| Toronto School of Music
Canada
Faculty Members
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| Colin Yip (President) |
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Colin Yip's operatic performances have
included the leading roles in Eugene Onegin, Madame Butterfly, Carmen
and Richard Strauss's Ariadne Auf Naxos as well as many concert of
operatic repertoire with the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra of Canada
and, 1992, toured Malaysia and Singapore with the Penang Philharmonic
Orchestra of Malaysia. He also performed in a concert of operatic
music with the Royal Conservatory of Music Orchestra in 1990 and has
appeared in recitals and on television in New York, Canada, China,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and throughout Southeast Asia.
Mr. Yip learned singing with Chang ju-Chiun in his
native Hong Kong. He later studied in China at Beijing's Central
Conservatory of Music as a scholarship student under Professors Gue Su-Zan
and Li Xin-Chang. He received coaching from the renowned German
Lieder specialist professor Hugen. After a successful recital
debut in Hong Kong City Hall with Soprano Mary Liu, Mr. Yip was accepted
into the Artist Diploma Program at the Royal Conservatory of Music where
he later became a member of the faculty. In 1989, he won first
prize in the National Teachers of Singing Competition in Toronto,
Canada.
Mr. Yip studied voice with Maitland Peters and Gabor
Carelli while in New York City and graduated with Master of Music degree
from the Manhattan School of Music, New York in the Spring of
1995. He was a 1995 winner of the Artist International Competition
and presented in New York recital debut at the Carnegie Recital
Hall. He appeared as Goro in the production of Madame Butterfly by
the Arizona Opera. Colin is currently admitted in the
International who's who of Intellectuals 1997.
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| Mary Liu (Dean) |
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"A sensational, soaring voice",
soprano Mary Liu's operatic performances have included the leading role
of Cio-Cio-San in Madame Butterfly, Mimi in La Boheme, LIu in Turandot,
the Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro and the title roles in Tosca and La
Traviata. She was featured in concerts of the operatic repertoire
with the Manhattan Opera, New Jersey State Opera, Queens Opera, and the
Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra of Canada. She has also appeared
in recitals and on television in New York, Canada, Italy, China,
Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and throughout Southeast Asia.
Mary was a scholarship student at the Beijing Central Conservatory of
Music with Professor Guo Su-Zong and Maestro Nicolai Rosi Remenyi.
After graduation, we was accepted into the Artist Diploma Program at the
Royal Conservatory of Music Canada where she became a faculty member in
1990. In 1993, Mary studied under Professors Gabor Carelli and Ted
Pufer at the Manhattan School of Music with a scholarship until May 1995
when she received her masters degree in music. In 1995, Mary also
because the first prize winner in the Artist International Competition
in New York and subsequently gave a recital at the Carnegie Recital
Hall. Recent engagements include a concert tour of Italy in the summer
of 1999, acting as adjudicator at the International Bellini Competition
in Italy in December 1999, a concert tour in Italy in 2000, a concert at
the Chopin Recital Hall in Paris, and a concert tour of the Cities of
Beijing, Shanghai, and Harbin in China in 2000. |
| William Shookhoff (Artistic Director) |
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Mr. Shookhoff is currently the artistic
director of Opera York and a co-founder of Tryptych Productions.
He was associate conductor with the Phantom of Opera in Toronto
and has held similar positions with Phantom on Tour and with Les
Miserables both on tour and with the original Toronto production.
Mr. Shookhoff has appeared at Halifax's Neptune Theatre, conducting Les
Miserables and Charlotte's Web. He has also conducted opera
throughout North America and in the Netherlands, and was music director
of the Victoria International Festival for three summers. Mr.
Shookhoff has composed for the theatre, and received a Sterling Award
nomination for his score for Frank Moher's Sliding for Home. His
recording, "The Monster Concert", featuring 42 pianists and
recorded live from Carnegie Hall, is available throught he Musical
Heritage Society. Mr. Shookhoff is presently the artistic director
of the Opera Centre at the Toronto School of Music Canada |
| Oszkar Morzsa (Music Coach) |
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Born in Budapest, Hungary, Oszkar studied
under Gyorgy Nador and Ferenc Rados and graduated from the Franz Liszt
Academy of Music in Budapest in 1991. After graduation from the
Academy, Oszkar left for the United States and studied with the renowned
pianist, Tamas Ungar at the Texas Christian University in Fort Worth,
Texas. Oszkar has entered and won numerous awards in international
competitions; first prize in the Hemphil-Wells Sorantin Competition (San
Angelo, Texas), first prize in the Texas Christian University Concerto
Competition (Fort Worth, Texas), and first prize in the Nena Plant
Wideman Piano Competition (Shreveport). |
|
Adolfo De
Santis
(Music &
Diction Coach, Piano)
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Adolfo De Santis is Canadian born and has
studied music in Italy. He has studied and graduated with
distinction in Pianoforte, composition and orchestral conducting.
