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The Valhalla Summer School of Music2004 FacultyPeter Butterfield, Voice Fiona Carnie, Violn Sandra Fletcher, Piano Tammy Francis, Piano, CMP Judith Fraser, Cello Wendy Herbison, Violin, Orchestra Heather Huether, Cello, VSSM Managing Director John Kadz, Cello, VSSM Artistic Director Anne MacDonald, Piano Sheldon Nadler, Violin, Adult Novice Jeffrey Plotnick, Violin, Orchestra Theresa Plotnick, Violin, Viola Arne Sahlén, Piano Ken Stromberg, Violin Dr. Jamie Syer, Piano, Orchestra, VSSM Artistic Advisor: Piano Laurie Syer, Violin, Viola Aleksandra van der Sloot, Violin William van der Sloot, Violin, Orchestra, VSSM Artistic Advisor: Strings Artistic Support Staff
Faculty Peter Butterfield, Choir, Voice 
Canadian tenor and conductor, Peter Butterfield, grew up in Victoria, studied at McGill University, Montreal, moved to Europe In 1987 and continued his vocal studies in Manchester (Royal Northern College of Music), Modena, Italy (with Arrigo Pola), and in London, England with Diane Forlano. Praised for his musical versatility, Peter has performed throughout Europe, the Far East and North America, with works by baroque and classical composers forming the core of his repertoire. He has worked with many eminent conductors including John Eliot Gardlner, Christopher Hogwood, Nicholas McGegan, Steuart Bedford, Jane Glover and Jeanne Lamon. He has performed as soloist with the principle choral groups In London: The Bach Choir, The Philharmonia Chorus, The Monteverdi Choir. He has been featured on radio and television in Canada, the USA, the UK, in France, Italy, Belgium and Germany. In Canada, Peter has peuformed with the Toronto, Montreal, Nova Scotia, Kingston, Edmonton, Vancouver and Victoria Symphony Orchestras, and with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Tafelmusik and Le Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montreal. In the USA he has performed in Boston, Washington, New York City, Atlanta, San Francisco, Seattle, Cleveland and Denver. Peter is tenor soloist in three Haydn Masses recorded by Philips Classics, conducted by Gardiner. The disc was voted ‘recording of the month’ in January 2003 by ‘Gramophone Magazine’. The recording followed a tour to the Concertgebouw In Amsterdam, the Palais des Beaux Arts in Brussels, the Barbican in London, the Musikverein in Vienna and the Grosses Festspielhaus in Salzburg. Other CD recordings as a soloist include the Monyeverdi ~ and the Sixth Book of Madrigals (Nuova Era) with Italian groups, a Christmas disc (Virgin) and works by Purcell (Decca) with Winchester Cathedral Choir, conducted by David Hill. Peter moved to Vancouver In August 2001 and was the ‘Artistic Director and Conductor’ of the Vancouver Cantata Singers for the 2001/2002 season. He was appointed Director of Music’ at St. John’s School (September 2001), and ‘Director of Music’ at St. Helen’s Church, West Point Grey (January 2002). [top] Fiona Carnie, Violin 
Fiona Carnie teaches violin and chamber music at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta. where she is also the String Coordinator and the director of the Early Childhood Strings Program. Fiona has a B. Mus. degree from the University of Calgary and M. Mus. degree froom Yale University. She has played professionally with orchestras across Canada and many of her students are now professional violinists. In 1996 Fiona became a member of the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and now examines and adjudicates Music Festivals across the country. She has also been a guest clinician for string programs in Canada and the USA. [top] Sandra Fletcher, Piano 
Sandra began piano study at the age of 8 in Creston. While at college in Regina, Saskatchewan, she studied piano and composition with Canadian composer David Mcintyre, and she studied pipe organ with Veriene Bearg. Sandra is an Associate Piano Teacher of the Royal Conservatory of Music, and has had over 24 years experience teaching piano in both Canada and Thailand. Sandra currently teaches at the Vernon Community Music School, and is the organist at Westbank United Church. In addition to her busy teaching schedule, Sandra is a regular accompanist for students and professional musicians, and plays the keyboard with the Kelowna jazz quartet, Jazzmin. [top] Tammy Francis, Piano, Children's Music Program 
