Ottawa Suzuki Strings – Nurturing personal excellence, musicality, and human spirit!

All of our faculty have post-secondary music degrees and have had extensive training in Suzuki pedagogy.

Rosemarie Klimasko

Rosemarie started playing the violin at the age of five. She became the concertmaster of the Hamilton Youth Orchestra and the Royal Conservatory Youth Orchestra and spent six years with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. While studying towards her violin performance degree at the University of Toronto, her distinguished teachers included Albert Pratz and Lorand Fenyves.

For many years, she was a professional freelance violinist in Toronto. She played for eleven years with the Pro Arte String Orchestra, and was a member of the Palm Court violin/flute/piano trio for several years.

In 1986, she moved to Ottawa, and co-founded SuzukiMusic. Her active schedule includes teaching a large class of private stuents, teaching group classes, and conducting a youth orchestra for the National Capital Music Academy. Her career has seen many of her students achieve distinguished music awards at local, provincial and national levels, several moving on to prestigious music schools, both in Canada and the United States.

She has been a clinician at several Suzuki and CAMMAC camps and has adjudicated at Kiwanis Music Festivals in Ontario.

Rosemarie is based in the Nepean/Barrhaven area of Ottawa and is very fond of her feline companions, Stella Luna and Chocolate Chip.

 

Christopher (Kit) Barham

Christopher, better known as “Kit”, is a graduate of the Guelph Suzuki String School. While there, he studied under well-known Suzuki luminaries such as Daphne Hughes, Linda Drennan, and Thomas Wermuth. Kit subsequently pursued an undergraduate degree in music education at the University of Western Ontario. While there, he also undertook specific training in Kodally and Orff music pedagogy, choral conducting, and Baroque period chamber music as both a violinist and a violist. Kit has undertaken specific Suzuki pedagogy studies with Ed Kreitman, Nancy Jackson, and Ed Sprunger.

Kit is a graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, and brings his interest in the physical, emotional, and energy bodies to better support teaching the whole child. Other areas of interest include bio-feedback and mental training Kit has worked as a music-oriented long-term care community activator with First Nations communities in northern British Columbia, and he has traveled extensively around Asia.

Kit is based in the Nepean area.

Serhii Vyhovskyi

Serhii is a graduate of the Russian Academy of Music in Moscow, Russia, was awarded a Doctorate Degree of Music with a specialisation in violin as well as qualifications for Orchestra soloist, Violin Teacher, and Chamber Ensemble Violinist. He has worked as a Concertmaster with the Krasnoyarsk Symphony Orchestra and as a violinist in the String Quartet of the Krasnoyarsk Regional State Philharmonic Society, Russia.

Serhii has taught at Kherson State Music College, Ukraine, at the Baghdad School of Music and Ballet, and the Damascus Higher Institute of Music. He is the author of numerous articles and manuals on violin pedagogy. He is also a registered RCM and Suzuki teacher.

Serhii’s students have achieved great distinctions, and have been accepted as students or participated in masterclasses with such luminaries as Maestro Pinchas Zukerman (Manhattan School of Music, NewYork), Maestro Daniel Barenboim (Weimar in Chicago Workshop), Eric Gruenberg (Royal Academy of Music, London, UK), Eric Stumacher (Apple Hill Centre for Chamber Music, New Hampshire), Mathis Fisher (West Eastern Workshop for Orchestral and Chamber Music, Weimar, Germany), Eduard Melkus (Vienna University of Music, Austria) and have been accepted as members of the Orchestre des Jeunes de la Mediterranne (under the direction of Maestro Henri Gallois, Aix-en-Provence, France).

Since moving to Canada in September 2003, Serhii’s students have won many prizes and scholarships in music competitions such as Kiwanis Music Festival and the Canadian Music Competition, as well as first prize in the Junior division of the prestigious Menuhin International Violin Competition.

Serhii teaches at Joan of Arc Academy and in the Beacon Hill area.

