Artistic Director
FIONA CARNIE violin, Artistic Director (Amici Coach)
Fiona Carnie is the Artistic Director of the Amici String Program in Calgary and is much in demand as an adjudicator and clinician. She played for many years with organizations such as the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Esprit Orchestra and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Fiona was also a member of the College of Examiners of the Royal Conservatory of Music for 20 years. She holds a B. Mus (with distinction) in Violin Performance from the University of Calgary and a M.M in Violin Performance from Yale. A noted pedagogue, whose current and former students are competition winners, members of many professional orchestras and teach at musical institutions across the continent, she continues to maintain a sizable private studio and to direct the Amici String Program, now established as a leading organization in education for young string players. Fiona is honored to have received the Alberta Music Education Foundation Recognition Award in 2023.
Faculty & Staff
“Great teachers and coaches make it possible for students to stretch beyond the ordinary.”RACHEL BALJEU collaborative artist
ANDREA CASE cello (Amici, Junior Amici, Amicini Coach)
Cellist Andrea Case has a Master’s Degree in cello performance from McGill University where she studied on scholarship with Antonio Lysy. Andrea is co-founder and cellist of the Lily String Quartet, a group that has completed multiple tours across Canada, has performed for CBC Radio 2 and released a jazz CD with the award-winning Hutchinson Andrew Trio. Andrea has played with orchestras in Europe, Japan, California, Quebec and Alberta. She records regularly in multiple genres including pop/folk, jazz and classical. Andrea has 17 years of teaching and coaching experience from Mount Royal Conservatory, Amici String Program and Chinook School of Music, all in Calgary, and the Lippert School of Music in Toronto. Andrea adjudicates at festivals throughout Alberta and British Columbia. She is an Artistic Director of Calgary’s Kensington Sinfonia and performs regularly with this group along with baroque ensemble String Theory Music Collective and Lily String Quartet.
JAROME HARLEA collaborative artist
Jarome Harlea obtained a Bachelor of Music with distinction in piano performance at the University of Calgary under the guidance of Professor Marilyn Engle in 2022. Throughout his studies he has participated in piano masterclasses with renowned artists Yael Weiss, Makoto Ueno, Alexander Panizza, James Anagnoson, Antonio Pompa-Baldi, and others. He studied chamber music under Edmond Agopian and Dr. Jani Parsons, including working with Edmond Agopian on violin and piano works. Jarome was able to nurture an interest in collaboration during and after his time at the university and has performed repertoire with violin, viola, cello, saxophone, voice, and flute; as well as in chamber ensembles such as piano duo, piano trio, horn trio, clarinet trio, and piano quartet. Currently, he serves as collaborative pianist for the Amici String Program, Academy Program for Young Artists at Mount Royal University, and students of the University of Calgary music program. He also frequently works with students during local festivals and was on the collaborative piano faculty of the 2024 Vancouver Island Music Academy program. Jarome maintains a teaching studio in Calgary and is an active performer in events and charities throughout the city.
OLENA KILCHYK cello (Amici Coach)
Olena Kilchyk, native of Odessa, Ukraine, graduated from the Odessa State Music College and the Odessa State Conservatory. Since the age 14 Olena was the winner of numerous concerto competitions. While in Ukraine, she was a principal cellist and soloist of the Acedemia Odessa Chamber Orchestra and Virtuosi of Odessa Chamber Orchestra.
After immigrating to Canada, Olena received Master of Music Degree in Cello Performance from the University of Calgary. In 2000 she was the winner of the Department of Music Concerto Competition and performed with the U of C String Quartet.
Olena has been a member of the Prince George, Okanagan, Red Deer and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra as well as Sinfonia Alberta Chamber Orchestra, Baroque Modern Chamber Orchestra, Players Chamber Ensemble and Saint Crispinis Chamber Ensemble.
Ms. Kilchyk toured extensively throughout Russia, Ukraine, Europe, Canada and China. Many of her performances have been broadcast on CBC and other radio and television networks and she had the opportunity to play with such artists as Michael Buble and 2Cellos.
