Woodwinds and Brass Teachers

Jason Hay Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute

Jason Hay is a multi-instrumentalist woodwind player. He has been instructing at Allegro Music since February 2002 with great success.

Jason draws on his years of musical experience to inform his teaching methods on all woodwind instruments. He bases his teaching in proper technique, so that the student is free to explore any style of music with confidence in their skills. Accomplished in almost any musical genre, he can guide a student to a great sound and solid musical choice in whatever playing situation. He has prepared students for Royal Conservatory of Music examinations, and for entrance into music programs in Universities and Colleges such as Humber and the University of Toronto.

Jason is from the northern Ontario city of Thunder Bay, where he cut his teeth playing in local Blues bands. He studied music at Lakehead University until he moved to Toronto in 1998 to enrich his skills in music at Humber College. Since then, Jason has been performing with numerous groups ranging in style from jazz to afro-beat, reggae to free improvisation, Blues and Latin music. He has toured Canada, performing from the east to the west coast. He has become an in-demand session man, appearing on albums of his own groups such as Ultra Magnus and Zentropa, as well many others such as The Bicycles, Street 66, The Billy Manzic Band and The Patients.

Jason is a proud father of two and an avid hockey player.

Jessica Lee Saxophone, Clarinet, Flute

Jessica has been teaching music privately and through studios since 1992. She has taught children and adults of all playing levels, both one-on-one and in group workshops. She joined Allegro Music in the fall of 2009.

A lesson with Jessica is a fun, interactive experience. She plays along side her students to model proper sound, technique and approach. With the focus on how to play, not what to play, she cultivates a comfortable working process, aiming to foster solid, healthy technique that will serve students well no matter what styles they may end up pursuing.

Jessica started playing piano at age 6, but soon discovered her innate passion for reed instruments and picked up the flute at age 10 and saxophone at age 14. She went on to earn a degree in Jazz studies from Capilano University in Vancouver, where she majored in saxophone but also developed a high playing level on clarinet and flute. To further her goal of becoming an educator, she acquired pedagogy from the University of British Columbia. Over the years, Jessica has studied privately with several of Canada’s top saxophone players.

A skilled performer, Jessica has played many venues with professional Big Bands with appearances by internationally renowned jazz greats Curtis Fuller, Steve Turre and David Braid, to name a few. She is active in the Toronto music scene as a member of numerous small ensembles covering funk, jazz, blues and latin.

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