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Our Team

Kelly and her family moved to the Cowichan Valley three years ago from the mainland.  Her background in office administration has set her up for the church administrator role. It has been a wonderful opportunity in maintaining a work life balance while having small children at home. Kelly has been with Sylvan since February 2025. She appreciates meeting the Sylvan community and cherishes the relationship’s she’s building with the members. 

Eve lives and works in the Cowichan Valley teaching voice and piano, and leads the Sylvan Church Choir.

She collaborated with leadership at Sylvan United Church to start the seasonal Community Children’s Choir (2019), with

local participants and teenage volunteers, as well as organizing Jazz Vespers, and collaborations with the Victoria Baroque Youth Orchestra. She has supported Sylvan-hosted concerts, special music services, and a Parent/Tot seasonal music group. Over time these collaborations evolved into Music at Sylvan, a church-supported project programming and promoting inclusive and community minded musical experiences for all the Cowichan Valley to enjoy. 

Catharina de Beer is a dedicated piano teacher based in Cobble Hill, British Columbia, with over three decades of experience in music education and performance. She holds a Teacher’s Licenciate in Piano from the University of South

Africa, as well as Honours degrees in Psychology and Inclusive Education, reflecting her strong commitment to both musical and student development.

Before immigrating to Canada, Catharina taught in the private school system in South Africa, teaching piano as well as group music lessons. She was active as a collaborative pianist and organist of various churches and choirs. Soon after settling in the Cowichan Valley in 2010, she established a music studio where she teaches piano and music theory. She is frequently called on for collaborative work, and performs piano music for four hands as a member of Double Digits Duo. She has been serving as musician at Sylvan United Church since 2017.

A graduate of the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, Rykie Avenant holds both a Licentiate in Piano Performance and a Bachelor of Music Education. Early in her career she worked as an opera repetiteur with major companies in Cape Town and Pretoria before relocating to Canada in 1991.

Rykie came to Vancouver Island 23 years ago via Powell River, where she appeared regularly in concert for the Powell River Academy of Music, as well as at the International Kathaumixw Choral Festival.

In the Cowichan Valley she is in demand as teacher, coach, and performer, and she is passionate about helping young musicians develop their skills as performers and chamber musicians. Rykie is recognized for her versatility as a collaborative pianist, performing regularly with singers and instrumentalists, and as a member of Double Digits Duo also performs piano music for four hands.

In September 2019, Rykie joined Chemainus Classical Concerts (now known as Cowichan Classical Concerts) as artistic co-director