Core Members

Joyce Lai, Concertmaster Chinese-Canadian Joyce Lai enjoys a prolific career as a violin soloist and chamber musician. Raised in a family of musicians, her mother Aster Lai, a well known piano pedagogue in Canada, and her father conductor and violinist Tak-Ng Lai, have both had a large influence on her growth as a musician. By the age of ten, Joyce had already won first place in the Canadian Music Competition on the piano and in the Toronto Kiwanis Competitions in both piano and violin.

Aside from being concertmaster and executive director of the Canadian Sinfonietta, she is also the violinist in the Riverdale Ensemble, the Croydon String Quartet and the Canadian Sinfonietta Chamber Players. She has been featured in a number of chamber concert series both as soloist and with chamber ensembles throughout Canada and overseas. This past summer, Joyce participated in performances at the Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival in Manitoba where she performed with renowned musicians such as violinist, Oleh Krysa and pianist, Alexander Tselyakov. As an orchestral player, Joyce has played under the baton of numerous conductors, among them Kurt Masur, Sixten Ehrling, and most recently, Vladimir Ashkenazy, and Christopher Warren-Green.

Besides chamber music and professional orchestral playing, Joyce has also performed extensively as guest soloist with orchestras such as the Etobicoke Philharmonic, the Toronto Chinese Philharmonic, the Canadian Chamber Academy, the Canadian Sinfonietta, the Glenn Gould Performing Arts Orchestra and the Hong Kong Chamber Orchestra. In 1994, Joyce made her debut as a soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, as well as her European debut with the Szeged Symphony Orchestra in Budapest, Hungary.

Joyce has been integral in promoting multi-cultural arts in the Canadian society. Not only has she premiered a number of new compositions by Canadian composers, but she also makes it a point to perform at least one Chinese Canadian work per year. To bridge the gap between Chinese and Western music, Joyce also frequently performs with Chinese instrumentalists such as George Gao on the erhu, or Anna Guo on the yang qin.

Joyce has also done extensive teaching. Aside from a private studio, she has taught at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts and the Hong Kong Baptist University.

Joyce received her Bachelor of Music Degree from the Manhattan School of Music in New York City where she was a scholarship student and on the Dean's List. She was also a recipient of the Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges Award for three consecutive years. Joyce holds a Master of Music Degree and a Performer Diploma from the Indiana University in Violin Performance.

Alain Bouvier, Violin One of the Canadian Sinfonietta’s youngest members, violinist Alain Bouvier recently graduated with an honours bachelor’s degree in violin performance from the prestigious Glenn Gould School, where he studied with such notable violinists as Mark Fewer (concert master, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra) and Annalee Patipatanakoon (Gryphon Trio). He was also was a mainstay member of The Veritas Piano Quartet (2002-2005). This ensemble-in-residence performed the famous works of Mozart, Brahms, and Schumann in Toronto (CBC Radio two),Guelph (Guelph Spring Festival), Barrie (Colours of Music Festival), as well as various cities in Quebec.

In addition, Mr. Bouvier was a member of The Royal Conservatory Orchestra (2001-2005) where he played first violin for such maestros as Simon Streatfield, Richard Bradshaw (Canadian Opera Company) and Bramwell Tovey (Vancouver Symphony Orchestra). He is also the concert master of Toronto's own Upper Canada Chorus Symphony. Between Mr. Bouvier's busy performing schedule, he also manages his very own ensemble, The Alexsandre Ensemble. This top quality, Toronto based ensemble performs regularly throughout the city for various concerts and events. Alain also keeps a busy teaching schedule at The Music Spot and The Academy of Music, both in downtown Toronto.

Aleksandar Gajic, Principal Viola Mr. Gajic graduated in violin at the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad, Serbia, and subsequently received his Masters Degree from the Belgrade Faculty of Music where he studied under Professor Maja Jokanovic.

During his studies he distinguished himself as a member of many chamber ensembles an as Concertmaster of the Academic Symphony Orchestra. In 1992, he was awarded the Amadeus scholarship in London.