HANA KYUNG-HUI KIM collaborative artist
Hana Kyung-Hui Kim obtained her bachelor and master’s degrees (B.Mus and M.Mus) in piano performance at Université de Montreal with Natalie Pépin and Claude Labelle.
As a pianist she won numerous awards in Canada and Korea such as the Canadian Music Competition and the Young Age Music Competition. Hana was invited to play at the Festival International de Musique de Montréal at Place Bonaventure and at the Open House of La Cinquième Salle in Place des Arts.
She participated in the Orford Arts Center summer camp with Andre Laplante and studied with Maria Clodes-Jaguaribe at the Boston University Tanglewood Institute with the help of the Canadian Club of Boston Tuition Scholarship. Hana also received a scholarship from the Korean-Canadian Scholarship Foundation and Fondation Vincent-d’Indy. She studied accompaniment with Louise-Andrée Baril, one of the premier accompanists in Quebec, and has extensive experience as a vocal and choral accompanist.
Hana is also an active choral conductor and studied at Westminster Choir College Conducting Institute in Princeton, New Jersey, under the instruction of James Jordan and Andrew Magill. She further studied with Timothy Shantz and John Washburn at various workshops and master classes.
In 2009, Hana founded the Calgary Korean Canadian Choir (CKCC). Under her direction, the CKCC has had notable performances at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, including a benefit concert to honour Canadian veterans of the Korean War and a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic Chorus and Cantaré Children’s Choir. The CKCC also represented Canada on an invitational tour of South Korea to celebrate the 70th Anniversary of Korean Independence. This event was broadcasted live via KBS TV throughout South Korea. The CKCC continues to perform annually all through Calgary and its surrounding area.
Hana is fluent in English, French and Korean.
KATHERINE MIHYUN KIM collaborative artist
A native Korean, Katherine Mihyun Kim is a solo pianist, chamber musician and teacher. After she moved to Calgary, she pursued Bachelor’s degree in piano performance at the University of Calgary under Marilyn Engle. She then went on to earn her Master’s degree in piano performance at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, studying under Gabriel Chodos. Her education was enriched by pursuing her Doctoral degree (Dissertation: Spain and Beyond: Spanish Influence in Piano Music of the Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries) at the University of Minnesota under Alexander Braginsky in 2011.
She gave a lecture-recital on Spanish Folk Influence on Manuel de Falla’sPiezasEspañolasat the College Music Society 25 th Pacific Northwest Chapter Conference at Capilano University in North Vancouver. Further, after winning the Masters Concerto and Aria Competition, she was invited to perform Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 with Kenwood Symphony Orchestra Minneapolis. Recently, she performed Liszt Piano concerto No.2 with a community orchestra led by Nicholas Choy in Calgary. She has also performed in a number of music festivals as a solo pianist and chamber musician, such as the World Piano Meeting in Coimbra, Portugal, the International Keyboard Institute and Festival in New York, the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, the Academie Franco-Americaine/Music Studies Abroad in Vaison-la-Romaine, Provence, France, and Oberlin’s summer program in Casalmaggiore, Italy. In addition, she has played at several piano master classes with Anton Kuerti, with André Laplante at the Honens International Piano Competition, with Victor Rosenbaum at the International Keyboard Institute and Festival, and with AquilesDelleVigne and Makoto Ueno at Coimbra World Piano Meeting.
She is very pleased to move back to Calgary where her family resides and proud to serve as a piano faculty at Mount Royal University Conservatory and a collaborative pianist at Academy for Gifted Youth Program. For additional information and to hear recordings from Katherine, check her website www.katherinekim.ca.
