Born and raised on Canada’s East Coast, Maren McLean Persaud was trained in piano, voice and euphonium from a young age. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Mount Allison University and a Masters Degree from the University of Toronto. She has worked as a collaborative pianist with many ensembles and musicians across the country, has extensive performance experience as a soloist and has competed at the national level. Maren also works professionally with children and youth in not-for-profit organizations and is passionate about the creation of programs and opportunities that nurture the healthy development and unique gifts of young people.

Maren works to pass on a deep love of music to those she teaches. In addition to helping her students grow into well trained musicians with a sense of professionalism and skill, she wants them to enjoy what they are doing while discovering their own interests, talents and passions.

Calgarian Sarah (Gieck) MacDonald holds a BMus in performance from the University of Calgary, MMus from the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, England and an Artist Diploma Degree from the College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. She has studied with many of the worlds most sought after teachers including Lorna McGhee, William Bennett, Peter Lloyd and Dr. Bradley Garner.

As a soloist and chamber musician Sarah enjoys performing across Alberta, especially when she can bring music to small towns and rural communities. She has played with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra since the fall of 2009 as a regular guest musician. Sarah has over 20 years experience teaching the flute. She joined the University of Lethbridge music sessional faculty in 2008 as the flute instructor for the BMus program where she continues to teach.

Haeju (Lidia) Lee started her musical journey with piano at the age of 6 and violin at the age of 9. She completed her Bachelors (‘15) and Masters Degree (‘17) on scholarship at the University of British Columbia where she majored in violin performance under the tutelage of David Gillham. The following year, she studied abroad in Bergen, Norway, with David Stewart, the Concertmaster of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Lidia has participated in numerous orchestral and chamber music festivals, such as the Tanglewood Music Festival as a Violin Fellow for two summers (‘17 and ‘18), Orford Arts Centre Festival/Orchestra, Le Domaine Forget, and Camp Musical des Laurentides.

Lidia also holds her Grade 10 RCM Certificate in piano, and she has participated and received awards at the Kiwanis Music Festival and Burnaby Clef Music Society. Lidia is currently an active substitute member of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and teaches both violin and piano at the Morin Music Studio. She was also a First Violin member of the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra and a substitute member of Opera Bergen during her stay in Norway.

In her adopted hometown of Calgary (Moh’kinsstis, Treaty 7), Kenna Burima has earned a reputation as someone who can turn ideas into big projects, teach the unteachable and inspire people to come together.

Since doing her time in the institutional hallowed halls of classical music education, Kenna’s love for all musical forms has driven her involvement in a diversity of projects. From the indie-folk of Woodpigeon, the sweaty garage sludge of Brenda Vaqueros; grandiose projects abound, nurturing Kenna’s compositional skill and style. Her cherished collaboration with Calgary theatre company, One Yellow Rabbit has offered the unique opportunity to compose for the largest and loudest of instruments, the Calgary Tower’s carillon. To this day, you can still hear the bells of The Calgary Songs Project, an ambitiously transcribed thirty-song playlist of Calgary songwriters spanning thirty years. This work dovetails into her daytime concerns of offering city street singalongs to unsuspecting citizens, teaching music, and currently developing a songwriting program “The Song” that uncovers the mysteries of songwriting to anyone regardless of training or experience.

But the best way to figure out what drives Kenna is to delve into her solo albums; classical-cabaretpop affairs that draw on her vast musical know-how. The complexities of her songwriting reflect the heart of an artist who is never content to restrict herself to one genre, one project, or one ideal. With her third solo album While She Sleeps, the angry intensity of her sophomore release Hymn (2016) turns inward to unravel the quiet mysteries of creation. While She Sleeps is slated for release first as an illuminated songbook at the 2023 High Performance Rodeo followed by an audio album in the spring. www.kennaburima.com

Elaine Quilichini has a unique gift for inspiring a love of music in others. Her passion and expertise allow her to guide others toward musical and personal excellence. This gift has brought her recognition and accolades at home and around the world.