While living in Serbia, Mr. Gajic was a member of the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra, the Belgrade String Quartet and Concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra if Radio Television of Serbia. Hw was a founding member of the Bellotti String Quartet, with whom he recorded and performed in Serbia and abroad for seven years. He has also played and recorded wiht the wolrd-renowned Yugoslav composer Goran Bregovic.

Since immigrating to Canada, Mr.Gajic has performed with the Oshawa Durham Symphony, the Windsor Symphony Orchest

Ian Clarke, Viola Ian Clarke began his musical career as a violinist, as a student of Arkady Yanivker. He served as concertmaster of the Matsumoto Symphony Orchestra in Japan from 1998-2000 and is currently associate concertmaster of the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, and concertmaster of both the York Chamber Ensemble and Unionville Chamber Orchestra.

As a violist, Ian has played most recently in the Music-on-the-Hill Series at St.John's York Mills Anglican Church, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Series, where he performed with the Riverdale Ensemble. Ian shares a successful musical partnership with his wife, violinist Joyce Lai.

Last season, they performed two double concertos with orchestra as well as frequently collaborating on other musical ventures.

Ian is currently violist of the Croydon String Quartet and the Canadian Sinfonietta.

András Weber, Principal Cello András Weber received his musical training in Budapest, Hungary. His mentor, Janos Starker, has been af major influence in his work. He has been principal cellist with orchestras in Hungary,Mexico City and Canda. Has given concerts in North America, Europe and Korea. He was the winner of DEBUT in Montreal where The Gazette called him a "generously gifted" musician who plays with a "nicely coloured and singing tone."

Mr. Weber has recorded in Hungary and Canada and plans to release some CD's: music for cello and organ with his wife Ran Kim,works for harp and cello with the acclaimed Mexican harpist Mercedes Gómez and solo cello works.

Mr. Weber is the founding artistic director of the Toronto series 'Music Alive!' and teaches at the Royal Conservatory of Music. He is a member of Sinfonia Toronto and Canadian Sinfonietta chamber orchestras. He has played concertos with many orchestras around the world.

In May 2005 he toured in Hungary, appearing in recitals and chamber music ensembles and giving master classes. Over the summer he played in Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City in chamber music festivals. Mr. Weber plays a 17th century Mariani cello.

Tim FitzGerald, Double Bass Tim FitzGerald was a member of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra for over 15 years and formerly played with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra and Orchestra London.

Over the past several years Tim has composed and performed vocal settings, in various styles, of Bahá'í Sacred text. Other performing interests include jazz bass, traditional Irish music and singing: in chorus and as soloist, often for groups of children. His own two daughters, Julie and Zoë, have reached the ages of 20 and 30 in spite of being subjected to many of these performances early on.

This is Tim's fourth season with Canadian Sinfonietta.

Stephen Tam, flute Canadian flautist Stephen Tam is the First-Prize Winner of the 2003 CBC/Radio-Canada National Competition for Young Performers. He has appeared as a concerto soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic, the Banff Festival Orchestra, the University of Toronto Symphony, the Toronto Senior Strings and the Etobicoke Philharmonic, and has been heard as a soloist and chamber musician on numerous occasions nationwide on CBC Radio.

As an orchestral flautist, Stephen currently serves as principal flute with the Canadian Sinfonietta and the Toronto Chinese Philharmonic Orchestra. He has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, and has served as principal flute in the Manhattan School of Music Symphony and Chamber Sinfonia. As a member of the Asian Youth Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, he toured Canada, United States, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Japan. Also active as a chamber musician, Stephen has been a guest performer with the Duke Trio, the Riverdale Ensemble and the contemporary music group Toca Loca. He has also been invited to participate at the University of Toronto's New Music Festival, the Ottawa Valley Music Festival, and the Northern Lights Music Festival in Ajijic, Mexico.

