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.
Rosalind O’Keefe, Head of Suzuki Violin
Rosalind O’Keefe, LRAM Royal Academy of Music (London, England) has been Head of the Suzuki Violin program at VAM and also a member of the Teacher Trainer Suzuki Association of the Americas since 1970.
Ms. O’Keefe first encountered the Suzuki method observing Yasuko Eastman in a program established in Edmonton, Alberta in the mid 1960′s.
In 1970, Rosalind, along with Marian Schreiber, set up the Suzuki Program for the then Community Music School, later to become the Vancouver Academy of Music. This was an exciting time as the Suzuki Method took hold of music education in North America, with many opportunities to observe Dr. Suzuki and other distinguished teachers.
In addition to her position at VAM, Ms. O’Keefe has taught summer workshops in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Washington and, in Canada, the Langley Community Music School, and the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts.
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.
Jacqueline Leggatt, Head of Theory
Dr. Leggatt has been teaching at VAM since 1997 and is currently Head of Theory and Manager of the VAM Library. Ms. Leggatt earned a Bachelor of Music (Piano) from Queen’s University and a Master of Music and Doctoral of Musical Arts from UBC in Composition. Also an active composer, Leggatt’s works -in both acoustic and electroacoustic genres- have been performed throughout North America. Jacqueline is an Associate of the Canadian Music Centre and a founding member of the Institute for Domestic Research.
Robert Rozek, Head of Violin
Robert Rozek graduated from the Juilliard School of Music where he studied with Ivan Galamian. Later he continued his studies at the Academia Chigiana as a violin student of Franco Gulli and Nathan Milstein, and a conducting student of Sergiu Celibidache.
Mr. Rozek’s performance career includes, leader of The Zurich Chamber Orchestra, leader of the Luzerner Kammersolisten, concertmaster – conductor of The Toscanini Orchestra of Parma, Italy, conductor and soloist at the Luzern Music Festival and solo concerts and recitals in many European and American cities.
Mr. Rozek is head of the violin department at the Vancouver Academy of Music. He also gives regular classes in Bergen and Oslo, Norway as well as in Zug, Switzerland at Astona International.
Lee Kum Sing, Piano
Lee Kum Sing studied with Gerhard Puchelt in Berlin, and with Julius Katchen and Magda Tagliaferro in Paris. Mr. Lee started his solo and orchestral career in Singapore (1953) and made his New York debut in Carnegie Hall (1963) and his London debut in Wigmore Hall (1969).
He has collaborated with Cho-Liang Lin, Alfredo Campoli, Rivka Golani, and Kim Borg. Mr. Lee’s performances have been broadcast on BBC, CBC, Asian, Australian and European radio and TV.
Professor Lee has been VAM Piano Department Head since 1971 and was a Professor of Piano at UBC (1972-2005). He is currently on the faculty of international summer festivals in Holland, Poland, France, Belgium, Italy, Japan, China, USA and Canada, and is Visiting Professor to several music conservatories in China.
Professor Lee sits on the jury of international piano competitions, including Queen Elisabeth (Brussels), Chopin (Warsaw), Rachmaninoff (Moscow), and China (Beijing).
Teresa Ho, Head of Suzuki Piano
Teresa Ho graduated with a Bachelor of Music at UBC where she studied with Professor Jane Coop. Prior to her undergraduate studies, Ms. Ho received her ARCT in piano performance and pedagogy.
Ms. Ho studied with Winifred Scott Wood and Robin Wood at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where she was elected as an Associate in piano performance and pedagogy. In the 1980′s Teresa studied with Haruko Kataoka, co-founder of the Suzuki Piano Method.
Teresa Ho has been Head of the Suzuki Piano Department at VAM since 1988.
David Meek, Head of Voice
David Meek, Head of VAM Voice Department, began his professional career with the Canadian Opera Company (COC) in chorus and supporting roles.
Mr. Meek toured extensively with the COC throughout Canada and the U.S. David was leading tenor at the Stadttheater (Wuerzburg, Germany) for six years, performing major roles including Tamino, Alfredo, Edgardo, Hoffmann among many others. Since 1979, David has sung with all of Western Canada’s opera companies.
Mr. Meek has been a faculty member at UBC and VAM since 1990. In 1992, he started the Opera Studio at VAM where he continues to conduct, direct, and oversee all opera scenes and full productions.
Three of Mr. Meek’s students were winners of the Metropolitan Opera Auditions in New York including international artist, soprano, Aline Kutan, one of Canada’s leading coloratura sopranos. Many others have gone on to professional careers in Canada, US, and abroad.
Mr. Meek currently resides in White Rock, BC with his wife, pianist, Sheila.