 Olena Vyhovska

 Olena graduated from Novosibirsk State Conservatoire in Novosibirsk (Russia) with a Doctor Degree of Music (specialization in violin), studying under world-renowned Maestro Zakhar Bron. She also achieved qualifications for Orchestra soloist, Violin Teacher, and Chamber Ensemble Violinist. 

 Olena taught violin for the Kherson State Music College in Kherson (Ukraine), until 1991. At the request of the USSR Ministry of Culture, the International Cultural Centre invited Olena to Syria to work as a Violin Professor at the Damascus Higher Institute of Music and as a solo violinist for the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra. Olena has extensive performance experience. She has performed in concert programmes arranged by the Kherson Regional Administration, the Kherson Regional State Philharmonic Society, and as a solo-violinist with the Chamber Orchestra of the Kherson Regional State Philharmonic Society (under the direction of Maestro Georgi Vazin) and the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra. As a violin group leader, Olena participated in all concert activities of the orchestra both in Syria and outside the country including playing concerts in Los – Angeles (USA), Amman (Jordan), and Beirut (Lebanon) and Spain.

 Olena moved to Canada in 2003, where she continues to perform and teach. She is a registered RCM and Suzuki teacher. She teaches in Kanata and in the Beacon Hill area. Olena’s students have won both regional and national violinist competitions in the Ukraine and in Canada. Her students have won many prizes and scholarships in music competitions such as the Kiwanis Music Festival and the Canadian Music Competition. Her former students have continued to study music at higher levels in the Ukraine, Russia, and several other countries. Many also work as violin teachers or as violinists throughout the world, including the Ukraine, the Higher Institute of Music in Damascus, and other schools in Syria.

 Her goals continue to be to maintaining high professional teaching standards, performing in concerts, and being involved with music activities.

 

Michael Fry

A former Suzuki student himself, Michael Fry started violin at the age of seven. Michael currently leads a varied career as a performer and teacher. Michael has performed with such orchestras as the Ottawa Symphony, Thunder Bay Symphony, Regina Symphony, Red Deer Symphony, Gatineau Symphony, and the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra as guest Concertmaster. Michael continues to perform recitals, as well as jazz with his trio, Stringsville. Aside from performance, Michael has taught piano and violin for many years, extensively to all ages and levels of playing. As music director of St. John Lutheran Church, Michael performs on the organ and conducts the choir. Michael also conducts the Beechwood Children's Choir, which is made up of children between the ages of seven and eleven. Michael currently teaches in Westboro and New Edinburgh.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Regina, a Master of Music as well as a Certificate in Orchestral Studies from the University of Ottawa, and an ARCT in piano and in violin. His principal teachers were Ed Minevich, David Stewart, and Rennie Regehr. Michael completed his Suzuki training at SOSI with Kathleen Spring. Michael has also been an Artist in Residence at the Banff Arts Centre.

 

Karoly Sziladi

Ottawa native Karoly Sziladi started playing violin at the age of five with his father, Karoly Sziladi Sr. He was a student in the music program at Canterbury High School as well as a member of the Ottawa Youth Orchestra. Karoly continued his studies at McGill University with Richard Roberts, graduating in 1996, at which time he came back and began playing as an extra violin with the NAC Orchestra. At that time he also performed with the Ottawa Symphony as well as the Thirteen Strings chamber orchestra. In the years that followed, he had the great opportunity to tour Israel and Europe with Pinchas Zuckerman and the NACO, as well as tours throughout Canada. From 2000 to 2005, while still maintaining his performance work here in Ottawa, Karoly was also Concertmaster of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. 

Today, Karoly teaches privately, coaches the strings of the Ottawa Junior Youth Orchstra, and very much looks forward to being a coach with Stella Boreales and an OSS member in the near future.

 

Khandice Francois

Khandice began her violin studies in the Suzuki Method at the age four in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. At a very young age she immersed herself in the orchestral, solo, and chamber music opportunities that Vision Nouvelle and the Holy Trinity Philharmonic Orchestra provided. She also learned piano and dance.

