|
Violin I
|
|
|
Joseph Lanza ** Mary Elizabeth Brown * Melvin Martin * Henry Krichker * Sheilanne Lindsay * Henry Zielinski Louise Bellhouse Karen Zielinski Sandra Stark |
Phyllis and Ivor Brake Concertmaster Chair |
|
Violin II
|
|
|
Sigmar Martin * Regina Audet * Jeffrey Wall * �milie Par� Kelly Eydt Deborah Mawdsley Catherine Mallory | Daphne Chorley & Eleanor Epp Principal Second Violin Chair Bill & Cecilia Davies Second Violin Chair BlueStone Properties Second Violin Chair |
|
Viola
|
|
|
Kelvin Enns * Karen Kjeldson * Jacqueline Milne * Thea Boyd Leila Kelleher Franck |
Eleanor Miller Principal Viola Chair James & Margaret Whitby Viola Chair |
|
Cello
|
|
|
Christine Newland * Jeffrey Garrett * Jeremy Hake * Terry Sefton Julia MacGregor |
The Agranove Family Principal Cello Chair
Dr. Jeanne Deinum Cello Chair |
|
Bass
|
|
|
Joseph Phillips * Bruce Halliday Lisa Haddock |
Gerald C. Baines Foundation Principal Bass Chair In Memory Peter Chandler Section Bass Chair |
|
Flute
|
|
|
Annelie Metrakos * Margaret Voorhaar * |
Dr. & Mrs. G. Michael Bancroft Principal Flute Chair
Paul & Mary Jane Harding Second Flute Chair |
|
Piccolo
|
|
|
Margaret Voorhaar * |
|
|
Oboe
|
|
|
Ian Franklin * Jennifer Short * |
In Memory of Dr. Allen K. Philbrick Principal Oboe Chair David & Peggy Leighton Second Oboe Chair |
|
Clarinet
|
|
|
Graham Lord Marie Johnson * Michele Verheul *(on leave) |
Joe & Pam Samuels Second Clarinet Chair Brent & Marilyn Kelman Principal Clarinet Chair |
|
Bassoon
|
|
|
Spencer Phillips * David Haward * |
Mr. & Mrs. Don McGeachy Principal Bassoon Chair |
|
French Horn
|
|
|
Ron George * Kate Stone * Sasha Gorbasew |
Franciska Neilands Principal French Horn Chair |
|
Trumpet
|
|
|
Shawn Spicer * Peter Audet * |
Jessica Negus & Family Principal Trumpet Chair |
|
Trombone
|
|
|
David Pell Michael Polci |
|
|
Timpani
|
|
|
D'Arcy Gray * |
Dr. & Mrs. R. Garth Kidd Principal Timpani Chair Brass and Percussion Section sponsored by Canaccord Capital Corporation |
* Core Musician
LOUISE BELLHOUSE, violin
Louise Bellhouse grew up in Winnipeg. She was inspired to make a career as a violin teacher and a symphony musician after studying at the Banff School of Fine Arts for four summers. She played with the Winnipeg Symphony, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the Hamilton Philharmonic and the National Youth Orchestra before joining Orchestra London. Louise loves the variety in her profession which also includes teaching private students the violin, coaching chamber music and youth orchestras and performing solos and chamber music. Her hobbies include cooking, gardening, hiking, social and international folk dancing and refinishing furniture. She enjoys spending time with her husband David, who is a statistics professor and an amateur French horn player, and her two violinist daughters, Erika who is a doctoral student in materials engineering and Laura who is a in fourth year university as a violin performance student.
Back to top
MARY-ELIZABETH BROWN, violin
In addition to her post as Associate Concertmaster of Orchestra London Canada,
Ms. Brown serves as Concertmaster for Sinfonia Toronto, and is frequently
called upon to lead The Britten-Pears Orchestra (UK) and Youth Orchestra of
the Americas. She regularly plays under the batons of distinguished
conductors, having recently completed projects with Lorin Maazel, Placido
Domingo, Benjamin Zander, Carlos-Miguel Prieto, Martin Brabbins and Roberto
Minczuk.
Equally at home as a chamber musician, Ms. Brown received her formative
training with members of the St. Lawrence, Brentano, Orford and Alban Berg
Quartets as well as the Gryphon Trio, Scott St. John and Laurence Lesser. She
has appeared in concert with distinguished colleagues at the Banff Summer Arts
Festival, the University of Western Ontario's Fridays at Noon series, the
Festival Campos do Jordao (Brasil), Mozarteum Uruguay, and the White House's
2007 Conference on the Americas.
Ms. Brown holds degrees from the University of Toronto and Universite de
Montreal, with additional studies at DePaul University (Chicago) Her principal
teachers include Robert Skelton, David Zafer, Mark Skazinetsky, Ilya Kaler and
Vladimir Landsman, as well as additional solo master classes Pinchas Zukerman,
Regis Pasquier, Jean-Jacques Kantarow, Pierre Amoyal and Martin Chalifour. In
addition to being a two-time CMC National Finalist, she was the winner of the
2001 London Kiwanis Rosebowl, and received the Prix d'Excellence en
Interpretation from the Universite de Montreal in 2006. She gratefully
acknowledges the support of the Banff Centre for the Arts' Instrument Bank,
the Canadian Aldeburgh Foundation, the Hazel Cryderman-Wees Foundation and the
Canadian Scholarship Trust Foundation.
