Alicier Arts Chamber Music

		Phoebe Tsang (Managing Director, Co-Artistic Director, Violin) Violinist Phoebe Tsang is currently Principal 2nd of Sinfonia Toronto chamber orchestra. In recent seasons she has performed as a soloist with Sinfonia Toronto, the Toronto Philharmonia, the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, and as a chamber musician with Esprit Orchestra's Hot Wave Festival and I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble. In the 2007-08 season she looks forward to performing the world premiere of Canadian composer Scott Good's Anguished Grief for Violin and String Orchestra, with Sinfonia Toronto. The student and teaching assistant of the late Professor Lorand Fenyves, she developed her love of teaching under his mentorship. Phoebe holds a BSc in architecture and has also been published widely as a poet in Canada and abroad.

		Kimberley Schemeit (Co-Artistic Director, Flute) Flutist Kimberley Schemeit began her musical studies on the piano at age four and added the flute several years later. She began her performance career at age eighteen when she performed the Chaminade Flute Concerto with the Scarborough Philharmonic. A graduate from the University of Toronto with a Masters in Flute Performance, she is currently Co-Artistic director of Alicier Arts Chamber Music, a member of the Balintore Trio and an active freelance musician throughout southern Ontario. Kimberley studied with flutist Douglas Stewart in Toronto and with Cecilie Loken in Stockholm, Sweden. Kimberley has performed chamber and orchestral music with the Windsor Symphony, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the Niagara Symphony and I Furiosi Baroque Ensemble. A devoted music educator, Kimberley is currently the Instrumental Music Director at Kingsway College School.

		Liana Berube Liana Berube's love of the violin began at the age of six and has since taken her all over the world. Under the tutelage of David Zafer and Annalee Patipatanakoon, she won many awards and scholarships during her studies at the University of Toronto. Ms. Berube has performed in eight countries on three different continents in international music festivals and on tour. Ms. Berube's upcoming engagements include participation in the extremely prestigious 2006 Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland.

		Earl Brown Earl Brown, contrabassist, studied with Dr. Jeff Stokes at The University of Western Ontario. Following his undergraduate degree, he joined The National Academy Orchestra under Boris Brott, in Hamilton, Ontario. Upon completion of his term, Earl moved to Toronto to pursue Post-Graduate studies with Joel Quarrington at The Royal Conservatory of Music. Mr. Brown is also the Electric Bass/Synth player in the EBM/Coldwave outfit The Flipside Collective (theflipsidecollective.com), an experimental rock band that focuses on Beats and Beat development.

		Peter Cosbey (Core Ensemble Artist, Cello) Peter Cosbey, a graduate of the Royal Conservatory of Music's Glenn Gould School as a student of Bryan Epperson, began his cello studies in Regina with Cameron Lowe. Peter's chamber music with The Cosbey Trio and Quinsin Nachoff have been heard on CBC radio, and his work with the ARC has been heard on CBC and WCLV-FM radio. Peter's awards include the Dr. Howard Leyton-Brown bow award and the Director's Gold Medal from the Conservatory of Performing Arts in Regina.

		Stephanie Chua Stephanie Chua, a native of Vancouver, B.C., is a versatile and diverse pianist. Her performance highlights include a concerto appearance with the Banff Chamber Players conducted by Tom Rolston, collaborative performances at the Royal Ontario Museum and the Toronto Arts & Letter's Club, and a solo recital at the Music Gallery. A strong advocate of new music, she has performed in concerts presented by New Music Concerts, the Esprit Orchestra, and Soundstreams Canada. This spring, Stephanie completed her Master of Music from the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Marietta Orlov.

		Monica Fedrigo Monica Fedrigo is an active and diverse cellist ad composer on the Toronto music scene, performing jazz, classical and world musics. She is cellist, composer and arranger for jazz quintet Runcible Spoon (who released their second CD, Raincoat Lake, in 2005), and the improvising Mirobolus String Trio. She is also a member of Cuban ensemble Tipica Toronto. Monica's collaborations include recordings with the Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation, Barry Romberg, John Millard, Ron Davis’ "Shimmering Rhythm", and performances with "John Alcorn with Strings", Andrew Downing, Lina Allemano, Melissa Stylianou, Jesse Zubot and The Rheostatics.

