Our Instructors
JENNIFER HALLIDAY
Owner / Voice / Piano
Jennifer Halliday is a dedicated and passionate musician from St. John’s, Newfoundland with a rich background in music education and performance. For over a decade, she has shared her expertise by teaching voice and piano privately. Jennifer founded Halliday Music Studio in 2017, a thriving establishment where she has had the pleasure of guiding students of all ages in their musical journeys.
With an honours degree in Fine Arts from York University (Toronto, ON), specializing in Jazz Voice, Jennifer's academic achievements also include a focus in jazz piano and theory. She has accomplished Level 8 examinations in piano from the Royal Conservatory, and her outstanding performance in the senior levels of Conservatory Canada Voice Examinations earned her the prestigious Oscar Peterson Gold Medal of Excellence Award, marking the highest achievement in Canada.
Jennifer is not only a music educator, but also an accomplished accompanist, adjudicator, proud member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and was a facilitator of "So You've Always Wanted To Sing: Growing The Voices – Festival 500” – a foundational course in learning how to sing which helped hundreds of adults successfully discover or re-discover their singing voices.
Jennifer's lifelong commitment to choral singing is deeply rooted in her experiences with Shallaway Youth Choir, where she began her journey at the age of 8, and Lady Cove Women's Choir, since 2011. She has traveled with both organizations resulting in numerous awards and international recognitions through participation in competitions around the world.
Beyond her roles as an educator and choral singer, Jennifer is the driving force behind The Hallidays, her dynamic band. The Hallidays are a featured ensemble in provincial business events such as St. John's Board of Trade & Mount Pearl Paradise Chamber of Commerce, Premier's Gala, Frosty Festival, Lady Cove Rocks, Shallaway fundraisers, and can be heard throughout various venues in St. John's. Her multifaceted career reflects a deep love for music and a commitment to nurturing musical talent in others.
DAVE HALLIDAY
Drums
Dave has been teaching percussion professionally for almost 10 years and has been with Halliday Music Studio since the beginning! Dave fulfills his love of music by being the drummer for The Hallidays who are seen and heard regularly at private events, conferences, and various venues around St. John’s.
Dave studied Business at Memorial University and has spent over a decade in the marketing and communications space. Most recently, he leads Business Development for local engineering firm, trajectorE, and stays active within the community through volunteerism.
Let Dave help you develop your inner rockstar while experiencing the fun in drumming!
ALLA MELNYCHUK
Piano / Beginner Voice
Alla Melnychuk is a concert pianist from Ukraine. She graduated from Kharkov National University of Arts and has performed across Ukraine, Estonia, Poland, and France. For more than ten years she has been teaching piano in many European countries, such as Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Spain , and Italy and continues to teach them online. Her students also competed and won numerous awards in European competitions.
Alla worked at the State Music School of Ukraine as a piano teacher and accompanist. She has been awarded various awards for outstanding creative and intellectual achievements at many international competitions.
In May, 2022 she moved to the wonderful city of St.John's and has been working at Halliday Music Studio as a piano teacher since that time. Alla also enjoys performing solo and with her group Sunflower Duo who perform at multiple venues and a variety of events throughout St. John's and the province. They have also been featured on Shelley Neville's last two shows of “O Holy Night” and toured across the island in the summer of 2023.
ADRIANNA LEAR
Voice / Guitar / Ukulele / Beginner Piano
Adrianna holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland where she studied voice under Shelley Neville. During her time at MUN Adrianna played the title role of Miss Todd in “The Old Maid and The Thief”, was a soloist in many concerts and performed in several guest masterclasses. Adrianna has been a member of Lady Cove Women’s choir since 2016 and is a Shallaway alumni. Adrianna has traveled extensively with choir to Wales, England, France, Belgium, Costa Rica and Nicaragua. She has also been a member of the Ellison Canadian Honour Choir for four years. She has studied piano and guitar since childhood and loves any opportunity to get on stage and perform! In her spare time, Adrianna loves cooking, baking, crafting, and all things puppies!
She’s excited to meet all her new students and is looking forward to making music together! .
RACHAEL CURRIE
Voice / Piano
Rachael Currie is a Canadian mezzo-soprano from Portugal Cove, Newfoundland, and graduated in 2024 from Memorial University’s School of Music with her B. Mus. (Honours) in Voice Performance. While at MUN, Rachael was taught by Dr. Caroline Schiller and performed principal roles in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges (l’Enfant, Bergère, Pastourelle) and Massenet’s Cendrillon (Dorothée), and studied the music of Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), Ilia (Idomeneo), Bea (Three Decembers), and Manon (Manon). Rachael has also performed as Mary Poppins (PWC Prod., 2019), and has acted in plays with Mad As Hops Productions (The Wolves, 2019; An Image Now of You Then, 2019; Brief Encounters, 2017) and AOR Productions (1984, 2019).