When she is not playing, Ms. Brown is an advocate for music education both in
Canada and abroad. She maintains an active studio of private students in
London, Ontario, has taught in the Neojiba Project (Salvador, Bahia, Brasil)
and lead the 2008 Sembrano Talentos project in Montevideo (in collaboration
with Mozarteum Uruguay).
Back to top
KELVIN ENNS, viola
Kelvin Enns was born in Calgary, Alberta and grew up in Winnipeg,
Manitoba. At the young age of 4 Kelvin began playing violin and changed to the
viola at age 14. As a teenager Kelvin went on to win the Aikins Memorial Sr.
Trophy at the Winnipeg Music Festival as well as playing occasionally with the
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. Kelvin was offered full scholarship to the
University of Iowa under the direction of teacher William Preucil. During his
time in Iowa Kelvin held a section viola position with the Cedar Rapids
Symphony Orchestra.
In 1993 Kelvin went on to study with the renowned Dr. Francis Chaplin at
Brandon University where he received his Bachelor of Music degree and was part
of the Chaplin string quartet. He later studied with Gwen Hoebig, Karen Tuttle
and Andre Roy. After his studies Kelvin moved to Toronto, where he held the
Principal viola position in both the Oshawa Symphony Orchestra and The Toronto
Philharmonia. Since this time Kelvin has also pursued his other musical
passion, jazz guitar. Kelvin, his wife and their two children now call London,
Ontario home. Kelvin is enjoying his fifth season with Orchestra London Canada
as Principal Violist and teaching both viola and violin.
Back to top
IAN
FRANKLIN, oboe
Ian Franklin has been Principal Oboist of Orchestra London since 1986. His
orchestral career began when he was appointed Principal Oboist of the Victoria
Symphony Orchestra at the age of seventeen. His teachers included Bernard
Shapiro of the Seattle Symphony and Ray Still of the Chicago Symphony. He has
also been Principal Oboist with the Regina Symphony, the Colorado Music
Festival, and has performed with many other orchestras including The Vancouver
Symphony, The Orchestre symphonique de Montreal, The Calgary Philharmonic, The
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the National Ballet of Canada, and the Royal
Winnipeg Ballet. He has been a lecturer at The Don Wright Faculty of Music,
University of Western Ontario for sixteen years.
Ian is a founding member of The Aeolian Winds, one of Canada's finest chamber ensembles. The Aeolian Winds have been frequent performers on CBC Radio, and have toured repeatedly from coast to coast. In 1998 The Aeolian Winds presented five concerts in Taiwan, as part of the True North festival of Canadian art and music. They have produced three CDs to date: Pastels, IBS Records, 1992; Home Suite Home, IBS Records, 1998, and The Devil's Dictionary, CBC Records, 2001. They have appeared on several other recordings, including a CentreDisc recording by The Elmer Iseler Singers of the choral works of Harry Freedman.
Ian is active as a soloist and
recitalist, performing frequently on CBC Radio. He has performed concerti with
numerous orchestras including the CBC Orchestra (Vancouver), the Orquesta
Sinfonica de San Luis Potosi, Mexico, and on numerous occasions with the
Victoria Symphony, the Regina Symphony, and Orchestra London. He is a featured
soloist with Erik Schultz, trumpet and David Haward, bassoon, conductor
Vladislav Czarnecki, and the Southwest German Chamber Orchestra, Pforzheim, on
the ebs recording, Cantabile Virtuos.
Back to top
JEFFREY GARRETT, cello
Jeffrey Garrett received his early music training at the Royal Conservatory of
Music in Toronto. His teachers have included Daniel Domb, Janos Starker, and
Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. He received his Bachelor of Music from McMaster University
then participated in The Orchestral Training Program in Toronto. There he
worked with a long list of internationally recognized musicians that included
Iona Brown (Artistic Director and violinist with The Academy of St .Martins in
the Fields), Dale Clevenger (Principal Horn, Chicago Symphony) and Joseph
Silverstein (Concertmaster, Boston Symphony). His other musical activities
have included two summers with the Canadian Chamber Orchestra in Banff, two
summers with The National Youth Orchestra, and The String Quartet Institute in
Kingston. Jeffrey Garrett has had the opportunity to work with some
outstanding Conductors. He was Principal Cellist under Antal Dorati for Wayne
State University's Bartok Festival, and held that position while working with
Klauss Tennstedt and Kazuyoshi Akiyama in the National Youth Orchestra of
Canada. Jeffrey's first full time position was as Principal Cello with the
International Symphony of Sarnia and Pt. Huron. He has been playing with
Orchestra London since 1984. Jeffrey lives in London, enjoys skiing, sailing
and hiking with his companion Marie and his two beautiful daughters Larisa and
Inara.
