Webinar

Building Fine Motor Skills Through Music

Motor skills are an essential part of playing almost any musical instrument, but many neurodivergent and disabled students have challenges developing these abilities. In this second webinar in our series on motor skills, Nicole (Occupational Therapist) and Olivia (Music Teacher) will take you through the fine motor skills that are important in music learning. Then, they'll show some tips and strategies for helping students build these skills. You'll learn about resources, activities, instrument adaptations, and more for you to try with your students have motor skills challenges.

Please note this course was created before we rebranded in 2026 to Lotus Music Professional Development Institute and may not reflect our current branding and/or language guidelines.
Format

Recorded Webinar

Price

Free

Meet your instructor

Nicole Lemire

Nicole Lemire (a.k.a Nikki) is an Occupational Therapist and author of the children’s book, A Birthday Party for Moe. She currently works at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), providing school and home-based occupational therapy services. Nikki has worked as an occupational therapist for 7 years, in both publicly and privately funded sectors. A person with many interests and hobbies herself, Nikki is passionate about supporting all people, but especially children, in participating and engaging in meaningful activities.

Nikki holds a Bachelor of Biological Sciences from the University of Alberta’s Campus Saint-Jean and a Master of Health Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Ottawa. As a lifelong learner, Nikki has attended a multitude of workshops and conferences. These range from a multi-day advanced training with the STAR Institute for Sensory Processing, to a weekend of mentorship with renowned Canadian Occupational Therapist, Kim Barthel, to a 25-hour Vinyasa Yoga for Youth Teacher Training, and a workshop on the Use of Sound in Sensorimotor Integrative Treatment.

Meet your instructor

Olivia Adams

Olivia Adams is a pianist, teacher, researcher, and author. She is currently a Ph.D. Candidate at the University of Ottawa. Her research lies at the intersection of Music Education and Critical Disability Studies. Olivia holds a MA in Music and Feminist Studies from the University of Ottawa, and an Honours B.Mus. in Piano Performance from Western University. She has been awarded numerous research grants, including a SSHRC Doctoral Award. Olivia has over a decade of teaching experience in piano and choral classrooms and is part of multiple research teams at the intersection of music education and health. Olivia speaks, adjudicates, and performs across Canada and abroad, giving workshops on inclusivity and diversity in the piano studio. She is the author of Loud and Clear: A Guide to Levelled Piano Music by Women Composers in the 20th and 21st Centuries, which is used in music studios and classrooms in numerous countries. When she is not working, Olivia enjoys reading, baking, hiking, crocheting and hanging out with her family and spunky puppy, Nori. She is thrilled to be joining the incredible team at Lotus Music.

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Who we are

Providing practical, research-informed training to educators, empowering them to incorporate adaptive methods into their music practice and welcome diverse learners.

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