In 1995, she founded the Calgary Girls Choir, and with her vision and passion it continues to stand as a model of choral excellence for others. She is the Artistic Director of summer choral programs at Wichita State and Nebraska Wesleyan Universities and the recipient of numerous awards including Choir Alberta’s ‘con spirito’ award, Global Television’s Woman of Vision award, the Alberta Kodály Association Teacher Recognition Award and the Richard S. Eaton Award of Distinction in recognition of exemplary service to choral music in the province of Alberta. These awards celebrate the passion, talent and commitment she embodies, and are fitting recognition of Ms. Quilichini’s achievements.

Robert Motchalov began his musical studies at the age of five at the Novosibirsk Academy for Arts in Russia. He continued his musical studies on the piano, violin and clarinet and completed his Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Victoria. Robert continued his education at the Indiana University in Bloomington, where he was granted the Master of Music degree with distinction, in piano performance.

Robert enjoys performing as a soloist and collaborative artist. He has performed in master classes with renowned pianists and musicians such as the famed performer and pedagogue Gyorgy Sebok, as well as Lev Vlasenko and Enrica Cavallo Gulli. Today Robert enjoys a busy teaching schedule as well as his position as a Director of Chinook School of Music.

The Executive Director and Co-Owner of Chinook School of Music, Carrie Kalmakoff obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University. At Chinook School of Music, Carrie focuses on implementing new and innovative programming to engage students in self-expression through music. Her commitment to fostering a lifelong love and enjoyment of music for students and their families is reflected in both her teaching and involvement in the musical community. Carrie is a passionate teacher and dynamic leader who inspires and encourages her students to be creative-minded, independent thinkers. Her students achieve high marks in music examinations and frequently win festival scholarships and awards; many have gone on to pursue music as a career. ­

Carrie is the Past President and General Manager of Cowtown Opera, past Chairperson of Calgary Contemporary Showcase, a retired member of the Alberta Registered Music Teacher Association and Alberta Piano Teachers’ Association. One of the benefits Carrie enjoys in her role at Chinook School of Music is the opportunity to form relationships with families and witness the musical growth of the students.

With an extensive background as both a touring drummer and an in-demand session player, Andrzej Ryszka possesses a wealth of knowledge in the world of drumming. Beginning his career in Poland, he recorded a gold album with Krzak at the age of 20. He eventually settled down in Canada where he has worked with Tom Jackson, The Roadhammers, Lisa Brokop, Jack Semple, Martha Reeves and more. He currently plays with the local band, Rustic Brothers. Ryszka is a well-sought after drum instructor who teaches students of all levels.

Classical guitarist Brett Gunther has been performing for over 25 years. Brett studied with Ralph Maier at Mount Royal University graduating in 2007 with a Diploma in Music Performance. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in 2010, and his Master of Music degree in classical guitar performance in 2012 both from the University of Calgary.

He has performed in masterclasses for many internationally famous guitarists, and has competed in major competitions including the North West Guitar Festival and Competition winning 3rd Place in 2009, and 2nd Place in 2010.

Brett has been serving on the board of governors for the Classical Guitar Society of Calgary as the artistic director since June 2010, and director for the Classical GuitarFest West guitar festival since 2015. He is currently on the faculty at Mount Royal University Conservatory teaching private lessons as well as ensemble classes for the Academy program. Brett is in high demand as an adjudicator for festivals across Canada, and has recently become an examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

Brett's debut CD, Guitar Music, released in 2012, examines the music of some of the most significant composers for the guitar in the 20th century. Included are works by Rodrigo, Britten, Barrios, Brouwer, Tarrega, Domeniconi, and Moller. His most recent release, An Idea (2017), explores selections of some of his favorite composers from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries featuring works by Schubert, Mertz, Legnani, Moreno-Torroba, Bach, Brouwer, and Giuliani.