Back to top
RON
GEORGE, horn
Born in San Francisco, Ronald George began his horn lessons with Earl Saxton.
Upon moving to Canada he pursued his musical studies through high school with
Robert Creech and then at the University of Toronto with Eugene Rittich. With
the generous aid of a grant from the Canada Council, Ron continued his studies
in Essen, Germany with Hermann Baumann.
Since 1979 Ronald George has held the position of principal horn with
Orchestra London Canada, with whom he appears regularly as a soloist. As well
as his duties with OLC, Ronald teaches at the Faculty of Music at the
University of Western Ontario. Ron is in demand both as an orchestral and
chamber musician and can be heard regularly on the CBC. Some of Ron's more
recent activities include performing with the Canadian Opera Company in their
Wagner Ring Cycle production, a European tour with the Calgary Philharmonic, a
Japanese tour of Don Giovanni with Opera Atelier, recordings and performances
with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, concerts at the Ottawa Chamber Music
Festival, touring and recording with Tafelmusik, a performance of the Ligeti
Trio at the University of Western Ontario, a performance of the Strauss Second
Horn Concerto with Orchestra London, the Britten Serenade with the Thunder Bay
Symphony and the International Symphony, perfomances with the
Kitchener-Waterloo, Toronto and Detroit Symphony Orchestras and the premiere
of a new work for horn and piano written by London's Jeff Christmas at the
International Horn Society Symposium held at Western Michigan University.
Ron is fortunate and proud to be performing on a hand crafted instrument made
in Canada by Keith Berg.
Back to top
SASHA GORBASEW, horn
Sasha Gorbasew has been a member of Orchestra London Canada since 1997. He has
performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony
Orchestra and Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. Sasha holds a Bachelor of Music
degree (Performance) from the University of Western Ontario and a Masters of
Music (Performance) degree from the University of British Columbia. Past
teachers include Wayne Jeffrey, Martin Hackleman, John Zirbel and Rick Wood.
Sasha has participated in master classes with Froydis Ree Wekre, Roland
Pandolfi, James Sommerville and Ifor James.
Sasha lives in London with his
lovely wife Francesca and two sons Samuel and Michael.
Back to top
D'ARCY
GRAY, timpani
D'Arcy Gray is presently the Principal Timpanist of Orchestra London Canada
(since 1979), where he has been a featured soloist on numerous occasions. His
teachers include Robert Hughes and Alexander Lepak - percussion, Leigh Stevens
- marimba, and Salvatore Rabio - timpani.
D'Arcy received his BM and MM at the University of Western Ontario where he
was awarded the University of Western Ontario Gold Medal Award (1977). He
taught at UWO (1986-2003) and is a two time recipient of the USC Award of
Excellence in Teaching - UWO.
He has performed with several
Canadian orchestras and has been active in musical theater productions at the
Huron Country Playhouse and the Stratford Festival.
His very successful Bang a Drum education concert for elementary schools is
both highly regarded and enthusiastically received.
D'Arcy's compositions for acoustic and electronic percussion instruments have
been performed internationally and are published by Tymtech Music Productions.
His composition "Four Loops" was the subject of an article published by the
Percussive Arts Society in their scholarly journal "Percussive Notes", where
his compositions have also been reviewed.
Back to top
JEREMY HAKE, cello
Jeremy Hake is in his fourth season as a cellist with Orchestra
London. Jeremy studied with Peter Rejto at the University of Arizona and
Timothy Eddy at Stony Brook University, where he received a Doctor of Musical
Arts degree. He has performed in masterclasses held by Bernard Greenhouse,
Janos Starker, Gary Hoffman, and Anner Bylsma.
An avid chamber musician, Jeremy was a member of the Stony Brook Graduate Piano Trio and has performed with various chamber music ensembles at the prestigious Steans Institute for Young Artists, at the Ravinia Festival, the Banff Centre for the Arts, and the Sarasota Chamber Music Festival. Prior to joining Orchestra London, Jeremy was Assistant Principal Cello of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
A native of New Mexico, Jeremy currently lives in London with his wife, who
is a professor at the University of Western Ontario.
Back to top
MARIE
JOHNSON, clarinet
Marie was born in Montreal and grew up in Sherbrooke in the Eastern Townships.
