Our Instructors
JENNIFER HALLIDAY
Owner / Voice / Piano
Jennifer Halliday is a dedicated and passionate musician from St. John’s, Newfoundland with a rich background in music education and performance. For over a decade, she has shared her expertise by teaching voice and piano privately. Jennifer founded Halliday Music Studio in 2017, a thriving establishment where she has had the pleasure of guiding students of all ages in their musical journeys.
With an honours degree in Fine Arts from York University (Toronto, ON), specializing in Jazz Voice, Jennifer's academic achievements also include a focus in jazz piano and theory. She has accomplished Level 8 examinations in piano from the Royal Conservatory, and her outstanding performance in the senior levels of Conservatory Canada Voice Examinations earned her the prestigious Oscar Peterson Gold Medal of Excellence Award, marking the highest achievement in Canada.
Jennifer is not only a music educator, but also an accomplished accompanist, adjudicator, proud member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and was a facilitator of "So You've Always Wanted To Sing: Growing The Voices – Festival 500” – a foundational course in learning how to sing which helped hundreds of adults successfully discover or re-discover their singing voices.
Jennifer's lifelong commitment to choral singing is deeply rooted in her experiences with Shallaway Youth Choir, where she began her journey at the age of 8, and Lady Cove Women's Choir, since 2011. She has traveled with both organizations resulting in numerous awards and international recognitions through participation in competitions around the world.
Beyond her roles as an educator and choral singer, Jennifer is the driving force behind The Hallidays, her dynamic band. The Hallidays are a featured ensemble in provincial business events such as St. John's Board of Trade & Mount Pearl Paradise Chamber of Commerce, Premier's Gala, Frosty Festival, Lady Cove Rocks, Shallaway fundraisers, and can be heard throughout various venues in St. John's. Her multifaceted career reflects a deep love for music and a commitment to nurturing musical talent in others.
DAVE HALLIDAY
Drums
Dave has been teaching percussion professionally for over 10 years and has been with Halliday Music Studio since the beginning! Dave fulfills his love of music by being the drummer for The Hallidays who are seen and heard regularly at private events, conferences, and various venues around St. John’s.
Dave studied Business at Memorial University and has spent over a decade in the marketing and communications space. Most recently, he leads Business Development for local engineering firm, trajectorE, and stays active within the community through volunteerism.
Let Dave help you develop your inner rockstar while experiencing the fun in drumming!
ALLA MELNYCHUK
Piano / Beginner Voice
Alla Melnychuk is a concert pianist from Ukraine. She graduated from Kharkov National University of Arts and has performed across Ukraine, Estonia, Poland, and France. For more than ten years she has been teaching piano in many European countries, such as Luxembourg, Germany, Poland, Spain , and Italy and continues to teach them online. Her students also competed and won numerous awards in European competitions.
Alla worked at the State Music School of Ukraine as a piano teacher and accompanist. She has been awarded various awards for outstanding creative and intellectual achievements at many international competitions.
In May, 2022 she moved to the wonderful city of St.John's and has been working at Halliday Music Studio as a piano teacher since that time. Alla also enjoys performing solo and with her group Sunflower Duo who perform at multiple venues and a variety of events throughout St. John's and the province. They have also been featured on Shelley Neville's last two shows of “O Holy Night” and toured across the island in the summer of 2023.
ERIN JOHNSTON
Voice / Beginner Piano
Erin Johnston is a Canadian soprano and music educator, currently completing her Bachelor of Music with Honours in Voice Performance at Western University, graduating in 2025. She has studied both classical and musical theatre styles, and in 2023 attended the NYU Musical Theatre Intensive, where she learned from Broadway professionals and connected with performers from around the world.
Since 2010, Erin has performed in a wide range of musical theatre and opera productions, including Legally Blonde(Majestic Theatre YPC), Godspell (King’s Players), Let's Bop (Terra Bruce Productions), and Falstaff and L’elisir d’amore (Western University Opera). She is a past winner of the N.C. Hutton Junior Vocal Rosebowl and has received several scholarships and awards for her vocal work. Erin is a student member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and recently had the opportunity to adjudicate for the Ontario chapter.
What Erin enjoys most is helping students feel proud of themselves and excited to learn. She strives to create a welcoming, supportive environment where every student can explore their voice or instrument, develop their skills, and celebrate their progress. Erin believes that learning music should be inspiring, empowering, and tailored to each student’s unique needs and interests.
KATHRYN STAMP
Voice / Piano
Kathryn Stamp, a recent graduate of Gonzaga High School, has been immersed in music and dance since childhood. She has studied voice with Ronalda Hutton-MacDonald since age nine and piano since she was 5 with Barbara Clarke and Tiffany Pinhorn-Smith. She has also trained at The Dance Centre since 2011, where she now teaches acro-jazz. Kathryn’s extensive stage experience includes productions with PMP, Best Kind Productions, Opera on the Avalon, and Kittiwake and most recently at the Majestic Theatre Young People’s Company. This fall, she will study music (voice) at Memorial University School of Music. Kathryn is thrilled to expand on her love of music and teaching this fall by joining the Halliday Music Studio team. .
ARMONDO FOWLOW
Guitar / Bass
Armondo Fowlow is a dynamic and versatile performer from St. John's, NL. with 25+ years of experience as a singer guitarist and bassist. Well versed in rock, country, blues and jazz and has shared the stage with this provinces best musicians. An enthusiastic teacher with the ability to inspire and encourage students to learn.
CLAIRE MORRISSEY
Voice / Piano
Claire Morrissey is a second year Voice Major at Memorial University's School of Music. Claire graduated from Fatima Academy High School in 2024 and grew up in the tiny community of Cuslett, NL.
Claire is passionate about music and in addition to singing plays piano, and guitar as well as some accordion and ukulele.
Claire began voice lessons when she went to Kindergarten and completed Level 9 in the Royal Conservatory of Music program under the mentorship of Mr. Robert Colbourne.
Claire has competed for many years at the Carbonear and St. John’s Kiwanis Music Festivals and earned numerous awards.
In addition to music Claire is passionate about helping others. She has been actively involved in fundraising for the Gathering Place, Heart and Stroke and even donated her hair for the Wigs for Cancer Program.
Claire looks forward to sharing her love for music with others while teaching at Halliday Music Studio!
SARAH HUNT
Voice, Piano, Guitar
Sarah Hunt (BMus / BMusEd) is an experienced music educator and performer who has taught privately for nine years, and is currently entering her third year with NL Schools.
Sarah has a passion for helping young musicians develop their skills and confidence. From 2017–2021, she directed her own musical theatre group, Sarah’s Stars, creating performance opportunities for youth in rural communities. Her proudest accomplishment with this group was directing Beauty and the Beast Jr at the Sheila NaGeira Theatre in 2019. She has also worked with TaDa Events as a youth choir conductor and assistant choir director for Just Be Who You Wanna Be! (2023) and Our Divas Do Christmas (2024).
For the past two years, Sarah taught K–12 music at Pearson Academy in Wesleyville, where she fostered a love of music within her school community, and established a Grades 7–12 Concert Choir. In 2026, the Pearson Concert Choir received the Una Joseph Choral Award for the most outstanding choral performance at the Gander Kiwanis Music Festival.
Outside of teaching, Sarah has enjoyed performing and bringing well-loved characters to life through her business, Royal Avalon Parties. She is delighted to be back at the studio this year and looks forward to sharing her love of music with her students!