Heylene Maree is an experienced piano and music pedagogue who loves to work with people. She sees music education as an excellent long-term plan and investment in any person's life, since quality music education develops the whole brain. 

Every part of the brain gets a chance to grow and develop when we study music at any age, and in the end it brings about a more balanced human being. We learn to self regulate meaning we manage emotions better, we develop empathy and sympathy and in the end will understand, process and express feelings well. Social interaction and cognitive function improves such as memory, concentration, language, reading, interpreting, math, concept formation, perceptual functioning, intonation, rhythm skills (reading & language), self-discipline, adaptability, confidence and creativity. Apart from all the developmental studies and evidence, Mrs Maree believes that in the end quality music education simply makes us better people. And isn’t that what the world needs? More people who love, respect and care for themselves, others and their environment.

Mrs Maree has been teaching piano privately for the past 17 years at different public and private schools and at the University of the Witwatersrand where she also obtained an honours degree in music. She has a drive and passion for continuous self-improvement especially in understanding child psychology and development, and this motivates her to participate in extra courses and learning opportunities as much as she can. The latest courses include Piano Pedagogy with world renowned Ukrainian piano pedagog, Irina Gorin (The Gorin Institute, Canada), Primary Level Kodály and Musicianship with Dr James Cuskelly (director of Cuskelly College of Music, Australia) and Early Childhood & Kindergarten Kodály with Lucinda Geoghegan from Scotland (lecturer at Cuskelly College of Music, Australia). 

One of the most influential South African musical figures and piano pedagogues who shaped Mrs Maree's methodology was the late Claudine van Breda. She had a huge impact on Mrs Maree's musical journey during and after valuable years of apprenticeship and friendship. With 65 years of experience and huge success, Ms Van Breda was a master teacher and freely shared her knowledge and methods in detail with Mrs Maree. Her knowledge and concern for child psychology, physical development and neurological development has revolutionised Mrs Maree’s teaching method.

To work with early childhood and train beginner musicians has been Mrs Maree’s main focus the past seven years since she identified a specific need in music community for good teachers who can establish a sequential, holistic and strong musical foundation in students. She was trained in both jazz and classical genres and combines different teaching methodologies and guidelines with her own experience to form a holistic teaching method. Her methodology are built around Kodaly principles and sequential establishment of classical technique, ear training/aural, composing, improvisation, reading skills for both classical sheet music & chord charts.

Recently Heylene started HM Foundation in order to support underprivileged persons who wish to take up music lessons, but do not have the financial means to do so. She hopes that this Foundation will explode in the future. 

Her family, beach walks, hiking in the Garden Route, rock climbing, traveling, her music school and learning are some of the most important things in Heylene's life.

Heylene is available in Groot Brakrivier for in person teaching and online (which means all over the globe😃)