Despite her English last name she is a real French Canadian, her family having
been French for 9 generations! At the age of 7 she started piano lessons and
in grade 8 started clarinet so that she could join the school band. During
those early formative years she was a member of various youth orchestras,
including The National Youth Orchestra of Canada.
She completed a Bachelor of Music and a Master's of Music in performance at
the University of Montreal. A travel grant from the Canada Arts Council
allowed her to continue her studies at the Staatliche Hochschule fur Musik in
Freiburg, Germany where she obtained an "Aufbaustudium Diplom", a
post-graduate performance degree. Her main teachers were Robert Crowley,
principal clarinetist with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Dieter Klocker,
a founding member or the German chamber group Consortium Classicum.
After several years in Freiburg and Dresden, she left Germany in 1995, and
returned to Canada where she settled in Toronto. Since then she has been a
very active performer and teacher. Marie has played with the
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra and
the Windsor Symphony. She spent the 2000-2001 season playing second and bass
clarinet with the Orchestre symphonique de Quebec, a one year appointment. In
the fall of 1998 Marie started teaching clarinet at Upper Canada College, a
position she still holds. In addition she teaches privately in her home studio
and especially likes to work with beginner students.
Since October 2004 Marie has played second clarinet and bass clarinet with
Orchestra London. She is a member of the Clarinet Quartet "ffourtissimo"
playing the bass clarinet. Occasionally she also performs at Huron County
Playhouse in Grand Bend. She was a member of the orchestra for "The Secret
Garden" and Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado".
Marie lives in London with her partner Jeff, his two daughters Inara and
Larisa and their dog Meisha. She enjoys cooking and baking, gardening, reading
English and French Literature and going to the movies.
Back to top
LEILA
KELLEHER, violist
Violist, Leila Kelleher, is building an international reputation for her
energy and versatility as a performer.
Leila was the soloist for the Melbourne String Ensemble's tour of Germany in
2005. She performed Hindemith's Trauermusik and the Telemann Viola Concerto in
four cities, including a Gala performance for the Ambassador at the Australian
Embassy in Berlin. Ms Kelleher has also soloed with the Elder Conservatorium
Chamber Orchestra, Norwood Symphony Orchestra, and the Melbourne String
Ensemble at the Dame Nellie Melba Hall in Melbourne, Australia.
As a recitalist, Ms Kelleher has presented programs in the prestigious Elder
Lunchtime Series and for Recitals Australia. Her performances have also been
broadcast on Radio Adelaide.
Leila is a committed chamber musician. She was a founding member of Luna
Strings, a flexible-sized group specializing in Australian new music. She was
also a guest member of the electro-acoustic Zephyr Quartet for their tour of
South Korea and a permanent member of the Amicus String Quartet. Ms Kelleher
was also a member of the Eastman Chamber Music Society.
A keen baroque violist, Leila studied with Lucinda Moon (concertmaster of the
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra) and has appeared with Adelaide Baroque.
Equally at home in both period and modern practice, Ms Kelleher often presents
programs which include both styles of performance.
She is also an active orchestral player and was Principal Viola with the
Adelaide Art Orchestra until her departure from Australia in 2005. Leila also
performed regularly with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, and performed in the
2004 Adelaide Ring Cycle. She has appeared in the Sarah Brightman World Tour
and is also a seasoned session player. Currently Leila performs with the
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra as a substitute player.Leila was adopted at
birth from South Korea, and grew up in Sydney, Australia. She is a strong
advocate for Australian music and its distinct tonal language.
Ms Kelleher is a graduate of the Elder Conservatorium where she studied with
renowned pedagogue, Keith Crellin, and completed her Masters degree at the
Eastman School of Music with Phillip Ying of the Ying Quartet.
Leila is currently based in London, Ontario.
Back to top
JOSEPH LANZA, violin
Last
season marked Joseph Lanza's 20th as Concertmaster of Orchestra London. During
this time London audiences have heard him play a wide range of solo works on
every one of the orchestra�s concert series.
Joseph has an abiding love of chamber music, performing in countless smaller
ensembles on Orchestra London programs as well as other concert series in
London, Toronto and elsewhere. Joseph's interest in music of the 17th and 18th
century has led to a journey into new musical territory: performance on period
instruments. This has resulted in regular engagements with Tafelmusik Baroque
Orchestra and Opera Atelier, several recordings and tours to Europe and the
Far East.
Originally from Philadelphia, Joseph grew up in a large musical family, which
has included as many as 7 members of the Philadelphia Orchestra String
section. He began violin studies at age 7 with his father, who played with the
Philadelphia Orchestra for almost 50 years. He later studied with William de
Pasquale, Cecylia Arzewski and Joseph Silverstein (present or former
concertmasters in Philadelphia, Atlanta and Boston).
