currently has over half a million subscribers. She also co-authored the Mini and Little Sonatinas Preschool Piano books with Alyssa Layfield, and is the music producer and co-songwriter for all Sonata Music Adventures projects such as their debut album “Our First Adventure” and their “Storytime Podcast”.
Sam is also a music producer for other small-scale projects and looks forward to continuing to grow in this area while remaining deeply rooted in her local arts communit
Miss Mia: Piano, Junior Piano
Miss Mia has been playing piano since the age of 5, and has completed RCM level 10 harmony as well as level 10 piano with first class honours. Aside from piano, she also plays the Saxophone and guitar. Miss Mia attends the University of Windsor for Concurrent music and French, studying music under the instruction of Alde Calongcagong. Miss Mia volunteers at her church as an assistant choir conductor and her goal is to obtain a Bachelor of Honours and complete ARCT. She hopes to inspire and spread her passion of music to students, guide them to success as musicians, and help them discover their talent in music.
Miss Ruby: Voice, Music Theatre, Sonata Music Adventures
Miss Ruby is a graduate of Walkerville Collegiate Institute, where she was enrolled in the Enriched Arts Program, including vocals and drama. Miss Ruby has been participating in musical theatre and film since the age of 10. Since she was 10 years old Miss Ruby has done musical theatre and film. She has travelled around the world performing in theatre festivals and vocal competitions. She has experience training and working with Broadway writers, workshopping new musicals. Recently, Miss Ruby has become a business owner, managing a birthday party princess company, The Princess Party Sisters. Miss Ruby feels that spreading the joy of music through performing or teaching is one of the best experiences to share with someone.
Mr Aleks: Piano, Piano Performance
Mister Aleks is a lifelong pianist currently studying comprehensive musicianship and pedagogical methods under Dr. Gregory Butler. He is pursuing Level 10 Comprehensive Certification through The Royal Conservatory of Music with plans to achieve his ARCT Diploma within the next 2 years. He has performed in a number of ORMTA Recitals and regularly frequents and performs in masterclasses. Mister Aleks’ teaching style aims to stimulate the development of the musician’s aural, visual, and tactual skills, with great emphasis on physical ease and relaxation.
Miss Sophie: Sonata Music Adventures, Guitar, Ukulele, Beginner Piano
Miss Sophie is an honours graduate of St. Joseph’s SHSM program for Arts and Culture and is enrolled in the Film Production program at the University of Windsor. Miss Sophie is a longtime former student of Miss Alyssa’s, with whom she studied piano for 8 years and achieved her Grade 5 Piano Certificate with Conservatory Canada. She has participated in numerous recitals and music concerts, and has performed in the Windsor-Essex Kiwanis Music Festivals where she has placed numerous times in her classes. Miss Sophie has also taken ukulele lessons with Miss Alyssa, which kindled her love for guitar. Miss Sophie is a singer-songwriter and has composed dozens of original songs she likes to perform locally. She has studied Musical Theatre and Classical singing styles under Miss Brianna. She has a very strong appreciation for both music and performance art and hopes to pursue a professional career in film.
Miss Lauren: Junior Piano, Intermediate Piano
Miss Lauren is currently completing her Concurrent Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degree at the University of Windsor. She has been playing piano since the age of six and studied with Miss Alyssa of Sonata Piano Studio. After completing her Level 10 Piano Examination, she hopes to achieve her Associate Pedagogy certification with Conservatory Canada (CC) within the next two years! She has completed her CC Associate-level Harmony & Counterpoint, Analysis, and History certifications. She holds the Elementary and Intermediate teaching certifications from the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), receiving First Class Honours in both. Miss Lauren teaches students from preschool to intermediate conservatory levels (CC & RCM), incorporating classical, pop, contemporary, jazz, and more to support each student’s individual goals. In addition to her piano studies, she studied harp with the late Amy Ley and has completed her Level 8 certification. Beyond teaching, she is very active in the music community, accompanying musicians, performing for weddings, recitals, and community events. She is an active volunteer for music festivals, has worked with the WSO, Fourth Wall of Music, and many more! Miss Lauren is very passionate about piano pedagogy and creating fun, engaging lessons that foster confidence, creativity, musicianship, and a lifelong love of music.
Mr Justin: Guitar, Ukulele, Piano
Mr. Jonathan: Violin
Jonathan is an experienced violinist and has been playing since the age of 4. He loves making music, especially with others in ensembles such as the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra, his high school concert and jazz bands, with his friends, or even with his family. He achieved honours while completing his grade 8 violin with the Royal Conservatory but is trained in, and teaches using the Suzuki method. Currently pursuing Electrical Engineering at the University of Windsor, he finds joy not only in becoming better at the violin but also in exploring new instruments, like the guitar and trumpet, during his free time. Jonathan’s friendly demeanor extends into his teaching goals. He is dedicated to ensuring that each lesson is not only educational but also enjoyable. He strives to create an environment where students are excited to return each week and ready to advance in their musical journey.
