U-Rock Teachers

Teach your children well

We think ALL of our U-Rock teachers are FANTASTIC and as it turns out, so do their lucky students. Teachers at U-Rock embody the spirit of what makes our school so unique – everyone is like family, but a really fun TALENTED family. Our teachers shadow teach with Cathy & Brian after completing their 5 year award of merit. We feel they are spectacularly qualified because they match our teaching style, enthusiasm and unique approach to learning, seamlessly.

Cathy Hallessey

Owner/Teacher vocals, guitar & director of all bands and groups

CATHY founded U-Rock Music School in 1997. Her lifelong love of all things musical started very early. She asked Santa for her first guitar at age 7; the next year she asked neighborhood kids to pay a nickel to listen to her sing and play along to records in her basement. They paid. She loved it. Since that time, Cathy, a professional accredited musician, teacher and lead singer of numerous bands since 1979, including SpiderKillers, and the duet/band Ghost Pepper with her hubby Brian, is a shining example of living your passion. Cathy continues to work as a professional musician while also teaching her many students to sing, write music and play guitar. Her extensive musical background also includes songwriting and recording. Cathy studied Voice at Concordia University’s Music Department and also has a degree in Music Production and Sound Engineering from the Trebas Institute of Recording Arts & Sciences in Montreal. She has won many awards and competitions for her original songs and continues to inspire her students to express themselves through their own music. Her passion for teaching has allowed her to share her enthusiasm for music education with thoussands of guitar and vocal students over the years. Having grown up in the Montreal music scene, Cathy is also fluently bilingual.

Brian Brodersen

Owner/Teacher guitar, bass, ukulele, drums, keyboard & The Crushers band coach

BRIAN is co-owner of U-Rock and has been crazy about music since he first learned to play the recorder in Grade 4, to his parents’ dismay. He luckily went on to study classical piano, guitar, drums, trumpet and music theory and then started his first rock band at age 16. With an extensive musical background in many classical and rock instruments, Brian is a gifted musician, teacher and professional guitarist/singer who has taught for more than 30 years. As the lead guitarist for two well-known Ottawa rock bands, SpiderKillers and KC and the Moonshine Band, Brian performs regularly all over the Ottawa region. Along with his wife, Cathy, Brian also performs in the duet/band Ghost Pepper. He is a terrific, dedicated and very patient mentor. His ability to motivate his students will make your lessons feel like you’re having way too much fun, while still learning the technical skills you need to be a real rock star. Brian has coached many students with learning disabilities and offers the kind of mentoring that is a rare gift for all of his students. His impressive knowledge base in music theory and crazy skills at switching from one instrument to another, effortlessly, serves to inspire students and peers alike. Brian plays guitar, drums, piano, ukulele, banjo, dobro, slide guitar and mandolin, he also loves to sing. There’s nothing he can’t do. He is also fluently bilingual.

BRIAN & CATHY are also husband and wife 🙂 this is the story of their U-Rock music “family”…

Meet our Team

Savannah Philpott

Savannah is a wonderful person and a great singer. She has been attending U-rock Music School taking voice and guitar lessons since she was 8 years old and has completely fallen in love with music ever since. She sings at multiple community and fundraising events, even singing the national anthem for the mayor of Ottawa. Savannah loves to inspire and share her knowledge and passion for music with others.

Xander Thai

Xander Thai is a dedicated musician and teacher whose journey began at the age of four with classical piano training. Early stage performances helped cultivate confidence and a deep appreciation for music. At twelve, he discovered guitar, and has since devoted himself to mastering the instrument through disciplined practice and creative exploration.

Xander has grown into a dynamic performer and band leader, known for expressive playing and commitment to musical growth. His experience spans multiple genres, and his approach blends technical precision with artistic flair.

He is passionate about making learning engaging and accessible. He tailors each lesson to the individual goals of his students, focusing on fundamentals, technique, and personal expression. Whether guiding beginners or helping more advanced players refine their skills, his teaching style is supportive, structured, and designed to inspire a lifelong love of music.

Alex Quirk

Alex is a talented young musician, having studied and played guitar, bass, ukulele, drums and vocals for over 5 years. Through hard work, Alex has achieved many awards, including the U-Rock MARS award (Most Awesome Rock Star) for creative genius. He has also been given many select opportunities to perform at Jazz clubs, School events and many others. Alex is a hardworking teacher, and looks forward to meeting your young rockstars.

Natalia Jaronczyk-Lim

Natalia leads our newest group, the Red Hot Silly Peppers (ages 3-4) and POP Patrol (ages 5-6). She is known for being passionate and caring, and is amazing with our younger groups. Natalia also teaches vocals and ukulele.

Natalia loves to share her love for music with her students. She is a talented young singer, who has been a superstar showing her confidence on stage during our shows these past few years. She's taken lessons at U-Rock since she was four years old, starting in our POP Patrol group, at eight years old, she joined the Roxies. After switching to private lessons Natalia really demonstrated her musical skills, flair for drama, and spectacular memory for song lyrics.

Sam d'Souza

Sam is our superstar drummer. He loves to play a wide variety of music, the more technical the better. Whether it's complex Rush or Tool songs, funk vibes or classic rock beats, there''s nothing Sam can't do. He brings his comprehensive abilities to his students to methodically teach beginner to expert percussion skills. Sam is warm and friendly, with a laid-back demeanour his students love.

Eldar Fliser

Eldar is a talented and dedicated pianist who brings enthusiasm and a strong commitment to our music school. He continues to grow as a musician while actively studying at the school, and enjoys performing and exploring a wide range of styles, including jazz, classical, and blues.

Despite his young age, Eldar demonstrates remarkable musical maturity and the ability to confidently lead and inspire students in a learning environment. He has a well-developed ear, allowing him to recognize changes in tempo and identify musical nuances with ease, and his sheet music reading skills are highly refined.

Eldar is friendly, approachable, and genuinely enthusiastic about teaching. His positive attitude and commitment to music make him a valuable member of our teaching team, and he is excited to share his knowledge and passion with students this year.