Gears
mal Rescue Society (GEARS) w d, unwanted, and homeless animals. GEARS is at relies on a network of donors, volunteers a ther to give companion animals a second chan y high standards of practice and charitable sta , GEARS sets an example in our community. Compassion motivates us to help, heal, and alleviate the pain of the animals we encounter.
The King’s University
For over 40 years, The King's University has been committed to the highest level of excellence in teaching and research with the belief that a robust liberal arts offering underpins disciplinary learning. Building a Christian learning community where all belong and flourish has been a top priority for the university since it was founded in 1979. King's strives to make a transformative impact on the world. Renewal and reconciliation in every walk of life is possible and King's helps to achieve this vision by equipping learners professors and students alike to contribute to the public good and advancement of God's Kingdom.
Fiddle and Fugue Violin Studio
As one of the premier violin studios in Edmonton, Fiddle and Fugue offers students across Edmonton and beyond the chance to learn in an inclusive space that encourages imagination, passion, and artistry. Fiddle and Fugue has worked to raise thousands of dollars for local animal charities, with the belief that music builds, and strengthens community.
THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS
LES CARNAVAL DES ANIMAUX (THE CARNIVAL OF THE ANIMALS) is a musical suite of fourteen movements by the French Romantic composer Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921). It is a set of orchestral character pieces, each of which is meant to describe a particular animal, usually by mimicking the sounds it makes or characterizing the way it moves or carries itself. This whimsical and imaginative work includes a whole zoo of instruments! Pianos, Flute/piccolo, Clarinet, Violins, Viola, Cello, Double bass, Glass harmonica, and Xylophone.
The composer did not want the carnival to be performed in public because he was afraid that it would hurt his reputation as a serious composer. The Carnival of the Animals was published after SaintSaens's death, and it has since become one of his most popular works! Along with Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf and Britten's The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, it is one of the most popular classical pieces for young audiences, a favorite of children and adults alike!
YOUR RFORMERS
Nicole Nelson has been playing piano since the age of six and she developed a deep love for performing through her regular participation in music festivals. She is an alumna ('23) of The King's University, where she studied Piano Performance in the Bachelor of Music program. During her time at King's, Nicole received numerous musical achievement scholarships, most notably the Gerry Segger Scholarship in Performance Excellence. She will be furthering her education this fall as a Master of Music student at the University of Victoria While Nicole loves solo performance the most, she has a new-found love for collaborative work and is very excited to be a part of this ensemble She is also a dedicated piano teacher
n (violin) was raised in a musical family that lov s and country artists. As a teenager he found a l violin performance and fiddling and has been playing ever rently, he is the Associate concertmaster of the Concordia Orchestra, Owner of Fiddle and Fugue violin studio, and is a aduate of The King’s University Allan has been invited to several prestigious competitions such as the 2019 Canadian ers fiddle championship, the Grand North American Fiddle n, and placed as the runner up in the Concordia Concerto . He has been a recipient of: The Alan and Alice bell award CSO award for outstanding musicianship and excellence in erry Segger award for performance excellence in 2022, the trauss award for advanced study of music in Austria, the and Vera Shean scholarship, and the Winspear fund for d study of Classical music in 2023. Allan has studied with learning both the concerti and smaller works of the major assic and romantic, and modern composers, and has played masterclasses run by violinists Mark Fewer and Axel Strauss a recipient of several prestigious scholarships for his study n Vienna at the University of Arts and Music with Peter r, the Mozarteum summer academy in Salzburg with Phillip d Bernard Hagspiegel and Myrto Aretaiou, and Amitri della tival in Italy under Ksenia Milas and Oleksander Semchuk
YOUR RFORMERS
ber Campbell (clarinet) is originally from Red Deer, Alber as a Master of Music degree in clarinet performance from University of Alberta. During university, she studied with Jei Yin, Charles Hudelson, and Jeff Campbell. She is currently taking lessons with Don Ross Amber played clarinet in the Edmonton Youth Orchestra, Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and University Symphony Orchestra, and now plays with the Concordia Symphony Orchestra She has also earned her CA designation and works full-time as an accountant. Amber enjoys spending her free time with her husband, Eric, and son Sean, both trumpet players, as well as their musical cats Igor (Stravinsky) and Dmitri (Shostakovich).
