Julia McFarlane

Concertmaster

Born in Kingston, Julia began her violin studies in the Suzuki method at the age of five. After being accepted, at age 14, as the youngest member of the National Youth Orchestra, Julia went on to make her solo debut with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa. While pursuing a Bachelors degree in Performance at McGill University and a Masters degree in Performance at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Julia studied with Mauricio Fuks, Yehonatan Berick, and Herbert Greenberg. Julia has played in the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra, Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Les Jeunes Virtuoses , Niagara Symphony Orchestra and Talisker Players. From 2000 to 2003, Julia was Principal Second Violin of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Saskatchewan Chamber Orchestra, and the Saskatoon Opera Orchestra. During the same time, she served as Co-Artistic Director and Co-Concertmaster of Prairie Virtuosi, Saskatchewan’s only Baroque and Classical chamber orchestra.

Currently, Julia is co-artistic director of the Toronto Suzuki Studio, as well as a teacher at the Royal Conservatory of Music and Etobicoke Suzuki Music. She is also a founding member of the Glenellen String Quartet and an active free-lance violinist throughout Toronto and southern Ontario.

Carolina Rouleau

Principal Second Violin

Carolina Rouleau earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in music and double major in violin and piano performance from the Bishop’s University. In addition, she earned a Bachelor of Education from the University of Ottawa, specializing in music. Her principal teachers include Genevieve Beaudry, Sergei Nikonov, Grace Hong, and Brigitte Poulin. She is currently Associate Principal Second Violins with the Kindred Spirits Orchesta, sectional first violin with Orchestra Toronto, and member of Opus Undone quartet. Ms. Rouleau is a four time winner of the First Prize at the Festival des cordes de l’Estrie and Grand Prize winner of the M. Georgina Mills scholarship. She has also been a member of the Bishop’s University Music Search Committee.

Jill Clarke

Principal Viola

Jill Clarke received her Bachelor of Music from Queen’s University, and attended the Royal Conservatory of Music as part of the Orchestral Training Program and Professional School. Jill has taught violin and viola at the Royal Conservatory of Music and now teaches at the Toronto School for Strings. Former violist with the Kingston Symphony and Thunder Bay Symphony, she is presently a freelance musician in the Toronto area and principal viola of the NYCO Symphony Orchestra.

Sybil Herceg-Shanahan

Principal Cello

Sybil Herceg-Shanahan holds a Master’s Degree from the concert class of cello soloist Patrick Demenga in Lausanne, Switzerland, and received a Bachelor of Music while studying with Gregor Horsch, principal cellist of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. She has held positions with the Orchestre Symphonique de Bienne, Sinfonietta de Lausanne and the Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra. Currently an active performer and teacher in her native land, Sybil is the newest addition to Ensemble Vivant and is at work on a previously unrecorded selection of French cello duets with cellist Coenraad Bloemendal. Sybil plays on a contemporary Italian cello made by Maurizio Tadioli.

Anthony Damtsis

Principal Double Bass

Anthony Damtsis is currently in his final year of his Bachelor of Commerce Degree at Ryerson University. He has been involved in orchestras such as the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (2006-2011), the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra and the International Regions Orchestra held outside Munich, Germany in 2009. He has also attended masterclasses with Joel Quarrington and has his Royal Conservatory of Music grade 10 in piano. He has been with the NYCO Symphony Orchestra since 2010.