Bruce Skelton, Violin Teacher and Program Director
Bruce's musical training began thirty-three years ago. After attending weekly lessons in London ON, the Owen Sound born musician travelled to the University of Michigan where he obtained his Bachelor of Music in Performance, studying under the guidance of former Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster Jacob Krachmalnick. He is an accomplished soloist, orchestral, and chamber musician, having appeared with the Concertare Musicale Sinfonia, the National Arts Chamber Orchestra, the Allen Park Symphony, and the Georgian Bay Symphony. He currently enjoys a very active teaching career, both in private lessons and groups with the Kitchener-Waterloo Community String School and, along with Martha, is a member of the Leith Quartet, which performs at over 30 weddings and other functions each year.

Martha Kalyniak, a native of Kitchener- Waterloo has been teaching both violin and viola to children ages 4 and up for the past 30 years. She is currently on faculty with the Kitchener-Waterloo Community String School. Martha has been a full time member of the Kitchener- Waterloo Symphony since 1984. Martha is also the violist of the Leith String Quartet, which has been together for the past nine years. Martha enjoys gardening, her two cats Max and Jack, and her poodle Oliver, who lays at her feet, listening to her students.

Chloe Giannopoulos, Violin Teacher

Chloe received her Bachelors of Music degree in Performance at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2015. Starting at the age of 4, she first learned violin through the Suzuki Method, studying with Olga Kalyniak at the KWCSS. Since then, she has studied across Southwestern Ontario with Sharon Jones, Lance Ouellette, Jerzy Kaplanek and Jeremy Bell. Chloe has studied chamber music with members of the Penderecki String Quartet and was a member of the Wilfrid Laurier University Symphony Orchestra. She has attended chamber music workshops at the University of Victoria, and has attended the Southwestern Ontario Suzuki Institute as a student and for teacher development courses. Chloe has worked at the National Music Camp of Canada as a staff member in both the orchestral and Suzuki Strings programs. Chloe is looking forward to more performance opportunities as well as ongoing teacher development.

Chris Sharpe, Cello Teacher

Chris Sharpe has been in Kitchener-Waterloo since coming to Wilfrid Laurier University in 1979. He joined the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony that same year and later was appointed to the Associate Principal Cello position. During his years at the KWS, he served in several administrative roles and helped develop the KWS Youth Orchestra Program and other education and youth programs. Continuing in administration, he has just accepted the position of Operations Manager for the Elora Festival. Chris has taught cello privately since his teen years in Sarnia, and has continued to teach and coach. He has a passion for bringing active music-making into the lives of people of all ages and walks of life. He particularly enjoys playing cello each week for the senior residents at Winston Park.