MTA, BMT, ARCT
Instructor
ambertarling@capilanou.ca
Education
Bachelor of Music Therapy (BMT) with Capilano University, 2002
Certified Music Therapist (MTA), Canadian Association of Music Therapists, 2003
Clinical Improvisation Certificate from Nordoff-Robbins (NYU), 2006
Teacher's Associateship degree (ARCT) with the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, 2006
Guided Imagery and Music (GIM) level 1 training, 2007
"I love those ‘lightbulb moments’ when students discover that music theory and heartfelt music-making go hand in hand."
Bio
Amber is a piano teacher, accredited music therapist, singer, accompanist and arranger with over 30 years of teaching experience. She is passionate about sharing her love of music with students of all ages and abilities and is dedicated to creating meaningful, supportive relationships as a teacher.
As a music teacher specializing in early-learning, Amber taught group piano from 1997-2007 at Carillon Music in Burnaby, B.C. Alongside this position, she was the head primary music teacher at Urban Academy, an independent school in B.C.
From the early 2000s, she worked in a variety of therapeutic settings, including several summers as the lead Music Therapist at a residential therapeutic camp in Ontario for children and youth with learning disabilities and neurodiversity. She held the position of head music therapist at Skylark Therapy in Port Moody, a full-service children's therapy centre, as well as at Ridge Meadows Child Development Centre, an early-intervention and school-aged child centre.
She specializes in working with neurodiverse children and believes in the power of music to foster confidence, connection and growth.
Amber joined Capilano University’s Bachelor of Music Therapy faculty in 2025, where she teaches third- and fourth-year voice, supporting students in developing healthy technique and singing with freedom, breath and embodiment.
Amber has been teaching music since 1997, first as a group piano teacher, and then as a Montessori music teacher, an elementary music school teacher, a music theory teacher and then solely in her private studio.
She is the tenor (high soprano) section leader in the award-winning chorus, Lions Gate Chorus and an assistant director.
She teaches a "Back-To-Basics" theory course for adult beginners in the choral world.