Tammy Francis teaches both piano students and the Music For Young Children ® program. As a youth she studied both piano and voice. Upon graduating from high school, she received a scholarship for a sacred music program, and consequently graduated from that program earning her Bachelor of Theology Degree with a Major in Sacred Music. This led to ajob as a music director in a large church in Victoria for two years, working with choirs from children to seniors, and instrumentalists. Upon returning to the West Kootenay Region, Tammy continued her piano studies with Helen Dahlstrom, wherein she obtained both her Teacher’s A.R.C.T. with the Royal Conservatory of Music, and her Performer’s A.R.C.T. Upon completing her Teacher’s Diploma, she became a B.C. Registered Music Teacher and was subsequently awarded the BCRMTA award for obtaining the highest mark in her Teacher’s Diploma for B.C. that year. Further studies have included taking the teacher’s summer pedagogy course at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, with Winnifred Scott Wood, as well as many other workshops and masterclasses. While studying piano with Helen Dahlstrom, she was also chosen to represent the West Kootenays in the senior piano category at the B.C. Festival of Arts. Tammy presently resides in Castlegar, B.C. where she has a busy teaching schedule. She has been teaching the Music For Young Children program for 11 years, and has had many students place in their international composition writing contest. Also she has been teaching private piano students for 13 years, and has been actively involved in her local Registered Music Teachers’ Branch. [top] Judith Fraser, Cello 
Alberta born cellist Judith Fraser received her musical training with Mary Shorn, Audrey Piggott and at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. Returning to Vancouver, she became a member of the Vancouver Symphony and the CBC Radio Orchestra. A founding member and manager for ten years of the Baroque Strings of Vancouver, Ms. Fraser is treasurer and delegate to the American Cello Council with the Vancouver Cello Club now in its 30th year. She played with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and was orchestra manager for twelve years. As a participant in the Banff Summer Residency programs, Ms. Fraser worked extensively with Aldo Parisot on pedagogy, and has given workshops for the Australian String Teachers Association in Brisbane and Hobart. Together with John Kadz from Mount Royal College in Calgary, Judith has organized four "Cellofests" at the Banff Centre with International Mastercellists. She is Editor of the Vancouver Cello Club newsletter, is on the Board of Directors of the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestras, teaches and coaches in Nanaimo on Vancouver Island, runs Adult Cello Ensemble Evenings and is currently on the Faculty of the Vancouver Academy of Music and the S.K.Lee College. [top] Wendy Herbison, Violin, Orchestra 
Wendy Herbison, a graduate of U.B.C., was a prominent member of Vancouver's music profession for over twenty years, playing with the Vancouver Symphony, the CBC Radio Orchestra and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. She was also a founding member of the Baroque Strings under Norman Nelson.
Following courses in Suzuki, Kodaly and Orff pedagogy, and after attaining the Professional Teaching Certificate from UBC she devoted more time to teaching, primarily at the Langley Community Music School where, over a ten year period, she established the Suzuki and Traditional violin programs. In addition, she conducted the Surrey Junior Youth Orchestra, the Langley Music School Orchestra and spent many summers teaching at the Courtenay Youth Music Centre. In 1988, Wendy returned to the Kootenays to establish a music studio in Nelson, where she now teaches a large class of students and guides the youth orchestra. She continues to perform as a recitalist and as first violinist with the Kokanee String Quartet, leads the Selkirk Chamber Orchestra, plays occaisionally with the Okanagan Symphony and is Concertmaster of the Symphonie of the Kootenays. [top] Heather Huether, Cello, VSSM Managing Director  Heather is a cello soloist, teacher, chamber music and orchestral performer. She began studying cello in 1973 and studied at the Mt. Royal Conservatory of Music (Calgary, AB) for 12 years under the direction and tutelage of John Kadz. Then in 1986 she received a full tuition scholarship to attend Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Massachusetts where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music. While in Massachusetts, Heather studied under such teachers as Mark Churchill, Director of Strings at the New England Conservatory of Music, George Seaman, co-principal cellist of the Boston Pops Orchestra and Jeffrey Rink, Music Director of the Longy School of Music. Ms. Huether continued her studies in California at La Sierra University. She studied string pedagogy under Lyndon Taylor, Principal 2nd violinst of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Jeffrey Katz, cellist and Chairman of the Music Department at La Sierra University and Jon Robertson, conductor of the Redlands Symphony Orchestra and Professor of Music at UCLA. Ms. Huether has been fortunate to play in trios, quartets, chamber ensembles and orchestras in the Boston and Los Angeles areas, as well as touring Europe, the British Isles, the Caribbean, Canada, the