Summer Solstice Festival 2011 | June 24–26, 2011

ROMAN BORYS  Cello

Roman Borys is one of Canada's most active chamber musicians and a founding member of the Gryphon Trio. As a producer, Roman oversees the production and development of the Gryphon Trio's various projects and education and outreach initiatives including Constantinople, Colour…for the End of Time and the Young Composers Initiative. In 2009, Borys became the Artistic Director of the Ottawa Chamber Music Society, which presents Chamberfest, one of the largest and most comprehensive chamber music festivals in the world.

A native of Toronto, Roman Borys studied with Janos Starker at Indiana University and Aldo Parisot at Yale University. Roman now teaches at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music along with Gryphon Trio pianist Jamie Parker and violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon.

ANGELA CHENG  Piano

Consistently cited for her brilliant technique, tonal beauty and superb musicianship, Angela Cheng is one of Canada's brightest stars. She has appeared as soloist with virtually every orchestra in Canada, as well as the Birmingham Symphony, Buffalo Philharmonic, Colorado Symphony, Houston Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Louisiana Philharmonic, Saint Louis Symphony, Syracuse Symphony, Utah Symphony and the Israel Philharmonic, among others. The frequency with which she is re-engaged is remarkable.

Angela Cheng was the 1986 Gold Medal winner at the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Masters Competition as well as the first Canadian to win the prestigious Montreal International Piano Competition (1988). In the same year, the Canada Council awarded Ms. Cheng its coveted Career Development Grant. For her outstanding interpretations of Mozart, she received the Medal of Excellence at the Mozarteum in Salzburg in 1991.

ALVIN CHOW  Piano

Pianist Alvin Chow is a prize-winning soloist and current head of the piano department at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He is also an accomplished chamber musician who performs frequently with his wife, Angela Cheng, in a Piano Duo.

ANTHONY FLYNN   Tenor

Anthony Flynn has sung with Opera Companies throughout Canada in roles such as Don José in Carmen, Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, the title role in Verdi’s Ernani, the Sheppard in King Roger by Szymanowski, Sam in Carlyle Floyd’s Susannah, Samson in Samson et Dalila by Saint-Saëns, and Paul in Korngold’s Die Tote Stadt.

Additionally, Mr. Flynn has performed in such oratorio and symphonic works as Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Samson by Handel, the Seven Last Words of Christ by Theodore duBois, Beethoven’s 9^th Symphony, the Messa di Gloria by Puccini, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem. More recently, Anthony has been specializing in German lieder, having completed two intensive courses at the prestigious Schubert-Institut in Baden bei Wien, Austria.

A founding member of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Marina Hoover has enjoyed a distinguished career as a chamber musician and soloist.

Born in Edmonton, she now lives in Chicago where she continues a busy performing, recording, and teaching career.

Prize-winning soloist at the Paganini and Naumberg International Competitions, member of the Formosa Quartet, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, and Trio Voce, Jasmine Lin has performed throughout North and South America and Asia.

The New York Times praised the “electrifying assertiveness” and “virtuosic abandon” of her playing.

MICHAEL MASSEY  Piano

Michael Massey’s impressive versatility is evident in a long career as a soloist, accompanist, chamber musician and conductor. Music Director of the Edmonton Youth Orchestra since 1977, he has also been the orchestral pianist of the ESO for over 25 years.

In 1980 Mr. Massey started the Northern Alberta Concerto Competition where such artists as Michael Rose, Amanda Forsyth, Jens Lindemann and Angela Cheng performed their first concertos with the EYO. This competition continues to provide valuable performing experience for young soloists.

In 2002, for his contribution to the cultural life of the city, Mr. Massey was inducted into the Edmonton Cultural Hall of Fame as an Artist–Builder and also received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal.

ANNALEE PATIPATANAKOON  Violin

Violinist Annalee Patipatanakoon grew up in Calgary where she began her violin studies at the age of three. Her fascinating last name is of Thai origin. Her teachers have included Dr. Lise Elson (Mount Royal College), Aaron Rosand (The Curtis Institute), Franco Gulli and Miriam Fried (Indiana University). Annalee is a laureate of Belgium's Queen Elizabeth International Violin Competition and is one of Canada's most respected violinists.

In addition to her many Gryphon Trio responsibilities, Annalee is an Assistant Professor in Violin at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music. Annalee performs on a 1907 Carlo Oddone violin.

CHARLES PILON  Viola

Violist and violinist Charles Pilon studied with Sonia Jeinkova at Montréal's Marianapolis College. He earned a Bachelor of Music from McGill University under Mauricio Fuks before further studies at the University of Southern California's Advanced Studies program with Robert Lipett. During his time at USC, he also studied with David Cerone at the Encore School of Strings and Roman Totenberg at Kneizel Hall. His viola mentors are former ESO Principal Viola Nick Pulos, and pedagogue Thomas Riebel at the Salzburg Mozarteum.

He has performed as a soloist with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble, and co-founded Quartett Enterprise in 2009. Mr. Pilon has received grants from the Québec Council of the Arts, and the Alberta Arts Foundation. In his spare time, he enjoys meditation, hot yoga, and salsa dancing.

LARA ST. JOHN   Violin

“St. John brings to the stage personal charisma, an unflagging musical imagination and genuine passion.” –Los Angeles Times

Lara began playing the violin when she was two years old. She made her first appearance as soloist with orchestra at age four, and her European debut with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon when she was 10. She toured Spain, France, Portugal and Hungary at ages 12 and 13, entered the Curtis Institute at 13, and spent her first summer at Marlboro three years later. Her teachers have included Felix Galimir and Joey Corpus.

She performs on the 1779 “Salabue” Guadagnini, thanks to an anonymous donor and Heinl & Co. of Toronto.

Patricia Tao combines teaching and performance as an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Alberta and a much-in-demand chamber musician. Director of the Summer Solstice Festival, she also pursues her interest in music programming as

Director of the Hear's to your Health music series at the Walter Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre.

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