A Unique Music School | Meet the Teachers of Purple Door Music Academy!

Purple Door Music Academy is a music school with teachers who are some of the best in the field of vocal and piano education. With three college diplomas, five undergraduate degrees, and three graduate degrees between them, the teachers at Purple Door Music Academy demonstrate strong skills in teaching and performing. Led by owner and voice and piano instructor, Kimberley Denis, all of the instructors possess the skills necessary to make any student's musical journey a success!

Kimberley Denis
Kimberley Denis holds multiple graduate and undergraduate degrees in music, business, and education.  She is known for her energy and enthusiasm both on stage and off, and is sought after as a soloist, choral clinician and conductor, vocal coach, and adjudicator for voice and choir. 

In addition to her work leading and teaching at Purple Door Music Academy, she directs Shumayela with the Kokopelli Choir Association (a choir for treble and changing voices for junior high aged singers) and sings with the alto section of Pro Coro Canada, Edmonton's professional choir. She also frequently sings with the Jamani percussion duo and has toured three continents with a variety of performing groups.  In addition to her work as a singer and conductor, she arranges music for choirs.

Kitbielle Pasagui, Voice

Kitbielle Pasagui is a Filipino soprano who moved to Canada in early 2012. She joined the Kokopelli Choir Association at the end of 2011-2012 season and and continues her involvement as the assistant conductor of the Kokopelli Youth Choir, a member of Òran and a singer with the Nuf Sed Jazz Choir. Kitbielle was a vocal performance major at the University of the Philippines, College of Music, and has been singing in choirs since she was six years old. Kitbielle is an alumna of and soloist with the world renowned Philippine Madrigal Singers.

Jessica Wagner,
​Voice and Piano

Jessica Wagner is a soprano who recently completed her Masters of Music in Performance at the University of Victoria studying with Benjamin Butterfield. Jessica has a diverse repertoire and performance interest, having studied at baroque academies and contemporary music labs. Recently, she traveled to Austria taking part in the international New Music festival Impulse. She is an active performer and can be seen performing many Canadian and world premieres, as well as joining choirs, orchestras and ensembles as a guest soloist.  In addition to performing, Jessica is passionate about her role as a voice teacher, clinician and adjudicator. She has been teaching students of all ages and skill levels for ten years and has experience mentoring students through exams and festivals and has prepared many students for successful post-secondary music auditions. Though her formal training is in classical music, Jessica is equally at home playing and singing in popular idioms. As a teacher, she brings a depth of knowledge and passion for music and music exploration.  
Garry Williams,
Musical Theatre and Acting Coach
Born in Halifax in 1973, raised in the US and Berlin, Germany, Garry lives and works in Halifax as a theatre artist, teacher and musician. He holds a degree in Music and English from Mt. Allison University, and studied Music and Theatre at Manhattanville College, NY and the Free University (FU) Berlin. He works year-round as an actor, director, singer, songwriter/composer and playwright, whose work has taken him across Canada, and to Europe. In 2004, Garry founded DaPoPo Theatre and provided artistic direction with associate directors Eric Benson and Kim Parkhill, with productions such as Sunday in the Park With George, When Did You Last See My Mother?, the original musical revue So… What About Love?, and Julius Caesar. Garry featured Sky Gilbert as part of the annual DaPoPo Live-Festival, as well as Guillermo Verdecchia, Daniel MacIvor, and Hugo Dann. In 2013, he co-presented DaPoPo's 'The Drinking Game' in Lethbridge, Alberta for Theatre Outré. Outside of his work with DaPoPo, Garry has worked with queer friendly companies including Angels And Heroes? (Fewer Emergencies); the Halifax Summer Opera Workshop (Cosi fan tutte, Le nozze di Figaro, Alcina); Us vs Them (A Tournament of Lies, Litmus Road); and Theatre Speak (Mimi). He is an ardent supporter of the Playwrights' Atlantic Resource Centre (PARC), and a member of Theatre Nova Scotia. Garry is based in Halifax, NS and his coaching sessions take place online with a visit planned to Alberta in 2022 for in-person coaching.