Artist bios

Yehonatan Berick, violin

Prizewinner at the 1993 Naumburg competition and a recipient of the 1996-97 Prix Opus, Yehonatan Berick is in high demand internationally as soloist, recitalist, chamber musician, and pedagogue. Performances as soloist include Quebec, Winnipeg, Windsor, Ann Arbor, Jerusalem and Haifa Symphonies, and the Israeli, Cincinnati, Montreal and Manitoba Chamber Orchestras, Thirteen Strings and Ensemble Appassionata. Recital offering include the complete Paganini Caprices, and the complete Solo Sonatas and Partitas by Bach. He has collaborated with many world renowned artists. Festival and chamber series include Marlboro, Ravinia, Seattle, Ottawa, Great Lakes, and Music@Menlo. He tours extensively worldwide, and is featured in the world's most important venues, including Carnegie Hall and Wigmore Hall. On CD, Berick has recorded for the Acoma, Albany, Centaur, Equilibrium, XXI-21, Gasparo, Summit, and Helicon labels. On video, he can be seen on a BluRay dvd Paganini: 24 Caprices. His recordings have won rave reviews in the press. Equally sought after as violin teacher and chamber music mentor, Berick serves as Professor of Violin at the University of Ottawa. He has been invited as teacher and artist-in-residence at many festivals, and is featured in masterclasses worldwide. His students hold leading positions in major orchestras, ensembles, and music schools worldwide. Yehonatan Berick is currently plays a 1761 violin by Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi, generously on loan from the University of Ottawa, as well as violin by Honoré Derazey Père from 1852, and a viola by Stanley Kiernoziak from 2003.
www.yehonatanberick.com

ROMAN BORYS, CELLO

Over the course of two decades, cellist and producer Roman Borys has distinguished himself as one of Canada’s leading artistic voices. As a founding member of the two-time Juno Award-winning Gryphon Trio, he has released 17 acclaimed records on the Analekta and Naxos labels, toured internationally since 1993, and broken new artistic ground through cross genre collaborations and multimedia performances. In 2013, the Gryphon Trio was awarded the Canada Council for the Arts’ Walter Carsen Award for Achievement in the Arts. As the Executive and Artistic Director of the Ottawa Chamber Music Society, Roman oversees all aspects of programming its summer Chamberfest, one of the largest festivals of its kind in the world, and its fall-winter concert series. Deeply committed to classical music outreach and audience development, Roman has conceived, developed and produced the Gryphon Trio’s flagship educational program Listen Up! in communities across Canada since 2010. Roman lives and works in Toronto and has an Honorary Doctorate from Carleton University.
www.gryphontrio.com

Caitlin Boyle, viola

Caitlin Boyle is originally from Dundas, Ontario. She began playing the viola at age three at the Hamilton Suzuki School of Music. Subsquently she completed her Bachelor of Music at the Glenn Gould School, with Steve Dann; an Artist Diploma at the Hochschule fur Musik Muenchen, with Hariolf Schlichtig; a Masters of Music at San Diego State University, with Brian Chen; and a Graduate Diploma at McGill under the guidance of Andre Roy. She has played with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and the Munich Symphony Orchestra. Her passion for chamber music was fostered at the Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute and the Domaine Forget Chamber Music Sessions and continued to grow through the support of such artists as Richard Lester, Terrence Helmer and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. She has been a member of the Cecilia String Quartet since spring 2006. She is currently going into her second year of the Doctor of Musical Arts Program at the University of Toronto, where she is working with Kathy Rapoport. She plays on a viola made in 2002 by Joseph Curtin. In her spare time she enjoys running, tennis and theatre.
www.ceciliastringquartet.com

JEANIE CHUNG, PIANO

Pianist Jeanie Chung enjoys an active and varied performing career. She has given solo recitals, concerto performances and chamber music concerts throughout North America, Central America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Recent and long term collaborations include projects with Barry Shiffman, Andres Diaz, Colin Carr, Rachel Mercer, Ian Swensen, Yehonatan Berick; Robert Langevin, Susan Hoeppner, Frank Morelli, Shalom Bard, YaoGuang Zhai; William Vermeulen, Michael Sachs; Alexander Dobson; Laurence Lemieux, Margie Gillis, and Ted Robinson. Following her studies at The Glenn Gould School and The Taylor Academy for Young Artists at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, she attended the Juilliard School where she obtained Bachelor of Music, Masters of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. Her principal teachers have been Boris Lysenko, Leon Fleisher, John Perry, and Herbert Stessin. Ms. Chung was the recipient of the Career Development Award from the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto and numerous grants from the Canada Council and Chalmers Fund. She is a faculty member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Taylor Academy for Young Artists and at the Banff Centre.

