Kindred Spirits Orchestra

Arpad Josephson
Violin

Arpad Josephson has earned a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance from the University of Western Ontario (London) and a Diploma in Orchestral training from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto). He has over 20 years of experience performing with Symphony Hamilton, Windsor Symphony, Niagara Symphony, Oshawa Symphony, Oakville Chamber Orchestra, Hamilton Camerata, Ensemble Unterweg, and Royal Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra. He has also taught violin, piano, and music theory at Hamilton School of Music.

Carolina Rouleau
Associate Principal Violins II

Carolina Rouleau has earned a Bachelor of Arts with honours in music and double major in violin and piano performance from the Bishop's University. In addition, she has earned a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa, specializing in music. Her principal teachers include Genevieve Beaudry, Sergei Nikonov, Grace Hong, and Brigitte Poulin. She is currently Principal Second Violins with the NYCO Symphony Orchestra, sectional first violin with Orchestra Toronto, and member of Opus Undone quartet. Ms. Rouleau is a four time winner of the First Prize at the Festival des cordes de l'Estrie and Grand Prize winner of the M. Georgina Mills bursa. In addition to her performing activities, she is also a member of the Bishop's University Music Search Committee.

Neil Dyal
Violin

Neil Dyal has studied music at the Royal Conservatory of Music as well as the University of Western Ontario. He has played the violin for over 30 years and has performed with various orchestras and ensembles including Orchestra Toronto, the former East York Symphony Orchestra, Woodstock Strings, and the Haydn String Quartet. Mr. Dyal has served as a concert master in the pit orchestras for several stage productions including: “Anything Goes”, “West Side Story”, and “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.” He has performed on numerous concert stages and venues including the George Weston Recital Hall, Massey Hall, Leah Posluns Theatre, the Granite Club, and the Banff Centre of Performing Arts. Mr. Dyal is currently an educator with the Toronto District School Board and resides in Toronto with his family.

Heather Dudzinski
Violin

Heather Dudzinski has had over thirty-five years' experience performing with various orchestras throughout the Greater Toronto Area, among them, Orchestra Toronto, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony, Scarborough Philharmonic, and Mississauga Symphony, in addition to playing in several string quartets. Ms. Dudzinski has studied violin with Erhard Liedtke and Isidor Desser. She is currently a member of NYCO Symphony Orchestra.

Kevin Tsang
Violin

Kevin Tsang has studied violin privately since he was 8 years old. Earlier in his studies he has performed with various ensembles and orchestras throughout the GTA. Kevin is a consultant in computer and network security. He enjoys photography, ice hockey, travelling and now, after a 20-year hiatus, is returning to the orchestra to share his passion for music.

Jane Wan
Violin

Jane Wan has earned a Bachelor in Music Performance (Violin) degree from the University of Western Ontario and an ARCT in Violin Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has studied with Mayumi Seiler, Annette Barbara Vogel, Virginia Barton, Jin-Shan Dai, as well as with Cornelius Rodert. Ms. Wan has performed with the University of Western Ontario orchestra, Philharmonic Music Orchestra, Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as in various TV productions, corporate functions, and private events. In addition, Ms. Wan holds currently the position of Music Director and Conductor at St. Justin Martyrs Catholic Church in Markham. She was the recipient of Bruce and Helen Mills Instrument Award, Arts Richmond Hill Music Festival Award, and Pickering Rotary Music Festival.

Salome Legemaate
Violin

Salome Legemaate was born and raised in Switzerland and started studying the violin at the age of 12 at the Music School of St. Gallen in the class of Beatrix Sieber and Hermann Ostendarp and, in Canada, with Yiuman Chang and Dan David Arnovich. Ms. Legemaate has performed at the Hueberli Orchestra in Wattwil under the baton of Peter Roth and has performed at the Conservatory of Music in Zuerich. She lives in Stouffville with her husband and four children and maintains a private violin studio.

Justina Wong
Violin*

Justina Wong has earned her ARCT in Violin Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music after graduating from the Arts York Programme in Unionville. She is currently pursuing a Concurrent Teacher Education Program in Music degree at the University of Toronto. She has performed with the York Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Cultural Youth Orchestra, University of Toronto Concert Orchestra, as well as with the Penang Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Wong is also a member of various chamber ensembles and maintains a busy teaching career in Markham.

