About Progressive Music Studio

Hollie Gannett

Co-Owner/Administration/Piano Teacher

Hollie (with her husband James) is the proud owner of Progressive Music Studio and has over 20 years of teaching experience, sharing her love of music and the piano.      

Hollie Gannett has been playing piano since she was 11 years of age, and has since earned her Grade 9 through the Royal Conservatory.

Hollie completed the Master of Music Therapy program at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2023.  She is  an MT-BC , Music Therapist Accredited (MTA), and Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying), practising music therapy/music psychotherapy,  working with older adults in long term care. (Services not available at the studio.)

Hollie also holds an Honours Bachelor of Music from McMaster University,   received her diploma from Mohawk College Applied Music, as well as a certificate in Preparatory Music. During her time at Mohawk, Hollie worked as a teacher’s assistant for the Basic Keyboarding class, and won the June Caskey Teaching Methods Award.

James Gannett

Co-Owner/Guitar/Bass/Ukulele Teacher

James has been a music educator since 1993, both privately and as an annual faculty member at the Kincardine Summer Music Festival.

James began playing guitar at the age of 7, before taking up the electric bass at the age of 10, and the upright bass at the age of 12.

In addition to studying privately with some of Canada’s best music educators, James has completed his Grade 7 Royal Conservatory for Double Bass, and graduated on the Dean’s Honour List from Mohawk College, where he received a diploma in the Applied Music program. Since his first concert at the age of 12, James has performed concerts across North and South America. He has played in rock bands, classical orchestras, chamber music groups, folk and Celtic bands, musical theatre, jazz big bands, and smaller jazz ensembles.

Stephanie McElravy

Piano Teacher

Stephanie has been an elementary educator for over ten years and is passionate about teaching music. She began playing piano at the age of five and continued until completing grade eight with the Royal Conservatory of Music. During high school, Stephanie participated in every possible choir and band, often playing as an accompanist. During these years, she developed an interest in jazz piano and improvisation. While working as a teacher, Stephanie enjoyed co-directing school musicals and seeing students use their musical abilities to encourage others. A highlight of 2022 was participating in coaching sessions for songwriting. Steph is committed to passing on a love of creativity along with piano skills.

Natalie Spencer-Katzmann

Vocal Teacher

Natalie is a graduate of the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, ON. Despite being classically trained, her true passion is pop and rock music! Natalie also enjoys musical theatre and has been in a few productions such as Nunsense, Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She also dabbled in a little opera and was in the production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute”, Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel & Gretel” and Pucell’s “Dido and Aeneas”. Natalie’s goal is to make her students feel comfortable and confident during lessons so that they feel comfortable and confident on stage! All levels welcome! Ages 8 and up!

Mary-Jane Russell (MJ)

Vocal/Piano Teacher

Every moment with MJ is an adventure. (MJ) Mary-Jane Russell comes to us as a vocal coach (ARCT) in Vocal Performance and as a piano teacher – having completed Grade IX from RCM. She lives as a singer-songwriter with 20 years of classical vocal and piano training, 30 years of Folk/ Rock ensemble background, playing keys and singing b/vs, 10 years as a Soprano and Alto Chorister in the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, as a recording Session background Vocal Arranger/ Singer in all genres, as an educator for breaking artists (Int’l School of Recording Arts, Toronto; Jukasa School of Recording Arts) and as an actor in both live theatrical productions, musical videos, Film (International Releases and Corporate). MJ studied and holds three silver medals in vocal performance from Western University Conservatory of Music, yet she enjoys, equally, teaching the freeing nature of improvisation, playing and studying the physiology of the voice and the joy of discovery in “playing or singing by ear”. She’s performed onstage with several ‘stars’ she knows, she’s been a choral conductor and she played percussion and sang harmonies with M.E. Law and Gail Obediah from 2013 - 2020. She owned a World-calibre mixing studio with her partner, Nick Blagona, now deceased and for the past (7) seven years has been teaching. 

Helping children remain creative and fascinated by the magic of Music is key in MJ’s responsibilities as a music teacher, because, Music Tickles Our Catastrophes.

Blend Lara

Violin, Viola, and Cello Teacher

Blend Lara is a professional violinist with a very long career dedicated to teaching and performing on the violin. Blend began his violin studies at the age of 6 when he enrolled in the Elementary-Professional Program at Artistic Lycée in Tirana, Albania. After successfully completing his grade 12 at the Lycée and passing a rigorous exam, he began his bachelor studies in violin, specializing in classical music at the Albanian University of Arts in Tirana, Albania.

In 1990, after completing his studies, Blend joined the Radio Television Orchestra in Albania. While he was a member of the orchestra, Blend continued to teach strings students at the Albanian University of Arts.

Blend spent 13 years as first violin at the Albanian State Orchestra, and continued the second part of his career teaching violin, cello and viola to students in the Hamilton area. He is a member of ORMTA (Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association) and brings a very high standard of learning for students of all ages and levels