Ariel Barnes, Cello
Praised for “…his luscious tone and technical prowess…” (Vancouver Sun), Ariel Barnes is one of Canada’s acclaimed cellists. Equally comfortable in musical languages from the Baroque to music of our modern times, Ariel’s performances range from evenings of period style interpretations of Baroque classics to World Premiers of contemporary art music. His solo and chamber music recordings have been received with critical acclaim, having been nominated for a Juno Award and two Western Canadian Music Awards. Recently selected as one of 6 cellists across the nation by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Ariel has recorded J.S. Bach’s d minor suite for CBCs new online streaming project, The Portal. Actively involved in the creation of 21st century art music, his new project Couloir, with harpist Heidi Krutzen, focuses on the development of new works and interdisdiplinary collaboration (www.couloir.ca). Pieces commissioned and to be premiered by Couloir in the 2011/12 season include music by Canadians Jocelyn Morlock and Glenn Buhrr, and US based Baljinder Sekhon. Couloir is scheduled to tour in the United States and Canada, notably for the Piatigorsky Foundation in the 2011/12 season and for Prairie Debut in the 2012/13 season.
An ardent chamber musician, Ariel is a former member of the Borealis String Quartet, Trio Accord and has collaborated with many fine artists such as The St. Lawrence String Quartet, Musica Intima, Trio Verlaine, Jonathan Crow, Dale Barltrop, Barry Schiffman, Andrew Dawes, Martin Chalifor, Arthur Rowe, Ian Parker and Daniel Bolshoy, among many others. Memorable appearances at chamber music festivals include the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Musicfest Vancouver, Mendocino Music Festival, Victoria Summer Music Festival, B.C. Scene, Elora Festival, Centre D’Arts at Mount Orford, and the Banff Centre for the Arts. He is a founding member, and regular guest, of the Scotiabank Northern Lights Music Festival in Ajijic, Mexico.
In addition to his solo and chamber music performances, Ariel is principal cellist of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, a member of the Turning Point Ensemble, on faculty at the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific and the Courtenay Youth Music Camp. His recordings can be heard on Atma Classiques, Skylark Records, Universal Music and Centrediscs, as well as many live concerts recorded and broadcast on CBC Radio.
“…played passionately by Ariel Barnes…”
BBC Music Magazine
“Cellist Ariel Barnes, gave the night’s most mesmerizing musical
experience… The epic nature of this composition was expressed ideally by Ariel’s dazzling technique and personal connection.”
The Live Music Report, Toronto, Ontario
“…on his own for two works by his father, the late Milton Barnes..he proved an impressive addition to the program…his luscious tone and technical prowess marks him as a musician of real stature.”
Vancouver Sun
Mary Thomson, Cello
Mary Thomson has been a VAM faculty member since 1987. She began her studies in Victoria with James Hunter, then continued Suzuki training with Tanya Carey. Mary has coached chamber music workshops both in Canada and in France, has been an adjudicator for string festivals and has taught at several summer music camps including the Japan/Seattle Suzuki Institute and the Quiring Summer Festival. Mary is co-founder and co-director of ‘campocello’. Campocello is a week long summer camp which provides young cellists the experience of multi-level ensemble playing. Mary’s students are successfully prepared for exams and festivals at regional, provincial and national levels. She has published a cello scale book which fulfills the requirements for RCM cello exams from grade 1 – 10.
Joseph Elworthy, Head of Cello
Joseph Elworthy has been a featured soloist, recitalist, and chamber music performer on such stages as Alice Tully Hall, Suntory Hall, Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, and Sejong Hall. His recordings can be heard on EMI, Sony, Archtype, and Bose record labels. In addition to receiving the Sylva Gelber Award of $15,000, Joseph has been the recipient of multiple Canada Council Career Grants. Mr. Elworthy began his cello studies with Audrey Nodwell at the Vancouver Academy of Music, and continued his training under the tutelage of Eric Wilson, with whom he studied for seven years. Joseph spent multiple summers at the Banff Centre, where he first encountered esteemed cello pedagogue, Aldo Parisot. After high school, he continued his studies at Yale University and the Juilliard School under the guidance of Mr. Parisot. Upon graduation from Yale, Mr. Elworthy was the recipient of the Aldo Parisot Prize – the highest honour issued by Yale University to a graduating cellist. In June 2010, Elworthy honoured Mr. Parisot’s contribution to cello performance pedagogy in Canada by hosting the Parisot Cellofest at the Vancouver Academy of Music – an event that reunited Aldo Parisot and many of his former Yale pupils, all of whom occupy prominent teaching positions in Canada.