SORA KIM Violin (Junior Amici Coach)
Sora has enjoyed an active career for the past 11 years as a Calgary-area teacher and performer. In addition to her private studio, she has been a regular clinician via the MRU Conservatory workshop program, strings instructor at Rundle College, and adjudicator for local festivals. Sora is an alumnus of the MRU Conservatory Academy, and is currently pursuing a BSc/BMus with Edmond Agopian at the University of Calgary, where she also serves as co-concertmaster of the University of Calgary orchestra. She holds a special interest in non-profit, accessible, and equitable strings education.
EILEEN KOSASIH Theory Coach
Eileen Kosasih is a multifaceted visual artist, musician, presenter, and whiskey specialist based in Calgary, Canada. What underpins her creative output is a strong belief that music and art can and should be learned/appreciated at the same time.
Eileen’s arts education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Music in Violin Performance from Ambrose University, pre-collegiate piano diploma from the American College of Musicians, Master of Music in Orchestral Conducting from Azusa Pacific University, and Master of Art in Fine and Decorative Art and Design from Sotheby’s Institute of Art New York. She has attended the Summer Chamber Music Program at the Curtis Institute, Summer Conducting Program at Queens University (New York), and holds Level III Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (London).
Eileen actively programs and leads art and music workshops around Alberta and BC. As workshop programmer and facilitator for the Instrumental Society Calgary’s “Art + Music Friends” at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, the string teacher for Alberta Clinic Line, and speaker for local art, music, and design panels, she shares her passion with diverse audiences. Eileen has been Guest Artist for the Banff Centre’s Youth Orchestra Symposium, Calgary Board of Education schools, Montessori schools, PhilKids (the CPO’s education program) and Mount Royal Conservatory programs. Her art has been represented by galleries such as Apik Fine Art, Motion Gallery, and Art Spot. As a whiskey specialist, Eileen hosts tastings for local businesses and events as well as for her private whiskey club.
In addition to founding and conducting Calgary Arts Orchestra (2014-2015), Eileen has programmed concert series at the Cranbrook History Centre, the King Eddy at the National Music Centre, and for Classical Revolution Calgary. Her practical work spans Principal Pianist for the Calgary Boys’ Choir, Resident Accompanist for Out of the Blue Choir, and Accompanist for Mount Royal Conservatory students and choir. Eileen’s string positions extend to Principal Second Violin for the Symphony of the Kootenays, Concertmaster for the St. David’s United Orchestra, and Principal Viola for Uptown Strings. As an active freelance performer, she has contributed to the local music scene via many organizations.
DIANE LANE Violin & Amicini & Junior Amici Coordinator (Amici, Junior Amici & Amicini Coach)
Born in Claresholm Alberta, Diane began her violin studies in Lethbridge before attending the Mount Royal Conservatory in Calgary. Diane graduated from McGill University with her Bachelor of Music degree under the tutelage of Yehonatan Berick. She continued her studies with Edmond Agopian at the University of Calgary and graduated with a Master’s degree in violin performance.
Diane has attended The Banff Centre for the Arts as a resident and has returned many times, both as a solo performer and chamber musician. Diane is a founding member of Calgary’s Lily String Quartet. The quartet participated in seminars at The Julliard School of Music and Stanford University and has performed across Canada.
Diane is a highly sought-after orchestral and chamber performer; playing with various ensembles in and around Calgary. She is currently the Assistant Concertmaster of the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, a member of Kensington Sinfonia and a member of Rosa Barocca. Diane has adjudicated at numerous music festivals throughout Alberta and British Columbia. Diane is on faculty with the Amici String Program and maintains a violin studio at Mount Royal Conservatory.
JOHN LOWRY Violin (Amici Coach)
John Lowry has been Associate Concertmaster of the Calgary Philharmonic since 1987, and has also served as guest concertmaster in Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Adelaide, South Australia. As a former freelancer, he appeared frequently with the Toronto Symphony, National Arts Centre Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, National Ballet, Boston Pops, Opera Company of Boston, Esprit and New Haven Symphony. John was the founder and first artistic director of the Kensington Sinfonia in Calgary, and has appeared as soloist with orchestras in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Halifax and others; with conductors including Mario Bernardi, Hans Graf and James Judd.
