Over the years, Cynthia has studied piano, flute, bassoon, oboe, voice and ‘ukulele. After completing her Grade Ten Conservatory certificate in piano, she pursued a university honours degree in music (piano) and a diploma in arts/non-profit management, and more recently an MA in Community Music. She spent two decades working in non-profit communications, fund development, and administration, and returned to music education more than a decade ago. Alongside her practice, Cynthia is currently pursuing a PhD in Community Music at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, where she also recently completed a masters in Community Music, as well. Her research interests include musicking across the lifespan (particularly midlife and beyond); social music-making and amateur community ensemble learning (including social, relational, and systems thinking in these contexts); and music’s role in health and well-being, especially in the lives of women in community and as facilitators/educators. Of course, she is always curious about the ‘ukulele in pedagogical, social and community contexts, as well. Current metholodological approaches include a/r/tography, autoethnography, narrative inquiry, and arts-based research (ABR) methods.

In her practice, Cynthia provides musical guidance to students from elementary age through to nonagenarians, with a focus on adult learners. This includes private lessons, workshops, community classes (including the Royal City Ukulele Ensemble adult learning program, now in its 11th season), and custom group sessions/workshops in Guelph and nationally/internationally. Cynthia is contract teaching faculty at Wilfrid Laurier University's Faculty of Music and has been a sessional lecturer at the University of Guelph. She is founder and director of Guelph’s annual community ‘ukulele festival, Royal City Uke Fest. She also performs occasionally as a solo artist as well as half of Transit Lounge (ukulele & bass duo).