Our History
Riverbend Strings started in a garage on Waternish Road. A neighbour had asked for some music lessons, and a little workshop and music studio was thrown together. That little garage studio saw our first four or five music students before it was time to find a bigger space. We were located on Main Street in Sherbrooke when we brought our first new teachers on board and started offering guitar and piano lessons as well as violin and bass. When we purchased the current location on Old Hill Road, it was a tremendous feat and the community came together to see the whole project across the finish line.
From renovations to interior design, donations of painting work and pianos, to the names of some of our current students etched into the studs of the building (from the time it was built as a daycare and served those same students as they were learning how to walk and share and play), Riverbend Strings is now a place that belongs to this community. We serve a wide region, but the heart of our business is the people who brought it to life right here in Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia. There is life and love and art woven right into the walls at Riverbend Strings, and that will only become more true as the years pass and the vibrations of the music made here keep opening up the heart of our little musical home.
Riverbend Strings started in a garage on Waternish Road. A neighbour had asked for some music lessons, and a little workshop and music studio was thrown together. That little garage studio saw our first four or five music students before it was time to find a bigger space. We were located on Main Street in Sherbrooke when we brought our first new teachers on board and started offering guitar and piano lessons as well as violin and bass. When we purchased the current location on Old Hill Road, it was a tremendous feat and the community came together to see the whole project across the finish line.
From renovations to interior design, donations of painting work and pianos, to the names of some of our current students etched into the studs of the building (from the time it was built as a daycare and served those same students as they were learning how to walk and share and play), Riverbend Strings is now a place that belongs to this community. We serve a wide region, but the heart of our business is the people who brought it to life right here in Sherbrooke, Nova Scotia. There is life and love and art woven right into the walls at Riverbend Strings, and that will only become more true as the years pass and the vibrations of the music made here keep opening up the heart of our little musical home.
Music Lessons
Learn to Play an Instrument!
Teachers
Meet the team behind Riverbend Strings. Our teachers would love to teach you how to play an instrument.
Christina Underwood (Boyer)
Owner & Teacher
Christina received a Bachelor and a Master’s in Double Bass Performance and has spent the bulk of her musical career as a professional double bassist and electric bassist, playing in a wide variety of styles from classical to jazz, tango, rock, country, musical theatre, and more. She has been teaching privately for 20 years, and is available for lessons of any bowed instrument (violin, viola, cello, bass) as well as electric bass.
Lucy Niles
Acoustic and Electric Guitar, Drums, & Piano Teacher
Lucy Niles is a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter who has toured across Canada, Europe and the United States. She has recorded and released four full length albums and four EPs with various projects over the last 15 years, most notably Polaris Prize-shortlisted band Partner. She has taught guitar, drums, and bass privately and in group settings to students aged 6-adult. She is now studying to be a teacher, and in 2024 represented Sherbrooke Village on Family Feud Canada with the MacDonald-Niles family.
Anna Muise
Piano Teacher
Anna played piano as a child and teenager, moving through the Royal Conservatory of Music programming. She taught piano for a couple of years in the Truro area, before turning her focus to her family. Anna’s passionate about the foundations of music and enjoying guiding the journey of her students as they grow.
Jen Yang
Piano Teacher
Jen Yang is a pianist, keyboardist, and vocalist with a balanced background in formal piano training and practical music-making. She has been teaching piano at Riverbend Strings since early 2024, working with older children and adult beginners.
Her musical experience includes ensemble performance, accompaniment, and solo work. She has performed in rock and fusion bands, worked extensively as a keyboard accompanist, and has over ten years of experience as a church pianist, accompanying Sunday worship services.
Read More
As a singer-pianist, she is drawn to quieter, more intimate repertoire, favoring clarity, balance, and musical intention over technical display. She has performed at festivals, community events, and small concerts, including appearances at Sherbrooke Village.
Her teaching begins with structured, method-based learning to establish technique, reading skills, and musical foundations.
She works primarily with beginners aged 10 and above and adult learners who are looking for a thoughtful, grounded approach to learning piano.
Sandy MacDonald
Guitar Teacher
Sandy is a versatile guitar player, interested in acoustic folk styles as well as electric blues and rock. For many years he led the ECMA-winning jump blues band the Floorboards in Halifax. Since settling in Sherbrooke in 2020, Sandy has been a fixture of the local music scene, playing regularly at the Sherbrooke Saturday Market and as a member of the popular Night Owls Band. He enjoys teaching beginner and intermediate guitar players, and tailors lessons to the end goals of each student.