Staff

Music Immersion staff are experienced musicians and teachers with a passion for traditional music. In their hands your child will learn not just the mechanics of music but the love and passion for music and culture that is embraced by our instructors.

Our current staff is:
Maureen Chafe, founder and artistic director
Aaron Collis, accordion, mandolin, guitar, fiddle
Mark Hiscock, accordion
Anthony Chafe, guitar, accordion, bodhran
Andrea Lundrigan, piano
Sherry Ryan, piano, guitar, voice
Asdrubal Loredo, fiddle

Maureen teaches Kodály Musicianship to babies, toddlers and older children, folk dancing, fiddle, tin whistle, and piano for young beginners.

Maureen Chafe, Artistic Director
Maureen has taught music to students of all ages, from preschool to graduate school.

An accomplished clarinetist, Maureen has been a member of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and Terra Nova Chamber Players. She holds degrees in Music and Music Education (B.Mus 1990, B.Mus.Ed 1990, M.Mus 1996) from Memorial University of Newfoundland and the University of Calgary.

After several successful years of teaching in Newfoundland, Maureen traveled to Alberta to study with Kodály guru, Dr. Lois Chosky. In 1994, Maureen joined the faculty of the Mount Royal University Conservatory and turned her creative energies to the development of a first-class Kodály based curriculum for teaching children the rudiments of music. This curriculum is published by Mount Royal and is currently taught throughout Western Canada.

In 2012, after returning to her roots, Maureen established Music Immersion, a school for all ages, based upon the nationally acclaimed curriculum she developed. She continues to grow the programs offered to meet the needs of her community.

 

Aaron Collis (accordion, mandolin, guitar)

Accordion and mandolin player Aaron Collis has been performing around the world for the past 8 years with The Dardanelles including Scotland, throughout the United States, Australia and Across Canada. Aaron has worked with many musicians including Alan Doyle, Kim Stockwood, The Irish Descendants, The Once, Amelia Curran, Matthew Byrne and The Ennis Sisters. Aaron has received many awards for his albums including Traditional/Celtic Album of the Year in 2015 with Duane Andrews and 2014 with Emilia Bartellas. 

Currently Aaron is performing in the band Rum Ragged, which won Celtic/Traditional Artist of the Year at MusicNL 2017. Aaron has also been producing records for artists including Doug Dorward and Dave Penney. 

 

 

Mark Hiscock (accordion)
Mark Hiscock was born to play the button accordion! At the tender age of 4, Mark’s father, also an accomplished accordion player placed a Hohner accordion in his hands and Mark never looked back. Before that his father would put him to sleep in his crib by playing the accordion for him. Learning by osmosis…

Growing up in the small St. John’s community of Fort Amherst, Mark was surrounded by family who played and sang all the old Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) songs. He was influenced as well by the many other residents that played regularly at house parties around the tight knit community. He grew up listening to players like Harry Hibb’s, Wilf Doyle, Ray Walsh, Ray Johnson, Billy Dinn and Winston Saunders.

From Marks’s appearance on CBC’s skipper and Company at the age of 5, to his more then regular appearances on cable 9’s “Is’e Da By’e” TV show from 8 years of age to his mid teens, he became a well know entertainer in the St. John’s area. At 15, he started his career as a local musician entertaining tourists aboard the famous tour boat Scademia for 22 years. During that same time he also started up his very popular NL touring band Shanneyganock, which has recorded 10 CD’s, 2 DVD’s, and has been on numerous compilation CD’s. The band will be celebrating it’s 20 year anniversary in 2016 and will be touring extensively celebrating this millstone.

Mark is one of the most sought after accordion players in Eastern NL. Beyond his accordion talents he also plays guitar, mandolin, banjo, and bouzouki, but his main instrument if asked is by far the button accordion.

Anthony Chafe (guitar, accordion, bodhran) 

Anthony Chafe Is a 22 year old musician from the Goulds. Growing up Anthony was surrounded by traditional music and has been playing music for most of his life, starting out performing with The Celtic Fiddlers. He then went on to form the band The Freels with some fellow musicians and now is a member of the band Rum Ragged. Rum Ragged recently won MusicNL’s 2017 Celtic/traditional artist of the year.

 

 

Andrea Lundrigan (Piano)

Andrea Lundrigan has had a long career in teaching and performing piano. Outside of her musical training, Andrea is a professional geoscientist, working as an environmental consultant.

Andrea, has been playing the piano since she was 5 years old. She then went on to teach lessons to children and adults from her home throughout high school and university. She participated in the Royal Conservatory of Music program completing Levels 7 and 8 in Piano. Also during this time she played organ and piano regularly at St. Thomas of Villa Nova Parish.

 

 

Sherry Ryan, piano, guitar, voice

For over 10 years Sherry Ryan has been winning hearts across the country as one of Newfoundland’s finest singer-songwriters. Drifting between country, blues, and folk, Sherry’s songs can lead you down a path of heartbreak, hope, and even humour in the space of a single chorus. Her highly anticipated fourth album, Wreckhouse, takes its name from the song ‘Stop The Trains’; a gem of a tune written by Sherry and her father, Jim. Her instantly recognizable voice radiates on this Newfoundland classic in the making, and the rest of Wreckhouse is no exception.

Couple 10 heartfelt songs, with rich vocals, and phenomenal live off the floor performances from her band, and you have Sherry Ryan’s best work yet. She’s earned nation-wide attention, extensive radio play, and multiple music awards and nominations. A talent in the truest sense of the word, Sherry Ryan continues to ring out true and clear with her newest release.

 

Michelle Brophy (Irish Flute and Tin Whistle)

Michelle is an Irish wooden flute and tin whistle player who has been part of the St. John’s traditional music scene for the last 25 years. She has performed in numerous f

estivals and concerts in both Newfoundland and Ireland and is a regular session player in St. John’s.  Michelle’s musical mentor, Irish flute player Rob Murphy, had a major impact on her style and repertoire. Michelle’s flute playing has a strength of rhythm and tone that demonstrates her understanding and respect for traditional music. Michelle lives in St. John’s where she makes Irish wooden flutes.

 

Asdrubal Loredo, fiddle

A violist from St. John’s, Newfoundland, Asdrubal Loredo has completed his Master of Music in Viola Performance & Pedagogy (under the tutelage of Nancy Dahn and Kate Read), his Bachelor of Music Education, and his Bachelor of Music at Memorial University. Mr. Loredo teaches violin, viola, and traditional Newfoundland fiddling to various age groups across with Avalon area.

Mr. Loredo performs in the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and along with various ensembles and events around St. John’s, most recently as part of Kittiwake Dance Theatre’s Gala Performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, Opera On The Avalon’s Into The Woods, TADA! Events’ Ours Divas Do Christmas, and Atlantic Light Production’s A Call To Arms.