Nicholas Deek performs across Ottawa and in Montreal & Toronto for concerts, weddings, and corporate events. He has taught music to hundreds of students through his 15 years of teaching. Nicholas recently opened Deek Music Academy, which offers lessons in piano, music theory, and music history.
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24 customer reviews
Neal Ewurabena
Deek Music Academy is an excellent school of music for young musicians. It is very well-organized and has a warm, talented and supportive team. Natalia is a wonderful teacher! We highly recommend this music school. Our daughter made great progress this year. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Chad Greene
Our daughter started piano lessons for her first time as a 6 year old in January 2025. Under Natalia’s very calm and patient instruction, combined with her very positive, happy, and welcoming demeanor, our daughter learned to love the piano! Being a shy child, she has started to come out of her shell and we have Natalia and Deek Music to thank for that. As a result our daughter has decided to continue piano through the summer and onward. We would recommend Deek Music to anyone, especially young children who are trying to overcome shyness and who wish to develop their confidence. Thanks Natalia and Nicholas at Deek Music! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Pete Davidson
Great instructors for the kiddos!
Reviewed on Google Maps
Orad Reshef
Our son has been taking lessons with Natalia for a few months and has been LOVING it! ❤️
Reviewed on Google Maps
Devin Tronsgard
Natalia and Nicholas are fantastic! They encourage the students to play fun songs.
Reviewed on Google Maps
Angelica Quesada
My daughter has been at Deek academy for about 8 months. She enjoys the class so much and her teacher Natalia is exceptional. Natalia speaks perfect Spanish and my Daughter can learn music with songs in Spanish as well, which we appreciate. They have accommodated us in every way possible and supported my daughter music choices. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Euan Van Straaten
Lovely recital with lovely students - Teachers friendly and caring
Reviewed on Google Maps
Victor Avila
I know Nick for a good number of years. I can attest for his professionalism and extraordinary skills at piano. He is a truly devoted teacher with an active performing career. I would recommend Nick to any beginners that wants a solid start with proper technique or advanced pianist seeking to refine their abilities. I cannot extend enough my appreciation for Nick and I vouch for him. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Mr. Reg H
Nicholas played at my father’s funeral and was excellent. He was punctual and very skilled. He was very kind to learn songs that were requested and his talent really made the difference. I will be using Nicholas at future events. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
NANDINI SHARMA
It was really great having him , the event was a great success.thank you for such a great performance.
Reviewed on Google Maps
Kevin Reichstein
Reviewed on Google Maps
Rachael Callaghan
Nicholas was so easy to deal with and everyone loved his music! It was the perfect music for our opening reception at our conference and we will for sure book him in again!
Reviewed on Google Maps
Abdullah SEN
We had the good fortune of having Nicholas play at our wedding, and it was amazing! He is not only an extremely talented musician, but also truly kind and highly professional. He is thoughtful and courteous and even offered to learn particular songs for our special day. He surprised us by learning a song with a personal connection to my home country. His melody on our wedding day filled the room like the background of a beautiful painting, with many guests complimenting his talent. We wholeheartedly recommend Nicholas for any event. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Anastasiia Perevala
Event Entertainment
We connected with Nicholas when looking for some live music performance for our annual corporate event.
During the planning stage and all the way until after the event day, Nicholas was extremely nice, responsive and professional!
On the day of, both Nicholas and his companion, violinist, arrived on time and delivered an amazing performance! We've heard so many compliments from the guests during and after the event! We know they both have been rehearsing a lot, as we had some special music choices. They nailed it!
We will definitely contact Nicholas again in the future and recommend him to anyone interested! Pure talent!
More...
Reply from Nicholas Deek - Ottawa Pianist and Owner of Deek Music Academy
Dear Anastasiia, Thank you! We really enjoyed performing for your company event and enjoy the relationship we have since established.
Victor Avila
I met Nicholas when I started my Masters in Piano at Ottawa. At the moment, he was on his last year in the program. He has an impressive academic music career ranging from an ARTC, Master in Music, to Studying in Europe and Summer programs at USA. As a performer, Nicholas was semifinalist at the Canadian Chopin Competition. I was quite close to him when he prepared for it. He was always working really hard and put together a full competition repertoire in a matter of months. That requieres not only talent but striving and courage. Nick persona is full or charisma, intelligence, but most important, he is an honest and kind person. He will always tell you the truth and will never take advantage of anyone. I recommend Nick and all his assents like Solo recital, Chamber musician, Reception piano, Weddings, or piano teacher. You won't regret it. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Samantha Nealon-Bianco
We hired Nick to play during our ceremony and cocktail hour at our wedding on October 5. Nick was super responsive throughout the year leading up to our wedding and offered many great suggestions on how to plan out our music selections. He went above and beyond to learn a few new songs that we wanted to have a part of our ceremony and performed beautifully the day of. He is so talented and truly has a passion for playing! We cannot thank him enough for being so flexible and friendly! If you are looking for a great pianist to play at your wedding we would highly recommend. More...