Ryan Hoffman is a cellist and cello teacher who moved to Edmonton from the United States in 2019. He now teaches cello at Society for Talent Education, Edmonton Academy of Music, and Leduc School of Music. He performs with the Concordia Symphony, where he was featured as a soloist in 2022 for Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme. Prior to moving, Ryan taught and performed in and around Virginia. He taught both Suzuki and traditional students at several schools, and performed in several orchestras, including Altoona Symphony, Fairfax Symphony, Huntington Symphony, and Waynesboro Symphony, and as a chamber musician with Two Rivers Chamber Music and Melodious Strings Ryan's academic degrees include a Doctor of Musical Arts in cello performance and pedagogy from James Madison University, a Master of Music in cello performance from Penn State University, and a BA in Music from Susquehanna University. In 2007, he won the concerto competition at Rocky Ridge Music Center with the Haydn D Major Cello Concerto.
YOUR RFORMERS
Jillian Slaght (flute) is a student at The King’s University studying flute performance under Elizabeth Koch, the principal flutist of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Jillian has been playing flute for over eight years, and has experience in various ensembles through her years as a musician. Most recently, she was second flute in the University of Alberta Symphony Orchestra, playing a range of positions within the orchestra such as first flute, second flute, and piccolo A former member of the Edmonton Youth Orchestra, Jillian has come to love all forms of playing in orchestral ensembles. She also holds a position on the substitute list for the Edmonton Winds, the primary wind band in Edmonton. Playing in any ensemble she can become involved in, she has also played with the University of Alberta Marching Band, as well as the University of Alberta Summer Band Having played in several masterclasses for musicians such as Liz Faulkner, Anthony Trionfo, and Lauren Eselson, Jillian is always looking for new ways to improve her musicianship. When she is not on stage performing or in the practice rooms, you can find her on court playing badminton.
Rigel Rendón (piano) graduated from King's in 2021 with a music degree. His main instrument is piano; he has been playing it since he was about 2 years old, and in addition, he also sings and plays percussion. In recent years, he has studied choral conducting and composition, and he is currently studying digital audio production in pursuit of some work within the music industry. He has two cats, but neither came to the show since there is no movement in this piece about cats.
YOUR RFORMERS
Kai James is a double-bassist from Edmonton, Alberta. Kai started taking bass lessons at the age of 8 from Ioan Tetel, and he is now pursuing a Bachelor of Music at the university of Alberta under the instruction of Jan Urke. Kai plays in the University Symphony Orchestra and River City Chamber Orchestra in addition to freelance performing. When he is not performing or practicing music, Kai can usually be found relaxing with his three rescue cats.
a Tinga (percussion) has been making music her who , from studying piano to playing in concert bands to p ming with choirs both locally and internationally. She currently studying music and English at The King’s University with the end goal of earning her teaching degree. Outside of university, she spends her time singing with ProCoro Canada, playing the occasional percussion gig, and reading a lot of books.
Born into a musical family, Anna (viola) has been playing music since the age of 6. She started with violin and then made the switch to viola in 2013 completing her RCM grade 10 in both. She has studied and been mentored amongst many, by Martine denBok, Frank Ho and Clayton Leung. She has enjoyed playing with multiple groups in Edmonton including the Edmonton Metropolitan Orchestra, University of Alberta Symphony and currently Concordia Symphony Orchestra. She stays busy with work at Pedersen's Florists in Camrose, and loves all things creative and outdoors, dabbling in photography and macrame.
YOUR RFORMERS
Anna Beukes (narrator) is a third year voice major at The King’s University. Anna is a warm, energetic person who is eager to participate in all the musical events around her. Currently Anna is preparing for her junior recital this coming winter term and continuing voice studies throughout the summer!
Man Wui Leung (violin 2) is a second-year international student from Hong Kong. A pupil of Frank Ho, he is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Music degree at Concordia University of Edmonton and hopes to become a professional violinist. After completing his degree at CUE, Leung intends to go to Yale University for his master degree. He currently teaches violin at Serendipity Music Studio. winter term and continuing voice studies throughout the summer!
CIAL THANK
We would like to express our gratitude to The King’s University for the generous donation of Knoppers hall for tonight’s programming. We would also like to thank the audience members who came out tonight to support both the Arts, and a great cause.
