Meet Our Team
SUZIE MCNEIL
FOUNDER, Vocal & harmonica instructor
Juno Award winner, Suzie McNeil, was born to make music. From a very early age, she learned the art of musical collaboration by singing with her mother and sister in their Mississauga, Ontario home. Since then, her passion, hard work and determination has led to an impressive and diverse career on stage, on screen and in the studio.
With a whole country cheering her on, Suzie’s became a household name in 2005 when she was the last woman standing on the CBS reality show, Rockstar:INXS. Since then, she has continued to make Canada proud, recording, “Believe,” in 2009, a song that became an anthem for the 2010 Canadian Olympic Team. She was honoured to perform this song for the world during the closing ceremonies in Vancouver.
Suzie is a powerful vocalist and talented performer, landing her the role of OZ in the Toronto debut of Queen’s We will Rock YOU Musical as well as countless live shows and studio work alongside some of North America’s top artists including Steven Tyler, Alan Frew, Jeff Healey, Dave Navarro, INXS, Scott Weiland, Gavin Rossdale, Clay Aitkin and Foreigner. In 2006, she had the exciting opportunity to back up for P!NK on her North American Tour and just this year, Suzie made history by joining Aerosmith on their Las Vegas residency singing backup vocals with Steven Tyler, an opportunity unfortunately cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As an acclaimed solo artist, Suzie co-wrote and released five albums in Canada with singles that reached the Top 20 Canadian Pop Charts, including “SuperGirl” that went gold. Suzie was nominated for a Canadian Radio Music Award, a “Best New Artist” JUNO award, and was awarded The Canadian Independent Music award’s “Favorite Pop Artist/Group of the Year”.
In 2014, Suzie moved to Nashville with her then partner, Andrew Mactaggart, to start a classic-rock/country band, “The Loving Mary Band”. Together, they released a critically acclaimed album, and toured Steven Tyler’s solo country project for four years, before the once bandmates turned soulmates and returned to Ontario as husband and wife. In 2018, Suzie unleashed her latest musical project, “The Chain Reaction”, a 10-piece soul band that has been performing high-energy shows around the country.
Suzie’s desire to support other’s in pursuit of their musical dreams began when she was a featured judge and mentor for four seasons of YTV’s ‘Idol-esque’ search for the next teen singing-sensation: The Next Star, (her song, Let’s Go, could also be heard as the theme song). Today, she is thrilled to continue mentoring many budding musicians through Burlingtone Music Academy in Burlington, Ontario.
ANDREW MACTAGGART
FOUNDER, guitar, Ukulele and bass INSTRUCTOR
About Andrew Mactaggart, Founder, Burlingtone Music Academy
Born and raised in Burlington Ontario, Andrew Mactaggart is an accomplished, versatile and sought-after musician.
Andrew saved up his money for 15 years to buy his first guitar and he hasn’t put it down since. To this day Andrew walks around the house with his “axe” strapped to his back at all times. Andrew’s love of the guitar runs very deep. Since his first strum, he has dedicated his life to all things guitar - performance, recording, pedal sounds, theory, and almost 20 years of instruction at well-established music schools. While behind a guitar is “home” for Andrew, he is a multi-instrumentalist, proficient at playing the mandolin and ukulele as well.
Andrew’s years of performing on stage, in studio and on screen have made him a master of his trade and a first choice to backup country, pop and rock artists alike, including Brian Melo, Tomi Swick, Tara Oram, Jason McCoy, Dallas Smith, Kira Isabella, Small Town Pistols, Tim Hicks, Tebey, Madeline Merlo, Maggie Rose, Gretchen Wilson, Alice Cooper & Steven Tyler of Aerosmith.
Music is Andrew’s life, a path that not only lead to a successful career, but one that also lead him to his future wife, Suzie McNeil. After a year of playing together as bandmates in The Loving Mary Band in Nashville, they caught the eye of Aerosmith front man, Steven Tyler who asked them to back him up for his Out on a Limb North American Tour.
