Beatrice de Trenqualye
I studied with Mariya for 4 years during which my skills as a pianist and interpreter increased dramatically. During every lesson Mariya brings challenge, inspiration, a sense of tradition and pride, and consistently clear logical advice concerning technique and musicality. My time spent under her excellent guidance gained me admission into my top choice university, where I am now in my 3rd year of piano performance studies. Mariya’s lessons still often come to mind and continue to aid my progress. I highly recommend Mariya for anyone who is serious about learning the art of classical piano.
Beatrice de Trenqualye
Schulich School of McGill University, Piano Performance student.
Patrick K. Lui
Mariya has been a wonderful piano teacher for our three sons. She has the ability to motivate them to play well, and the first-class musical knowledge and skills to help them perform to the best of their abilities. She is definitely at the top of her profession. Our kids are fortunate to have learned piano playing and music appreciation from this great teacher. Thank you Mariya!
Patrick Lui, PhD
Noni Mate
Mariya is a gifted teacher. My extremely shy granddaughter began lessons with Mariya 1 and a half years ago when she was 5. Mariya was able to immediately understand her nature, and establish a lovely rapport with her. Mariya approaches her teaching with a wonderful combination of support, playfulness and firmness. She praises and encourages when appropriate, but always firm in her expectations. My granddaughter now loves the piano and is prepared to take on the challenges of learning and practicing.
Noni Mate
Director, 7th Floor Media
Continuing Studies, Simon Fraser University
Stephany Cheng
Mariya is a very inspiring musician and her genuine love for music is contagious. She works her students to the best of their abilities and creates polished, confident musicians. Mariya is the teacher who encouraged me to continue developing my skills and my love for music.
Stephanie Chang (ARCT, RCM)
Marcel F. Dvorak
Mariya has the very unique combination of being exceedingly pleasant, incredibly skilled as a musician while also displaying a great talent as a teacher. There are many teachers who are able to describe the mechanics of playing piano, however, Mariya adds an amazing ability to demonstrate and then effectively transmit to the student the musicality, or what makes a piece of music sound beautiful.
Mariya has been able to guide me, my wife and children through an amazing spectrum of music over the past few years and has always been able to find that point where our personal preferences are stimulated and we are challenged appropriately from a technical perspective.
Under Mariya’s guidance, I have played pieces that I thought were far beyond my abilities and have begun to recognize how to start to play them more musically in a way that emphasizes the melodic beauty that must have motivated the composer.
Mariya has an immense personal talent and appreciation of the beauty of the piano and she couples this with a very effective teaching style.
Marcel F. Dvorak, MD, FRCSC
Professor of Orthopaedics
Head, Division of Spine,
Cordula and Gunther Paetzold Chair in Spinal Cord Clinical Research
University of British Columbia
Michael E. Pezim
An extraordinarily talented and accomplished musician and teacher, Mariya’s exuberant and positive personality makes lessons with her a privilege. She is one of the few teachers with the intellectual scope to handle the full range of students, from the young beginner to the ARCT candidate and professional stage performer.
As an adult student with little previous training, I was amazed by how much progress I made on pieces that most teachers would never have even allowed me to attempt. I recommend her enthusiastically.
Michael E. Pezim MD, FRCSC, DABS, DABCRS, FACS.
Sharon Barton MD. & Marc Semkow
Mariya Udovenko has taught our children piano for six years. Under her kind, consistent tutelage our children have steadily developed strong musical skills and a love of classical music.
Sharon Barton MD
Marc Semkow
Sigrid Tarampi
Mariya has been teaching my children piano for a total of 4 years. From the very beginning, I was impressed by Mariya’s high level of professional skill and knowledge and keen ability to engage my children’s interest and dedication to play the piano. She has a wonderful balance of providing clear and concise direction in an understanding and supportive manner. My children always comment on her kind, gentle personality and enjoy learning from her. I also appreciate her ability in motivating and encouraging my children with their repertoire and technical work. Mariya has been an excellent piano teacher who has given my children a great start to learning the world of music.
Sigrid Tarampi
Virginia Hsu
Mariya is an awesome and strict teacher with great piano skills. She is also very entertaining and funny. I look forward to attend her lesson every week because she always brightens my day. Mariya is the best piano teacher I could ask for.
Virginia Hsu (ARCT, RCM)
Hannah Briemberg & Jason Barton
Our daughter, Caroline, has been taking piano lessons from Mariya for 4 years. We have been very pleased with her progress over this time. Mariya continually challenges Caroline but, at the same time, is always gentle and supportive. Mariya is a wonderful teacher and we would certainly recommend her to anyone considering taking up piano lessons.
Hannah Briemberg MD
Jason Barton MD
Jessica Lam
Studying piano with Mariya is fun and not just an ordinary piano lesson. She is a joyful and enthusiastic teacher with a true passion for music. Lessons are always full of laughter and learning. She makes learning piano entertaining and has inspired me continually since my first lesson with her.
Jessica Lam
Rosemary Keelan
It was a fine day for me when, on reaching my sixtieth year, I found Mariya, my brilliant and accomplished piano teacher. Over the last six years, with Mariya’s patient and attentive guidance, I have been able to enter the enchanted and transcendent world of music. Soon, I hope to share my teacher with my little grandchild so that she too can benefit from Mariya’s professionalism and care.
Rosemary Keelan(Gr. 10,RCM)
Coral Ann Gurney
Mariya has been my piano teacher since the beginning of 2010. I came back to studying the piano in my retirement, after many decades away from it. Mariya has taught me more in this short time than I had learned in all the previous years. She has an immense knowledge of music and an integrity that demands the very best from her students. Her standards and expectations are high, which is both challenging and encouraging. I look forward to my lessons knowing that I have an excellent teacher for whom it is a pleasure to do my very best.
Thank you, Mariya.
Coral Ann Gurney.
Kevin Wade
As a new adult student…your friendly attitude, encouragement, humor, and wealth of knowledge have been fantastic. These are the lessons I wish I had as a child. It is a privilege to do them now.
Kevin Wade, MDCM, FRCPC, FRCSC, ABO
Jessica Mason Wallace
I started “Music for Young Children” when I was three and living in Rossland, BC. Since then I have had many good piano teachers, but Mrs.Udovenko is an excellent teacher.
She has shown me different fingering techniques and pedaling for some of my grade 8 RCM pieces. This has made it easier for me because I have petite hands and my piano playing sounds so much better, on her grand piano.In her class, we a lot of work: scales, sight reading, ear training, my exam pieces ant theory but we have fun too.
Mrs.Udovenko encourages me to play music that I like on the piano. So, I’m working on my way through Lady Gaga’s “The Fame” piano book!
Jessica Mason Wallace (Gr. 8,RCM)
LFA grade 9 Student
Dr. Sandra Huish.
I have been very fortunate to have Mariya as a piano teacher of my three children since 2000. She has helped them to achieve a competent level of piano due to her patience and ability to work with young and older learners alike.
Dr. Sandra Huish.