Joseph is an enthusiastic teacher, giving both private lessons as well as
teaching at the University of Western Ontario. He is married to Orchestra
London oboist and English hornist Jennifer Short. They have a beautiful
daughter, Heather, and a mischievous puppy, Fergus.
Back to top
GRAHAM
LORD, principal clarinet
Graham is thrilled to be in London for his first season as principal clarinetist
with Orchestra London Canada. Winner of the 2007 CBC/McGill competition, he
recently received his Master's degree in orchestral performance from McGill
University.
Principal clarinetist with the McGill Symphony Orchestra for two years, Graham
returned to his alma mater to perform the Copland concerto with the orchestra in
a performance hailed by the Montreal Gazette as a "triumph", describing his
sound as "bright, direct and perfectly suited to Copland." He is grateful for
national programs such as the National Academy Orchestra in Hamilton, where
Graham spent the past two summers performing a great number of major works from
the repertoire, as well as the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, with whom he
toured across the country twice, garnering critical acclaim from reviewers coast
to coast for his performance in Bart�k's Miraculous Mandarin Suite.
This work, as well as many others Graham recorded with the NYOC, have been heard
on CBC Radio. An avid chamber musician, Graham has performed with such
organizations as Allegra Chamber Music, McGill's Faculty Fridays series, and the
Contrasts Chamber Music Festival in Vancouver, of which he was also the artistic
director. Graham's primary teacher at McGill was OSM principal clarinetist
Robert Crowley. He also studied chamber music and orchestral performance with
Alain Desgagn� and Michael Dumouchel, two other members of the OSM clarinet
section.
A native Vancouverite, he obtained his Bachelor's degree from the University of
British Columbia, where his teacher was Wesley Foster. He has performed in
masterclasses with such distinguished artists as David Shifrin, Richard
Stoltzman, James Campbell, John Bruce Yeh, Kimball Sykes, and the Berlin
Philharmonic Wind Quintet.
Back to top
JULIA MACGREGOR, cello
British born cellist Julia MacGregor studied at the Royal Northern College of
Music in Manchester, England with Raphael Sommer and subsequently with Ralph
Kirshbaum. During this time, she was awarded the Brodsky and Henry Fielding
scholarships administered by the R.N.C.M. as well as the prestigous Martin
Trust scholarship for two years administered by the Philharmonia Orchestra in
London. Further study took place at Northern Illinois University with Marc
Johnson and Raya Garbousova where she gained a Masters degree in performance.
Whilst Julia was a student she was a member of the European Community Youth
Orchestra which was conducted by Herbert Von Karayan and Claudio Abbado and
performances took place throughout Europe.
Julia has performed the Boccherini, Monn, Rodrigo, Vivaldi, Saint-Saens and
Elgar concertos with orchestras and has given numerous solo and chamber
recitals in England and Canada. She is principal cellist of the London Concert
Players Orchestra as well as playing for the Stratford Festival and Orchestra
London.
Julia plays on a Carlo Giuseppe Testore cello made in 1703, which is currently
on loan to her. Julia lives in London with her husband Iain and their three
children Jon, Rory and Sarah.
Back to top
SIGMAR MARTIN, violin
Sigmar, born in Manitoba, began
music studies at an early age. He took piano lessons with his mother Lilja,
and violin lessons with his uncle Johaness Palsson. At Brandon University he
studied with Albert Pratz and Francis Chaplin. Sigmar later moved to London,
Ontario where he joined Orchestra London
and continued solo and chamber music studies at the University of Western
Ontario and the Banff
Centre for the Arts.
Sigmar has been Principal Second Violinist of Orchestra London since 1981, and
performs frequently with them as a soloist. In 2003-4, he was a member of the Winnipeg Symphony. Sigmar
has freelanced with the Stratford Festival Orchestra, the Kitchener Waterloo
Symphony, the Hamilton
Philharmonic, and the Toronto Philharmonia
Orchestra and was Concert Master of the International Symphony
Orchestra in Sarnia/Port Huron 2000-2006. He is currently the Concert
Master for the Stratford
Civic Orchestra. In Winnipeg he performs in the Toba Trio with his son,
French Hornist Todd Martin and Pianist Shannon Heibert.
Pursuing a keen interest in Jazz, Sigmar is a member The Hot Club of London,
and in Winnipeg performs in Trio with Ron Halldorson and Steve Kirby. His jazz
playing is reminiscent of Stephane Grapelli. In May, 2004, he performed his
program "Jazz to Gypsy" with Orchestra London and will be featured again
together with Kelvin Enns on January 27-28 "The Fidlin Cats".
As a member of
Orchestra London, Sigmar has worked behind the scenes to develop a strong
community outreach component. This has lead to extra funding and support from
all areas including the City of London, the Trillium
Foundation, and many local sponsors and donors. He has also performed with
a variety of ensembles throughout London and area schools creating awareness
and knowledge of the many facets of music.