United States, the South Pacific (Hawaii, New Zealand and Australia) with the New England Youth Ensemble. She has played in such concert halls as Carnegie Hall (New York, NY), St. Martin-in-the-Fields Cathedral (London, England), St. Mark's Cathedral (Venice, Italy), the National Cathedral (Washington, DC) and the Crystal Cathedral (Los Angeles, CA). Heather now resides in Silverton, BC, where she works as a dental assistant and music teacher as well as serves on the board of the Slocan Lake Arts Council and is a Councilor on the Village of Silverton Town Council. Heather has been teaching cello for the past 12 years and is dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and adults through music. She is the founder and Managing Director of the Valhalla Summer School of Music and most recently is the President of the Valhalla Summer School of Fine Arts Society. Heather enjoys being a part of many Kootenay area string groups and organizes an annual Community Christmas Concert involving local musicians and guest artists from all over Western Canada. She currently plays in the Garland String Trio, the Osprey String Quartet, the Galena Piano Trio and the Slocan Community Orchestra. [top] John Kadz, Cello, VSSM Artistic Director  John Kadz's career as chamber musician and teacher spans more than thirty years and includes extensive touring throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Japan. As a member of the One Third Ninth piano trio, Mr. Kadz performed hundreds of concerts in many of the world's finest venues as well as doing extensive grass roots work to develop and promote chamber music in Western Canada. Other professional activities have included serving as the principal cellist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and performing with the chamber music groups Aubade and the Lyric Chamber Players. Mr. Kadz began his professional career at the age of seventeen as a member of the Houston Symphony under the baton of Sir John Barbirolli. Mr. Kadz is currently a cello instructor in The Conservatory at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta. As well, he is commuting to Toronto this year to teach cello at the Glenn Gould Professional School. Formerly, he managed the Academy Program at Mount Royal College Conservatory which he continues to serve as artistic advisor and string coordinator. Mr. Kadz has also managed the Summer Strings Academy at Mount Royal College, and was a faculty member of the Indiana University String Academy Program. He currently is co-artistic director for Music Bridge, a unique summer program bringing together the finest students from Mainland China and Canada and artistic advisor and cello instructor for the Valhalla Summer School of Music in British Columbia's Slocan Valley. Mr. Kadz is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator throughout Canada. He has been awarded the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award at Mount Royal College and the Alberta Achievement Award for Excellence in Music. [top] Anne MacDonald, Piano  Anne Macdonald originally worked as on Occupational Therapist in Rehabilitation Centres in Australia, Canada and Britain, and also worked as a lecturer at the Occupational Therapy School in Sydney Australia. Her early musical training began in Australia but was completed in Canada where she received ARCT Teachers diploma [Associate of the Royal College of Toronto] and became a member of the Registered Music Teachers Association. Further studies have included pedagogy workshops with Winifred Scott-Wood at the Victoria Conservatory, and attending many workshops and masterclasses with a variety of clinicians. She has worked as adjudicator at Festivals, accompanied choirs and soloists and played in a chamber music ensemble. She was the co-ordinator of the Piano Competition for the B.C. Festival of the Arts in 2000. She has been teaching at the VSSM for the past 3 years. Her latest endeavour was a collaboration with a local dance teacher presenting Baroque dances as well as more contemporary pieces which were freely choreographed. She teaches piano and related theoretical subjects to students of all ages and levels, preparing them for exams, recitals and festivals, and also encouraging them to share their talents with the community. [top] Sheldon Nadler, Violin, Adult Novice Program  Born and raised in Chicago, Sheldon Nadler has been a violinist and music educator in Calgary for over 30 years. He was a member of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra from 1974 to 1993, and continues to play with the CPO as an extra. Over the many years that Mr. Nadler has been active in the music scene in Calgary, he has played in a wide variety of groups, both classical and popular, including the CBC Calgary Strings, Alberta Chamber Players, the Beau Quartet, Music Mosaic Trio, Nota Bene String Quartet, Vad Ensemble, the Centre Street Ragtime Orchestra, "Take the Oy Train" Klezmer Ensemble, "Heavt Shtetl" Klezmer Ensemble, and many more. Mr. Nadler has also taught at a number of summer schools, including the Saskatchewan Summer School for the Arts (Fort San, Saskatchewan), the Tidewater Music Festival (St. Mary's College, Maryland) and Strings and Keys (Bergen, Alberta). Currently Mr. Nadler is a manager at the Mount Royal College Conservatory in Calgary, and teaches courses in music history and string literature for the Conservatory's Diploma Program in Music Performance. [top] Jeffrey Plotnick, Violin, Orchestra 
