Members of the KSO
Strings
Concertmaster
Alexander Gangurean
Principal Violinist
Clare Pellerin
Violin
Eskender Bekmambetov
Lilit Zakarian
Jarmin Weng
Olga Kostianiuk
Aileen Gemmell
Selina Mei
Viktorya Dikoushina
Christine Wang
Chelsea Wong
Erin Merkley
Faranak Honarvar
Saba Marzabadi
Leonard Taranov-Isaacs
Sophia Wang
Selena Zhang
Vacant
Principal Viola
Emma Vachon-Tweney
Viola
Valentina Tchaikovsky
Fanny Tang
Martin Levman
Natalia Laribi
Ruth Cheng
Valeria Koroleva
Vacant
Principal Cello
Hee Yeon Kim
Cello
Gretchen Lee
Michelle Zhao
Gayane Sahakyan
Faina Sosedova
Lusine Navoyan
Seol-Hee Choi
Vacant
Principal Contrabass
David Gustilov
Contrabass
Lisa Haddock
William Dietrich
Sara Lukjanovs
Vacant
Woodwinds
Principal Flute
Rodney Gray
Associate Principal Flute
Jennine Garda
Flute/Piccolo
Alexa Ball
Principal Oboe
Claire Kobayakawa
Associate Principal Oboe
Giovanni Alonzi
English Horn
Helen Graham
Principal Clarinet
Carmen Gassi
Associate Principal Clarinet
Leonard Corsini
Bass Clarinet
Ken Fudurich
Principal Bassoon
Patrick Headley
Associate Principal Bassoon
Vacant
Contrabassoon
Tom Kelimbet
Brass and Percussion
Principal Horn
Vacant
Associate Principal Horn
Rebecca Whiteside
Horn
Darryl Dinniwell
Donald G. Bastian
Principal Trumpet
Vacant
Associate Principal Trumpet
Vacant
Trumpet
Brian Lo
Principal Trombone
Leon Racine
Associate Principal Trombone
Jonah Shapiro
Bass Trombone
Vacant
Principal Tuba
Christina Caccavella
Principal Timpani
Bruce Reid
Principal Percussion
Paul M. Mouradian
Principal Pianist
Antonia de Wolfe
Alexander Gangurean
Concertmaster
Emerging from a musical family, Alexander Gangurean graduated from the State University of Music in Moldova, where he was taught by the leading professors from acclaimed Odessa’s Stolyarski School and world-wide known Moscow State Conservatoire. Alexander joined the National Opera Theatre of Moldova where he worked for 7 years touring in Italy, Romania, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom and Ireland. During this period Alexander was also a guest musician of the National Symphony orchestra and the founder of quartet “Ad Libitum”, which performed nationally as well as in Italy and Cyprus. From early 2000 he joined one of the leading Touring Opera Companies in the UK where he worked until he moved to Toronto. Alexander is known as a member of many orchestras across GTA and is also an active violin teacher. In Toronto, he was a Concertmaster for productions of Puccini’s La Boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly; Verdi’s Il Trovattore, Aida, La Traviata, Nabucco; Bizet’s Carmen, Tchaikovski’s Eugene Onegin, Iolanta as well as in numerous symphonic programs.
Clare Pellerin
Principal Violin
Clare Pellerin began playing violin at age 5. She studied violin and composition at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore and at Colgate University in upstate New York, and earned an MA in Composition at York University in Toronto, where she was concertmaster of the York University Symphony. She is a current student of Mayumi Seiler (violin) and Chan Ka Nin (composition), and previously studied with Adele Armin, Laura Klugherz, Zechariah Goh Toh Chai, and Zhou Tian. Clare recently premiered her Psyche String Quartet with the Grenadier Quartet, of which she is a founding member. She performed the Canadian premiere of John Rutter’s Visions for solo violin and choir with Cantores Celestes in 2018, and opened for Romeo Scaccia at the Glenn Gould Studio with Saint-Saëns’ Rondo Capriccioso in 2015. She has recorded with Protest the Hero, with the choir of St. James Cathedral, and for film composer James Mark Stewart. Clare has played with many ensembles including the Seiler Strings, Symphonia London, the Eramosa Ensemble, the Society for New Music, the Emperor Quartet, and Volker Hartung’s Swing Band. She serves as concertmaster of Unitatis Strings, and is a regular recitalist at Belmont House and in the Guelph Connections concert series. Clare also holds an honours BA in political science from the University of Toronto and an MA in political studies from the University of Saskatchewan, and has training in ballet and flamenco.
