Diane Briscoe

Originally from northern Ontario, Diane Briscoe moved to Europe for five years and studied piano with Mr. Jean Della Valle (diplômé du Conservatoire national supérieur de Paris) and was a pianist-accompanist for the ballet programme at the Conservatoire Régional de Lorient, France. 

• Returned to Canada to begin university studies, completing a four-year programme in three and was on the Dean’s List. Graduated “Magna Cum Laude” with a B.A. in Arts (Honours Music) at the University of Ottawa, and received several scholarships and awards, including the Frederick Karam scholarship in music education. 

• On full scholarship awarded by the Department of Music and the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Diane successfully completed a Masters of Music degree at the University of Ottawa.

• Received an A.R.C.T. Piano Teacher Diploma awarded “First Class Honours” by the Royal Conservatory of Music.  

• Diane has trained with and observed classes of numerous Suzuki pedagogues including Bruce Anderson, Carole Bigler, Mary Craig Powell, Doris Leland Harrel, Merlin Thompson, and Valery Watts.

Her articles on piano pedagogy have been published in several journals including the American Suzuki Journal, Music Educators Journal (she was invited to present this paper in Dalian, China, for World Education Day in Sept 2017) and Clavier Companion (this article is reprinted in “Serenade: India’s First Western Classical Music Portal” and is featured in the Frances Clark Center for Piano Pedagogy teacher training course).

In 2003 Diane was a founding faculty member and Treasurer of the SuzukiPiano Association of Ottawa/Gatineau and worked with many wonderful students and their families. In 2020 she relocated to Deux-Montagnes, Quebec where she teaches in French and English.