In September 2011, Elworthy was appointed as Executive Director of the Vancouver Academy of Music where he also serves as Head of the Cello Department. He has appeared on numerous television and radio broadcasts around the globe including media outlets such as CBC, Arts & Entertainment, BRAVO, PBS, Radio Europe, and NHK. In 2009, Joseph released a critically acclaimed recording of the complete Bach Cello Suites, described in Strad Magazine as: “a cogent vision of each suite impressively expressive yet contained, drawn with surgical precision making these interpretations an impressive achievement”. Mr. Elworthy has also been a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra since 2002. Joseph plays on a rare Ferdinando Gagliano circa 1760 that once belonged to the legendary German cellist, Hugo Becker.
Cristian Markos, Cello
Born into a musical family, Cristian Markos began playing the cello at age eight. He completed his early studies in his native country, Romania, earning a Bachelor degree in Music Performance from the Music Academy of Bucharest. From Romania, Mr. Markos went on to study for one year at the Musik Akademie in Weimar, Germany and toured throughout Europe with the Mont Blanc Youth Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Markos completed his formal studies at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee studying for two years with Wolfgang Laufer, cellist of the Fine Arts Quartet.
In 1990 Mr. Markos was awarded first prize in Romania’s National Cello Competition and went on to win top prizes at other concerto competitions, including the Concord Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition and the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Concerto Competition.
An accomplished soloist and chamber musician, Mr. Markos has performed on a variety of stages throughout Romania, France, Germany, Austria, Greece, Italy, the United States, and Canada. He has also spent the past three summers in Boulder, Colorado as a member of the Colorado Music Festival Orchestra.
Since joining the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1999, Mr. Markos has been active in Vancouver’s vibrant music community both as a performer and as a teacher. He can be seen often on stage with the CBC Radio Orchestra and collaborates with many of Vancouver’s local musicians in concert and recital.
Cyrena Huang, Cello
Cyrena has played baroque cello and viola da gamba with the Modern Baroque Opera, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra and Kawasha’s Crew. She studied jazz with the Turtle Island String Quartet and performed with Canadian jazz icon Karin Plato.
She has performed with the Vancouver Opera and Vancouver Symphony Orchestras, The Elektra Women’s Choir, The Vancouver Cantata Singers, and recorded with the band 54-40 for their album ‘Since When’ and the band Nickelback for the Spiderman movie soundtrack.
She has been on faculty at the Vancouver Waldorf School 2006-2008, Pinnacle Strings at Capilano University (2009–2010), the Valhalla Suzuki Institute since 2005 and WCAMS at Trinity Western University since 2006.
She is also on faculty at the Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy as a flamenco instructor.
Judith Fraser, Cello
Judith Fraser received her training at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England where afterward she was principal cello with the London Festival Ballet. Returning to Vancouver, Ms. Fraser became a member of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the CBC Radio Orchestra.
A founding member of the Vancouver Cello Club – treasurer for 37 years – Judith was also a founding member/manager of the Baroque Strings of Vancouver. She played with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and was orchestra manager for 12 years.
As a participant in the Banff Summer Residency programs, Ms. Fraser studied pedagogy with Aldo Parisot and gave master classes in Brisbane, Melbourne and Hobart for the Australian String Teachers Assn; La Pas Music School in La Pas, Mexico; Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, England, and the University of Ottawa.
Together with John Kadz from Mount Royal Conservatory in Calgary, they organized 9 Cellofests at the Banff Centre with international master cellists. Judith Fraser is editor of the Vancouver Cello Club newsletter, and honorary life member of the VYSO Board, guest instructor in Nanaimo and Calgary, coach of VAM’s Adult Cello Ensemble where she has served as a distinguished faculty member since 1972.
Judith Fraser currently devotes her time to teaching and adjudicating.
Kristl Armstrong, Cello
Kristl Armstrong studied at the Royal College of Music, London. She has also completed teacher training in the Suzuki Method with, among others, Tanya Carey, Rick Mooney, and Carey Beth Hockett.
As a performer, Kristl has with many groups in and around Vancouver such as the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, the Vancouver Island Symphony, and the Vancouver New Music Society.
Audrey Nodwell, Head of Suzuki Cello
Audrey holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of British Columbia and a Master of Music degree from the University of Victoria. She had further cello studies with Kurt Engert at the Richard Strauss Konservatorium in Munich, Germany.
She has also studied the Suzuki method with many renowned teachers such as Bill Starr, John Kendall and Tanya Carey. A devoted teacher and mentor, Audrey has taught cello and music history at the Victoria Conservatory and at Capilano University and now maintains a full teaching studio at VAM where she has been a core faculty member for many years.
In addition to her regular teaching and performing activities, Audrey has taught at numerous workshops, Suzuki Institutes, summer music camps and festivals throughout North America.
A previous member of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, Audrey now performs with the Pro Nova String Quartet (www.pronova.ca). She has been a member of this ensemble for over twenty years.