Erin Merkley
Violin
Erin Merkley started studying the violin at the age of 4 with Jane Plewman, a Suzuki-trained violin teacher, with private and group lessons. She is currently taking private violin lessons with Corey Gemmell and has been studying with him since May of 2016. Erin has performed as a soloist and in ensembles such as annual holiday concerts and Durham community events. She was a finalist at the Pickering Rotary Music Festival and was featured in the Uxbridge Rising Stars Concert in 2016. Erin has played in the Symphonic Orchestra at National Music Camp since the summer of 2011 and has been Concertmaster and Assistant Concertmaster. In 2018, Erin was the soloist for the Senior Camp Solo Competition at the National Music Camp and she was the junior soloist with the Symphony on the Bay in Burlington. Erin also played in the Ontario Strings Association Youth Orchestra for two years and in the Thomastik-Infeld Canadian String Orchestra from 2018-2021.
Aileen Gemmel
Violin
Aileen Wang Gemmell started her violin studies at the age four. Aileen has performed in several recitals at the Royal Conservatory of Music as a member of Angel Wang’s violin studio. With a keen ear and a love for music she has pursued Royal Conservatory of Music examinations since the age of seven, completing her Grade 10 in the summer of 2021. Aileen has performed with the National Music Camp of Canada orchestra since she was 9 and has performed in string quartets and other chamber groups, each season. Aileen is presently a student at Unionville High School where she is a participant in the Arts Unionville program for violin under the direction of Larry Beckwith. An avid lover of all arts, Aileen is a gifted visual artist, working in water colours and digital art. Her other passions include love of birds, in particular her baby lovebird, Kiwi.
Faranak Honarvar
Violin
Faranak Honarvar is currently pursuing a Bachelors Degree in Music performance at York University, after completing the Royal Conservatory of Music program. She plays violin in the Summerhill Orchestra and participates in the Canadian Amateur Musicians reading sessions. Faranak started learning the violin when she was 12 y.o., first with Roksana Reyhanian in her home country Iran, then with Bijan Sepanji and Mark Skazinetsky in Toronto.
Christine Wang
Violin
Leonard Taranov-Isaacs
Violin
Leonard Taranov-Isaacs started studying the violin at the age of 15 with Alexander Gangurean and within 2 years was able to successfully complete 7 levels of the Royal Conservatory of Music violin performance program. and I currently 17 years old. In his spare time, Leonard learns competitive swimming and skating as well as Tae Kwan Do, in which he has won first place at the World Master Olympics.
Jarmin Weng
Violin
Selina Mei
Violin
Selina has been playing the violin since 2011.. She has completed the Royal Conservatory of Music ARCT examinations in violin performance, history and theory. Selina has won awards at the Kiwanis music festival and enjoys art, math tutoring and skiing.
Selena Zhang
Violin
Chelsea Wong
Violin
Chelsea started learning piano at the age of 6 and violin at the age of 8. As part of her high school’s symphony orchestra she performed in numerous concerts while winning many awards in various inter-school competitions. She has passed the Grade 10 violin examination at the Royal Conservatory of Music. Chelsea appreciates various athletic activities and is an experienced swimmer. She has won medals in inter-school swimming competitions and also enjoys track-and-field and badminton.
Saba Marzabadi
Violin
Saba has played the violin since age 7. She has received her certifications in ARCT violin and ARCT theory. She graduated from the Claude Watson strings program at Earl Haig School and currently studies kinesiology at York University. She has been a concertmaster of the Sarv strings orchestra for 5 years and is a member of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. She has been studying violin with Serghei Grosu and has won numerous awards including first place prizes at the Kiwanis Music Festival and at the Unionville Music competition.
Emma Vachon-Tweney
Principal Viola
Emma Vachon-Tweney has been performing as a professional violinist and violist for over 10 years. Based in Toronto, Emma regularly performs with her mariachi bands Mexico Amigo Mariachi and Mariachi de los Gallos. She has been featured in many tv shows, including City TV Breakfast Television. She also regularly performs with her string quartet, Alexander Ensemble and many different orchestras throughout the city. Emma has toured and performed with her mariachi bands in many countries including USA, Mexico and China. She has been featured in many world music festivals including Chinese New Year, Taiwanese and Iranian music festivals. She is featured on professional recordings and performed with Down with Webster, Arcade Fire and Arkells band. She resides in her hometown of Toronto, Canada.
