Rodney Webster
Rodney Webster studied piano, organ, theory and composition, with: Una Calvert, James Gerry, John Weatherseed, Healy Willan and JohnWeinzeig. Later, he worked very closely with Otto – Werner Mueller.
Webster has grade 10 organ and ARCT in composition with Royal Conservatory, Toronto; and Normal School Teacher’s Diploma, Victoria, and University Teaching certificates, UVIC.
He taught public school for 10 years (SD 63, Saanich). He was Music Director at Fairfield United Church for 10 years with 3 choirs (Senior, Teen and Children.) – 7 years Director of the Amity Singers, and 17 years Director of the Victoria Choral Society. He was Head of the Ear Training and Theory department of the Victoria Conservatory of Music for 21 years and a Director of the Music Language Studios®for 27 years – most of those years with Laura (The Rod and Laura Music Language Studios®).
Upon completing the ‘formal’ part of his music education, Webster found many holes in that education and started to fill them. He developed a holistic, full music education program teaching music as a language (not just a theory). He has written 9 study books, Adventuring With Music®, and produced 8 recordings, and, with Laura, 3 levels of Music for Wee Folk®
Laura E. M. Webster
Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Laura studied piano and theory with Marjorie Temple (Carrot River) then Edith Potts (Nipawin) and the more advanced RCM theoretical subjects by correspondence with the Lyell Gustin Piano Studios in Saskatoon. With her RCM Grade 10 Piano certificate, and a developing interest in all instruments, ensemble opportunities etc. , Laura entered the University of Saskatchewan and graduated with the Bachelor of Music in Music Education with a professional A. After teaching for two years in that province, Laura moved to Victoria, B.C. where she obtained the two year Music Language Graduate Teacher Training Diploma with Rod Webster at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, all the while teaching at a private music school. It was at this time, that Laura started to incorporate Suzuki Piano and pre-Suzuki concepts into her teaching.
A few years later, Rod and Laura opened The Music Language Studios®, first in Victoria then in Mission, B.C. Together they have extended Music Language to include programs for younger children with the Music For Wee Folk®, Infants and Toddlers, as well as Music Therapy.
While I respect, adore and am so grateful to my piano teachers and extensive University training … it was the philosophy, the thoroughness of program content, combined with the teacher training of Music Language that really brought a greater/deeper Music Understanding and Musicality together for me. As a student and as a teacher there is so much that I have learned and continue to learn. I strive to be the best that I can be and I strive to draw the best from each student. Let us be in Tune!