OAKVILLE SYMPHONY

Joseph Peleg, Concertmaster

A native of Hungary, Joseph came to Canada in 1968 and earned his Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto, and later his Masters of Music from Indiana University, while working with Joseph Gingold. Mr. Peleg has also worked with the eminent virtuosi Joseph Szigeti and Nathan Milstein. He has performed solos and recorded, and played with chamber music groups throughout Canada, the USA, Israel and many European centres. He currently serves as concertmaster of the Oakville Symphony.

Heath Allen, Principal French Horn

Mr. Allen completed a B. Mus. at Queen’s University and a M. Mus. in performance at the University of Toronto under Eugene Rittich. He has performed with the Kingston, Niagara, Windsor, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Oshawa-Durham, Kindred Spirits, Royal Opera Canada, Brampton Lyric Opera, Opera Kitchener and Southern Ontario Lyric Opera orchestras and freelances in many cities across Southern and Central Ontario. Mr. Allen is also an occasional conductor and clinician for the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra. He lives in Mississauga where he has an active private studio and teaches instrumental and vocal music for the Peel District School Board. Mr. Allen has been an active member on the Oakville Symphony Board of Directors and is the past chair of the Music Director Search Committee and the Artistic Committee.

Tim FitzGerald, Interim Principal Double Bass

Originally from Halifax, Tim moved to Toronto in 2001 after more than 15 years in Thunder Bay as section bassist with TBSO. Principal bassist with Canadian Sinfonietta since 2003, he balances a busy musical schedule with technical work. Serving as interim principal bass for the 2022-2023 season Tim continues a 10 year relationship with the Oakville Symphony as extra bass and a young artist mentor. He is excited to work again with Roger, Lynn and Bob during this season of transition.

Lorne Grossman, Principal Percussion

Lorne Grossman did his undergraduate studies at the University of Toronto. He was immediately offered work with the Stratford Festival, Royal Alexandria Theatre in Toronto and the O'Keefe Centre in Toronto. Within a few years, Lorne was principal percussion with the Canadian Opera Company (1972-1985) and a semi regular percussionist with the National Ballet of Canada (1974-1991). Lorne played on many TV commercials in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. He toured with Phantom of the Opera throughout Canada, Alaska and Hawaii twice from 1991-1994. Again he was on tour with Music of the Night 1995-1996. Staying home, Lorne had been playing drum set with the National Arts Centre Orchestra until 2011 and presently performs with the Oakville Symphony, Peterborough Symphony, Rose Orchestra, Ontario Philharmonic and occasionally with the Hamilton Philharmonic, London Symphonia, North Bay Symphony and Georgian Bay Symphony.

William McMillan, Principal Viola

Mr. McMillan completed undergraduate and postgraduate studies in music and education at the University of Toronto. A former director of the Inter-Provincial Music Camp, Principal of the North York Summer Music School as well as past conductor of the Halton and Sheridan Youth Orchestras, Pickering Philharmonic and Havergal and Crescent Chamber String Orchestras, Mr. McMillan recently retired as Curriculum Leader in Arts at York Mills Collegiate in Toronto. He is still active coaching, adjudicating and writing and publishing music for strings orchestra. He frequently performs with Counterpoint Community Orchestra and is principal viola of the York Symphony.

Jose Shapero, Principal Cello

Mr. Shapero graduated from the University of Toronto with Bachelor and Masters degrees in cello and piano. He has been Principal Cellist and guest soloist with several professional and community orchestras before joining the Oakville Symphony in 1987. Jose has recorded for commercials and television shows. He was very active with school performances as part of the Meet a Musician program and was music director at North Bramalea United Church in Brampton for the past 25 years. Jose is still active as cello coach with the OSYO. He plays on a beautiful 18th century Italian cello made by Luigi Venturini.

Christian Sharpe is an accomplished and versatile bassoonist who has been in demand as an orchestral and chamber musician, and as a soloist for the past 30 years. A member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony from 1992 to 2009, he has also performed with the Toronto Symphony, the Montreal Symphony, the Canadian Opera Company orchestra, the National Ballet Orchestra, and on one memorable occasion, the Mariinsky Orchestra under the direction of Valery Gergiev, as well as all of the orchestras of Southern Ontario. He is a regular performer at the Festival of the Sound, the Westben Festival, and others, and for many years played principal bassoon at the Elora Festival and the Mendelssohn Choir orchestra. Christian is a member of the chamber ensemble Spirit 20, and can be heard on recordings by artists such as Patricia O’Callahan and Amy Sky, and as a soloist with the Mozart Effect Orchestra, as well as on YouTube.

Violinist, educator and conductor David Rehner holds degrees in Music from the University of Toronto and in Education from OISE/UT. An experienced orchestra leader, he is the concertmaster of the Rose Orchestra Brampton and the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, and principal second violinist with the Oakville Symphony. David has appeared on many occasions as concertmaster with local ensembles including the Etobicoke Philharmonic, Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, Masterworks of Oakville, and Arcady among others. He also remains active as a guest soloist having performed many concerti with orchestra including those of Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Saint-Saëns, Vivaldi and more. In 2011 David was recognized as Brampton’s Arts Person of the Year for his work bringing music education programming to community youth, a worthy cause he continues to support through his role as Music Director and Conductor of the Rosebud Orchestra Training Program. For over 20 years, he has taught Strings and Mathematics for the Peel District School Board at the QE Arts Regional Learning Choice Program in south Mississauga. David always looks forward to sharing the stage with our wonderful Oakville Symphony, and this weekend’s performances are no exception!