About Us
A private music studio founded in 2001 dedicated to providing a caring, creative, and inspiring learning environment catering to budding musicians of all ages. We consider the specific needs, goals, and aptitudes of our students in order to create a lesson plan that is appropriate and stimulating. We design lessons that provide each student with the opportunities to grow in a creative and enjoyable way. We offer a customized schedule for each student which is essential for developing musical growth and versatility. Performing is encouraged and recitals are given regularly allowing students to share the joy and love they have for music.
Our Philosophy
Music is a great tool for personal and socio-emotional development and creativity. We teach not only musical skills, but also appreciation of music, connect with feelings and emotions, nurture self-expression and bring more joy to oneself and others.
Our Instructors
Roujea (Jem) Cawagas-Cates
Jea started her musical endeavors through learning piano, guitar, and the Filipino string and percussion instruments. She started out as a young musician playing the keyboard and guitar in popular bands, performing in the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Jea came to Canada to pursue her music education starting with piano and classical guitar, and finally Music Pedagogy at MacEwan University Conservatory of Music. Shortly after Jea graduated, she started her private music instruction and founded ARTIST HOUSE STUDIO in 2001 teaching piano, guitar, and music theory. Her aim as a teacher is to guide students through their journey where she encourages and inspires them by showing possibilities to develop their unique talents in ways that are fun, competent, and rewarding.
Besides being a music instructor, Jea was also the founding Music Director of the Filipino Canadian SARANAY Performing Arts for over 10 years and was responsible for organizing and teaching the youth Rondalla, a Filipino traditional string ensemble. Among other accomplishments, Jea directed a musical play for the SARANAY youth which was staged at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton and at the Sacramento State University in the United States. As music director and production manager she put up a variety of music shows at the Myer Horowitz Theatre, Festival Place, etc. that were brought on tour in London, Hawaii, and the Philippines.
Erica Cawagas
Erica is an instructor, composer, and music director. She started learning and playing guitar and piano at an early age. She developed her passion in music by taking classical guitar lessons at the Alberta College Conservatory of Music and earned numerous gold medal awards from the Royal Conservatory of Music as well as the Kiwanis Festival.
Erica graduated from the MacEwan University's Music Composition program in 2014. Her body of work include creating compositions for UNICEF children’s books, the official opening video for the East Asian Congress 2015 in Danang City, Vietnam PEMSEA, scoring music for Philippine television show, Mathdali, which aired on the ABS-CBN Knowledge Channel.
Among other accomplishments, Erica was the recipient of the 2017 Cultural Diversity in the Arts project grant awarded by the Edmonton Arts Council. The grant allowed Erica to compose and direct an exhilarating original Filipino musical titled, Emma the Musical, staged at Myer Horowitz Theatre.
Erica describes her music as complex, melancholic and contemporary but influenced by the romantic period. Her goal as a music instructor is to guide students through their own journey. She believes that every individual learns music skills differently. As a teacher she seeks to design lessons that provide each student with the opportunities to grow in a creative and enjoyable way blending a variety of music styles.
Erica is also an audiovisual artist and is currently the Fine Arts instructor/program specialist at City of Edmonton.