At the age of 16, Khandice left Haiti to pursue her studies in the U.S.A. Khandice graduated with honors with a Bachelor in Music Performance at Loyola University, New Orleans. In 2009, Khandice came to Canada and graduated with her Masters in Music at the University of Western, London where she studied with Professors Annette-Barbara Vogel and Jaime Weisenblum. Throughout her studies, Khandice has taught privately and at schools. Aside from teaching and performing Khandice enjoys reading, dancing and crocheting! Khandice is fluent in French, Spanish, and English.

Khandice is fluently bilingual, and has a studio in Orleans and also teachs downtown Ottawa, and in Kanata.

 

Erin Macdonald

Violist Erin Macdonald enjoys a multifaceted career as a violin and viola teacher and an emerging performance artist. Recently Miss Macdonald has performed with the Orford Arts Centre Orchestra and was on faculty at the 2011 Summer Music in Galway, Ireland.

Miss Macdonald graduated in the Spring of 2012 with a Masters of Music degree from the University of Ottawa. During her studies at the University of Ottawa Erin was teaching assistant to Professor Rennie Regehr as well as orchestral librarian and manager for the University of Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Erin also holds a postgraduate Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music (2010) and a Bachelor of Music, major in Music History and Literature from the University of Victoria (2007).

Erin performs regularly as a member of the Ottawa Symphony. When not playing the viola, Erin enjoys traveling, cycling, iPhone photography and is a self-proclaimed kitchen diva. Prior to becoming an Ontarian, Erin was a devoted teacher in Victoria, BC where she held a student roster of forty-six pupils. 

Erin is pleased to be joining the faculty of Ottawa Suzuki Strings. Her home studio is located in the Byward Market and she also has a studio in Kanata.

Gillian Carrabre

Gillian began her studies on the violin at the age of three with Robert Richardson Jr. Her first violin was a well-crafted Macaroni box. Since those early years, Gillian’s passion for the instrument has taken her across North America and Europe where she has performed in such prestigious summer programs as the Morning Side Music Bridge, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and the  Casalmaggiore International Festival. She has also had the opportunity to play in lessons and master classes for such high-calibre musicians as: James Ehnes, Ian Swenson, Denise Lupien, Bill van der Sloot, Gwen Hoebig, Jonathan Crowe, Andrew Dawes, Andres Cardenes, Feng Ning, and Cho-Liang Lin.Gillian has taught  students both privately and within school contexts, and teaching is both an interest and passion. Gillian has a diploma in music performance from Mount Royal University, a B.Mus. from McGill University, and will be working towards a Masters in Music Performance at the University of Ottawa. In her spare time, Gillian enjoys knitting, baking, and dancing!

 

 

Sarah Williams

Sarah Williams is a returning student (4th year) at the University of Ottawa studying a Bachelor of Music in performance. She started playing violin at the age of four with member of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Elaine Klimasko. Furthermore, she studied with Jonathan Crow (previous violin teacher at McGill University) and is currently studying with David Stewart. Her accomplishments include being a member of the National Youth Orchestra for 3 years (concertmaster at age 16), substitute member of Thirteen Strings in Ottawa, substitute member of National Arts Centre Orchestra for a Pops Concert in 2010, previously a member of the Gatineau Symphony Orchestra, currently a member of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, and the University of Ottawa Orchestra, where her position is concertmaster, part time.

Sarah has been a teacher for the past 4 years and has taught privately, as well as at the Nepean School of Music (also known as Hummingbird School of Music,) Kanata School of Music, La Petite Fanfare summer music camp, and the Campbell Douglas Music Education Centre.

In her spare time she enjoys reading, baking and yoga.