Back to top
ANNELIE METRAKOS, flute
Hello, I'm Annelie Metrakos and I
have been the principal flutist of Orchestra London since 1978. I was born in
Holland where my mother who was an artist and a violinist, took me to many
concerts. When I was 11 we moved to Calgary where I started flute lessons, and
a few years later I got to play with the Calgary Philharmonic for the first
time.
My later studies took me to New York when I won a Canada Council grant to
study with Julius Baker, who was then the pricipal flutist of the New York
Philharmonic.
I have played with orchestas such as the Victoria Symphony and the National
Arts Centre Orchestra and have performed as soloist both with orchestras and
for CBC recitals.
I taught flute at U.W.O for 25 years and now I especially love teaching my
private students at home. I have two sons, both of whom are amongst other
things,guitarists and song writers. I have always been equally in love with
both music and art and do a lot of art work in all different styles and
medias. Creativity is a strong life force for which I am very grateful.
If there are any music lovers out there, any level, any age, who would just
love to learn to play the flute, just get in touch. I would love to hear from
you.
Back to top
CHRISTINE NEWLAND, cello
Christine Newland, a Canada Council supported artist, has performed for CBC
and BBC radio and televison,and the West Deutches Rundfunk. She spent two
years in Germany, in the Master Class of Antonio Janigro, and toured Europe,
and Canada, in the Dusseldorf String Quartet, as well as a six week solo tour
in Japan sponsored by the Hellas Cultural Organization. In 2000, Christine
organized and promoted a special fund-raising concert for Orchestra London,
held at Centennial Hall. She was loaned the six million dollar "Bonjour"
Stradivari cello to perform an all solo cello tribute to her friend Jacqueline
Du Pre. The sold out concert, raised considerable funds for the struggling
orchestra. Christine shared her letters from Ms. Du Pre with the public,
(quotes from Jaqueline Du Pre's letters to Christine can be found in Carol
Easton's book "Jaqueline Du Pre".) and performed the Elgar Concerto amongst
other solo works. Christine recalls the thrill of being allowed to try
Jaqueline's famous "Davidov" Stradivari cello, when she was just 17. Christine
also organized a fund-raising concert for 911, in which Orchestra London
donated their services, raising $18,000 for The Red Cross in the United
States. She also organized a Fashion Show Fund-Raiser. This was a fun evening,
where the musicians of Orchestra London performed, and walked the "catwalk"
modeling clothing from local Richmond Row vendors.
Still in her teens, Christine was privileged to meet Pablo Casals, and Pierre
Fournier,and was later invited to participate in Masterclasses of Rostopovich,
Janos Starker, and Sandor Vegh. Her chamber studies were with the Guarneri,
Hungarian, Yale, and Lenox String Quartets.
She is currently principal cellist for Orchestra London, with whom she has
performed solo works by Haydn, Schumann, Boccherini, Saint-Saens, Elgar, Giron,
Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky, Vivaldi, Dvorak, Faure, and Hindemith. She plays on
a Giovanni Francesco Celoniato cello made in 1730.
Christine also enjoys singing and playing guitar, and played electric cello,
with a rock group called "Picasso Sun", playing and singing back-up. She has
two dogs, a cat and an arabian horse. Christine found her "Soul Mate" Walter
Beitlberger, on the internet and recently got married!
Back to top
�MILIE PAR�, violin
�milie Par� started to play violin at the early age of two. Her path as a
musician has been full of successes and great opportunities such as winning
competitions, earning scholarships, playing on television and performing as a
soloist with various ensembles. �milie studied at the Conservatoire de Musique
de Montr�al where she completed her degree with high distinction in 2003.
After 3 years of free-lancing and traveling in several countries of Europe,
America and Asia, she decided to take more time for herself and won the
Assistant-Concertmaster position in the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. But
since she felt she was too far from the man she loves, she decided to move to
Southern Ontario. �milie is very happy to now be a member of Orchestra London
Canada.
Back to top
DAVID PELL,
trombone
David Pell has been principal trombone with Orchestra London since 1997 and
with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra since 2002. He has also been a
member of the Winnipeg Symphony, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Touring Orchestra
and the Victoria Symphony and has played first trombone, bass trumpet and
euphonium with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the
California Symphony and the Thunder Bay Symphony.
David has performed as a soloist and chamber musician in cities around the world. In 1998 he performed as a soloist with the Orquesta Sinfonica de Mineria in Mexico City, an offer extended again in 2000.
David has also played on jingles and film soundtracks in Canada and the US and has backed up pop musicians such as Michael Bolton, Sheena Easton, David Foster, Kenny G, Holly Cole and Dudley Moore. He has played and toured North America with productions of Showboat, Ragtime, Chicago, and Phantom of the Opera, Annie Get Your Gun, My Fair Lady, Cats and Evita.
