Calgary Arts Summer School Association

"Discover The Fine Arts Within Yourself"

New in 2008!
CASS-Amici String Camp

July 28 to August 1 and August 4 to August 8
St. Vladimir's Cultural Centre
404 Meredith Road (Memorial Drive and Edmonton Trail)
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

See the registration form for camp fees.

The CASS-Amici String Camp is a new program that offers young string players between the ages of 5 and 18 with over 2 years string experience the opportunity to learn in an intensive and enjoyable summer atmosphere. Developed by Amici String Artistic Directors Fiona Carnie and Theresa Plotnick, the program is designed to give participants a nurturing, stimulating and inclusive environment in which to enhance and develop their musical abilities. Participants work together with a dedicated faculty to learn and to enjoy the sociability of a summer camp. It is our wish that each student grow musically and personally while at the same time enjoying all the wonder and excitement of summer music camp life.

Clinicians

Fiona Carnie and Theresa Plotnick

Full Day Program

July 28 - Aug 1, or Aug 4 - Aug 8, or both weeks
9:00 am to 5:00 pm

CASS-Amici String Camp provides:

• technique classes
• masterclasses
• ensemble and/or orchestral training
• piano accompaniment
• performance opportunities and public recitals
• extracurricular activities

Participant Requirements:

• Students require more than 2 years of string experience
• Students must bring one well-prepared work and one work in progress. Please remember to bring piano parts for solo pieces
• Students must bring their own lunch everyday
• Students must have a desire to learn with a positive attitude!
• Parents are welcome to be present at any part of the program. We encourage those of you with students 10 years or younger to attend and help with lunchtime supervision.

Junior Program (1/2 Day)

July 28 - Aug 1, or Aug 4 - Aug 8, or both weeks
9:00 to 11:00 am

CASS-Amici offers a daily 2-hour program for students 5 to 8 years old with a minimum of 1 to 2 years playing experience, these fun and energetic sessions will include

• note reading skills,
• technique
• ensemble work
• opportunities for solo performance.

Students of this age who are more advanced may be able to participate in the Full Day Program. Please consult directly with the Artistic Directors for this option. The Junior Camp members will take part in Friday afternoon recitals.

Private instruction is available for the Full Day Program and Junior Program and is offered at an extra cost on a first come, first served basis, pending teacher availability. Sign-up sheets will be available on the first day of camp. Requests must be submitted on the first day of the CASS-Amici String Camp. Students in the Full Day Program will have priority in lesson sign up, but students in the Junior Program may also request lessons.

Introduction to the Violin (ITTV)

July 28 to August 1 and August 4 to August 8 (two week program) 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

The Introduction to the Violin (ITTV) program is designed to introduce children aged 5 to 7 to the violin. The program will consist of a 1-and-1/2 hour class each weekday afternoon for two weeks, with varied activities including:

• basic violin posture games,
• introductory music reading games
• other music related activities
• inclusion in public recitals

Students and parents are welcome to audit any other part of the program when they are not in class. They are also welcome to participate in the recreational activities that will occur at the end of each day. On each Friday there will be a recital, which will include the participants in the ITTV program.

Recitals

• Friday August 1, 2008 1:00 pm
• Friday August 8, 2008 1:00 pm
  at St. Vladimir's Cultural Centre

(Recital times apply to all string camps.)

Teacher Profiles

Director and Violin Teacher Fiona Carnie studied violin with Lise Elson in Calgary where she received her Bachelor of Music in violin performance (with distinction) from the University of Calgary. She then went on to receive her M.M. from Yale University, where she studied with Sidney Harth and Syoko Aki. She has played professionally for many years with ensembles such as the Calgary Philharmonic, the National Ballet Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony and many other groups.

Ms. Carnie taught for eighteen years at Mount Royal Conservatory, where she was String Coordinator, Director of Early Childhood Strings and the Summer String Academy. She also coordinated the Intermediate Academy program and taught chamber music and violin technique and masterclasses. Her students perform with major orchestras and teach at major institutions across the country.

She is now co-director of the Amici String Program.

Ms. Carnie adjudicates festivals across the country and is an examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto). She regularly gives guest masterclasses and pedagogy sessions.

combines an array of performance experience with a dedication to furthering young students. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Ms. Plotnick earned a music degree at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. She played professionally in orchestras in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio; Caracas, Venezuela; and Erie, Pennsylvania before moving to Calgary.

Ms. Plotnick has performed frequently as a freelance violist with such groups as the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Calgary Bach Society, Calgary Festival Chorus, Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra, Red Deer Symphony, VAD ensemble, and numerous chamber groups. She is a founding and current member of the Allegra String Quartet.

