Olga Kalyniak, Violin Teacher and Program Coordinator

Olga has been teaching violin for the past 27 years. She became interested in the education of young children after completing her studies at the University of Western Ontario. At that time, Olga accepted an apprenticeship position at the Suzuki String School of Guelph under the leadership and guidance of Thomas Wermuth, Linda Drennan and Daphne Hughes. Committed to on-going learning, Olga has enjoyed attending numerous teacher development workshops to keep her approach fresh. One of the highlights of her teacher training was traveling to Japan to study with pedagogue Dr. Shinichi Suzuki.

  In 1997 Olga founded the Kitchener-Waterloo Community String School and continues to develop this program with colleagues Martha Kalyniak and Bruce Skelton. Olga loves to work with children and remains dedicated to music and the art of teaching. Her hobbies include fitness, reading, stained glass art and playing with her Border Collies.

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.

Bruce Skelton, Violin Teacher

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.

Beth Ann de Sousa, Accompanist

Based at Wilfrid Laurier University as Accompanist-in-Residence, Beth Ann de Sousa enjoys an active performing and coaching career in Southwestern Ontario. She is in demand as an accompanist and coach for singers, instrumentalists and chamber musicians. She has performed frequently with the KW Symphony and Canadian Chamber Ensemble and is a founding member of the New Art Quartet, a piano and percussion ensemble. Beth Ann holds the degrees of A Mus (Western Conservatory), B Mus (WLU) and M Mus (University of Western Ontario).