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Plotnick is currently in his twenty-first season as Principal Second Violin with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, Mr. Plotnick performed with orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio, Louisville, Kentucky and Caracas, Venezuela before assuming his present position in Calgary. In addition to performing in the Calgary Philharmonic, Mr. Plitcnick also serves as concertmaster of the Calgary ach Society and the Calgary Festival CHurs Orchestras. Mr. Plotnick has often appread as violin soloist with the Clagary Philharmonic as well as the Calgary Bach Society and is heard as well in fequent performances as a solo and chamber recitalist. In October of 1998, Mr. Plotnick participated in a cultural mission to Kazakhstan, which included solo performances for its President. Mr. Plotnick has been a member of the faculties of the Univesity of Calagary and Mt. Royal College in Calgary, and is the conductor of Mt. Royal Conservatory’s Intermediate Youth Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Plotnick has been a faculty member of the Banff International Youth Orchestra Festival, and has appeared as guest artist and clinic at Leigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. [top] Theresa Plotnick, Violin, Viola  Theresa Plotnick combines an array of performance experience with a dedication to furthering young students. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Ms. Plotnick earned a music degree at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She then played professionally in orchestras in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio, Caracas, Venezuela, and Erie, Pennsylvania. Since coming to Calgary, Alberta, Ms. Plotnick has performed frequently as a freelance violist with such groups as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Calgary Bach Society, Calgary Festival Chorus, Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra, Red Deer Symphony, Springbank Trio, and numerous chamber groups. She is a founding member of the Allegra String Quartet. After serving on the faculty of the Suzuki Talent Education Society for 17 years, she now teaches a private studio of violin and viola. She is also on the faculty of the Mount Royal College Conservatory and helps to coordinate the intermediate academy programme for young string players.[top] Arne Sahlén, Piano  Arne tours as a pianist, adjudicator, and clinician across Canada and in the northwest USA. A Visiting Music Professor at Cambodia's Royal University of Fine Arts, he has perfored often in Cambodia. He studied with Phyllis Hankinson, Elizabeth McGillivray and Robin Wood, graduated with Distinction in Performance, and won dozens of awards including the Royal Conservatory Gold Medal and B.C. Senior Piano Championship. Arne has adjudicated more than 65 music festivals. Known for his enthusiasm and good humour, he was called "the Robin Williams of adjudicators" by a happy parent in central BC. He gives performance, pedagogy, and composing workshops, and adjudicates composing competitions. He is the B.C. Registered Music Teachers' Canada Music Co-ordinator, a Canadian Music Centre voting member and Co-director of the Victoria Piano Summer School. Arne recently wrote "The Student's Corner", a book of thoughts and advice on music study. He received the Governor General's "Caring Canadian Award" in May 2000 for decades of cultural and humanitarian volunteer service. In December 2000, he directed fourteen pianists in two Bach celebration concerts with the Symphonie of the Kootenays. [top] Ken Stromberg, Violin  Ken Stromberg began violin studies at age five and has since won numerous competitions, medals, and awards. Mr. Stromberg earned a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Alberta. Postgraduate studies followed at the University of Indiana, and the Warsaw Conservatory of Music in Warsaw, Poland. An experienced performer and teacher, Ken has served with Canada’s National Youth Orchestra, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Prince George Symphony Orchestra (as concertmaster ), the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, and the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra. In addition he was leader of the Haydn String Quartet. Ken has