Before moving to Toronto from his native Hong Kong, Stephen swept virtually every prize awarded to a flautist in the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, including the Commercial Radio Prize. He was also the winner of the 1992 South China Morning Post Student Musician of the Year. While in his teens, Stephen was chosen to record for RTHK Radio 4's Young Music Makers series and to perform in the inaugural public concert held at the Hong Kong Government House.

Stephen holds the Master of Music in Orchestral Performance degree and the Professional Studies Certificate from the Manhattan School of Music, where he was a student of Jeanne Baxtresser and Michael Parloff. He also studied with Douglas Stewart at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Performance with Honours. In the past years, Stephen was awarded numerous scholarships including The Chalmers Award, The Women's Musical Club of Toronto Centennial Scholarship and the Manhattan School of Music's President's Award.

Kaye Royer, clarinet Kaye Royer was born in Canada and has performed in orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout Canada, the United States, England and Italy, and as a soloist in concertos by composers such as Mozart, Weber, R. Strauss, Finzi, Dubois and Ronald Royer.

Kaye currently holds the position of principal clarinet with the Toronto Sinfonietta, Brantford Symphony, Canadian Sinfonietta and the Scarborough Philharmonic. She also performs regularly with Niagara Symphony, Oshawa-Durham Symphony Orchestra, Orchestras Mississauga and Niagara-on-the-Lake Sinfonia.

Also active as a chamber musician, Kaye has enjoyed performances on the Les AMIS concert series, the Chamber Music Society of Mississauga, and the Niagara International Chamber Music Series. Her principal teachers include Avrahm Galper, Toronto; Stephen Pierce, London, England; James Kanter, Los Angeles; John Bruce Yeh and Larry Combs, Chicago.

Kaye also enjoys an active recording career, having worked on the soundtracks of such films as "Prisma", "The Dog", and "The Happy Couple" as well as the Compact Discs, "The Storyteller's Bag" and Toronto Sinfonietta's "Romancing Chopin" on which she performed as a soloist. She has also been heard on radio broadcasts on stations CJRT, CFMX, and throughout Canada on CBC 1 and 2.

Elizabeth McLellan, cello Liza, recent addition to the Toronto free-lance scene is a regular performer for Toronto’s Soundstreams series, and works with numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles throughout Ontario including the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the Thunder Bay Symphony and Orchestra London. In addition, Liza has performed as a featured soloist onstage at the prestigious Glenn Gould Studio (Toronto), The Heleconian Club (Toronto), and The Arts Project (London). Recent chamber work has taken her to perform in other venues in such cities as New York, Indianapolis, and Granada in the Caribbean. Liza has been recorded both by CBC radio and CBC television, Canada.

In 2007, Liza was the recipient of the RBC Youth Acheivement Award and was able to study on full scholarship with Aldo Parisot at the Banff Center for the Performing Arts. Winner of the Thomas Jeffrey scholarship, the University of Western Ontario's highest and most esteemed bursary given to graduate students in the music program, Liza has recently completed her Masters in Music degree under the tutelage of Dr. Thomas Weibe. She also won second place in London's Music Scholarship Foundation competition and first place in Regina’s Music Club competition. An eclectic musician, she has also performed live for Toronto’s Much Music Video Awards, and on-stage at the Air Canada Center, Toronto, Club Soda, Montreal, Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, and at the Molson Amphitheatre, London.

Ms. McLellan previously studied at the Glenn Gould School of Music in Toronto, Ontario and completed a Performance Diploma there in 2003 as a student of David Hetherington. In 2002, Liza toured with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada on a full scholarship taking her to Japan, Hong Kong, and numerous cities in Ontario and British Columbia. For the first four years of her post secondary education, Liza McLellan was the chosen recipient of a large government grant awarded by the Saskatchewan Arts Board.

Elizabeth began playing cello at the age of five in her hometown of Regina, Saskatchewan. She played Principal Cello with the South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra, winning a music scholarship during her final year and by the age of 17 she was a full contracted member of the Regina Symphony Orchestra.