Adolfo has studied with the Italian Masters in Pianoforte, Camber Music
& Composition, receiving additional top merits. Adolfo has
taught music both privately & publicly at the Conservatory of Music
in Pescara, Italy and acted as Conservatory Examiner. Mr. De
Santis has played in many concerts and collaborated as pianist in
numerous accompaniment groups, including opera singers and choirs, both
in Italy and Canada. |
| Rachad FeizouLLaev (Piano) |
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Mr. FeizouLLaev was born in Baku,
Azerbaijan, USSR and began his musical education at the age of
seven. In 1990, he entered the Azerbaijan State Academy of
Music. He was the First Prize winner in the 1988 National Piano
Competition in the USSR and gave a series of solo recitals across the
country. After graduation in 1995, Rachad cam to Canada and
continued piano training for one year with Francine Kay at the Ancient
Comic Opera Company. In 1998 he toured the East coast of Canada as
a member of the Toronto Metropolitan Trio. |
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Kenneth
Merrill
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Vocal Coach & Pianist)
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Music Director of the Juilliard Opera
Theater. Faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music and
Eastman School of Music. Head Coach of the Aspen Music
Festival. Master degree in Music, Juilliard School of Music. |
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Gabor Carelli
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Voice)
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Leading Tenor with the Metropolitan Opera,
New York. Faculty member of the Manhattan School of Music since
1964. LLD University of Budapest Liszt Academy, Hungary. |
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Dixie Ross
Neill
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Vocal Coach)
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Musical staff of the Metropolitan Opera
Company, New York. Director of Musical studies for the Canadian
Opera Company Ensemble. Director of Opera Studies for the Faculty
of Music, McGill University. |
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William
Neill
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Voice)
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Performed with San Francisco Opera, New
York City Opera & Canadian Opera Company. Faculty member of
the University of Toronto. Faculty membe of McGill University,
Montreal. |
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Jean
Macphail
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Voice)
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President of the Ontario Chapter of
National Association of Teachers of Singing. Faculty member of the
University of Toronto. Adjudicator of Broadcasts on CBC, RIAS,
BBC. |
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Atis Bankas
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Violin)
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Director of the Algonquin International
Music Institute, Ontario. Member of the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra. Faculty member of the University of Toronto & Royal
Conservatory of Music. |
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Hao-Jiang Tian
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Voice)
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Famous Chinese Bass-baritone performed with
the Metropolitan Opera. master degree in Voice performance, Denver
University. Bachelor of Music, Central Conservatory of Music,
Beijing, China. |
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Eugene Kash
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Voilin)
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Conductor of the Ottawa Symphony
Orchestra. Faculty member of the Royal Conservatory of
Music. Violinist of CBC & BBC Radio Solo Performances. Series
Concert guest Conductor with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. |
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Hong-yu
Chen
(Artist for
Masterclasses, Voice)
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Member of the Voice Faculty of New York
University . Masters of Music, Queens College, New
York. Teaching Certificate from the Central Conservatory of Music,
Beijing, China. |
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David Warrack
(Director of
Musical Theater, Composition & Jazz Music Department Chair)
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Well-known Jazz & Broadway Composer,
Music Director, Conductor, pianist & Lyricist. Translated
Offenbach's La Belle Helene for the Canadian Opera Company, 1983.
Bachelor from Calgary University, Canada. |
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Michele Strano
(Director of
Opera Centre, Voice)
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Artistic Director of the Ceuturies Opera
Association. Artistic Director of the Co-Opera Company,
Canada. Artistic Director of the Cosmopolitan Opera
Association. Canadian Opera Company 1973-1979 |
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Andras
Weber
(Strings
Department Chair, Cello)
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Artist Teacher Diploma from the Liszt
Academy, Budapest, Hungary. Diploma of the Batok Conservatory, Budapest,
Hungary. Member of AFM and ASTA. Faculty Member of the Royal
Conservatory since 1988. |
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Reginald
Miller
(Piano
Department Chair, Piano)
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Instructor at the Faculty of Music,
University of Toronto, Adjudicator for the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association.
Master of Music in Performance, University of Toronto. Bachelor of
Music in Performance, University of Toronto. |
| Vera Kaushansky (Vioice Department Chair) |
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Russian Coach/Instructor of the Canadian
Opera Company. Singing Instructor of the Royal Conservatory of
Music. Russian Coach/Instructor of "Opera in Concert",
Toronto. Master of Arts, Leningrad Conservatory, Russia. |
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Sheng-Mao
Hong
(Chinese Music
Department Chair)
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Adjudicator for the Kiwanis Music
Competition, Toronto. Admitted in the Culture and Artistic Celebrities
of Modern China since 1994. Award of Technological Achievement by
the Culture Ministry of China. Professor at the Shanghai
Conservatory of Music, China. |
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Mrs Fenny
Lau
(Church Music
Department Chair, Piano)
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Candidate for Master of Theological Study,
Ontario Theological Seminary. Bachelor of Music Education and
Piano, University of Toronto. Choral and instrumental conductor of
the Richmond Hill (Chinese) Baptist Church. |
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Gordon
Brown
(Theory
Department Chair, Piano)
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Piano tutor Vocal coach & accompanist
to the Alexandar Singers and Bel Canto Studio. Faculty member of the
London School of Dance. Accompanist of the Russian Academy of
Classical Ballet. Bachelor of Music in Performance, University of
Toronto. |
| Sebatino Vacca (Opera Coach, Piano) |
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Opera coach & Conductor in the Opera
Division, University of Toronto. Concert Director for the International
Opera Workshop, Czech Republic. Bachelor of Music, McMaster University,
Ontario. |
| Bo-Zhi Alec Hou (Violin) |
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Faculty member of the Royal Conservatory of
Music. concertmaster of the Shanghai Ballet Orchestra.
Bachelor of Music, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, China. |
| Anna Shafajinskaia (Voice) |
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Winner in the 5th Pavarotti International
Voice Completion, 1995. Soloist with the theatre of Modern Opera,
Moscow. |
| George Charalambous (Drama) |
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Theatre/Musical educator and
performer. Workshops at the Ryerson Theatre School, Humber
College, H. Bachelor Degree, University of Toronto. |
| Ms. Alice Fong (Zheng) |
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Well-known performer of Zheng.
Founder of the Hsin-Ya Chinese Music Society in Ottawa &
Toronto |
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More members will be posted soon... |
