NIAGARA Elementary
INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Instructor Biographies
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Terry Ball
STRINGS & ORCHESTRAPlaying professionally for more that 40 years in such organizations as the Niagara Symphony, The Hamilton Philharmonic and Symphony Hamilton primarily as a violist but also as a violinist. Twenty years as a violist in the string Quartette "Serenata". Terry sings Bass in several choirs in the Hamilton area. Teaching the string instruments in the school systems of Hamilton and Niagara for over 35 years. Teaching privately at home and with the Suzuki associations of Hamilton, Niagara and Burlington.
Andrew Carruthers
BRASS, WOODWINDS, PERCUSSION, CONCERT BAND & JAZZ BANDAndrew has enjoyed teaching for the Niagara Elementary Instrumental Music program since the 1999 - 2000 school year when the program entered into the schools of the former Niagara South Board of Education. He graduated from Brock Univerity in 1989, receiving his B.A. majoring in Music. His focus instrument is percussion, though he has continued to bring himself up to speed on most Brass and Woodwind instruments.
Andrew is also known as "The Karaoke Kid", having run a karaoke business by that name in the Niagara Pennisula for the past sixteen years. He still does a couple of gigs a week, but finds that burning the candle at both ends was easier before he became the karaoke middle-aged man!
Andrew considers himself lucky to be involved as much as he is in this three passions - music, standardbred horses and basketball. Although the basketball involvment is only as a spectator now, Andrew actively pursues the 'sport of kings' dream by owning and racing trotters. He currently owns two horses lovingly nick-named K.C. and Face. Spring will hopefully bring a third, since Kid's Crown is in foal, and due in April!
Andrew's hope is that through his position with Niagara Elementary Instrumental Music he is able to share in the joy he gets from music with the students he sees each year. From listening, playing and sharing what we each have learned from music, he believes we each can help make this world a slightly more positive place!
Craig Inglis
BRASS, WOODWINDS & CONCERT BAND
Craig has taught instrumental music with the Niagara Elementary Instrumental Music program since 1994. As a former student of this same wonderful program, he now thoroughly enjoys instructing the many amazing students he encounters, helping them to love the world of music. Craig spent time getting to know many of the students and their parents on band trips to Halifax, Disney, Calgary, New York City, Edmonton and Montreal.
Erika Janzen
STRINGS & ORCHESTRAViolinist
A member of the Niagara Symphony for over 30 years
A string coach with the Niagara Youth Orchestra, an alumna and former concertmaster of the same
Leader of The Rainbow Trio(flute, violin & cello), playing professionally at weddings and special events year-round
Began violin studies in the Elementary School music program in St. Catharines in Grade 5, continued music at Laura Secord S.S., then majored in music getting a B.A. degree from Brock University
Instructor with the Elementary School Music program since 1994
Music is an integral part of family's life - all 3 sons took music instruction in the same Elementary School music program as "mom", and also played in the Niagara Youth Orchestra for many years. Although they have chosen other careers, all 3 continue to make music a big part of their lives. The "boys and mom" regularly play together in church. Dad is a big fan.
Zoltan Kalman
BRASS, WOODWINDS & CONCERT BANDZoltan Kalman was born in Hungary. He received his training at the prestigious Franz Liszt Academy of Music. After graduating, he spent a year as principal clarinetttest with the Hungarian State Orchestra, where he played under the baton of such luminaries as Sir George Solti, Giuseppe Patane and Leonard Berstein.
From 1983 - 1989, he served as principal with the Budapest Opera Orchestra. He was a founding member or one of Hungary's foremost wind quintets, Aquincum. His achievements in the musical field include second prize at the Praque International Clarinet Competition, and serveral awards with the Aquincum Wind Quintet. These include first prize in the 1986 International Chamber Winds Competition in Ancona, Italy, as well as the jury's special award in the 1987 competition in Colmar, France. The French National television produced a documentary program featuring the quintet. In 1988 he received a Cultrual Ministrry's award "Musician of the Year". He had serveral solo and orchestra performances throughout Europe, including Austria, Belgium, France England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Since arriving in Canada in 1989, he has appeared as guest soloist with numerous orchestras and ensembles in the area, including the Georgian Bay Symphony, Symphony Hamilton, Niagara Symphony, Boris Brott Summer Music Festival Players, and the Gallery Players. He joined Trio Canada for a performance of the Weber Clarinet Quintet which was broadcast by Toronto's CJRT in May of 1994.
In collaboration with the Niagara Symphony and the St. Catharines based Carousel Players, he performed with Theater Company in the 'Theatre for Young People" in Winnipeg in 2005, in the National Art Centre in Ottawa, as well as Vancouver in 2006.
Mr. Kalman is principal clarinetist with both the Niagara Symphony. Symphony Hamilton, and appears regularly with Brantford Symphony, Mississauga Opera Company, and Scarborough Symphony.
