String
Marlene Dankiw-Bath, A.L. Dip.
Marlene earned her Artist Licentiate Diploma from the University of Toronto. Her teachers have included Joyce Gundy, Andrew Dawes, Victor Martin and Reggiero Ricci. Marlene’s training as a Suzuki certified teacher took place in Winsconsin with Kay Collier Sloan, Guelph Ontario with Daphne Hughes and Columbus, Ohio with Linda and Roger Stieg.
She has been a teacher at the HSSM for several years, teaching both violin and viola. She also taught with the Toronto School Board Programme for 13 years.
Currently, Marlene performs with the Niagara Symphony and has been the viola section leader since 1976, as well as being the violist with the Niagara String Quartet since 1970. She works as a freelance orchestral musician for musicals, including Anne of Green Gables and Les Miserables. Marlene teaches at various Suzuki Summer Institutes as well as at the Music by the Lake String Music Camp.
Lorraine Dargavel, B.Mus.
Lorraine Dargavel is a committed Suzuki violin and viola teacher who has been teaching with the HSSM since 1975. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Music degree from McMaster University and has attended courses on Suzuki Education both in group and in private study. Lorraine has been a guest clinician at many area workshops and institutes.
Lorraine performs with the Niagara Symphony, String Quartet Quattro and the TeDeum Orchestra.
Sophia Kim B. Mus., B. Mus. Performance
Sophia Kim holds a B. Mus. in performance from the University of Toronto. She received Suzuki teacher training from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. Sophia has taught extensively both in the public schools and privately. She has a flexible approach to teaching and enjoys introducing all genres of music to her students including popular music. Sophia believes that music is a lifelong journey and hopes to instill in each student a sense of accomplishment and confidence with their instrument.
Sharyn Southworth
Sharyn started studying violin in Burlington, Ontario when she was 5 years of age. She continued her lessons at the Huntsville Suzuki Strings School with Linda Drennan, where she also was a member of the Huntsville Suzuki Strings Orchestra. Sharyn received her Suzuki Training through the Southwestern Ontario Suzuki Institute with Karen-Michele Kimmett. In addition Sharyn received her Suzuki Early Childhood Education training with Sharon Jones in London, Ontario.
Anne Marie Vallentyne
Anne Marie Vallentyne started violin lessons at the Winnipeg Suzuki School in Manitoba when she was 3 years of age. She continued her Suzuki studies in Ontario with Denise Williams at the Kingston Suzuki School, Mrs Langley at the Ottawa Suzuki School, the Royal Hamilton College of Music [Hamilton Philharmonic Children] and the Hamilton Suzuki School of Music. Throughout her musical career she has also studied with Mikhail Brat, Margot Jewell, Helen Tobias, Karen Zafer and Martin Beaver. She received her Suzuki specialized training through summer Institutes at: Buffalo University with Mary Kay Neal; Guelph University with Daphne Hughes; Columbus Ohio Capital University with Linda and Roger Steig and McGill University with Michelle George. She has played in Symphony Hamilton as well as performed in chamber music and quartets concerts and gigs.
Sonia Vizante, B.A., B.Ed.
Sonia Vizante received her Bachelor degree at the age of 18 from the Liceul de Musica “Dinu Lipatti”, Bucharest. In 1979 she graduated as a national valedictorian from the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Music Performance Department in Advanced Violin Studies. She also received her Bachelor of Education from Brock University, Ontario. Her violin teachers include Stefan Gheorghiu, Aurelian Angelescu, Ionel Geanta, Fritz Ehlers and Galina Barinova (in Germany). At graduation Ms. Vizante received a resident position with the Radio-Television Symphony Orchestra and the Chamber Orchestra of Bucharest. In 1981 she became a member of the Canadian Opera Company. The same year she took the position of principal-second with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra under Raffi Armenian and the following year the same position with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra under Boris Brott. Ms.Vizante held for six seasons the Concertmaster position of Ensemble Sir Ernest MacMillan. She continues to share the position of Concertmaster for the Boris Brott Music Festivals along with many distinguished Canadian violinists. For seven years she held the Associate –Concertmaster position with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra. Ms.Vizante serves also as Concertmaster with the Toronto Operetta Theatre and Amadeus Choir, Elmer Isler Choir of Toronto and numerous other groups. As well as performing, recording and touring with numerous other orchestras in Toronto and throughout Canada Ms.Vizante has been frequently invited to play with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and is presently playing with the National Ballet Orchestra and with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. Ms. Vizante’s chamber music collaborations include the McMaster University String Quartet, Toronto Trio Vivant, the Amadeus Ensemble of Toronto, Chamber Works, I Virtuosi di Toronto, Esprit Orchestra, recitals with the renowned pianist Valerie Tryon and many others. Other engagements include Concertmaster for the musicals “Oklahoma”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “Westside Story”, as well as playing with her own string quartet – the “Vizante String Quartet”-as the resident quartet for the Shaw Festival. Ms Vizante’s solo violin playing can be heard on programs presented by the Discovery Channel and the Learning Channel and in feature films. Ms. Vizante’s violin teaching and coaching experience include : McMaster University / Department of Art, Music and Drama, Redeemer University College Royal Conservatory of Music, Hamilton Suzuki School of Music, Southwestern Ontario Suzuki Institute, Ontario Regional Festival of Youth Orchestras, Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Centre for Piano and String Playing, private violin and chamber music instruction. Recently Ms.Vizante had recorded at the Glen Gould Studio in Toronto a classical CD album entitled Silver Lining that features her as a soloist. The CD which contains the music of the Canadian composer David Young was premiered on CBC Radio 2 in November 2005 and it was featured at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Sony Classical New York describes it as “most attractive and appealing” and now Sony ATV has picked up the option to represent this work for film. In April 2006 Ms.Vizante had been nominated for a Juno award for the “Butterfly in Time” CD where her violin playing is featured.
