Strings......

Rebecca Whitling (Violin) currently plays in the first violin section of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and is Principal Second Violin of the CBC Radio Orchestra. A graduate of McGill and Indiana Universities, Rebecca is a member of the acclaimed new music quintet Standing Wave, and has performed as soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Philharmonic, the Semiahmoo Strings, and the Prince George Symphony Orchestra.  She has appeared as a chamber and orchestral musician at Tanglewood, Schleswig-Holstein, Ojai, and Cabrillo music festivals and was a member of the New World Symphony from 1992-95, and has played in the Babayaga string quartet since 1997. She has also performed with the Hard Rubber Orchestra and the Tony Wilson Sextet.

Karen Gerbrecht (Violin) is Associate Principal Second Violin with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and past Director of Chamber Music at Davidson College, NC.  She taught at the Vancouver Academy of Music for twelve years. She has twice attended Banff School of the Arts as an Artist in Residence, andin 2008 taught for SFU's Semester for Dialogue.

Isabelle Roland (Viola) B.Mus. (U.Vic.), M.Mus. (Perf.) (Cleveland Institute) is principal Viola with Sinfonia, a member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and performs with the CBC Radio Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.  She was assistant principal Viola of the Victoria Symphony and the Colorado Music Festival.  She has appeared as a soloist with the Victoria Symphony, Sinfonia and West Coast Symphony, is a busy chamber musician, and is on faculty at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

Heather Hay (Cello) M. Mus.(San Francisco Conservatory of Music) is a former member of the Purcell String quartet. She is a member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, teaches at Capilano College, and has an active private studio for cellists of all ages.  She is passionate about the importance of music in the world, and leads workshops in Canada and internationally on this subject.

Chris Light (Double Bass) B. Mus.(UBC), Masters Studies (Manhatten School of Music, New York) plays in the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, is Principal Bass with the Abbotsford Symphony Orchestra and often performs with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.  He currently teaches bass at Kwantlen College.

Woodwind.........

Brenda Fedoruk (Flute) B.Mus.(UBC) also studied in Zürich, Salzburg, Banff and Toronto. Currently Principal Flute with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, and member of the CBC Radio Orchestra, as well as the orchestra's contractor.  She has performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, for musical theatre and ballet productions as well as television and film recordings. Brenda is a faculty member at UBC, VCC, Capilano College and the Vancouver Academy of Music.

Beth Orson (Oboe/English Horn) has played Assistant Principal Oboe and English Horn with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra since 1990.  She teaches on the faculty of the UBC School of Music and the Vancouver Academy and often performs with the CBC Radio Orchestra and Turning Point Ensemble.  This season Beth will appear as soloist with the VSO and Sinfonia, and will also join the faculty of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. 

Sophie Dansereau (Bassoon) is Assistant Principal Bassoon and contrabassoon of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and member of the CBC Radio Orchestra.  She is on the faculty of the Vancouver Academy of Music and is a founding member of the Ad Mare Wind Quintet.  Sophie was educated at the Consrvatoire de Musique de Quebec, received the "Prix avec Grande Distinction a l'unanimite" in 1996. She pursued her studies with Frant Morelli at the Yale University School of Music, and studied also with Christopher Millard in 2000. She has performed as a soloist, chamber player, and orchestral musician throughout Canada and the USA, and held the position of Associate Principal Bassoon of the Auckland Philharmonia, in New Zealand, in 1998, as well as being a member of the New World Symphony in 2000-2001. 

Karen Epp (Early Music, Recorder) B. Mus. B.Ed. (UBC) teaches recorder, early music, and Orff.  She has performed with the CBC Radio Orchestra, Vancouver Cantata Singers, Vancover Bach Choir and Early Music Vancouver and has conducted workshops across Canada.  She presently teaches for the Surrey School District.

Liz Hamel (Recorder)  B.Mus. (UBC) is a recorder player and freelance singer.  She teaches privately, is a member of the Vancouver Opera Chorus, and leads workshops for the B.C. Recorder Society, Early Music Vancouver, and the B.C. Orff Teachers Assn. 

Brass.....

Ben Kinsman (French Horn) B.Mus. (Acadia) took up his post as fourth horn of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 2001.  He has performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and the Seattle Opera and is a member of the CBC Radio Orchestra, the Turning Point Ensemble, and the Touch of Brass Quintet.  Ben teaches horn at the University of British Columbia.

Chris Robertson (Trumpet) B.Mus. (U.Vic), studied with Vincent Cichowicz in Chicago and with Maurice Murphy in London (UK).  He has released two solo CDs, Encores for Trumpet & Organ and Regal & Romantic, and has published a reference book for trumpet, Finding Your Own Voice. He is an active teacher and performer.

Sharman King (Low Brass) is bass trombonist with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, a frequent pit performer for musical theatre and ballet, and a studio musician with hundreds of jingles and more than 300 TV shows to his credit. He has performed with the Buddy Rich Orchestra, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Tommy Banks, Bobby Hales and other jazz greats, and helped pioneer stage-band credit courses in Canadian universities.

Vocal........

Lars Kaario (Choral Director) .. biographical information given above in directors' section at the top of this page.

Frances Roberts (Vocal Jazz) is a graduate of the vocal music program at UBC.  She has taught music composition and choral music at the secondary school level for the past nineteen years, directing concert and jazz/chamber choirs.

TBA (Musical Theatre)

Percussion........

Vern Griffiths (Percussion) B.Mus. (UBC), M.Mus. (Manhattan School of Music) is Principal Percussionist of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, plays in the CBC Radio Orchestra, the new music ensembles Standing Wave and Turning Point Ensemble, and can be heard on soundtracks to movies by Disney, Imax, PBS, and Dreamworks.  He teaches at UBC.

Pianoforte.........

Allen Stiles (Accompanist) M.Mus. (UBC) is a founding director of The Little Chamber Music Series That Could Society, and a member of Joe Trio and Standing Wave.  He is also the current music director for the Gateway Theatre's annual winter musical theatre production.

Eric Hominick (Accompanist) studied piano at the Toronto Conservatory and Dalhousie University.  Staff accompanist for Vancouver Community College (classical voice/choral programs) and the BC Girls Choir, Eric has recorded widely, toured internationally as both pianist and singer, and played Alaskan Cruises.  He freelances as accompanist, arranger, Special Occasions pianist and baritone soloist, and runs an active piano and voice studio.

Children's program.......

Bill Piggott (Children's program) B.Mus. (University of Saskatchewan) has also studied jazz (Humber college) and Orff music (UBC). He teaches band and classroom music with the North Vancouver school district.

Denise Grieve (Children's program) is a Montessori pre-school teacher specializing in art and drama.  She has also taught drama/movement at a local dance school and trained student teachers.  She wrote and co-directed a play for Expo 86 and has written plays and monologues for students aged 6 to 16 years.