Owner / Head Of MUSIC Dept.
Simon Castle - Owner/Managing Director, Entertainment Industry Management, Sound Engineer
*Head of Music Department*
Simon Castle has been fortunate enough to have a truly vast and varied career in the Entertainment Industry.
From Canada, to the US, England and many more countries.
Simon has rocked them all!
Simon has been a sought after Sound Engineer for some of the biggest and the best.
Having started out in simple night clubs in Victoria BC, he found himself learning about Professional Studio Sound Design in Montreal.
From there he got involved with Live Sound and quickly found himself as the Head Engineer for companies like Princess Cruise lines, to Celebrity and Holland America.
As the shows and systems grew, Simons passion for sonic excellence, literally stood him apart.
Having family ties in England, he then found himself on an 11 year non stop, ‘gig of all gigs’. Working from Ireland, to Scotland, to every major city and shire in England.
From the biggest Theatre Shows for Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, to Rock, to all manor of concerts, on a truly huge scale, to boom operating for the BBC,, Simon was there..
Van Morrison, James Brown, Jeff Beck, Jamiriqui, Fatboy Slim, Chemical Brothers, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, to Rock legends like Queen, were just some of the bands Simon was fortunate enough to work with.
From some of the biggest UK and European tours, in the biggest theatres and arenas.
To the smallest and oldest theatres, to being one of the only Canadians lucky enough to be a Sound Operator in London’s West End.
Simon has worked hard and wants to share his intense love of music, the arts and the entertainment industry!
It has been such an honour to return to the island with a wife, a daughter, and a truly unique level of knowledge about the entertainment industry.
Simon’s passion now, is to share his experiences here, in Nanaimo!
Faculty- MUSIC Dept.
Keanu Ienco
Meegan Shillington
Paul Sadlemyer
Guitar, Bass, Ukulele..
Keanu Ienco is a Canadian/Native American guitar player and composer. Keanu has been playing guitar
since the age of 8 after being inspired by Brian May of Queen.
From this young age he has taken music
very seriously and by the age of 15 had already performed live with numerous groups as well as having
radio airplay of his own tunes. Keanu spent over 10 years studying with professional music teacher and
music producer Jim Blair.
“Keanu's active participation in Nanaimo's music community has enabled him to experience more
musical environments than many musicians of his age. His calm and considerate personality has helped
him meet and engage with a long list of industry professionals, many of whom are of legendary status” –
Jim Blair.
Over the years Keanu has played many gigs as both a sideman and a leader, in styles ranging from rock
to jazz, and has been teaching guitar privately for over 5 years. In 2019 he graduated from Vancouver
Island University with a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies in guitar, on the Dean’s Honor List. During his
time at VIU he spent 4 years studying with Canadian jazz guitarist and composer Lee Ellefson. When he
is not gigging, recording or teaching, Keanu puts much of his time into his love for composing. He takes
influence for his compositions from a wide variety of sources ranging from Queen to First Nation’s
traditional music. Keanu’s compositions are full of emotion and convey a certain mood that only he can.
Keanu has also written numerous pop and rock songs that have gained radio airplay, as well as
composed traditional Canadian Native music for First Nation’s events in BC. Keanu’s current group is a
4-piece instrumental alternative rock band that plays his own originals under his name Keanu Ienco.
Keanu is excited to share his passion of music and guitar playing with his students at UKMovez. He is
available to teach beginner to advanced guitar and can focus in areas such as technique, music theory,
composing, improvisation and overall help to create a love for playing the guitar.
Paul Sadlemyer
Meegan Shillington
Paul Sadlemyer
Violin..
Paul Sadlemyer is one of the few Violinists to have attended the Vancouver Island University Jazz Studies Program and earned a Bachelor’s degree.
He began his study of the violin at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Nanaimo B.C.
Prior to this he played guitar and studied with local musical figure (and current member of legendary Canadian band Trooper) Paul Gogo.
Sadlemyer played multiple local charity events with Gogo such as food banks, the Nanaimo hospital, and the Child Development Centre telethon.
It was Gogo who sparked Paul’s initial interest in the violin encouraged him to remain open to all types of music.
At the conservatory Paul studied under local symphony member Karl Rainer.
With Karl, Paul studied the basic technique and repertoire of the violin.
After one year of conservatory training Paul was accepted into the Jazz Studies program at Vancouver Island University and began studying violin under James Mark.
Paul has been an active member of the local music scene throughout his musical career, playing as both side man and leader in the greater Vancouver Island area.
While in university Paul shared the stage with visiting artists Delfeayo Marsalis, Rufus Ried, and Ari Hoenig. Paul was awarded the Pieter de Reuver Foundation Bachelor of Music Jazz Award in 2018 and graduated from Vancouver Island University with a Bachelor in Music in 2019.
Paul is highly passionate about the study of the violin and looks forward to cultivating this passion within his students.
Meegan Shillington
Meegan Shillington
Meegan Shillington
Vocals, Piano..
Meeghan is a classically trained international singer who performs a wide array of multi-genre music.
UK performance highlights include Amnesty International Women's Day in the Roman Baths; the Queen's Jubilee concert in the Bath Abbey; charity fundraiser hosted by film and TV director Paul Weiland; and in concert with London West End music theatre singers Steven Carlisle and Cassidy Janson.
She has also performed internationally in the UK and Europe, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, and North America. In addition, she has three self-produced CDs.
Meeghan is an experienced voice teacher and has also created, produced, and taught her own voice workshop series both in Canada and abroad.
Meeghan's training includes a 4-year Performance Diploma in Classical Singing (Hons BMus equivalent) from the Glenn Gould School @ the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto, Ontario) and acting training from various drama schools in Canada and abroad, including from the prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London, UK).
She is currently completing a Performance Diploma in Jazz Studies from Vancouver Island University (Nanaimo, BC).