He began his violin studies in Edmonton with Ranald Shean, continuing on to graduate from the University of Toronto (BM), and Yale University (MM). His principal teachers included George Neikrug, David Zafer and Oscar Shumsky. Other important mentors included Steven Staryk, Rafael Hillyer, Joseph Silverstein, Szymon Goldberg, and members of the Orford and Tokyo Quartets.
John was the founder and first Artistic Director of the Kensington Sinfonia in Calgary, and was founder and violinist of Land's End Ensemble for 24 years, touring extensively and winning the WCMA for Outstanding Classical Recording in 2005 and 2006, as well as a Juno Award in 2014. He has given premieres of dozens of chamber works by composers such as R. Murray Schafer, Omar Daniel, Alexina Louie, Allan Gordon Bell, Jocelyn Morlock and Peter Maxwell Davies. He performed at the International Society for Contemporary Music World Music Days in Vancouver in 2017. He has collaborated with James Campbell, Evelyn Glennie, Robert Aitken, Barry Shiffman, Joel Sachs, Angela Cheng, Rivka Golani and many others. He has performed with Aventa Ensemble, Athabasca Quartet, Trio Haydn de Montréal, and Yale Contemporary Ensemble. He is currently Artistic Director and first violinist in Astralis. His violin was made by Carlo Ferdinando Landolfi in Milan in 1769.
He was previously on the faculty of U of Manitoba and U of Lowell (MA), and has also taught at U of Calgary. He currently teaches at MRU Conservatory and Amici String Program. He has been on the faculty of summer programs at the Banff Centre, Comox Valley Youth Music Centre, Langley Community Music School, SUNY Potsdam, JVL Summer School, Spencer Brook String Program in Massachusetts, and Vancouver Island Music Academy. He is an expert in the Dounis violin method and a frequent audition coach. Recipients of his coaching have won positions in professional orchestras, and his students have earned top prizes in local and national festivals and competitions.
JESSE MORRISON viola (Amici Coach)
Canadian born Jesse Morrison enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral player. Currently in his sixth season as a member of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Jesse expresses his keen desire to help form the minds of young artists by maintaining a private teaching studio, as well as teaching masterclasses and chamber music at Mount Royal University and through the Amici String Program. Recently awarded a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts, Jesse has recorded his upcoming debut solo viola album, “Transitions”, which includes a commission by his friend and composer Derek David for a new solo viola Partita. The album also features a debut recording of “Skizzen für Siegbert” by Brett Dean, as well as works by Telemann and Kurtag.
A devoted chamber musician, he formed both the Neruda Quartet in Boston and Arkadas Quartet in Toronto. He has participated as artist in residence at the Capital City Concerts, Classical Music Institute, Chamberfest West, Concerts in the Barn, Continuum Concerts, Ottawa Chamberfest and NEXUS Chamber Music and is also alumnus of festivals such as the Hindemith Foundation led by Tabea Zimmermann, Yellow Barn, Kneisel Hall, the Banff Centre and Domaine Forget. His music collaborators include Donald Weilerstein, Joel Krosnick, Pekka Kuusisto, the Amici Ensemble, and members of the Arditti, Brentano, Chilingirian and Takács Quartets.
Jesse graduated from the New England Conservatory (NEC) with an M.M. under Kim Kashkashian, the Glenn Gould School with an A.D. under Steven Dann and the University of Toronto with a B.M. under Teng Li. Jesse was awarded first prize for both concerto competitions at NEC, the Borromeo String Quartet Guest Artist Award, as well as the honors award with the Neruda Quartet, all featuring performances in NEC’s Jordan Hall. Mr. Morrison has been a representative for “Music for Food” since 2015, a musician-led initiative founded in Boston that has created more than 2 million meals across North America since 2009. Outside of his musical endeavours, Jesse loves exploring his hobbies which includes tea drinking, cooking and travelling. Jesse currently plays on a 1971 Otto Erdesz Viola and a modern bow by Kaspar Pankow.