Rachel Desoer, cello

Rachel is a cellist from Hamilton, Ontario. She graduated from Oberlin Conservatory in 2008 with a Bachelor of Music degree. Rachel also attended the Juilliard School, McGill University and rounded out her education at the Banff Centre. Most passionate about chamber music, she has had the opportunity to study with some of the greatest chamber musicians of our time (St. Lawrence, Orford, Vermeer, Borromeo, Brentano, Colorado and Takacs string quartets). Rachel has performed in a wide variety of ensembles and musical styles. As a soloist, she has performed with the Oberlin Orchestra and the National Academy Orchestra. As an orchestral musician she participated in the Institute of Orchestral Studies of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Rachel has collaborated with dancers, composers, jazz musicians, vocalists and filmakers as well as performing many solo recitals. She has had the good fortune to tour Europe and China and compete in the 5th Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition. She is now the cellist of the Cecilia String Quartet. This ensemble is currently in residence at the University of Toronto, they also tour widely and record on the Analekta label. Rachel plays on the 1929 Carlo Giuseppe Oddone cello, on loan by the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank.
www.ceciliastringquartet.com

Ensemble Made In Canada

Ensemble Made In Canada is rapidly gaining recognition as Canada's premier piano quartet. Awarded the 2006 CBC Galaxie Stars Award from the Banff Centre for the Arts, EMIC was featured in 2008 Chatelaine Magazine's 80th anniversary issue as “Women to Watch” and an ensemble that is leading the next generation of classical musicians. The members of the group have been forging outstanding individual careers and bring together a wealth of experience having already appeared at prestigious festivals such as Marlboro, Ravinia, Orford, Verbier, Prussia Cove, Pablo Casals and Evian. EMIC has performed for Winnipeg Virtuosi, Montreal Pro Musica, SUNY New Paltz, Stratford Music Festival, Ottawa Chamberfest, Parry Sound Festival of the Sound, Jeffery Chamber Music Series, Lindsay Concert Productions, Almonte in Concert, Women's Musical Club of Toronto, Kawartha Concerts, including multiple work cycles for the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Soceity. EMIC has provided master classes, chamber music coachings, and lectures at universities across Canada and in the United States and have also participated in outreach programs for public schools in Ontario. The group is grateful for support from FACTOR, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Ontario Arts Council. EMIC has been Ensemble-in-Residence at Western University since 2014.
www.ensemblemadeincanada.com

Csaba Koczó, violin

Hungarian-born violinist Csaba Koczó began his studies in Yugoslavia and then continued in Hungary at the Richter Conservatory in Gyor and the Béla Bartók Conservatory in Budapest. After attaining his bachelor’s degree with distinction at the College of the Franz Liszt Academy of Music, he continued his studies in Toronto with Lorand Fenyves and Erika Raum at the Glenn Gould School and the University of Toronto, where he was the recipient of the H. Carter scholarship. Mr. Koczó enjoys a prolific career as a chamber musician and soloist both in Canada and abroad. He has shared the stage with such illustrious musicians as Mayumi Seiler, Steven Isserlis, Scott St.John, Douglas McNabney, Yehonatan Berick and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. As a soloist, he has been featured with the Sandor Frigyes Chamber Orchestra and has also had the opportunity to perform the Beethoven Violin concerto and Vivaldi's Four Seasons. As a founding member of the Banff Competition prizewinning and Dora award nominated Tokai String Quartet, Mr. Koczó has toured across Canada and the US and some of his performances have been broadcast on the CBC and the Hungarian National Radio. He has performed at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, and the Toronto Summer Music Festival where he has worked with Ian Swensen and the Leipzig String Quartet. Mr. Koczó has taught at the Universities of Stanford, Toronto, Kingston, Halifax and Acadia in Wolfville NS, and spends every summer as a faculty member of Music at Port Milford in Picton, ON. In addition, Mr. Koczó was one of the founding members of the Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, and is currently Assistant Principal Second Violin of the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, and holds a position with the Canadian National Ballet Orchestra where he has been Acting Concertmaster.
www.tokaiquartet.com

JETHRO MARKS, VIOLA

Vancouver-born violist Jethro Marks was appointed Principal viola of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Spring 2011. He has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, China, Mexico, Europe, and Canada, and is a frequent collaborator with many artists and ensembles. Jethro was first violist of the Zukerman Chamber Players, a string ensemble led by Pinchas Zukerman that has completed highly acclaimed tours of festivals in Canada, the U.S., Europe, China, South America and New Zealand. The ensemble released its fourth CD in 2008. An avid chamber musician, has collaborated with Leon Fleisher, Lynn Harrell, Gary Hoffman, Jaime Laredo, Michael Tree, Itzhak Perlman, Yefim Bronfman, Emanual Ax, and the Orion Quartet, and has participated in festivals including Verbier, Santa Fe, Lanaudière, Agassiz, Ravinia, Aspen, Tanglewood, Mostly Mozart, as well as the 92nd St. Y, Jupiter and Lyric Chamber Music Societies in New York City. His solo debut with the NACO was in 2004 playing Harold in Italy and in 2007 he premiered the Steven Gellman Viola Concerto with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. In 2014 he performed the Malcolm Forsyth concerto with cellist Amanda Forsyth. He is a frequent collaborator with Ottawa pianist Mauro Bertoli, and play numorous recitals throughout Canada. He joined the faculty of the University of Ottawa in September 2015.

