String Instrument Instructors
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Janis Dawson - fiddle, violin
A
native of Halifax, Janis began her violin studies at the age
of four. After several years studying the Suzuki method, Janis
began her studies under violinist Jan Wicha. During this time
she became involved in other types of music including fiddle
and jazz.
Janis has recently graduated from Saint Francis Xavier University with a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies. She studied with saxophonists John McLaggan and Greg Carter. She also studied piano and improvisation with Dave Restivo and Tony Genge. During her time at St FX, Janis performed with many groups and combos. Janis was also the first violinist to study jazz at the university.
Active as a performer playing anything from weddings to coffeehouses, Janis excels in jazz theory, improvisation, arranging and composition. She has been actively teaching classical, fiddle, and jazz for six years. Janis is an enthusiastic teacher with experience teaching people of all ages. -
Janet Munson - fiddle, violin
Janet Munson is a multi-instrumentalist and singer who has
performed and recorded with musicians such as Leonard Cohen,
Sylvia Tyson, Archie Fisher, Tommy Makem and Lennie Gallant.
Janet has worked as far abroad as Athens, Greece, to Kerrville,
Texas, and Dawson City in the Yukon Territory.
Janet has experience in national television and radio. She performed with Dream a Little Dream, which featured Denny Doherty of The Mamas & Papas. An accomplished arranger, her clients have included Symphony Nova Scotia, the Stadacona Band and Lennie Gallant. She has also received Nova Scotia Arts Council and Canada Council Awards for writing, research and composition.
Over most of the last 20 years Janet has maintained an active teaching practice where she enjoys teaching children and adults alike.