In addition to his career as a musician, he also teaches clarinet, saxophone, Woodwind Techniques Course, conducts the Wind Ensemble at Brock University in St. Catharines, and teaches clarinet at McMaster University in Hamilton. He is currently an itinerant instructor in the Niagara Instrumental Music Program where he conducts concert bands with various age groups as well as the Niagara Youth Orchestra's Junior and senior woodwind ensembles.
October 2006 will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Hungarian Uprising, a defining moment in both Hungarian and Canadian history. Mr Kalman has been selected by the National Art Centre as one of 50 Hungarian-Canadians who have amade singular contribution to this country. His special portrait will become part of the permanent collection at the Portrait Gallery of Canada.
Julia Morley
BRASS, WOODWINDS & CONCERT BANDOriginally from Toronto, Julia Morley obtained an Honours Bachelor of Music Degree from Queen's University and her Ontario Teaching Certificate with Honour Specialist Qualifications from the University of Toronto.
Julia has taught and played professionally in Toronto before relocating to the Niagara area several years ago. At that time she began playing with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and teaching instrumental music for the District School Board of Niagara through Niagara Elementary Instrumental Music and is currently still working with both organizations.
Mike Phelan
PERCUSSION & CONCERT BAND
Mike Phelan has been the District School Board of Niagara's Principal Percussion Instructor since 1989, working with both Elementary & Secondary School students and ensembles. He is a percussionist with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and performs with several Concert "Wind" Ensembles throughout the Niagara Peninsula.
Mike has played over 40 "musical" shows with Garden City Productions, a theater Company in St. Catharines and instructs many private students in his home studio. Over the years, Mike has been the drummer for many popular dance bands such as Jeffrey and the Juniors, Private Stock and Undun. Mike was also the Music Director, Conductor & Arranger of The Malletheads, a very popular student Percussion Ensemble that performed from July 2000 to July 2006. The group recorded 4 CD's and had the pleasure of performing with the John Sherwood Trio in 2003, at the Ontario Music Educators Association Conference in Huntsville, Ontario in 2005 & with the Niagara Symphony Orchestra for the annual Christmas "Pops" Concert, also in 2005.
Since 1993, Mike has been the Principal Percussion Instructor at the Niagara Symphony Summer Music Camp held at Mandeville Theatre, Ridley College in St. Catharines. In 1996, Mike wrote two pieces of music for the CD "Local Scores" by Niagara poet/lyricist Terrance Cox and in 1999, had the pleasure of teaching the Percussion Techniques Course at Brock University. In August 2008 & again in July 2009, Mike was the percussionist with the World Rock Symphony Orchestra, performing British classics byThe Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Queen, The Moody Blues & Elton John, featuring a 7-piece Rock Band & 12-voice Gospel Choir for 11 shows at the Fallsview Casino Avalon Ballroom, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
For the past fourteen years, Mike has been busy arranging music for Percussion Ensemble, keeping in mind that the arrangements be "musically" oriented & geared towards the "student". Mike considers it an honour & a privilege to be able to work with such a tremendous group of music students & hopes to continue his quest for the elusive Holy "Percussion" Grail for many years to come!
Mike van Dongen
STRINGS, ORCHESTRA & the "NO STRINGS ATTACHED" FIDDLERS
Michael van Dongen is a conductor, violinist, arranger and teacher. He has been conductor of the Junior Niagara Youth Orchestra string ensemble, and violin coach for both the Junior Niagara Youth Orchestra and Niagara Youth Orchestra since 1998. He earned a Bachelor of Music Degree at McMaster University in Hamilton.
In 1994, Michael began teaching with Niagara Elementary Instrumental Music in the District School Board of Niagara, as an Itinerant Music Instructor, where he is the conductor of three string orchestras. Michael had the pleasure of conducting two very large and very full orchestras and a beginning concert band at the Instrumental Music programs workshops in 2008. Since 2003, Michael has been conducting the pit orchestra at the Dalhousie Drama and Music Camp.
In the year 2000, Mr van Dongen started a fiddle group called "No Strings Attached." The fiddle group, which plays mainly celtic music, has performed on many stages including the Starlight Cafe`in Walt Disney World, the Old Triangle in Halifax, and in July of 2008, alongside "No Strings Attached High" (formed in 2006,) on a floating stage at Illuminauqua in Welland.
Michael has been a member of the Niagara Symphony since 1995, playing in the first violin section. In August of 2008, he was a member of the World Rock Symphony Orchestra performing rock music from Britain, at the Fallsview Casino in the Avalon Theatre. He has also performed in orchestras backing up Anne Murray, Smokey Robinson, Wayne Newton and Regis Philbin. Michael, with his two brothers and father formed the professional group called the "van Dongen String Quartet," which has been performing since 1979.
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