Meet Mrs. Kanevski. She has been Devon’s piano teacher since 2017. Devon expressed to give piano competitions a try and we found Mrs. Kanevski. Many people who do not know her might think that she is very strict, since she is known in the area for having several students championing in the IMTA (Iowa Music Teachers’ Association) piano auditions. Not Mrs. Kanevski. She is the kindest, most patient and caring teacher I have known. She is quite the opposite of what you would expect. She prioritizes on her students, but never puts any pressure on them. Perhaps it is one of the reasons her students perform so well.
Unfortunately, Mrs. Kanevski was diagnosed with leukemia in 2020. She underwent chemotherapy and seemed to have some success with it. However, she had decided to leave Iowa to be closer to her family in Wisconsin. This was the last picture taken with Mrs Kanevski at her house in Ames, Iowa, before she left. As chemotherapy had stripped her immunity (she said that none of the previous vaccinations were effective after treatment), she and everyone around her always take precautions not to get her sick.
Even though she has given us a choice to switch to a different teacher (as she will not be teaching in person anymore), I cannot imagine going to anyone else. There are many piano teachers in the area, but there is only one Mrs. Kanevski. While she has the amazing ability of turning her students into great musicians, it is her positive and relentless attitude that make her unique. She is a role model for our children and us. We are very fortunate to have her as our son’s teacher.