Dennis Liu
Violin*

Dennis Liu began studying the violin at the age of five. He has completed, with First Class Honours, the Royal Conservatory of Music violin performance and music theory examinations, and is currently working towards his Grade 10 certificate. Since 2007, Mr. Liu has been performing with the Chinese Overseas Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Chinese Youth Orchestra.

Louise Shi
Violin*

Louise Shi was born in 1996 in Shanghai (China). She begun studying the violin at age of 11 with Jing Ye and is currently preparing for the Royal Conservatory of Music Grade 8 examinations. Louise has always wanted to play in a symphony orchestra and embraces the opportunity to be part of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra Youth Strings Mentorship Programme. 

Jingzhe Su
Violin*

Coming soon...

Vesna Vukusic
Principal Viola

Vesna Vukusic has earned a Master's of Music in Viola Performance. She has performed with the Orchestra Nationale Santo Domingo, the Canadian Academic Orchestra, Oshawa Symphony Orchestra, North York Symphony Orchestra, Etobicoke Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Sinfonieta, Toronto Chamber Orchestra, National Opera and Ballet Orchestras in Belgrade, the Symphony Orchestra of Belgrade, and many others. Mrs. Vukusic has also taught viola, violin, cello, and chamber music ensembles, at the University Settlement House, as well as violin, flute, and guitar at McHugh Public School in Brampton, Port Credit High School, Sheridan Park Public School in Mississauga, Woodland Senior and Intermediate High School, and Hawthorn Public School in Mississauga.

Daniela Gassi
Associate Principal Viola (interim)

Daniela Gassi earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Education from OISE/UT.  At Western she studied violin and viola with Virginia Barron, and performed in the UWO Symphony Orchestra where she was principal violist for one year.  Other orchestras Ms. Gassi has performed with on viola include the Brampton Lyric Opera Orchestra and the International Symphony Orchestra.  She started her teaching career at Sir John A. Macdonald Collegiate Institute in Scarborough where she directed the String program for three years.  She currently teaches Music, English and Dance at York Memorial Collegiate Institute and is a member of the newly formed Ontario Strings Association.  Miss Gassi is in her second year with the KSO.   

William Wong
Viola

William Wong has earned a Bachelor degree in Music Education from Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo). He has performed with the St. Catharines Symphony Orchestra, the Niagara Symphony Orchestra, and the Ukrainian Chamber Orchestra. Mr. Wong also has over twenty years of experience teaching violin and viola in various schools throughout the Greater Toronto Area, as well as privately.

 

Christopher Wong
Viola*

Christopher Wong has earned an ARCT Diploma in viola performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. He is currently pursuing a degree in viola performance at the University of Toronto where he is studying with Teng Li (Principal Violist of Toronto Symphony Orchestra). Mr. Wong has also studied privately with Alexander Matus and has graduated from the acclaimed Arts York music programme. Christopher Wong has performed with the University of Toronto Concert Orchestra, York Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Cultural Youth Orchestra, Petaling Jaya Youth Chamber Orchestra, Scarborough Choral Society, among others. He has received the Mamie May Scholarship, the Kiwanis Foundation Award for Strings, and has toured with various orchestras in mainland China.

Samuel Bisson
Principal Cello

Samuel Bisson has earned a Master of Music in Cello Performance at the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Music degree with double major in Cello Performance and Composition from the University of Ottawa. Mr. Bisson has studied cello with Roman Borys, Paul Marleyn, and Julian Armour, as well as with Janos Starker, Paul Katz, Denise Djokic, Anthony Elliott, Mark Fewer, and Hans Jorgen Jensen at the National Arts Centre Young Artist Programme. He has also studied composition with Steven Gellman and John Armstrong. Mr. Bisson has performed with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, University of Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Sneak Peak Orchestra, and L’Orchestre de la francophonie canadienne. He has also performed at the Shigeru Concert Series (Barrie), New Music Festival (Toronto), Toronto Arts and Letter Club, Toronto Summer Music Festival, and Scotia Festival of Music. Mr. Bisson is the recipient of Victor Di Bello Graduate Scholarship, Plettner Graduate Fellowship, and a Canadian Millennium Scholarship, among others. As a composer, Mr. Bisson created an original score for a short film supported by the National Film Board of Canada. He is fluent in English and French and has working knowledge of German and Spanish.