Reviewed on Facebook
Stephanie Farkouh
We had Nicholas play during our cocktail hour for our wedding this past fall in Vaughan. Words cannot explain how talented and versatile Nicholas is! Our guests kept coming up to us commenting on how spectacular he was on the piano and we still receive compliments on his performance. My husband is Croatian and Nicholas went above and beyond to find and learn Croatian songs to play for us. He also played a large variety of various genres which our guests loved!Nicholas was extremely pleasant to deal with throughout the entire process. Very prompt and professional in his communications and the cost for his services is extremely reasonable. We highly recommend Nicholas! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Alexandre Ménard
We hired Nicholas to play during our ceremony this passed September and right from the beginning he was extremely professional and very easy to work with. He showed up on time, even let us know he was there, and played beautifully while our guests were waiting. He played the song we chose for my grand entrance. So many guests have asked for his name and complimented his true talent. We are so thankful to have had the pleasure of having Nicholas play on our big day, it was truly perfect for us! We highly recommend Nicholas! You will not be dissappointed! More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Elizabeth Kingsbury
I am Nicholas’s next door neighbour & I keep my windows open all year round just so I can hear him play the piano ??
Reviewed on Google Maps
BMS 50
Our son has improved leaps and bounds due to Nicholas's teachings. His passion and love of piano has transcended to our son and for that, my wife and I are truly grateful.
Reviewed on Google Maps
Katie A
I hired Nicholas for my wedding in Toronto. He was a gem to work with from begining to end. When I had first contacted him I found him to be prompt, courteous and professional. He had a great lineup of music for the night. He added the special touch to our amazing day. You'll be making the right choice hiring him for your special event. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Kristin Lavoie
Our daughter recently began taking lessons with Nicholas and is enjoying every minute of her lessons and homework plans. Nicholas is extremely knowledgeable, professional and has an excellent, attentive teaching style. We are very glad to have found this piano instructor. More...
Reviewed on Google Maps
Sara Carrillo
Played at my wedding and gave it a touch of romance with his beautiful melodies. Very talented! Look forward our next event!
Reviewed on Google Maps
Nancy
Nicholas has performed at my house twice for small gatherings. On both occasions he displayed his phenomenal talents with the piano keys but as importantly he interacted well with my guests (kids to seniors) making them feel special.
Reviewed on Google Maps
What do you love most about your job?
Inspiring others through music, helping others play pieces they did not think they can play, and promoting a greater appreciation for music.
Playing piano creates a tremendous amount of joy, satisfaction and appreciation for art and culture.
What inspired you to start your own business?
My mother was my first piano teacher, and one of my sister's was my second. Growing up, my house was filled with music, both in the many students who took lessons from my mother or sister, growing up, or by someone in the family practising!
I witnessed, first hand, the musical journeys music lessons allowed these students to undertake. I began teaching in University to help pay for my tuition. I began with only a few students, as music studies, focusing on piano at University meant a full-time course load plus a minimum of four hours of daily practice!
Why should our clients choose you?
I (typically in non-covid days) have busy performance schedule but have always made time for dedicated students. Since the pandemic, I have expanded my studio. I try to make piano lessons fun and inspiring. Fun fact: As a professional pianist, I can trace my generation of teachers 6 generations directly to Beethoven!
Nicholas offer private, semi-private and group lessons at my studio and online. The length of time of lessons can be 30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes depending on the student's age and level.
Nicholas offers instruction for piano, theory and ear-training, music history, composition, improvisation, music learning by ear and rote.
Nicholas prepares students for Kiwanis, Royal Conservatory of Music Exams, recitals, entry into university music programs, school band or orchestra exams and performances. I have taught beginners from 4 year olds to 70+ year olds. I currently teach children, teenagers, and adults from beginner to highly advanced.
The studio: located in a central location in Ottawa, lessons are held in one of two locations. Nicholas teaches on an upright piano and grand piano - both Yamaha.
Can you provide your services online or remotely? If so, please add details.
Online Lessons Setup
For online lessons to be successful, you need a laptop, smartphone or tablet, with some way to prop it up. My students have been creative here–using different things to prop up the device.
A laptop is preferred, as the screen is the largest, and it can rest easily on a flat surface next to the piano. A music stand is a great purchase for around $35 that holds a laptop.
If you own a piano (not a keyboard), you can wedge a phone onto the corner ledge of the piano. Test out your setup by taking a selfie! I should be able to see the student’s side profile and their hands on the piano keys–you’ll have to play with the angles.