Hee Yeon Kim
Principal Cello
Korean-born cellist Hee Yeon Kim completed her Honours Bachelor of Music Performance at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she studied with Paul Pulford. Ms Kim was awarded several prizes and awards, and has participated in many music festivals in Canada. Over the years, Ms. Kim has had master classes working with many distinguished artists including Colin Carr, Richard Aaron, and Philippe Muller. As a chamber musician, Ms. Kim has performed Piano Trio concert at KWCMS with her Trio, Karfour Trio. Ms. Kim graduated with an Artist Diploma Program from the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where she studies with David Hetherington.
Michelle Zhao
Cello
Michelle Zhao started learning the cello in 2015 and has completed Grade 10 cello examination at the Royal Conservatory of Music. She played in the Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival string orchestra through out high school and played in various strings chamber groups. Michelle also played the flute, double bass and electric bass for different bands, for which she has received a Conspicuous Musician Award in 2021. Outside of music, Michelle was a competitive figure skater for 6 years and is currently enrolled in the honours bachelor of science program at the University of Toronto.
Gretchen Lee
Cello
Gretchen Lee is an active, enthusiastic musician, performer, and teacher who is currently studying cello performance at the University of Toronto under the direction of Shauna Rolston. At a young age she started learning piano, cello, and training in ballet, and had achieved many successes in both her music and dance career since then. She has received awards such as the Top Female Triple Threat Award from Show Choir Canada (2015), Performer of the year award and the Bob and Lorna Richardson Music Scholarship from Unionville High school (2018), the Ontario Volunteer Service award from the government of Ontario, the drama coalition award from the University of Toronto and many more. Gretchen is now a cellist at the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra and CAST Philomusica Orchestra, a licensed Toronto Transit Commission performer, a song-writer, a singer and keyboardist on the Markham Chinese Baptist church worship team, a music teacher, and a cheerleader at the Varsity Blue football season Pom team.
David Gustilov
Principal Contrabass
David Gustilov earned his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Regina in Saskatchewan studying with Steven Mc Lelland. He then attended Indiana University to earn a Masters of Performance with Bruce Bransby, as well as an Artist Diploma from Cincinnati College Conservatory with Albert Laszlo. He attended many summer music camps including Congress of Strings, The Aspen Music Festival, Le Domaine Forget Academy, and Centre díArts Orford. David performed with the Regina Symphony Orchestra for ten years, as well as several seasons with Opera Saskatchewan. Upon moving to Toronto, David has performed as Principal Bass with Korean Canadian Symphony Orchestra, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, Masterworks of Oakville, and Opera Bel Canto of York. David and his wife enjoy their summers kayaking, swimming, hiking, and working on building projects.
Rodney Gray
Principal Flute
Rodney Gray has served as Principal Flute in the KSO since 2013. He received a Bachelor of Music and a Masters of Music degree in performance flute from the University of Western Ontario. He supplemented his learning at the Banff School of Fine Arts, and during several months studying in Paris France with Pierre-Yves Artaud. Rodney attributes his main learning experience to a two year period of study in the international master class of renowned British flutist Geoffrey Gilbert, former teacher of William Bennett, Trevor Wye, James Galway, and Susan Milan. Rodney has performed with Orchestra London, London Concert Players Orchestra, Vancouver Island Symphony, and Cambridge Symphony, and has appeared as a recitalist across Canada. Constantly in demand as a flutist, Rodney performs as the Principal Flutist with the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera orchestra, and is a regular member in the orchestras for the Brampton Musical Theatre, East West Orchestra, and other Toronto based performing groups. He is an avid supporter of physical fitness and enjoys running and cycling. Rodney is a frequent performer in the KSO pre-concert recitals and lectures. He plays an Altus model 1607 flute with a Yamaha head joint.
Jennine Garda
Associate Principal Flute
Jennine Garda graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a Bachelor of Music Therapy degree. She has performed with the Laurier Wind Orchestra, Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Orchestra, the Brock University Wind Ensemble, and the Niagara Youth Orchestra. In 2008, she had the opportunity to travel to Europe with the Niagara Youth Orchestra and placed third in the International Youth Music Festival in Vienna. In 2010 Jennine attended the International Flute Summer School in St. Andrew’s, Scotland where she was inspired by renowned flutists such as Peter Lloyd, Ian Clarke and Wissam Boustany.
Alexa Ball
Flute/Piccolo
Claire Kobayakawa
Principal Oboe
Giovanni Alonzi
Associate Principal Oboe
Giovanni Alonzi came to Canada from Italy over 45 years ago to live the American dream. With a mechanical engineering background, he opened his own tool and die company which is still running strong. His true passion outside his family business lies in wine and music – woodwind instruments in particular. At age of 25, he began clarinet lessons with a pupil of Benny Goodman. At age of 35, he began oboe lessons with Cynthia Steljes (Quartetto Gelato). Giovanni has played in various orchestras and bands, including the Brampton Symphony Orchestra, the Italian Philharmonic, Huronia Symphony Orchestra, and the Caledon Concert Band.