Le Shi
Associate Principal Cello

Ms. Le Shi has earned a Master of Music in Cello Performance degree and a Bachelor of Arts in Cello Performance degree from the Tianjin Conservatory of Music in mainland China. From 2003 to 2010 she was an assistant professor and a lecturer at the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. From 2000 to 2007 Ms. Le Shi was also Assistant Director of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Tianjin Conservatory of Music. Since 1995 she has performed with hundreds of chamber groups, orchestras and given an impressive number of solo recitals. Her publication, “The analysis of Shostakovich cello concerto No. 1”, published by the Journal of Nanjing Art Institute (2005), has been praised by major art critics in China.

Michael Powell
Cello

Michael Lane Powell studied both cello and guitar during his high school years. Later, he studied cello with Jay Armin and played with the Etobicoke Youth Orchestra as well as in a professional travelling rock band during his undergraduate studies at Victoria College (University of Toronto). He studied law at McGill Law School and has been a member of the Ontario Bar, specializing in labour law, since 1980. Pursuing his lifelong love for the cello, he has been studying cello with Rafael Kuerti since 2005. 

Merle Oddson
Cello

Merle Oddson studied cello and piano in Winnipeg and played the cello in the Manitoba Youth Orchestra. After University graduation in Dietetics she took a break from music and only re-kindled her interest in the cello about 10 years ago. She is currently studying with Barbara Pepper. Merle is a current member of the Brampton Symphony Orchestra and the NYCO Symphony Orchestra as well as a past member of the York Symphony Orchestra. Merle and her husband have lived in Thornhill for many years where they raised their two sons.

Jui-Ying Hong
Cello

Jui-Ying Hong’s interest in music developed while she was in high school by learning to play the viola and the cello. University studies took precedence as she pursued a B. Sc. degree in physics and math and then did post-graduate studies in radiography. Wanting to resume her passion for the cello and fulfil her childhood dream to “run away and join an orchestra”, she began taking lessons about ten years ago with Donald Green. For the past four years she has played with the NYCO Symphony Orchestra. 

Tapio Rukkila
Cello

Tapio Rukkila studied cello, piano, trumpet, and conducting in his native Finland. He studied cello performance at the prestigious Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with master cellist Seppo Laamanen. He has also studied orchestration with the well-known Estonian cellist and composer Kaljo Raid. Since immigrating to Canada, Mr. Rukkila has been a long time music director and conductor of a Finnish congregation choir and brass band, where he has also been involved as organist and composer-arranger in residence. Mr. Rukkila has performed with the Sibelius Academy Orchestra, Lauttasaari Symphony, and North York Symphony Orchestra for several seasons and has toured in Europe and the Caribbean as cellist and occasional guest conductor with Jubilance Singers and Orchestra. Together with his violinist daughter, he is a founding member of Selah Strings.

Lech Straczynski
Principal Contrabass

Lech Straczynski has earned a Master of Music degree in double bass performance from the Academy of Music in Poland, and a Diploma in Music performance (double bass) from the State College of Music in Poland. He also studied with the renowned double bass soloist Ludwig Streicher in Germany and Joel Quarrington in Toronto, and has graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music Orchestral Training Programme. Mr. Straczynski has performed with the Toronto Philharmonia, Hamilton Philharmonic, Mississauga Opera, Niagara Symphony, Toronto Sinfonietta, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Ontario Philharmonic, Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, Scarborough Symphony Orchestra, Sudety Philharmonic Orchestra and Silesia Opera Orchestra (Poland), International Symphony Orchestra (Sweden), and many others.