served on the teaching staff of the Camrose Summer School for Strings, and the Provincial Summer Strings Academy at the University of Calgary and at Mount Royal College. Ken was instrumental in the establishment, administration, and teaching of the Prince George School District Suzuki String Music Program. In addition to first-prize winners as soloists and chamber musicians in Local and Provincial competition, his students include a Royal Conservatory gold medalist (A.R.C.T.), B.C’s representatives to Canada’s National Music Festival in both Solo Strings and Chamber Music categories, as well as first-prize winner at the National level of the Canadian Music Competition. Ken is much in demand as an adjudicator throughout Western Canada, having adjudicated local and provincial festivals in B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. A dedicated violin teacher for over two decades , and certified Registered Music Teacher in the province of B.C., Ken enjoys a full complement of students from throughout the Okanagan and surrounding areas. [top] Dr. Jamie Syer, Piano, Conductor Senior Orchestra  Jamie Syer is a Canadian piano soloist, chamber music performer, conductor, clinician and teacher who lives near Sundre, Alberta. He is a recipient of an Alberta government Achievement Award, and winner of the CBC Talent Competition. He received much of his musical education in Calgary, and later studied with Ward Davenny and Claude Frank at Yale University School of Music, where he completed his Doctoral degree in 1987. He was a member of the music faculty at Mt. Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick, before returning to Calgary. Since then, he has taught at the University of Calgary and the Mount Royal College Conservatory, served as organist and choirmaster at several Calgary-area churches, and performed as a collaborative pianist at the Banff Center. For five years, he was a musical director of the New Works Calgary Ensemble, a group dedicated to performing new and recent music by contemporary composers. He is an active adjudicator and clinician throughout western Canada In 1995 Jamie and Laurie Syer inaugurated Strings and Keys, an annual week-long summer program for young pianists, violinists, violists and cellists, which now attracts 70 students every year from across Canada. In 1997 Jamie released a CD of music for solo piano, called "Piano Among Friends." Together Jamie and Laurie completed a concert tour of Denmark and France in the fall of 2000, and Scotland in 2001. They will be travelling around Ireland in 2002. [top] Laurie Syer, Violin, Viola  Native Calgarian Laurie Syer is a graduate of the University of Calgary and the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Connecticut. Her principle teachers were Lise Elson, Charles Treger and Syoko Aki. While a student, she was a finalist in the Canadian Music Competition, and a grand prize winner at the Spokane Music Festival. Laurie Syer taught and performed in the Canadian Maritimes and the eastern U.S. for several years. On her return to Calgary she joined the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra where she remained for ten seasons. She is a founding member of the popular string quartet "Allegra" and with them recorded a very successful CD - "Baroque 'n' Beatles 'n' Blues." Laurie now lives and teaches near Sundre, Alberta, and continues to perform with Allegra and other ensembles. [top] Aleksandra van der Sloot, Violin  With a major in music from the Erlanger Musikinstitut in Germany, Aleksandra continued ther studies at Mount Royal College and Medicine Hat College in Alberta. Having performed as a chamber musician in Germany and Canada, she is now on the faculty at Mount Royal College in Calgary. [top] William van der Sloot, Violin  William has established a reputation as a leader in the development of young violinists. His students and former students have won national acclaim and are heard often on concert stages in Canada and abroad. He is in demand as a guest clinician and adjudicator at music schools and competitions throughout Canada and has given many masterclasses for major music organizations in Canada, the United States, Germany and Russia. Recently, he gave a series of masterclasses at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, in China, as part of Mount Royal College's exchange program. Mr. van der Sloot will again be a faculty member at this year's Banff International Festival. As a former member of the Villa Marteau Quintet, he has toured extensively in Europe and North America and has recorded for German, American, and Canadian national radio. Mr. van der Sloot is now Manager of Academy, Credit, and Choral Programs at Mount Royal College, where he continues to teach and perform. When not at work, he is at home with his greatest loves, his wife, Aleksandra, and four young children, Michael, Maria, Paul, and Julya. [top] |