ANDREA POON viola & ear training (Amici Coach)
Andrea Poon completed her BMus in performance with honours from the University of Toronto, her MMus in performance, as well as her Pre-Doctorate Diploma (D.E.P.A) from l’Université de Montréal. Andrea has been very fortunate to have studied with Fiona Carnie, Katharine Rapoport, and Jutta Puchhammer-Sédillot.
As an avid ensemble musician, Andrea has had the opportunity to play with many diverse chamber ensembles and orchestras across the country and Europe. In 2019 Andrea, along with Timepoint Ensemble, premiered Ghost Opera as after completing a residency at the prestigious Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
RONELLE SCHAUFELE viola & violin (Amici Coach)
Canadian violist Ronelle Schaufele is an active solo, chamber and orchestral musician who performs frequently throughout Western Canada as well as performances in Cuba, Brazil, United States, New Zealand and Europe. As an avid lover of new music, Ms Schaufele has been delighted to play works composed for her and looks forward to upcoming collaborations. In addition to performing music being created today, Ronelle greatly enjoys erforming on period instruments and exploring the rich baroque tradition.
In addition, she has served as principal violist for the Urban Village Chamber Orchestra, and is currently assistant principal violist in the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra.
Her education includes a Music Performance Diploma from Mount Royal College with William van der Sloot, a Bachelor of Music with distinction from the University of Calgary, with Nicholas Pulos.
LIZA SCRIGGINS Viola (Amici, Junior Amici & Amicini Coach)
Violist Liza Scriggins is a graduate of Williams College and the New England Conservatory. An active freelance musician, she is a member of Kensington Sinfonia and has performed with Calgary Philharmonic, Red Deer Symphony, the National Ballet, and Theatre Calgary. Liza also teaches both violin and viola at the Mount Royal University Conservatory. In recent years, she has ventured into writing as the founder of StoryMusic, which presents storytelling chamber music concerts, and has performed for numerous children at immigrant service centres, libraries and schools, thanks to grants from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the National Arts Centre. Calgary Philharmonic selected Liza's version of Little Red Riding Hood, set to Beethoven’s Quartet Op. 95, for their 2021 Education Concerts. StoryMusic’s second recording is in the works and will be released in early 2025.
CHRISTINE SUL collaborative artist
She began playing the piano at the age of 6 and started formal lessons at the age of 10 under Prof. Taehui Park until completing her first year of the Busan Arts High School. She then moved to Canada and completed her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Calgary, studying with Prof. Marilyn Engle.
Christine has earned numerous distinguished accolades in Korea, including top prizes at the Busan Joongang and the Changwon International Meister Piano Competitions. She made her orchestral debut in 2008 when she performed Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major, K. 467 with the Soloists of Volgograd Orchestra. In 2021, Christine became the Prairies Favourite for the 19-25 years old division of the Canadian Music Competition. In 2023, Christine performed with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra as an RBC Concerto Competition winner.
Christine has been a regular attendee of international piano festivals held in Portugal, such as the 2018 and 2020 editions of the Coimbra World Piano Meeting and the 2019 edition of the Sardoal International Piano Meeting, where she performed in local concerts and participated in masterclasses with renowned professors among which were Aquiles Delle Vigne, Makoto Ueno and Niklas Pokki.
In addition to her pursuits in solo performance, Christine is also an experienced chamber musician and accompanist. She has performed as a member of Peaks and Prairies Ensemble in Calgary, Banff and Canmore and has served as the principal pianist for the Calgary Korean Baptist Church from 2013 to the present.
She is currently a faculty member of the Mount Royal University Conservatory. As a teacher, Christine aims to teach her students by utilizing the strengths and advantages of the various teaching and playing styles she has experienced in Korea, Canada and Europe. She helps her students express a wide range of emotions and stories through playing piano. She also emphasizes the importance of proper technique that aligns with the music and strives to inspire her students to appreciate the beauty and joy of life through the gift of music.