Nicole Wilton
Program Owner/Director
M.Ed, RMT, ARCT, B.A.
Nicole Wilton is a second generation Suzuki piano teacher in Saskatoon where she has taught for over 35 years. She maintains a private studio as well as being the Program Owner/Director of the Community Music Education Program, an early childhood music program and conservatory that she has managed for many years at the University of Saskatchewan. As of August, 2015, Nicole has taken this program off campus to run privately in the community which it serves as part of her own Wilton Academy Of Music.
Nicole holds a Master’s degree in Education, an ARCT in piano pedagogy and a Bachelor of Arts degree as well as various levels of Kodaly, Orff and Suzuki early childhood education designations. She is a frequent clinician, adjudicator and presenter at Suzuki workshops and institutes as well as early childhood conferences. Nicole has achieved her Teacher Trainer designation with the Suzuki Association of Americas and is only 1 of 4 in all of Canada. Nicole is a proud mom and grandmother.
Brette Kristoff
Early Childhood Instructor
M.A., B.A. Hons
Brette has been involved in the early childhood music program since infancy, and even while in the womb, as both her mother (Nicole Wilton) and grandmother are/were musicians and early childhood music educators. Growing up in a musical household, she was encouraged to explore her creative and musical sides, enjoying a well-rounded and exploratory education. As a child, Brette was introduced to piano, violin, guitar, and voice— her favourite being musical theatre. She has been involved in assisting and teaching early childhood music through the CMEP summer camps since she was 15 years old, also working as a nanny/au pair in both Saskatoon and abroad. She enjoys working and learning with children through music and play in the early childhood music programs.
Brette holds a Master degree in religion and politics and an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in religion and culture.
Skye Lennox
Early Childhood Instructor
B. Ed
Skye has been an early childhood music teacher with Wilton Academy for many years in our classes, daycares and preschools. She has a Bachelor of Education degree and has enjoyed sharing music through the Wilton program.
She is also a violinist and Irish fiddler. Music has always been an important part of her life. As an adult she became the first certified Irish fiddle instructor in western Canada.
In her spare time, Skye is working on her Masters of Political Studies. She loves spending time on her farm chasing her dogs and chickens around when she is not running to activities with kids!
Michael Swan
Suzuki and Traditional Violin
B.Mus, ARCT
Michael Swan was born in 1963 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He studied with Dorothy Overholt, Norman Lee Bisha, Mark Reedman and Robert Klose as he was growing up. In 1979, he was awarded the Gold Medal for the highest standing in Canada for Royal Conservatory of Toronto ARCT violin examinations. While studying with Yuri Mazurkevich at the Faculty of Music at the University of Western Ontario, he was awarded the Hideo Saito Prize for academic achievement in 1981 and 1982. He then studied with Aaron Rosand at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, receiving a Bachelor of Music degree in 1984.
Since September 1984, Mr. Swan has been the Concertmaster of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Saskatoon Symphony Chamber Players, appearing as soloist with the Orchestra on several occasions. He performs solo recitals regularly, and has several musical compositions (solo, chamber, orchestra and vocal), and a few professional conducting engagements to his credit. He has been featured both as a solo violinist and as a composer on CBC radio.
Throughout his entire performing career, Mr. Swan has taught individual lessons in violin, viola and music theory, and has also given instruction in group settings.
Brandon Redekop
Suzuki and Traditional Piano
Brandon has been a student in Nicole Wilton’s piano studio since the age of 4 years. He also attended U of S Early Childhood classes for several years with Mrs. Cole as his teacher.
He has completed Book 7 Suzuki piano as well as Book 4 Teacher Training, and is continuing his music education in Grade 10 Royal Conservatory of Music studies.
Brandon enjoys sharing his love of music with his ever growing family of piano students. Franz Schubert is his favorite composer and he enjoys listening to and playing all the great composers of every era. Brandon is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. He is also an avid competitor in Badminton.
Sam Gibson
Guitar – Acoustic and Electric
Sam Gibson is a guitarist and instructor of acoustic and electric guitar. He enjoys teaching students of all ages and plays a variety of musical styles including Classical, Jazz and Rock. His music education began with piano in 2007, eventually completing a Royal Conservatory of Music grade 8 certificate. In 2011, Sam began taking guitar lessons and has since studied guitar as his primary instrument.
Sam has played with several local groups including performances at the Saskatoon Jazz Festival. He has been a member of the worship team at Elim Church in Saskatoon for 10 years and is the founder of Electric Praise which provides sheet music and video tutorials to worship team guitar players.
Currently, Sam is in the final year of his Computer Science degree at the University of Saskatchewan and has spent the last 4 years developing animation and graphic arts software that has applications in music education.
Anna Noel
Traditional & Suzuki Piano
RCM, Suzuki
Anna has studied piano since the age of 5, advancing through the Suzuki method in parallel with Royal Conservatory of Music studies. She has also completed Suzuki teacher training with Nicole Wilton.
Anna loves working with children and has broad training and experience in a variety of settings. She is a certified Level One Early Childhood Educator (ECE), has worked in daycares, camps and children’s ministries through church and summer camps and is currently pursuing a degree in Education at the University of Saskatchewan.
Anna enjoys using her piano skills playing at weddings, accompanying for music festival performances and at church. In her spare time, Anna enjoys sewing, fishing and hanging out with family and friends.
Denille Kunder
Traditional and Suzuki Piano
With over 25 years of experience as a piano teacher, Denille has dedicated her career to nurturing musical talents and fostering a love for music in students of all ages, offering instruction in both traditional and Suzuki methods.
Denille’s training and experience in both teaching methods, combined with a solid foundation in music education, enables her to adapt lessons to the unique needs of each student. She is also passionate about developing lesson plans that promote musical growth and creativity, and ensuring that parents and students are involved together in the learning process to support the student’s musical development and achieve a positive learning experience.
Denille holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education, a Diploma in Creative and Performing Musical Arts in Piano, and has received several years of teacher training in Suzuki method piano. Throughout her life, Denille has enjoyed serving her community through participation in church and community choirs as a music director, accompanist and performer.
Camryn Elliott
Traditional and Suzuki Piano, Early Childhood Ed.
RCM, Suzuki, ECE
Camryn Elliott is a 3rd generation music teacher and an Education student through the U of R. She has studied piano since the age of 4, advancing through the Suzuki method along with the Royal Conservatory of Music levels.
She started her music studies with her mom, owner Nicole Wilton. She later continued her RCM piano studies with instructor Audrey Falk Janzen. Under Nicole’s guidance, Camryn has been training in Suzuki piano teaching as well as the early childhood music program at Wilton Academy.
She received the Rose Bowl Music Festival award for the most outstanding performer in 2022, and was a finalist that year in the provincial music festival.
Camryn is bilingual in French and English, and can give lessons in both languages.
In her spare time, she loves to read, walk her dog and watch movies with friends.