		John Fraser Raised in St. Catharines, Ontario, John Fraser began trumpet studies at the age of seven. As a child he played with the Niagara, Toronto and National Youth Orchestras. A graduate of the famed Eastman School of Music, John studied with James Thompson and played in the prestigious Eastman Wind Ensemble directed by Dr. Donald Hundsberger. A member of the Rondeau Brass Quintet, he has also performed with Niagara, Windsor and Newfoundland Symphonies. In 2005 he was soloist in the Harold Farberman Concerto with the Niagara Symphony. John is currently Band Director at Runnymede Public School, Toronto.

		Bret Higgins Bassist and composer Bret Higgins is founding member of klezmer / acoustic fusion band, "Beyond the Pale", and founder / leader of the Mirobolus String Trio. Bret has received grants for composition and sound recording from the Ontario and Toronto Arts Council. He has collaborated with artists including Hilario Duran, Lee Pui-Ming, David Buchbinder, Sasha Luminsky, Martin Van de Ven and Brian Katz. Notable festival appearances by Bret include the DuMaurier, Beaches and Distillery Jazz Festivals, Suoni Per Il Popolo (Que.), Ottawa Folk Festival (Ont.), Edge Of The World Music Festival (B.C.), Idea City (City - TV) (Ont.), and Ontario Contact Showcase (Ontario Arts Council).

		Mariko Kamachi (Core Ensemble Artist, Piano) Pianist Mariko Kamachi began her piano studies at the age of five with Mitsuo Yoshimo in her home country of Japan, where she was a laureate of the Piano Teacher’s National Association competition (1990 & 1991). She recently graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Music’s Glen Gould School, studying under Leslie Kinton. In Canada, she has performed as a recitalist and chamber musician, most recently on the Regina Musical Club concert series. Ms. Kamachi’s other interests include child psychology, Taekwondo and pampering her cat Coco.

		Christopher Lee Christopher Lee is the Associate Principal Flute of the Toronto Philharmonia. He received his Licentiate from Trinity College of Music, London and is an Altus Flutes Artist. Chris has performed in Canada, the U.S.A and Europe, including recitals at the British Embassy Church in Madrid and a benefit for the Seville Opera House. In addition he has appeared on CBC TV and Radio and has recorded with the Royal Regiment of Canada, Les Six and in 2005 released a solo recording for flute, harp and violin.

		Allison Marcaccini (Core Ensemble Artist, Soprano) Soprano Allison Marcaccini studied voice at the University of Victoria. There she performed frequently in the chorus of Pacific Opera Victoria and went on to sing a number of roles with them. On her return to Ontario she began working with Drayton Theatre, performing everything from Gilbert & Sullivan to British farce to Broadway musicals. Allison is now enjoying her teaching at Bishop Strachan School and the Etobicoke Conservatory of Music.

		Cameron Ogilvie (Core Ensemble Artist, Viola) Not just a mild-mannered violist, Cameron Ogilvie also enjoys an active career as a recording engineer/producer as well as a photographer. He currently is an active freelance musician in the greater Toronto area and plays frequently as a member of the viola section in both the Hamilton Philharmonic and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony. He has performed as a member of orchestras and opera companies in the USA, Germany and Japan. Cameron is frequently called to lend his technical assistance for recording sessions for the Naxos Label, and current photographic work includes a large project for a violin shop called The Sound Post.

		Noritomo Sugiuchi Prize-winner in the Mainichi Competition and the School of Music's concerto competition at San Jose University, young pianist Noritomo Sugiuchi has been performing in Japan, the United States, and Canada since the age of nine. Noritomo's upcoming performances include recitals in L.A. as part of the Paxico Project: Performance Series. Mr. Sugiuchi is a recent graduate of the Glenn Gould School.

		Mark Whale Mark Whale studied the violin at the Royal Academy of Music, London U.K. and at the Musikhochschule in Freiburg, Germany. In England, he founded and directed a number of concert series including the Penrith Festival of Music, The Bach Millennium Concerts and "Music, People and Space". The concerts aimed to place the music in an historical and educational context, heightening the listener's appreciation. As a teacher in the UK school system, Mark founded a number of highly successful student ensembles that toured the U.K and commissioned new works. He recently moved to Toronto and is currently in the second year of a Ph.D. program in Music Education at the University of Toronto.

		Max Christie Max Christie is the principal clarinet of the National Ballet Orchestra and the Esprit Orchestra in Toronto, where he is also a member of the new music collective Continuum. He also performs frequently with New Music Concerts both as soloist and as an ensemble member. He has performed across North America and Europe, and has appeared as a soloist with the Toronto Symphony, the Kitchener Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic and the Esprit Orchestra. He instructs privately and at the Faculty of Music, Universty of Toronto.