Biography
Helen Gale Shehan
Gale Shehan is a leader in her field with a unique teaching style that touches her students. She brings joy and passion to every lesson, capturing their attention with humor and honesty. She laughs, dances, and sings, giving excitement and energy to her music lessons.
Gale responds to the individual learning styles and personalities of those she teaches, earning and building trust. She is experienced teaching students with learning challenges such as Asbergers and dyslexia, and believes her role as a teacher is to help students succeed not only in string playing, but also in the enjoyment of their lives.
Gale has a BA degree in Psychology and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Ottawa. From 1998 to 2010, Gale taught strings in the Extra Curricular Creative Arts Program, Continuing Education, for the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. She also has 20+ years of providing equestrian instruction. Her compassion is demonstrated by her 14 years of committed work in the City of Ottawa's Family Shelters and has taught with the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy and the OrKidstra Program.
History
Gale began playing at age 8 and played through high school. She was given a private scholarship by her teacher, Anne Hoffer, at age 11, to study with her at her family home in Ypsilanti, Michigan, for the Summer.
Anne took Gale to The Julliard School and she played for one of the professors. She received a very favorable review, but her life path took her in a different direction. After high schooI she began riding horses and ultimately, successfully sat exams for the British Horse Society Assistant Instructor Certificate, British Horse Society Stage IV Certificate and the British Horse Society Instructor Certificate. She trained and competed horses and taught many students.
Gale returned to the violin in 1986. Beginning as a fiddler, but soon realized her heart was in the classics. Her love of music pulled her to playing, but in 1987 began to study Psychology while continuing to play violin.
She received a Bacc. of Psychology in 1991, and was interested in continuing toward a Masters of Psychology but music continued to tug at her. In 1990, Gale began her studies toward a Bacc. of Music and graduated in 1997 with her degree, and has been teaching ever since.
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Testimonials...
"The modern day Mr. Rogers..."
Thank you, again, for being one of the best teachers and nicest people I have ever been around. You show unconditional respect for my kids and that is wonderful. That is part of why you are the modern day Mr. Rogers. Your encouragement and humor, real-ness and honesty are some more of the equation. You've meant a lot to us and to be still a part of the recital also speaks to your love of music and encouraging of the kiddos in their musical endeavors.
Susan H.
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