Helen Graham
English Horn / Oboe
Helen has appeared as a soloist with numerous Ontario ensembles, performing works by Bach, Marcello, Morricone, Mozart, Vaughan Williams and several local composers who have created works to feature her sound. She studied oboe performance with Richard Woodhams, long-time Principal Oboe with Philadelphia Orchestra and Professor of Oboe at the Curtis Institute of Music, and is grateful to have had excellent coaching from Sarah Jeffrey and Jonathan Crow in chamber music performance. Helen is also the principal oboe with the Rose Orchestra, and a member of Fanfarones wind dectet. In her spare time, Helen can be found watching baseball, writing poetry and tending her garden.
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.
Leonard Corsini
Associate Principal Clarinet
Leonard Corsini graduated from the University of Toronto with an Honors degree in Physics and Mathematics and a Bachelor of Education. Mr. Corsini has performed with the North York Concert Orchestra and the Oakville Symphony. For 20 years he was a member of the Taffanel Wind Ensemble which performed chamber music in a variety of venues including Roy Thomson Hall and the McMichael Gallery in Kleinberg. Musical theatre orchestras have included productions of Little Shop of Horrors, Seussical and the Gilbert and Sullivan repertoire. Mr. Corsini has also performed with the Northdale and the North York Concert Bands and is currently principle clarinetist with the Markham Concert Band.
Patrick Headley
Principal Bassoon
Born and raised in London Ontario, Patrick Headley is an award-winning bassoonist, music educator, and conductor. While earning his Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in Performance and Literature from the University Western Ontario, Patrick won his first professional audition at age 18 and has since been in high demand as a soloist, conductor, chamber musician, and orchestral bassoonist. An advocate of Canadian music, Mr. Headley was chosen to perform John Weinzweig’s Divertimento No. 3 for Bassoon and Orchestra as a part of his official centenary in 2013. He has served as conductor of the Quinte Symphony, as a performing coach and sectional conductor with La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra, as orchestra conductor at the Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival, and as apprentice conductor with Orchestra Toronto. He currently serves as conducting faculty at the international chamber music camp, Music at Port Milford. An accomplished music educator, Mr. Headley has taught at the University of Western Ontario, served as head of the performing arts at Rosseau Lake College, and currently teaches music at St. Mildred’s-Lightbourn School in Oakville. As a graduate student, Mr. Headley assisted James McKay with the development of the Légère synthetic double reed, upon which he performs exclusively. Patrick enjoys singing and has performed as tenor soloist in productions of Handel’s Messiah, and Mozart’s Requiem. Currently living in Prince Edward County Ontario, Patrick can be heard hosting several classical and light-jazz radio programmes on 99.3 County FM in Eastern Ontario.
Rebecca Whiteside
Associate Principal French Horn
Rebecca Whiteside has been playing the French Horn for over 25 years in various ensembles in Canada and the United Kingdom. At age 5, she was introduced to music through piano lessons that continued through to her successful completion of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Grade 9 piano and theory examinations. She began playing the French Horn at age 11 and a few years later, was accepted into the prestigious Ottawa Youth Orchestra. She performed with the OYO from 1989 to 1993 during which time she also studied with Dan Gress. Despite choosing to pursue a degree in Electrical Engineering at Queen’s University, Rebecca was thrilled to accept a part-time opportunity to perform professionally with the Kingston Symphony Orchestra from 1994 to 2003. She left the KSO in 2003 when her engineering career took her to England but it wasn’t long before she was performing with an amateur brass ensemble in Derby, the Nottingham Symphonic Winds and the Nottingham Philharmonic Orchestra. Since returning to Canada in 2005, Rebecca has also performed with the Brampton Symphony Orchestra and Brampton’s Rose Orchestra.
Darryl Dinniwell
French Horn
Darryl Dinniwell began studying Horn at the age of 14. Under the training of Harcus Hennigar, he has won such awards as the Ontario Grade 9 Brass Silver Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music and two time winner of the Top Senior Brass Instrumentalist from the Barrie Kiwanis Music Festival. Darryl played with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Huronia Symphony Orchestra, the Barrie Concert Band, and the University of Toronto Wind Orchestra. Aside from Horn, Darryl also plays piano and harpsichord.