Sara Lukjanovs
Associate Principal Contrabass

Sara Lukjanovs earned her Bachelor of Music in Double Bass Performance from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York where she played in various orchestras, the Syracuse Symphony, and was an original member of Ossia, a new music ensemble. While a member of Ossia, she took part in a new recording of Steve Reich's Tehillim, released in 2002. After moving from the U.S. to Germany, and then back to the U.S., Mrs. Lukjanovs played in the Raleigh Chamber Orchestra in Raleigh, North Carolina. She and her husband have recently moved to Markham, where they are raising their two children.

William Kwan
Contrabass

William Kwan has performed with National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Toronto District School Board Youth Orchestra, Toronto Chinese Orchestra, and Claude Watson School for the Arts orchestra. He has graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science degree with honours in Nanotechnology Engineering from the University of Waterloo.

Jaye Marsh Graham
Principal Flute

Early on in her teenage flute career, after joining the studio of Douglas Stewart in Toronto, principal flutist Jaye Marsh won the silver prize in the Canadian Music Competition, which solidified her appreciation for new music and her distaste for competitions...
Jaye has been in love with orchestral playing since she first played piccolo in a high school Kiwanis-winning performance of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony. Jaye has earned a Performance Degree from the University of Toronto. An active freelancer and experienced orchestral and chamber musician, Jaye is currently Principal Flutist with The Heliconian Chamber Orchestra, Kindred Spirits Orchestra and co-Principal with the Greater Toronto Philharmonic. She has appeared as a soloist with numerous ensembles including the KSO and Hart House Chamber Orchestra and has performed with a number of orchestras including Orchestra Toronto, Etobicoke Philharmonic, the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, Hart House Symphony, Civic Light Opera and Sudbury Symphony.

Dawn Ellis-Mobbs
Associate Principal Flute

Dawn Ellis-Mobbs has earned an Honours Bachelor of Music in flute performance Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University (Waterloo), an Artist Diploma from the prestigious Glenn Gould School (Toronto), a Diploma in Orchestral Studies from the University of Montreal, and a Chamber Music Diploma from Wilfrid Laurier University. Ms. Ellis-Mobbs won a Concerto competition at Wilfrid Laurier University and has performed as a featured soloist with the Valley Festival Orchestra and the Georgetown Bach Chorale.  She has performed with several orchestras including the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, the Royal Conservatory Orchestra and the National Academy Orchestra.  Ms. Ellis-Mobbs is a member of the Ardeleana Trio and the Woodland Ensemble. She is also a music educator with the York Region District School Board and a Band Officer with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. 

Maggie Moser
Principal Oboe

Maggie Moser has earned a Master of Music performance degree from the Brandon University and McGill University, after studying with Orchestre des Jeunnes du Quebec as a principal oboe. She has studied oboe with Marianne Still, Douglas Bairstow (Winnipeg Symphony), Ted Baskin (Montreal Symphony), as well as with Ronald Roseman, Roger Cole, and Richard Dorsey. Ms. Moser has performed with the Thunder Bay Symphony, Prince George Symphony, Windsor Symphony, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, Kingston Symphony, Toronto Sinfonietta (principal oboe), Huronia Symphony (principal oboe), Scarborough Philharmonic (principal oboe) and the Oshawa Symphony (English horn). She is currently on the Faculty of the Royal Conservatory of Music and teaches music with the Toronto District School Board.

Eun Do Lee
Associate Principal Oboe

Ms. EunDo Lee has earned a Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from the Seoul National University and an Artist Diploma in Oboe Performance from the Glenn Gould Professional School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She has studied with Keith Atkinson (Associate Principal Oboe of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra) and Wan-Soo Mok (Principal Oboe of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra). Ms. Lee has performed with the Korean Canadian Symphony Orchestra, the New Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, the Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra, the Prime Philharmonic Orchestra, and others. Ms. Lee is one of the winners of the Royal Conservatory of Music Chamber Music Competition (2011).

Carmen Gassi
Principal Clarinet

Carmen Gassi has earned a Master of Music in Clarinet performance degree, a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario. He has studied with Jerome Summers, Robert Riseling, and Imre Roszanyi. Mr. Gassi has performed with the Brampton Symphony Orchestra, Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, Oakville Symphony Orchestra, Brampton Lyric Opera, Opera Kitchener, Meadowvale Theatre, and others. An accomplished composer, Mr. Gassi wrote Diversions for Woodwind Quintet and The Last Tournament for a Brass Quintet (both published by Eighth Note). He has also been conductor of the Halton Senior Winds Honour Band, assistant conductor of Brampton Symphony Orchestra and Brampton Youth Orchestra, and Head of Arts & Moderns at the Halton District School Board.