photo by Fred Cattroll

Rachel Mercer, cello

Described as a "pure chamber musician" (Globe and Mail) creating "moments of pure magic" (Toronto Star), Canadian cellist Rachel Mercer has demonstrated her love for sharing music through performance since she was three years old. Grand prize winner of the 2001 Vriendenkrans Competition in Amsterdam, Rachel made her European debut in the Concertgebouw and has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician on five continents. Rachel is cellist of Ensemble Made In Canada, the Mercer-Park Duo, the Seiler Trio, and is Artistic Director of the "5 at the First" Chamber Music Series in Hamilton. Rachel has given masterclasses at schools, conservatories and universities across North America, South Africa and in Israel and can be heard on the Naxos, Dalia Classics and EnT-T record labels. Her second solo cd of the complete Bach Suites was released on Pipistrelle in March 2014. She joined the National Arts Centre Orchestra as Associate Principal Cello in January 2016 winning the Principal chair in 2017. Rachel is grateful to play the 1730 Newland Celoniatus Cello from the Canada Council for the Arts Musical Instrument Bank until August 2018.

photo by David Leyes

www.rachelmercercellist.com

leslie newman, flute

“To play as powerfully, as sensitively and as flawlessly as flutist Leslie Newman did…is to write the book on stamina and musical excellence. Bottom line: one of the highlights of the season.” This is how critics have described Leslie who, since her Toronto Symphony Orchestra debut at the age of eighteen, performing Carl Nielsen’s formidable Flute Concerto, has developed a loyal audience with her lyricism, technical command and musical integrity. Leslie’s performances have been broadcast by radio and television stations in Europe and North America. Her debut CD, Beyond the Iron Curtain, released by CALA/United, was described by Gramophone Magazine as an “…immensely worthwhile contribution to the catalogue.” Her second solo CD, Opera Fantaisie, was described as “…faultless, perhaps even definitive readings of repertoire from the ‘golden age of the flute’” (Wholenote Magazine). Solo recitals have taken her from the world-famous Wigmore Hall to Taipei’s National Concert Hall, the National Museum in Bogotá, Colombia and Washington’s Phillip’s Collection. Concerto highlights include with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, where she has held the position of principal flute since 2008. Leslie teaches at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Music and Hamilton’s Mohawk College.
www.leslienewman.ca

Angela Park, piano

Pianist Angela Park has established herself as one of Canada’s most sought-after pianists. Praised for her “stunningly beautiful pianism” (Grace Welsh Prize, Chicago), “beautiful tone and sensitivity” (American Record Guide), and for performing “with such brilliant clarity it took your breath away” (Chapala, Mexico), Angela’s versatility as both soloist and chamber musician has led to continued success in performances across Canada, as well as in the United States, Europe, Japan and Mexico. Angela has performed for such noted series as Montreal’s Pro Musica, Ottawa Chamberfest, Parry Sound’s Festival of the Sound, Winnipeg Virtuosi, Debut Atlantic and Prairie Debut Tours, CBC Onstage, Orchestra London Canada, Sinfonia Toronto, Stratford Symphony, and the Northern Lights Music Festival in Mexico. Angela has recorded with oboist Linda Strommen, cellist Rachel Mercer, and with Ensemble Made In Canada, in addition to recording various projects for the Enharmonic label in Bloomington, Indiana. Angela has won numerous awards and prizes in major competitions both at home and abroad, including the International Grace Welsh Prize for Piano in Chicago, World Piano Competition in Cincinnati, Canadian National Music Festival, Honens International Piano Competition, and the Maria Canals International Piano Competition in Barcelona. She earned her MMus at the University of Toronto, and her DMA in Piano Performance from the Université de Montréal. From 2011-2014, Angela was Visiting Assistant Professor of Collaborative Piano-Woodwinds at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. She has given masterclasses and educational outreach sessions for universities and communities across Canada, as well as at SUNY New Paltz, Stanford, and Indiana University in the United States. Angela currently resides in Toronto, Canada.
www.angelapark.com

Theresa Rudolph, viola

Award-winning violist Theresa Rudolph is an active chamber musician, recitalist, and orchestral player. She has held the position of Assistant Principal Viola in the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 2011, and is a member of the XIA Quartet . Theresa has performed on concert series in Toronto, Vancouver, Detroit, Ottawa, and throughout Eastern Canada, and has been featured several times on CBC Radio. In addition, she holds the position of Viola Coach of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, and has served on the faculty of York University. Hailing from Vancouver, Theresa was a student of Gerald Stanick. A recipient of a scholarship grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, she then obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music, studying with Robert Vernon. As a member of the Brutini String Quartet, she attended the Isaac Stern Chamber Music Workshop in New York, performed in Carnegie Hall, and was a prizewinner at the prestigious Fischoff Competition. In March 2001, Theresa became the youngest member of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra at the age of 21. She also held the position of Assistant Principal Viola of the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra, and was a member of the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, where she frequently performed as Principal Viola. Theresa has also performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Cleveland Orchestra.