Ardith Haley
Founder
As a passionate and creative educator, Ardith Haley has dedicated her life to creating authentic learning environments and assisting others in becoming more effective in their personal and professional practice. In 2013 she was awarded the Canadian Music Educators’ Association Jubilate Award of Merit for significant contributions to music education in Canada. For the past eight years Ms. Haley has held the position of Arts Education Consultant with the province of Nova Scotia, where she is responsible for the delivery of education programs in dance, drama, music, and visual arts.
Ms. Haley’s knowledge and mastery of best practice in curriculum and instruction, current pedagogy and assessment models as well as the psychology of success has guided the development and implementation of innovative and exciting new arts curricula for Nova Scotia’s schools. The models she has created have attracted national and international attention and are currently being used as a guide by Singapore’s Ministry of Education in its quest to implement music and arts pedagogies that nurture 21st century competencies. She is leading the professional development of teachers as they move to a more student-centric orientation and develop strategies to facilitate creativity in the learning opportunities they offer their students.
She is a highly respected personal performance coach and advisor using her passion and experience as a successful public school teacher, university professor, and education consultant to inform her practice and that of those with whom she works. She is also the co-founder and program leader of the Distance Learning Masters Degree in Curriculum Studies with a focus on Music Education at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
Ms. Haley earned her Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Education degrees at Acadia University where, in addition to coordinating the new masters program, she conducts the Symphonic Band, teaches music education courses, and is the Director of the Summer Music Academy.
Dale Lonis
Founder
Dr. Dale Lonis has spent a lifetime leading others by conducting, coaching and teaching. Building on his considerable talents as a performing musician and athlete, he became a highly successful public school music teacher, coach, university professor, and international symphonic conductor. He then pursued his passion for the psychology of learning and musical practice earning a Doctoral Degree with extensive research in how humans learn and perceive the world around them.
Dr. Lonis uses humor, high-energy delivery, and passion to share his values, knowledge and skills in the pursuit of beauty, excellence and highest levels of achievement. His extensive research in the psychology of learning, trust building and the development of the elements of success in individuals are the basis of his work as a leader, consultant and personal coach. These endeavors have enabled him to actively pursue the training and mentoring of leaders and identifying the greatness in each person to maximize their success. With Ardith Haley, he is the co-founder and program leader of the highly rigorous Distance Learning Master's Degree in Curriculum Studies with a Music Emphasis at Acadia University having just started its fifth cohort of 20 students making it the largest and most successful program in Canada. In January Ardith and Dale will launch the first cohort of the Distance Learning Master's Degree in International Music Pedagogies at Western Australia University.
Dr. Lonis continues to conduct, consult and teach throughout North and South America, Israel, and Asia. He shares his considerable musical talents combined with extensive research and practical study with noted 20th century pedagogical icons and conductors to bring a unique perspective to each presentation he creates. These experiences include personal study with Benjamin Bloom, Charles Leonhard, and Bennett Reimer combined with hundreds of hours of rehearsal observation with the world’s top professional conductors including Zubin Mehta, Sir Simon Rattle, Claudio Abbado, Kurt Masur, and numerous others. His passion for the pursuit of excellence and the success of everyone with whom he works has been noted as one of his greatest qualities and has led to hundreds of stunning musical performances.