Daniel Paquin
Associate Principal Clarinet

Daniel Paquin began his clarinet study at the age of 12 with Bruce Dinkins.  During high school he performed with the Sewanee Symphony Orchestra at the Sewanee Summer Music Festival under conductors from all over the world. Upon graduating high school, he has earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of South Carolina where he studied with Doug Graham.  After completing his degree, Mr. Paquin spent three years in Okinawa (Japan) teaching English and music.  Upon returning to North America in 2006, he moved to Toronto with his wife.  Currently, Mr. Paquin is a clarinetist with the Brampton Symphony Orchestra and teaches music with the both the Toronto District School Board and York Region District School Board. He is also on the faculty of the Music of By the Lake Summer Music Festival.

Roland Wilk
Principal Bassoon

Roland Wilk's interest in wind instruments began while he was an engineering student. Starting on clarinet, he added French horn and bassoon to his portfolio. Since his arrival in Toronto in 2003, he has played regularly with the NYCO Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra Toronto, the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra and Silverthorn Symphonic Winds. Together with his pianist wife, Marion, he is an active chamber musician and a regular participant in summer workshops such as the Bennington Chamber Music Conference, Raphael Trio Worshop and CAMMAC. Roland, who has Masters degrees in electrical engineering and business administration and is a Harvard Business School alumnus, co-founded and ran a software engineering business from which is he now retired. He brings his business experience to the governance of several community music organizations including NYCO Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra and CAMMAC Foundation. Outside of music, Roland has many interests including aeromodelling, cheese-making, cooking and competitive bridge.

John Kee
Associate Principal Bassoon

John Kee has been playing bassoon since his attendance at Northview Heights Collegiate Institute, where he was assigned the instrument by his music teacher, Elmer Isler. He has been a member of the North York Concert Orchestra, Northumberland Symphony, Cobourg Concert Band and The Royals stage band. He has also played for many musical productions by the Unionville Theatre Company and others, doubling on clarinet and saxophone as well as bassoon, and participated in too many woodwind quintets to count. He is currently a member of the Durham Chamber Orchestra and the quintet "Five Strong Winds".

Adam Gaw
Principal French Horn

Adam Gaw has graduated with a Bachelor in Music Performance degree, specialising in French Horn from the University of Toronto where he held the position of Principal French Horn in the Wind Ensemble, the Wind Quintet, and the Brass Quintet. He is currently the Head of the High Brass Section in the National Band of the Naval Reserve where he has also held the positions of a Head Librarian and National Tour Planner. Mr. Gaw has performed with several orchestras throughout the GTA: Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Moordale Youth Orchestra, RCA Band, HMCS NADEN Band, HMCS YORK Band, as well as North Hastings Prince Edward County School Board.

David Palmer
Associate Principal French Horn

David Palmer started playing French Horn at the age of 12, and went later on to study horn at Prince George's College, Maryland, followed by private studies with William Arsers of the National Symphony, Washington D.C. Mr. Palmer has played with the North York Symphony, Northdale Concert Band, Scarborough Philharmonic, and East York Symphony, as well as various woodwind and brass ensembles. Mr. Palmer has also been an active member of the East York Choir, Amadeus Choir, Eastminster United Church Choir, and the Orpheus Choir of Toronto.

Daniel Kapp
Principal Trumpet

Daniel Kapp has graduated from York University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in Performance (trumpet) degree, as well as from Queen’s University with a bachelor in education (music) degree and from the University of Toronto  with Additional Qualifications in Vocal Music. Mr. Kapp He has performed with many orchestras, pit bands, concert and jazz bands in Canada and abroad, as well as a freelance solo musician. He is currently Assistant Manager of the Band Department at Long & McQuade in Toronto, as well as the founding director of the thriving New Horizons Band program for people 50+. 

---