David was co-founder and artistic director of
the ArtFarm, a New-Music/ Multi-Media and Classical Chamber Music Series in
Victoria, which performed in Winnipeg and Toronto.
Back to top
SPENCER PHILLIPS, bassoon
Spencer (Fred) Phillips, Orchestra London Canada's Principal Bassoonist since
1995, has also served as the Principal Bassoonist of the Glimmerglass Opera
Orchestra since 1983.
A graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy and of Duke University, Mr.
Phillips also holds an MS degree from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (in
Environmental Management and Policy) and a Premier Prix de Virtuosite (Classe
de Basson) from the Conservatoire de Musique de Geneve.
Orchestras of which Mr. Phillips is a former member include Orquestra
Gulbenkian (Lisbon, Portugal), the Orchestre des Rencontres Musicales
de Lausanne, the Albany Symphony Orchestra (New York State), Detroit's
Michigan Opera Theatre Orchestra, the Binghamton Philharmonic (New York
State) and the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra (New York State). Others
with which he has performed include the Windsor Symphony, the North Carolina
Symphony and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. He can be heard on recordings
released by Naxos, Chandos, Nimbus, Lyrinx and Erato.
A native of the United States, Mr. Phillips is pleased to have become a
Canadian citizen in 2000. When not playing the bassoon, he - an active member
of both the London Centennial Wheelers and the London Cycling Club - can most
often be found on his bicycle (on which he averages in excess of 10,000
kilometres per year).
Back to top
TERRY SEFTON, cello
Terry Sefton has played cello with
Orchestra London Canada for nearly three decades. Originally from Regina,
Saskatchewan, Terry took her Bachelor of Music at McGill University, studied
in England with William Pleeth, played with the National Youth Orchestra of
Canada and with Jeunesses Musical World Youth Orchestra. She has played
professionally with the Regina Symphony, the Welsh BBC Orchestra in Cardiff,
Wales, and the Canadian Opera Company. Terry has been actively involved with
the political life of Orchestra London, serving on the committees both locally
and nationally, as well as serving on the Board of Orchestra London. Terry
also has a busy teaching career, having taught privately, having taught as a
classroom music teacher for the Thames Valley District School Board, and she
is currently a professor of education at the University of Windsor.
Back to top
JENNIFER SHORT, oboe
Jennifer Short has been the Second Oboe/English Horn player of Orchestra
London since 1992. A native of Ottawa, Jennifer received her early musical
education at Michigan's Interlochen Arts Academy. Generous grants from the
Ontario Arts Council and a full scholarship to the Juilliard School in New
York City allowed her to complete her training as a student of the renowned
oboist Elaine Douvas. Upon receiving a Master's Degree from Juilliard, she was
appointed Principal Oboe of the Saskatoon Symphony. She went on to hold
positions as Pincipal Oboe with the Edmonton Symphony and as Assistant
Principal Oboe/English Horn with the Calgary Philharmonic. For over a decade
she has performed as a substitute on both oboe and English horn with Ottawa's
National Arts Centre Orchestra, one of Canada's premier ensembles.
Jennifer has appeared as a soloist with Orchestra London on several occasions:
on oboe in "The Flower Clock" of Jean Francaix, in Bach's "Double Concerto for
Violin & Oboe" (with husband Joseph Lanza, Orchestra London Concertmaster),
and on English horn in Copland's "Quiet City" for English horn and Trumpet. In
2004, she gave the World Premier of the "Concerto for English horn"
commissioned by London's own Jeff Christmas. A dedicated teacher, Jennifer has
served on the faculties of the Universities of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and
Western Ontario.
Jennifer and Joe are the adoring parents of a delightful 7-year-old daughter,
Heather, and recently welcomed a new addition: Fergus, a Shetland Sheep-dog
pup. When not performing or occupied with her very busy family, Jennifer can
undoubtedly be found on the ice, honing her figure-skating skills as a member
of the London Skating Club.
Back to top
SHAWN
SPICER, trumpet
Originally from Nova Scotia, in 1987 Shawn went to McGill University to study
with James Thompson, celebrated principal trumpet of the Montreal Symphony.
After completing his studies Shawn moved on to Toronto to do the Orchestral
Training Program at the Royal Conservatory. After spending a year in Toronto
Shawn continued his studies at Yale University where he received his masters.
The next year was spent filling positions in the Thunder Bay Symphony and the
Calgary based Foothills Brass Quintet.
Toronto ultimately drew Shawn back and he worked as a freelance musician for
the next four years playing with all the major southern Ontario orchestras. In
1999 Shawn was appointed principal trumpet of Orchestra London Canada. Shawn
now lives in London with his wife Barb, daughter Abby and son Owen.