Moira Burke, viola Moira Burke began her musical studies before age two at the Kodály Music School in Ottawa, directed by her grandmother, Mae Daly, a renowned musical pedagogue, vocal solo performer and choral conductor. Drawn to the violin after hearing Ida Haendel at Ottawa’s National Arts Centre, Mrs. Burke began playing the violin at age five as a student of Florence Dunne of Ottawa.

Following her family to Italy at age ten, Mrs. Burke continued music studies as a full-time student at the Conservatorio Statale Luigi Cherubini in Florence, with Maestro Cornoldi of Rome as her principal violin teacher. Returning to Canada at age 13, she was awarded the Flora Golden Memorial Scholarship under the tutelage of Canadian violinist, Victor Pomer of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. Mrs. Burke continued violin studies with renowned Romanian violinist, Ioan Harea. Later, as a violin student at McGill University, Moira renewed her connection with Ida Haendel, participating in her Master Classes.

While at McGill, Mrs. Burke was drawn to the beautiful tone of the viola and decided to concentrate on the viola under the tutelage of André Roy of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. Three months later she successfully auditioned for the 2002 National Youth Orchestra performing as violist across Canada, Japan and in Hong Kong. Mrs. Burke performed as principal violist of the McGill Symphony Orchestra and the McGill Opera Orchestra and was assistant principal violist of the Leonardo Da Vinci Orchestra in Montreal. She graduated from McGill University with her BA in Music and Masters in Viola Orchestral Performance.

Upon graduating Mrs. Burke moved to Toronto and is presently an active freelancer in the Greater Toronto Area. Mrs. Burke is principal violist with the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra, and performs with the Peterborough Symphony, the Oshawa-Durham Symphony, the Korean Canadian Symphony and the National Academy Orchestra. Besides her busy orchestral career, Ms. Burke is also a private violin and viola teacher in the Toronto area and an active chamber musician. She is violist with the SASS Chamber Ensemble, and in March 2008 will be principal violist with the Canadian String Orchestra at Opera Grenada’s "A Night at the Opera."

Rebecca Brown, violin A recent graduate of the Glenn Gould School, Rebecca has enjoyed success as both a performer and a teacher in the GTA. As committed music educator, Rebecca has channeled her profound passion into the Toronto District School Board as an Itinerant Music Instructor, where she has had opportunities to conduct, coach, and facilitate seminars at music festivals. In addition to the Canadian Sinfonietta, Rebecca plays regularly with the Oakville Chamber Orchestra and is a member of the Oshawa-Durham Symphony Orchestra. Rebecca spends her summers teaching at the Toronto Summer String Festival in Leaside, which she founded in 2008.

Phoebe Tsang, violin Violinist Phoebe Tsang currently holds the posts of Assistant Concertmaster for the Oshawa Durham Symphony Orchestra, Principal 2nd Violin for both Sinfonia Toronto and the Canadian Sinfonietta, and is Managing Artistic Director of the Alicier Arts Chamber Music concert series. Active as a soloist and chamber musician, in December 2007 she gave the world premiere of Anguished Grief for Violin and String Orchestra, with Sinfonia Toronto, composed for her by Vancouver Symphony's composer-in-residence Scott Good. Ms. Tsang was the student and teaching assistant of the late Professor Lorand Fenyves, and developed her love of teaching under his mentorship. She continues to learn from the example of her lovely students aged six and up!

In tandem with her musical activities, Ms. Tsang is a poet whose works have been published in numerous anthologies, journals and chapbooks in Canada, the UK, India and Hong Kong. Her first full-length poetry collection is forthcoming from Tightrope Books in 2009. In addition, Phoebe holds a degree in architecture from the University of London (UK).

Irina Babuk, violin Irina graduated from Belorussian Academy of Music and received a Master's Degree of Music in Violin performance. Since her graduation she performed with various symphony orchestras in-concert and toured around Europe. For the last fifteen years Irina taught violin technique as well as music theory to children and adults. Her students won prizes for the best music composition and performance.