Orchestras Canada

The Timmins Symphony Orchestra has announced that it will be expanding its program offerings in the new year, thanks to a new partnership with The Venture Centre / Le Centre de développement, a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to creating opportunities for entrepreneurship and to the pursuit of economic growth. The School will be offering piano and percussion for children and adult learners, and its first Children’s Choir – and is now hiring three experienced music instructors to lead these new programs on a part-time basis.

A core program of the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, the Geoffrey James Lee School of Music is Timmins only nonprofit community music program, providing affordable lessons for children and adults in piano, percussion, brass, strings, woodwinds and music theory. There is also an extremely popular Kindermusik program for youngsters under 6 years of age and the Children’s Choir.

M. Guy Morneau, Chair of the board of Les Violons du Roy, has announced the retirement of Mme Louise Labelle, who has served as the orchestra’s Directrice generale since 2007, effective June 14. She will be succeeded by Mme Astrid Chouinard.

The Sudbury Symphony Orchestra has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Aman-Hume as the new Executive Director of the  Sudbury Symphony Orchestra and Music School, effective immediately. Elizabeth was most recently executive director of the Northern Orchestra in the Prince George region of British Columbia.

The Timmins Symphony Orchestra and Geoffrey James Lee School of Music has announced the appointment of Frances Shakov as their new Executive Director. Frances comes to the TSO from Ballet Jorgen, where she served as General Manager.

Toronto Arts Council is pleased to announce that Christy DiFelice has joined as the Grants Officer responsible for its Music programs. Christy has worked with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra since 2006 as Manager of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra. Prior to that she worked with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the Fine Arts Cultural Studies Department at York University. A graduate of York University (MA, Ethnomusicology/Musicology; 2008), her studies focused on musics and cultures of the African Diaspora, with a specialization in North American Jazz and Blues. Christy will assume her duties at TAC on July 19, 2010.