Sasha Ilnyckyj - Piano

Sasha's love of music is surpassed only by his love of teaching. In private lessons and as a school music teacher, he practices an educational philosophy centred around self-expression, exploration and student-centred growth. He seeks to identify what makes music come alive for his students and empower them to develop a unique musicality on their own terms.

Sasha has been fortunate to study and perform music in a number of styles, including classical, contemporary, folk, hip-hop, neo-soul and jazz. He performs regularly in Victoria and leads a weekly jam for local musicians. He is also the creator of the Found Sound Project, a composition and audio-recording program for youth composers and sound designers in Victoria. What Sasha loves most about music is its multi-disciplinary nature. He appreciates how it is both a brilliant art and shrewd science, uniting disciplines as diverse as anthropology, history, psychology, story-telling, linguistics and mathematics. The numerous frontiers for growth that lie ahead of every musician is a constant source of inspiration for Sasha.

He holds a B.A. in history and cognitive science (McGill University), a diploma in classical music (Capilano University) & a B.Ed. in secondary education (University of Victoria). When he is not making music, Sasha passes time by renovating his home, doing improv comedy, playing volleyball and sitting in the sauna contemplating life.