Contributing to multiple gold record recordings, touring the world and playing alongside his wife in all of their many musical projects, Andrew has made music his life, a passion that overflows into every lesson his gives.
PETER KADAR
Piano, KEYBOARD & VOX instructor
Peter originally hails from Windsor, Ontario, but has called Toronto home for the last twenty years. In that time, he has become one of the most in demand keyboard players in the country, and has worked with stars like Alice Cooper, Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, Orianthi from Michael Jackson’s “This Is It” concert film, and legendary Stax Records guitarist/producer Steve Cropper.
Peter is the keyboard player and musical director for Jarvis Church of The Philosopher Kings, plays with Suzie McNeil, Alan Frew of Glass Tiger, and Canadian pop icon Amanda Marshall, among many others. As a member of The Goodbones, under the musical direction of Topher Stott, Peter has backed up over sixty major artists during the last four Juno Awards. Peter has recorded with Serena Ryder, Sean Jones, and most recently, Eva Avila for the CBC’s theme to the 2020 Paralympic Games.
When he’s not busy performing, Peter enjoys both teaching and working as an accompanist at Sheridan College in their Musical Theatre Performance Program, as well as their Performing Arts Prep Program. Peter holds a Bachelor of Music from Humber College and studied with legendary jazz musician and educator Barry Harris for over a decade. In addition, Peter has trained with Bel Canto voice teacher Alan Reid, and continues to study the art and technique of singing.
Peter is passionate about sharing his decades of study and professional experience with listeners and students alike. He maintains his own professional recording studio, and has a bustling roster of private students for voice, piano and synthesis/sound design.
Chuck Keeping
Drum instructor
Chuck endorses Sonor drums, Zildjian cymbals, Remo drumheads & Vic Firth sticks.
Chuck Keeping is a freelance professional drummer & instructor based out of Toronto, Canada.
As a versatile musician with over 28 years of experience Chuck has toured internationally with a long list of recording artists in various music genres. Credits include Suzie Mcneil & Big Wreck. He has also performed on numerous albums as a session musician.
Other credits include:
5 Juno nominations
3 Maple Blues nominations
Road Gold award
CMW Indie award
Honors diploma from the Ontario Institute Of Recording Technology
Katy clark
vocal instructor
Katy Clark is a professional singer and voice teacher with ten years of teaching experience.
She has performed as a soloist with organizations such as the Amici Chamber Ensemble, the Windsor Symphony, the Elora Festival, Michigan Opera Theatre, and Shoestring Opera, and performs regularly as a chorister with the Canadian Opera Company, the Elora Singers, Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, and Opus 8.
She also loves musical theatre, and has performed in shows across Canada such as Fiddler on the Roof, The Fantasticks, Candide, and Follies. In addition to her work as a performer and teacher, she is also the founder and artistic producer of the London-based opera company Village Opera. Katy holds a Masters Degree in Voice Performance from the University of Michigan, and is currently working on a doctoral degree in Voice Performance at the University of Toronto. She is deeply passionate about teaching, and would love to help you take the next steps in exploring your voice!
Natasha wandel
vocal instructor
Natasha Wandel has graduated from the Music (Music Cognition) program at McMaster University with her primary instrument being Classical Voice.
She is currently studying in the Master of Music (Applied Music and Health) program at The University of Toronto. She has a strong love of the arts, having taken dance lessons since the age of 3, singing lessons from the age of 10, as well as piano lessons.
Natasha has a great amount of experience working with children as she was a dance helper for the younger children at her dance studio (Grace Academy of Dance and Performing Arts) throughout high school, and she assisted in running the summer camps there. Natasha has been a Teaching Assistant for numerous courses at McMaster University, was a section lead for the McMaster University Choir, and taught the singing portion of the Musical Theatre class at Grace Academy. Natasha is very excited to be a part of the BurlingTone Music Academy team, and can’t wait to help others find their love of music like she did! “