Michael Blais

Michael Blais began his Suzuki cello studies at the age of four and spent many summers attending prestigious Suzuki institutes. He has been the recipient of many awards and scholarships at the Kiwanis festivals. In recent years he was chosen to attend international programmes such as Morningside Music Bridge and the Pinchas Zukerman Young Artists Programme. He has also performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Canadian Opera Orchestra. Michael is a seasoned chamber musician and has performed for many important events including the opening of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Season in 2009. His renowned teachers include David Hutchenreuther, Carole Sirois and John Katz. Michael attended the Glenn Gould School of Music for two years and is also finishing a degree in economics at the University of Ottawa. This past summer Michael received his teacher training in Montreal from one of Canada's finest Suzuki cello pedagogues, David Evenchick. Michael comes from a family of distinguished musicians and his enthusiasm for teaching is paramount. He brings to Ottawa Suzuki Strings many years of teaching experience and is very excited about inaugurating the new Suzuki cello programme this September.

His others interests include snowboarding, golfing, physical training and cooking. Michael is based in Manotick, and teaches in the Manotick and Kanata areas.

Setareh Beheshti

An active advocate for music education, Setareh Beheshti DMA (Doctorate of Musical Arts), has maintained a Suzuki studio alongside her various university positions in Texas Tech University (United States) and as tenured assistant professor of music at University of Tehran (Iran). She began her Suzuki training with Christophe Boussant in Montreal in 2000 and continued the violin books with Allen Lieb, Linda Fiore and Suzuki viola with Julia Hardie. She has completed all of her Suzuki certification for viola and is currently completing the remaining certifications for violin.

Teaching students as young as 3 years old until graduate music students and adult students, Ms. Beheshti incorporates the Suzuki method for all ages and levels. As the only Suzuki certified teacher in Iran, Ms. Beheshti started a Suzuki Method education movement, organizing many pedagogy seminars for local string teachers. Within a few years many of her college graduates became intrigued by this philosophy and methodology and began to incorporate this into their own studios. There are now 4 major Suzuki centers in Tehran with enrollments of 200+ students each.

Ms. Beheshti’s research and publications have also concentrated on learning styles and better pedagogy in the music studio. She has translated several beginner violin music books and has published articles in Strings magazine, The Journal of International Music Education, Soundpost Online, and other reputable publications.

Setareh Beheshti holds music degrees from the University of Minnesota, San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Texas Tech University as well as being a founding member of the Oberon String Quartet, a professional ensemble which performed in the Mountain States of United States for several years. She has performed across North America, Europe and the Middle East in festivals such as Aspen Music Festival, Tanglewood, Banff Centre for the Arts, RoundTop in Texas, Graz Festival in Austria and 29th Fadjr Festival in Tehran. Other facets of her teaching include early music performance practice techniques and the promotion and performance of contemporary works. She has also served as a music judge for several competitions with various age ranges and musical levels in the United States and the Middle East.

Ms. Beheshti currently teaches both violin and viola in the Glebe area and the Kanata Ottawa Suzuki Strings studio.

 

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Additional group class teachers

Judith Ginsburg

(Ottawa Suzuki Strings and Stellae Boreales Accompanist)

Pianist Judith Ginsburg is a graduate of the Music Faculty at University of Ottawa where she studied with the internationally acclaimed pianist and pedagogue Jean-Paul Sevilla. She pursued further advanced studies in London, England with the renowned former Glyndebourne Opera Music staff member and BBC staff accompanist Paul Hamburger. Upon her return to Canada Judith Ginsburg completed the Repetiteur Training Program at the University of Toronto Opera Division. While at the Opera Division Judith participated in extensive accompanying classes and Masterclasses with Martin Isepp and Menahem Pressler. Since 1987 Judith Ginsburg has been Principal Repetiteur of Opera Lyra Ottawa and Principal Pianist with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Judith has extensive experience as a free-lance musician performing in numerous musicals at Place Des Arts in Montreal along with acting as principal repetiteur for various National Arts Centre productions. She is often heard on CBC radio and is a frequent performer in Ottawa's hugely successful International Chamber Music Festival, the National Arts Centre's Music for a Sunday Afternoon and the Almonte in Concert Series. As an accompanist Judith has collaborated with many of Canada's leading artists among them Alan Monk, Theodore Baerg, Tracy Dahl, Eilana Lapalainen, Gerald Danovitch plus many others. Judith is presently Opera Studio Manager and Principal Repetiteur for Opera Lyra Ottawa.