Piano Instructor

Jessica’s piano career began early in her life around the age of 5 when she began private piano lessons. She completed her Grade 8 Royal Conservatory of Music piano examination when she was seventeen under the direction of Susan Nicholson. She went on to major in music performance at FaithWay Baptist College of Canada where she studied piano under Melissa (Kember) Leveille and voice under Dr. Melissa Baker. Jessica graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2003 with a Bachelor of Sacred Music, and won the Academic award in 2002. In 2009 she obtained her ARCT (Royal Conservatory of Music) in piano performance with Honours while studying with Elsa Tafel. Jessica holds a Level 9 voice certificate from the RCM. Jessica continues to attend professional development seminars yearly, and is always on the lookout for new teaching ideas on the internet.

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Jessica has won numerous music awards including highest mark awards in the Kiwanis Festival of Music, the Linda Rehder Kennedy award, the Amy Wilson Theory award, and other scholarships for top marks in History 1, 2, and 3, Harmony 3, Counterpoint, Analysis, and Pedagogy.

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Jessica’s musical experience is vast and varied. She has been a church pianist since the age of 12 and enjoys playing both the piano and organ in church. She sang in a 70+ member choir while in College (alto and soprano), second soprano in a college trio, and alto and first soprano in the college ensemble. She toured two summers while in college in British Columbia, Ontario, and the Northern USA. Jessica began teaching piano lessons at the age of 14. She continued teaching throughout college, teaching adults and children of all levels. Jessica taught on the music faculty of FaithWay Baptist College of Canada from 2003-2006, and she taught the applied voice course at Nipissing University from 2007-2012, all the while maintaining her own private studio of anywhere from 45-65 students.

Jessica loves being involved in community music groups. She has worked in various capacities in local theatre groups such as Summer Challenge, Dreamcoat, and TOROS in North Bay. She sang two seasons with the Near North Voices, and she spent two seasons as the collaborative pianist with the Rapport Singers.

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J. Brooks Academy of Music was founded by Jessica in July 2010. After nearly 10 years of teaching out of her home, in schools, and in other private lesson studios, Jessica decided to open her own music lesson Academy. After 5 very successful years of owning and operating a multi-teacher Music Academy, and upon the birth of her beautiful daughter, Jessica made the decision to close her studio, and move her lessons to her home studio.

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Jessica continues lead a busy and fulfilling schedule of homeschooling her two daughters, serving alongside her husband as he pastors the Near North Baptist Church, and still teaching private piano and voice lessons.