THE SOFTWARE
I teach using zoom. I will send a link to a Zoom meeting. You just click on the link and you will be in my class. If it’s your first time using Zoom, when you click on the link, it will download the program to your computer or smart phone. (It’s a very quick download, but to save time please do that before the class starts. The website is https://zoom.us ). It is very helpful to have screen-sharing, as I can highlight and write effectively on the music of the shared-screen.
If you have an apple device, I can also use Facetime. I have occasionally used WhatsApp video messaging as well.
TAKING AN ONLINE LESSON
Surprisingly, online classes are very similar to in-person lessons. In fact, most things stay the same! It’s like I am right beside you teaching you at your regular lesson. I can hear you play, and we can talk about things. Some things that are different: you have to really listen, because we can’t talk at the same time! I won’t be able to play at the same time as you because of the audio delay. But we can still do a lot of fun things and learn together.
If you are one of my younger piano students, a parent or older sibling needs to sit with you during your lesson. This assistant will help me if you have trouble understanding my directions. And they can help you get set up before your lesson.
BEFORE THE CLASS
Get ready with all your books, a pencil and an eraser. Have your device charged and ready to go! I have some students that are back to back, so I need to make sure that everyone’s lesson time is uninterrupted. Be ready to go 5 – 10 minutes before your lesson. You can play through your songs while you are waiting for me! I send hand-written notes following the lesson.
Let’s have some fun!
What changes have you made to keep your customers safe from Covid-19?
Mandatory face-masks, socially distanced lessons. Sanitizing keys between students. All students must wash hands upon entry. I also regularly clean the furniture parents or siblings sit on between lessons.
Piano Lessons: In-Person or Online
Piano Lessons
Lessons are offered in English or French.
I offer private, semi-private and group lessons at my studio and online. The length of time of lessons can be 30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes depending on the student's age and level.
I offer instruction for piano, theory and ear-training, music history, composition, improvisation, music learning by ear and rote.
I prepare students for Kiwanis, Royal Conservatory of Music Exams, recitals, entry into university music programs, school band or orchestra exams and performances. I have taught beginners from 4 year olds to 70+ year olds. I currently teach children, teenagers, and adults from beginner to highly advanced.
The studio: located in a central location in Ottawa, lessons are held in one of two locations. I teach on an upright piano and grand piano - both Yamaha.
Online Lessons Setup
For online lessons to be successful, you need a laptop, smartphone or tablet, with some way to prop it up. My students have been creative here–using different things to prop up the device.
A laptop is preferred, as the screen is the largest, and it can rest easily on a flat surface next to the piano. A music stand is a great purchase for around $35 that holds a laptop.
If you own a piano (not a keyboard), you can wedge a phone onto the corner ledge of the piano. Test out your setup by taking a selfie! I should be able to see the student’s side profile and their hands on the piano keys–you’ll have to play with the angles.
THE SOFTWARE
I teach using zoom. I will send a link to a Zoom meeting. You just click on the link and you will be in my class. If it’s your first time using Zoom, when you click on the link, it will download the program to your computer or smart phone. (It’s a very quick download, but to save time please do that before the class starts. The website is https://zoom.us ). It is very helpful to have screen-sharing, as I can highlight and write effectively on the music of the shared-screen.
If you have an apple device, I can also use Facetime. I have occasionally used WhatsApp video messaging as well.
TAKING AN ONLINE LESSON
Surprisingly, online classes are very similar to in-person lessons. In fact, most things stay the same! It’s like I am right beside you teaching you at your regular lesson. I can hear you play, and we can talk about things. Some things that are different: you have to really listen, because we can’t talk at the same time! I won’t be able to play at the same time as you because of the audio delay. But we can still do a lot of fun things and learn together.
If you are one of my younger piano students, a parent or older sibling needs to sit with you during your lesson. This assistant will help me if you have trouble understanding my directions. And they can help you get set up before your lesson.
BEFORE THE CLASS
Get ready with all your books, a pencil and an eraser. Have your device charged and ready to go! I have some students that are back to back, so I need to make sure that everyone’s lesson time is uninterrupted. Be ready to go 5 – 10 minutes before your lesson. You can play through your songs while you are waiting for me! I send hand-written notes following the lesson.
Let’s have some fun!
Piano Performances
My goal is to make the music the most or one of the most special parts of your occasion. I perform large to intimate events, giving a concert, being live background music, or music during a ceremony. Whatever your taste - classical, jazz, pop, virtuosic or easy-listening - I perform it all!
Please get in touch if you’d like me to perform for your event! I should get back within 48 hours.
I own a Roland FP-90 digital piano and can supply amplifiers. I am a full-time performing pianist, and hold a Master's & Bachelor’s in Music and ARCT in Piano Performance. I perform ~70 events a year. Destination performances available upon request and availability.
