The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra
Music Director and Principal Conductor David Briskin
The National Ballet of Canada is privileged to have its own full Orchestra with over 60 members. The Orchestra has performed in each of the National Ballet’s seasons and is led by Music Director and Principal Conductor David Briskin. The company’s first Music Director was George Crum who, along with Founder Celia Franca, was a pioneer of the company. Crum held the position from the company’s inception in 1951 to 1984, when he was appointed Music Director Emeritus. The Orchestra was led by Ermanno Florio from 1985 to 1990. Ormsby Wilkins was Music Director and Principal Conductor from 1990 to 2006. The National Ballet of Canada Orchestra has toured extensively with the company through Canada, the US and Europe. Over the years, the Orchestra has received much acclaim from audiences and critics alike and has recorded two CDs of Michael Torke’s compositions for The Contract (The Pied Piper) and An Italian Straw Hat. The Orchestra made their concert debut at Koerner Hall on 3 avril, 2012, in celebration of the company’s 60th anniversary.
Membres
Violin 1
Aaron Schwebel, Concertmaster
Lynn Kuo, Assistant Concertmaster
James Aylesworth
Jennie Baccante*
Terri Croft +
Xiao Grabke
Nancy Kershaw
Sonia Klimasko-Leheniuk
Jayne Maddison
Aya Miyagawa
Joanna Zabrowarna
Violin 2
Jamie Kruspe, Acting Principal Second Violin
Csaba Koczó, Acting Assistant Principal 2nd Violin
Patrick Goodwin +
Sheldon Grabke
Dominique Laplante
Yakov Lerner
Wendy Rogers
Paul Zevenhuizen
Altos
Shelia Jaffe, Principal
Josh Greenlaw, Assistant Principal
Emily Eng
Valerie Kuinka
Johann Lotter
Angela Rudden
Violoncelles
Maurizio Baccante, Principal
Marianne Pack, Assistant Principal
Mary Katherine Finch +
Olga Laktionova
Elaine Thompson
Andrew McIntosh*
Paul Widner
Contrebasses
Tony Flynt, Principal
Robert Speer, Acting Assistant Principal
Jonathan Yeoh, Assistant Principal*
Talia Hatcher +
Samuel-San Vachon
Flûtes
Leslie J. Allt, Principal †
Shelley Brown, Piccolo
Maria Pelletier
Hautbois
Mark Rogers, Principal
Karen Rotenberg
Lesley Young, English Horn
Clarinettes
Max Christie, Principal
Gary Kidd, Contra Bass Clarinet
Emily Marlow, Bass Clarinet
Bassons
Chia-Yu Hsu, Principal △
Thomas Roy-Rochette
Cors
Jessie Brooks, Principal
Carlie Bigelow
Gary Pattison
Scott Wevers
Trompettes
Richard Sandals, Principal
Mark Dharmaratnam
Trombones
David Pell, Principal
David Archer
Tuba
Sasha Johnson, Principal
Harpe
Sanya Eng, Acting Principal +
Tympani
Andrew Rasmus, Principal
Percussion
Kristofer Maddigan, Principal
Mark Mazur
Accordion
Michael Bridge
Piano
Andrei Streliaev
Midi Keyboard
Benjamin Kersey
Musicothécaire
Peter Eratostene
Orchestra Personnel Manager and Music Administrator
Raymond Tizzard
† The Principal Flute position is endowed by The Herridge Family Fund.
△ The Principal Bassoon Position is endowed by The Herridge Family Fund.
* On Leave of Absence
+ Additional Musician