Rachael is a long-time participant in the Kiwanis Music Festival, and has competed in many classes, including the junior and senior Vocal Rose Bowl competitions, and was selected in 2023 and 2024 to compete at the Provincial and Canadian National festivals. Rachael is also a student member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and won her class in the association’s 2024 Canadian Atlantic Provinces Council Auditions, and represented Atlantic Canada in the 2024 New England Regional Auditions, where she placed second in her class and was invited to compete at the American National level. She fondly remembers her early days in the non-competitive Kiwanis classes (everyone gets nervous!), and is excited to encourage her students to explore all the fun and wonderful opportunities available to them.
In the wider St. John’s community, Rachael has the pleasure of collaborating with many ensembles and arts administration organizations, including Projekt Chamber Voices, the Quintessential Vocal Ensemble, Opera on the Avalon, Opera Roadshow, and Shallaway Youth Choir. In her free time, Rachael loves to run, read, and sing in the presence of her loyal practice pal (and most vocal critic), her cat, Monty.
ARMONDO FOWLOW
Guitar / Bass
Armondo Fowlow is a dynamic and versatile performer from St. John's, NL. with 25+ years of experience as a singer guitarist and bassist. Well versed in rock, country, blues and jazz and has shared the stage with this provinces best musicians. An enthusiastic teacher with the ability to inspire and encourage students to learn.
MAGGIE FUREY
Voice / Piano
Maggie Furey is a passionate vocal performer and pianist, and recent graduate of Holy Heart Of Mary High School. She has been accepted to MUN School of Music, as a voice major for fall of 2024.
Maggie has been a dedicated member of Shallaway Youth Choir for 11 years, participating in Dolce, Vivo, Jubilate, Camerata and the prestigious Exsultate Chamber Choir. Since it's beginnings in 2016, she has been a member of the first neurodiverse choir in Canada, Lauda. Her passion lies with the relationships she has made with her friends and fellow choristers in Lauda. In 2023-24, she was an apprentice for the Vivo ensemble, children grades 4-6.
She was an active member of the Holy Heart Chamber Choir throughout high school, performing and competing both nationally and internationally.
Maggie has been a student of piano since a young age and is a proficient performer and teacher at the intermediate level. In spring 2024, she performed at the Kiwanis Festival Rose Bowl for Voice. She has also completed the level 6 RCM theory exam.
Maggie looks forward to creating a fun and engaging environment with young children as they start their musical journey at Halliday Music Studio!
EMMA MEADE
Voice / Guitar / Ukulele / Piano
Emma Meade is a fourth year Voice Major at Memorial University’s School of Music. She is a passionate pianist and vocal performer in classical music, music theatre, and other genres. At MUN, Emma is involved with the Chamber and Festival Choirs, and for the past two years has been in Opera. Emma has been fortunate enough to study voice with Meghan Herder, Jane Leibel, and worked with Caroline Schiller in Opera Workshop. Before going to MUN, Emma completed the level 8 RCM exam for Voice.
Emma is from Labrador City, NL and spent the last three years of High School teaching guitar, piano, ukulele, and voice lessons to young children. She taught at Encore Community Arts Association teaching piano and Kindermusik. She was also involved in Music Festivals when she was younger, and in school productions.
Emma loves helping students find their passion for music. Her hope is that students will leave their lessons with more musical knowledge, becoming confident in their abilities. She looks forward to sharing her knowledge and love for music with her future students!
SARAH KNIGHT
Summer Camp Instructor
Sarah is a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Music program at Memorial University and a proud Co-Owner of Royal Avalon Parties. Ever since she was a young child, Sarah has had a passion for music and a strong desire to share it with others.
Sarah always knew that she wanted to be a music teacher and at seventeen, opened her performing arts business, Sarah’s Stars, to give youth in rural communities the opportunity to learn about musical theatre.
Sarah is an experienced musical theater performer having been part of many stage show since 2013, and singing at a variety of festivals, concerts and fundraisers. Her proudest moments include being a featured performer at the Planned Parenthood Annual Charity Gala in 2019, and her fourth-year graduation recital, My Heart Wants to Sing.
Through her time at Memorial University, Sarah had the opportunity to study voice with Meghan Herder and learn a wealth of information about vocal pedagogy. This fall, Sarah will begin the Music Education as a Second-Degree program at Memorial University. She now looks forward to sharing this knowledge with her future students!