Meet the Faculty 2022/ 23

Laura Hasthorpe, BA, CPGS, CSAK
Founder & Director, Colourstrings Conservatory of Music

Laura Hasthorpe is a distinguished professional violist, Founder, and Director of Vancouver’s Colourstrings Conservatory of Music. She has been working as a certified early childhood music specialist for over 20 years.

Ms. Hasthorpe earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Certificate of Postgraduate Studies in Performance, with distinction, from the Royal Academy of Music & Drama in Glasgow, Scotland. After studying in Finland in the Colourstrings method, she then continued her postgraduate studies on a scholarship with the world renowned Gerald Stanick at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada.

2001- Returns to Scotland & starts teaching Colourstrings in Glasgow, Scotland & performs for Scottish Opera.
2004 - Ms. Hasthorpe becomes the first person to bring the Colourstrings Music Education program to Canada and sets up The Colourstrings Conservatory of Music in community schools in Kitsilano and on Main Street;
2011 - Sets up the Colourstrings program at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (VSO) School of Music, which she runs until 2017; and
2014 - After running the program out of various community centres and halls, moves all locations to the new Colourstrings Conservatory of Music building at 129 East 8th Avenue in Vancouver.
2019 - Celebrates 5 years in the new location & wins BC Parent Gold Award for Best Music Classes in Vancouver
2022 - A new start after keeping the school running during the Pandemic, we look to re-build and head towards 20 years in Vancouver.

Ms. Hasthorpe continues to study music at the highest levels around the world and has undertaken numerous international Colourstrings violin teacher training courses with Dr. Géza Szilvay, Yvonne Frye, and Heidi Viksten in London, Scotland, and Finland. She has attended International Kodaly workshops with Helga Dietrich, James Cuskelly David Vinden, Lucinda Geoghegan and Judith Brindle.

An active professional freelance violist, highlights of her orchestral career to date include performances at the Royal Albert Hall, the annual Proms concert series with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and the UK tour of Wagner’s complete Ring Cycle with Scottish Opera Orchestra. Laura has also been privileged to record and play with numerous artists and bands in her career so far.

2022 New Faculty joining this year so far: (being updated)

Annie Yen Yen Huang, BMus. Piano
https://colourstrings-conservatory.myshopify.com/pages/annie-yen-yen-huang-bmus-piano

Andrew MacInnes - BMus - Guitar
https://colourstrings-conservatory.myshopify.com/pages/andrew-macinnes-b-mus-guitar

Sabrina Mo B.A - Flute
https://colourstrings-conservatory.myshopify.com/pages/sabrina-mo

Matthew-John Knights B.Mus, M.Mus - RCM Piano
https://colourstrings-conservatory.myshopify.com/pages/matthew-john-knights-b-mus-m-mus-piano

New Assistants - more info shortly
Allie
Maite


Ailbhe Smyth, B.Mus., P.G.Dip. RAM Colourstrings Violin, Colourstrings Music & Movement		Coraline Felix B.A Colourstrings Music & Movement Dalcroze Music


Dougie Stewart Admin & Operations	Jennifer Moersch, B.Mus. ADP Cello, String Ensemble	Kira Fondse Musical Theatre, Vocals, Choir Assistant


Kyle Hawkes, M.Mus., B.Mus. Guitar CS Guitar, Guitar, Ukelele


Paul Keeling Colourkeys Piano, Jazz Piano	Risa Takahashi, M.Mus., M. Choral Directing Choir Director, Early Childhood Music


Susan Xia, B.Mus., M.Mgt. Colourkeys Piano	Sydney Tetarenko Clarinet & Woodwind Group	Adrienne Administration