After serving on the faculty of the Suzuki Talent Education Society for many years, she served as coordinator of the Mt. Royal College Junior Academy Program. She is a frequent clinician and adjudicator at workshops, summer programs, and festivals. She currently maintains a large violin and viola studio while serving as associate artistic director of the Amici String Program.

Violin Teacher, Orchestra Director Jeffrey Plotnick, a native of Dayton, Ohio, has completed his twenty-sixth season as Principal Second Violin with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Mr. Plotnick performed with orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Caracas, Venezuela before assuming his present position in Calgary.

In addition to performing in the Calgary Philharmonic, Mr. Plotnick also has served as concertmaster of the Calgary Bach Society and the Calgary Festival Chorus Orchestras. Mr. Plotnick has often appeared as violin soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic as well as the Calgary Bach Society, and is heard in frequent performances as a solo and chamber recitalist. In October of 1998, Mr. Plotnick participated in a cultural mission to Kazakhstan, which included solo performances for its President.

Mr. Plotnick has been a member of the faculties of the University of Calgary and Mt. Royal College in Calgary, and is the conductor of Mt. Royal’s Intermediate Youth Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Plotnick has been a faculty member of the Banff International Youth Orchestra Festival, the Valhalla and Strings and Keys summer music institutes, and has appeared as guest artist and clinician at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Violin Teacher Keiko Takahashi began learning the Violin at age 5. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in performance and teaching from Toho University of Music in Japan. After moving to Calgary she became a faculty member of the Suzuki Talent Education Society and was there for 17 years. She now runs a private studio teaching violin and viola. She also travels as a clinician throughout Canada.

In addition to this, she is a busy freelance musician playing with various orchestras including the Calgary Philharmonic, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Touring Orchestra, and the Red Deer Symphony. She also performs in various chamber ensembles, musical and theatre groups throughout Canada, the States and Japan. Ms. Takahashi will be at the camp the first week only.

Violin Teacher Barbara Heninger, a native Calgarian, began her studies at Mount Royal College. She participated in the Academy program and completed a Performance Diploma in both voice and violin from the Mount Royal Conservatory of Music.

She completed her Bachelor of Music Degree in violin performance from the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Erika Raum. She subsquently continued her studies at the Glenn Gould School with Mrs. Raum and completed an Artist Diploma of Music. She had the opportunity of working with outstanding artists including Andres Cardenes, William Preucil and Lorand Feneves.

Ms. Heninger is a certified Suzuki teacher and currently teaches at Mount Royal College. She is an active chamber, orchestral and solo performer.

We also know that Ms. Heninger has a wonderful sense of humour.

Ms. Heninger will be at the camp the second week only.

Violin Teacher Diane Lane was born in Claresholm Alberta, Ms. Lane began her violin studies in Lethbridge before attending the Mount Royal Conservatory of Music in Calgary. While studying there she had the privilege of working with many internationally renowned artists.

Ms. Lane graduated from McGill University with her Bachelor of Music degree under the tutelage of Yehonatan Berick. During her studies there she had many performance opportunities and played under the direction of, among others, Charles Dutois. She continued her studies with Edmond Agopian at the University of Calgary and graduated with a Master's degree in violin performance.

Over the years she has participated in a number of music festivals and competitions. Diane spent fall of 2004 at The Banff Centre as a resident where she collaborated with many renowned musicians. She has returned to Banff many times since, both as a soloist and chamber musician. Ms. Lane also co-founded Players Chamber Music Ensemble, and is a member the Lily String Quartet. She is an active orchestra and chamber performer and plays with various ensembles in and around Calgary.

has a Master’s degree in cello performance from McGill University where she studied with Antonio Lysy. Andrea made her solo debut in 1998 with the Calgary Civic Symphony playing Bloch’s Schelomo. She is co-founder of Players Chamber Ensemble. Along with playing in Lily Quartet, Ms. Case is pursuing a career in chamber music and enjoys teaching cello at Mount Royal College.

Accompanist Leila Chiacchia completed her Master of Music degree In the spring of 2003 in collaborative piano at the University of Western Ontario. She held a teaching assistantship, which allowed her to accompany various choirs as well as act as the repetiteur for the UWO opera company.

Prior to her studies in London, she completed a Bachelor degree at the University of Calgary, studying French Horn with Kurt Kellan, and piano with Charles Foreman.

She is currently on faculty as an accompanist with the Mount Royal Academy program and enjoys working with singers, choirs and instrumentalists in the Calgary

For more information on CASSA programs, please call
Linda Kundert-Stoll at 403-271-0418, fax at 403-278-3236,
or call Janice Dahlberg at 403-287-1856,
or email us here.