Zoia began her musical journey in Russia at the age of five, where she completed eight years of formal music education before moving to Canada at the age of 15.

She holds both an ARCT in Piano Performance and an ARCT in Piano Pedagogy and brings more than 20 years of teaching experience to Hamilton School of Music.

For 13 years, Zoia was a faculty member at Merriam School of Music, where she worked with students of a wide range of ages and levels. During the last five years of her time at Merriam, she focused extensively on enriched students, helping young musicians develop their performance skills and reach higher levels of musical achievement. She also led masterclasses and served as an examiner.

Alongside her work at Merriam, Zoia has maintained a successful private teaching studio throughout her career.  Over the years, Zoia’s students have received numerous awards and prizes at local Festivals including Peel Music Festival, Hamilton Music Festival and Burlington Rotary Music Festival as well as receiving First Class Honors at RCM examinations.  Zoia’s goal is to help students perform, understand and enjoy music thoughtfully, healthily and artfully.  She’s very passionate about applying teaching approaches that nurture students’ mental health and empower them to think critically and independently, 

As the new Owner and Director of Hamilton School of Music, Zoia is excited to bring her experience as both an educator and mentor to the HSM community. Her vision is to build on the school’s long history while creating an environment where students are encouraged to learn, grow, perform and connect through music.