Donald G. Bastian
French Horn
Donald G. Bastian is a book editor and the publisher of BPS Books, a division of Bastian Publishing Services Ltd. He is one of Canada’s most experienced non-fiction editors. From 1988 to 2002, he was managing editor of Stoddart Publishing. Before that he was managing editor of the trade division of Irwin Publishing. In high school and the first year of university, Donald Bastian studied French horn with Kaid Friedel of the St. Louis Symphony. Today he studies with Wendy Limbertie. He is director of the Wesley Chapel Sanctuary Choir in Scarborough, Ontario, sings occasionally with the Cathedral Singers of Ontario under Ian Sadler, including at Westminster Abbey; St. Paul’s, London; and Ely Cathedral, Cambridge. Donald Bastian earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at Greenville College and an M.A. in Philosophy from St. Louis University.
Brian Lo
Trumpet
Brian started learning piano at the age of 5 and trumpet at the age of 8. He was part of his school’s jazz band and performed in numerous concerts while winning many awards in various inter-school competitions. He has passed the Grade 8 piano examination at the Royal Conservatory of Music and is currently working toward Grade 10 level. During his university years, he continued to study trumpet and conducting privately while pursuing a degree in accounting. He is currently also a member of the Canadian Sinfonietta youth orchestra. Brian appreciates various athletic activities and has won two silver medals in track-and-field inter-school competitions. He also enjoys creative writing, film making, and swimming.
Leon Racine
Principal Trombone
Leon Racine graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music Education degree where he studied with Frank Harmantas and Claude Engli. In his performance years there he studied with Gordon Sweeney, and earlier at Humber College (jazz studies) with Ian McDougall. Leon has spent several decades in orchestra pits playing musicals and operas, in jazz clubs with various large and small ensembles, and with touring groups across the country.
Jonah Shapiro
Trombone
Jonah Shapiro has been learning trombone and euphonium since he was 10 y.o. and currently, at the Arts Mackenzie music program. He plays with the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra, the York Brass Band and the Richmond Hill Concert Band. In addition, he has passed grade 8 piano examinations at the Royal Conservatory of Music. In his spare time, he enjoys playing chess and table tennis, and learning chemistry and math.
Christine Caccavella
Principal Tuba
Playing the tuba for over 30 years, Ms. Christine Caccavella started her studies in high school with Jane Maness (Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony) and continued at the University of Western Ontario with Claudio Engli. She has performed with the Guelph Youth Orchestra, the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Orchestra, the Metropolitan Silver Band, and the North York Concert Orchestra. She also recorded for the children’s television series Ruffus the Dog, and has performed Tubby the Tuba with Sharon, Lois, and Bram.
Bruce Reid
Principal Timpani
Bruce Reid has performed for over 25 years with various community orchestras as timpanist and percussionist, such as East York Symphony Orchestra, Etobicoke Symphony Orchestra, Mississauga Symphony Orchestra, Brampton Symphony Orchestra, Brampton Lyric Opera, NYCO Symphony Orchestra, Brampton Festival Singers, and Counterpoint Community Orchestra.
Paul M. Mouradian
Principal Percussion
Paul M. Mouradian was born in St. Catharines Ontario and started playing drums since he was 7 years old. He holds a music performing degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo, Manhattan School of Music, and Artists Diploma from Freiburg Musikhochschule Freiburg Germany. He enjoyed playing music both as a free lance percussionist and timpanist in the U.S., Germany, France, and England. Mr. Mouradian’s musical interests are broad and include performing operatic and symphonic repertoire, Broadway musicals, contemporary music, chamber music, steel band, African Drumming, popular and jazz music. In his leisure time, he enjoys studying law and politics and spending time with his wife Suzanne, son Peter and daughter Joanne.
Antonia de Wolfe
Principal Pianist
Antonia de Wolfe has graduated with a degree in piano performance from the George Enescu Institute of Music in Bucharest, Romania and, later, with another degree from the Central School of Music affiliated with the P. I. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory in Moscow. She has also graduated from the Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, where she studied with Sergio Perticaroli, and has earned a Master in Music (piano performance) degree from the University of Toronto. In addition, Ms. de Wolfe has studied with Maestro S. Petricaroli at Mozarteum Hochschule für Musik in Salzburg (Austria). Ms. de Wolfe has given several recitals and concerts in some of the finest concert halls in Bucharest, Moscow, Rome, Paris, Salzburg, and Toronto. She has also taught piano at the Columbus Centre, Cosmo school of Music, and Koffler Music School. As a collaborative pianist and accompanist, she has been in great demand for several productions of the Centuries Opera Association, Toronto Opera Repertoire, Palestrina Choir, Etobicoke Centennial Choir, and others.