Shawn is also active in the early music community where he plays baroque
trumpet and cornetto. Performances on these instruments have taken him as far
away as Japan and Brazil. He has played with Tafelmusik, Studio de Musique
Ancienne de Montreal, the Toronto Consort and the Sante Fe Early Music
Society.
Shawn has also been active as a teacher. He was trumpet instructor at the
Canadian Forces School of Music from 1991-1998 and taught privately in Toronto
and London for several years. He currently teaches at the University of
Western Ontario.
Shawn loves to cook and enjoys reading Canadian literature and murder
mysteries.
Back to top
SANDRA STARK, violin
Sandra Stark is from a musical
family. She was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she first studied violin
with her father. Subsequent teachers included Rafael Druian, Richard Adams (her
brother), Andor Toth and Ralph Aldrich. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree
from the University of Minnesota (violin major) and a Master of Music
degree from the University of Western Ontario (Literature and Performance -
viola major). Besides her many years as a member of Orchestra London
Canada, she has served as concertmaster of the Clairion Symphony Orchestra
(of Sarnia), the
International Symphony Orchestra under the late Stan Kopac, the London Community
Orchestra and the Woodstock Strings. For a number of years she conducted
her own string group, the Amadeus Youth Ensemble. She also has an extensive
class of violin and viola students, is Faculty violist for the National Music
Camp and does adjudicating and workshops.
When time allows, she loves
reading and gardening and meets with friends on a weekly basis to play chamber
music. She is married and has two grown sons.
Back to top
MICHELE
VERHEUL, clarinet (on leave)
As a soloist and a member of various
ensembles, Michele has been broadcast on CBC's Music Around Us, In Performance
and Two New Hours. She has commissioned works for the clarinet and bass
clarinet, with the assistance of the Ontario Arts Council, as well as works
for the rioT Trio with fellow members Angela Rudden and Eve Egoyan.
Michele is a graduate of the Eastman School
of Music, where she studied with Michael Webster and Eli Eban. Some of her
other teachers include: Ron deKant, Wes Foster, Stanley Hasty and Joaquin
Valdepenas. She is currently on faculty at the University of Western Ontario.
Michele moved to London in 2005 with her
husband, clarinetist Martin van de Ven and her son Arie. Together they enjoy
the Thames river valley walks with their dog Max.
JEFFREY
WALL, violin Since 1996 Jeff has also been the
author of the orchestra's programme notes (The Inner Voice), in which
he turns his second violin chair into a soapbox and holds forth on the
masterworks of Western music. His house is a library of recordings, books and
periodicals, which he spends most of his spare time cataloguing. He has toured
as a member of the orchestra for Les Miserables, and since 1995 has
been a regular extra with the Stratford Festival Orchestra.
KATE
STONE, horn
Kate, an Okanagan native, has been
living in Ontario since 1989, joining Orchestra London in 1991.
Kate
credits
much of her success to Richard Ely, her teacher at the
University
of Victoria. �When I went to university, I didn�t have it in
my head to become a professional musician, but I ended up with a really great
horn teacher who pushed me along.� At Ely�s insistence, Stone auditioned for �
and won � her very first professional audition with the Victoria Symphony.
In addition to the Victoria Symphony and Orchestra London, Kate held a
position with the Thunder Bay Symphony and currently performs regularly at the
Stratford Festival. She has also performed with Kitchener- Waterloo Symphony,
Hamilton Phil, Tafelmusik and National Arts Centre Orchestra.
Her trombone playing husband,
Rob, helps her juggle her life
filled with concerts, home schooling their two sons, Harrison and William, and
experiments with cooking gluten free meals.
She hopes that her 18th season with Orchestra London will be blessed with
beautiful music and abundance.
Back to top
Michele Verheul has played Principal Clarinet with Orchestra London since
2003. As a freelance musician, she has performed with the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra, the National Arts Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company, the
Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the Hamilton Philharmonic, the Windsor Symphony
and the National Ballet Orchestra. New-Music credits include performances with
New Music Concerts, Array Music, Hemispheres New Music Ensemble and Tapestry
Music Theatre.
Back to top
Jeff has been a full-time member of Orchestra London
since 1987. This is his second stint with the orchestra: after completing his
Bachelor of Music at the University of Toronto (History and Literature of
Music, class of '74) and Associateship of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto
(Gold Medal, 1975) he joined the newly minted Sinfonia of the then London
Symphony Orchestra in September, 1975. In 1979 he left to freelance in his
home town of Toronto, where he became a member of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra
and was a frequent extra player with the National Ballet Orchestra, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra
and Kitchener-Waterloo
Symphony Orchestra. In 1981 he married London pianist Lois Sands, paving
the way for his eventual return to the Forest City. They are raising one cat.
Back to top
�2008 Orchestra London Canada. All rights reserved.