Mr. Alex: Guitar, Voice, Percussion
Mr. Alex is a musician, musical theatre performer, director, and educator who loves helping students discover their confidence and creativity through music. Mr. Alex graduated from the Music Theatre Performance program at St. Clair College and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Drama from the University of Windsor. As a versatile multi-instrumentalist, Mr. Alex sings and plays guitar, bass, and drums, and has performed at gigs and events across Ontario. With a background in both music and theatre, Mr. Alex has performed with many companies, as well as directed Sonata On Stage’s productions of Shrek Jr. and Frozen Jr., and worked with performers of all ages. As a teacher, Mr. Alex brings his real world performance experience into every lesson. His goal is to create a fun, welcoming environment where students can develop their musical skills, build confidence, and most importantly, enjoy making music.
Miss Rebecca: Piano
Rebecca has been teaching piano for over 10 years She has completed Grade 8 Piano as well as the RCM Elementary Piano Teaching course. She is very passionate about sharing her love of music, and recognizes how important music can be in someone’s life. As a studio manager, she wants to make sure everyone has access to music education and can find a style of learning that suits them. It is important to Rebecca to ensure teachers and staff are supported and well-equipped to help make the studio as wonderful as possible. Rebecca is also a certified ESL teacher with 8 years of teaching experience to newcomers to Canada.
Rebecca has experience teaching learners of all ages & abilities. She is enthusiastic about her students’ music learning goals and assists them in picking suitable repertoire, taking their personal interests into account. She enjoys implementing a holistic approach to help learners gain a well-rounded knowledge of their repertoire. Her aim is to give positive, effective feedback on the learner’s progress, as well as provide reinforcement exercises and practice tips. Learning how to play an instrument takes effort and dedication, but it should also be fun! Rebecca is always looking to make learning both educational and enjoyable!
Miss Thianna: Piano
Miss Thianna has been playing piano since the age of 4. She is currently completing her level 10 RCM piano with Dr. Green and has completed her level 9 Harmony and History exam. Throughout the years she has had lots of experience with competitions and performances! She has played in Kiwanis Music Festivals, ORMTA recitals, won many awards and even got to participate in Provincial Festivals. Thianna has a passion for music and loves to encourage and help others learn piano! She understands that sometimes piano can be stressful for some students, so she makes sure to adapt to different learning styles, strives to make every lesson enjoyable while guiding them to their piano goals!
Miss Tessara: Piano
Miss Tessara has been playing the piano since she was seven years old. She studied under Iryna Kior at Académie Ste-Cécile and is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Music, with a minor in Math, at the University of Windsor. She aims to achieve her ARCT for piano under the guidance of Alde Calongcagong. Over the years, Tessara has actively participated in numerous Windsor-Essex Kiwanis Music Festivals, recitals, and other live performances. With her experience in teaching piano to children through the city’s programs, her passion for teaching has only grown. Her goal is to inspire her students by being artistically creative and helping them express themselves musically.
Miss Madison: Instructor, Sonata Music Adventures
Madison teaches the Sonata Music Adventures classes at Sonata Piano Studio, specializing in early childhood music education. She is trained in the full SMA curriculum, including Parent & Tot, Toddler I & II, as well as the preschool piano programs Mini Sonatinas and Little Sonatinas. With a lifelong passion for music, Madison is a multi-instrumentalist who sings and plays piano, guitar, and ukulele. Outside the classroom, she performs regularly at events and weddings as a professional vocalist and musician. Madison also has a background in dance and theatre, which she brings into her teaching to create fun, engaging, and creative musical experiences for her students. In addition to her teaching role, she’s a familiar face on the administrative team at Sonata, helping things run smoothly behind the scenes and around the studio.
Mr. Samuel: Piano
Samuel completed his Master of Music degree at the University of Toronto in Piano Pedagogy and Performance. Before that, he obtained a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Windsor under the instruction of Dr. Philip Adamson. In his first year, he was invited by the Mayor’s office to perform a public recital in City Hall. During his education, he won an impressive amount of competitive scholarships for musical performance, composition, and academic achievement. Among them were the Ron W. Ianni Scholarship for his performance of Prokofiev’s 6th piano sonata, the George T. Marshall award for the composition of his Preludes, and the University of Windsor’s concerto competition for performing Beethoven’s 3rd piano concerto. He has given many concerts in both the US and Canada. Currently, Samuel is the Music Director and Organist for St. John’s Anglican Church in Sandwich Town. Samuel hopes to inspire his students and help them discover their passion for music!
Mr. Antonio: Piano
Mr. Antonio is currently a Grade 12 student at École Secondaire Catholique l’Essor. He has been playing piano since the age of 4, has been enrolled at Sonata Piano Studio since 2021, and is currently a student of Miss Alyssa Layfield. He is working on completing his Grade 8 Conservatory Canada certification by the end of 2026. Antonio has competed in various piano competitions locally and provincially. He also plays for his school’s Senior Jazz Band which has introduced him to a more collaborative approach to music, proving helpful in his recent involvement in musical theatre. Antonio enjoys playing classical music from the Romantic Era and has an ear for emotionally expressive and melancholy pieces of music. Antonio’s goal as a teacher is to make students look forward to their lessons with excitement and enthusiasm every week and to inspire them to find a lifelong love and passion for music.
Miss Esther: Piano, Guitar
Esther has studied at the University of Windsor for her undergrad in music, specializing in jazz piano and classical guitar. She is now taking her studies further at the University of Western for teachers college in hopes of educating young students about the importance of music. Ever since she was a kid, Esther has always had an interest and passion in music, whether it be classical, jazz, or even music you find in pop culture or social media, there is value to them all and always a good lesson to be learned!