Award-winning vocal and piano coach, Kristine Dandavino of Oshawa Piano and Vocal Academy is based out of Oshawa, Ontario
A graduate of University of Ottawa, Kristine started piano lessons at the age of 7 in Montréal. At the age of 11, she was accepted at the prestigious music school Pierre Laporte where she studied piano, choir, chamber music and harmony.
In March 2024, Kristine was honoured to be named one of 17 influential women for her notable accomplishments and contributions to the Oshawa community. This recognition underscores her dedication to making a meaningful impact through her work and service.
Additionally, in May 2024, Kristine is poised to premiere one of her compositions in “Grandma’s Shawl” with Soundstreams. This forthcoming event represents a significant milestone in her career, and she approaches it with a sense of humility and gratitude for the opportunity to share her musical talents on such a distinguished platform.
In May 2020, Kristine was presented with The Music Teacher of the Year Award (Oshawa Music Awards). Later that fall, Oshawa Piano and Vocal Academy received a Reader’s Choice Awards for Oshawa-Whitby as well as Ajax-Pickering. In June 2021, the studio was awarded the Platinum Award for Music Lessons. In 2022, she was a judge for the El Paso Society for Musicians of the Future. In 2023, she premiered the role of Constance in the opera Canoe.
An activist fighting poverty, Kristine recently helped raise over $36,000 with The Feed the Need Concert at the Biltmore Theatre. The Professors of Funk in their yearly fundraiser for the Backdoor Mission, Inglorious Women for Luke’s Place. Currently, Kristine has completed the theoretical component of a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology with Yorkville University and achieved certification in mindset coaching. Bilingual in both official languages, English and French, Kristine’s teaching philosophy is based on body, mind and emotional awareness. Students who learn how to play piano and/or sing can benefit from valuable cognitive benefits, emotional regulation, as well as improved physical well-being.
Recently, Kristine made a guest appearance with Miami Wagner Institute, Choeur polyphonique de Montréal, The Oshawa Brass Band, Durham Chamber Orchestra, Rezound Choir, Durham Philharmonic Choir, Oshawa Durham Symphony Orchestra, Cambridge Symphony, Opera York, and several other organizations across Ontario and Québec. In 2017, she was invited to adjudicate the Competition for Young Musicians for The El Paso Society for Musicians. In addition, she works as the Music Facilitator at Faith United Church as well as the music director for Durham Girl’s Choir.
Kristine’s voice is featured on the CD Vocal Rescue: Rediscover the Beauty, Power and Freedom in Your Singing. She is a Registered Music Teacher in good standing with Ontario Registered Music Teacher Association (Oshawa Branch). Several of her students have moved on to be professional musicians, won awards, scholarships, work in film/tv as well as their own unique musical journey.
In June 2021 and 2022, the studio was awarded Platinum Winner with Community Votes Oshawa under Music Lessons. Furthermore, The Durham Girls’ Choir won Gold under the same category.
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything. – Plato
