Richard Margison is an Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Music, Université de Montréal. He specializes in classical singing and the performance of early, classical, and contemporary music. His teaching focuses on opera workshops and vocal training, contributing to programs like the Bachelor's in Music (Classical Singing Interpretation) and the PhD in Music (Piano Accompaniment). Areas of expertise include vocal performance across historical periods and opera pedagogy. No specific grants, awards, or research articles are mentioned in the provided texts. He advises no listed students, though his teaching roles suggest mentorship in vocal performance programs. Labs/teams: None explicitly stated in the available information.
Greg Wanless is a Professor in the DAN School of Drama and Music at Queen's University, specializing in Directing, Acting, and Arts Leadership. With over four decades of service since 1982, he has shaped the department's academic and production landscape through sustained commitment to theatrical excellence and community engagement. Education: National Theatre School (Graduated 1972) Queen's University (Degree completed 1982) His research integrates professional theatre practice with academic pedagogy, focusing on directorial approaches to classical and contemporary works. Wanless emphasizes arts leadership development through real-world production management and community partnerships, bridging academic training with professional industry standards. Creative output reveals consistent exploration of psychological depth and social themes across diverse theatrical genres, from Shakespearean comedy to modern political drama. His directorial choices demonstrate commitment to both canonical repertoire and Canadian works, fostering audience growth and artistic innovation. Scientific Awards: No awards were documented in the source material. Wanless mentors students through the Thousand Islands Playhouse's Young Company program, which provides hands-on experience for DAN School participants via school tours across eastern Ontario. He facilitates the Herman Voaden Playwriting Competition, creating pathways for emerging playwrights through institutional collaboration. As founder of the Thousand Islands Playhouse (1982-2012), he transformed it into a major regional institution with two venues serving 44,000+ patrons annually. His leadership in converting the Gananoque Armouries into the Firehall Theatre established vital infrastructure for artistic development and community cultural engagement.
Dylan Robinson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Art History and Art Conservation at Queen’s University, located on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples. He holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Arts. His research explores the sensory politics of Indigenous activism, public art, and spatialized colonialism. As a Stó:lō scholar, his work bridges theory and practice, focusing on sound art, text-based art, and social arts practice. Education: PhD in arts practice-based research from the University of Sussex (2009). His doctoral work combined modernist music, dialogue, and hosting protocols to examine 'public musicology.' Research interests include: Indigenous public art history, sensory studies, and decolonizing methodologies. His current projects document North American Indigenous public art and explore 'Creative Conciliation' beyond reconciliation’s limitations. Recent publications analyze Indigenous art’s role in reconciliation (e.g., Truth and Reconciliation Commission engagements) and intercultural music practices. His work emphasizes collaborative creation with Indigenous artists and scholars to reimagine public engagement with Indigenous histories. Grants and Projects: SSHRC-funded 'Aesthetics of Reconciliation' (2010–2013), SSHRC Insight 'Creative Conciliation,' and the nuyamł-ił kulhulmx music installation in Nuxalk territory (2011–2013). Collaborations: Co-founder of the inter-arts collective intermission (2003), presenting works globally. Recent projects include the sound installation nuyamł-ił kulhulmx with Anna Höstman and Patrick Nickleson, premiered by Continuum New Music Ensemble (2013).
Robert Weymouth is a Course Instructor in Music Performance at the Schulich School of Music, McGill University. He holds significant orchestral positions as Second Trumpet of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, and has previously served as Principal Trumpet of the Canadian Opera Company and Second Trumpet of the National Ballet Orchestra. His performance engagements include collaborations with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, National Arts Center Orchestra, and others. He studied trumpet at the Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music under Andrew McCandless and Barton Woomert, and was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and Hannaford Youth Band. Weymouth maintains an active teaching career, having taught at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and National Music Camp, and currently lectures at Schulich School of Music. As a performer, he is Solo Cornet of the Hannaford Street Silver Band, a member of the Canadian National Brass Project, and associate member of True North Brass. His expertise spans classical orchestral repertoire, chamber music, and contemporary performance practices.
Lawrence Switzky is an Associate Professor in the English Department at the University of Toronto, with cross-appointments in Graduate Faculty and Undergraduate Instruction. His research bridges theatre history, digital media theory, and modernist studies, focusing on intersections between performance practices and technological advancements. Specializes in materiality in 20th-century theatre directing Examines theatre's relationship to mass computation and AI Co-editor of Modern Drama journal Contributor to Routledge Encyclopedia of Modernism Research Interests center on digital theatre, game studies, and how performance traditions like puppetry challenge computational logic. His work traces how automation concepts evolved through ventriloquism, devising, and agency delegation in performance. Publications span from 2007 to 2020, covering topics like Shakespearean object performance, dramatic ethics in VR, and transmedia storytelling. His manuscript The Rise of the Theatre Director is under contract with Northwestern University Press. Honors : Co-winner of the 2011 Best Essay Award Guest-editor for multiple special issues including Modern Drama and SHAW journals Education : BA - Yale University MA - Harvard University PhD - Harvard University
Alana Gerecke is a Term Lecturer at Simon Fraser University's School for the Contemporary Arts and an independent artist-scholar. Her work bridges academic research and artistic practice, focusing on post-studio performance, expanded choreography, and urban spatial politics. She holds a PhD from Simon Fraser University (2016) and has held prestigious fellowships, including the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship at York University and the Trudeau Scholar award. Her research examines the interplay between bodies, public spaces, and social choreography. Her current book project, Moving Publics , explores urban circulation through choreographic frameworks. She teaches performance practice, movement analysis, and interdisciplinary methods across institutions like SFU, UBC, and Capilano University. As an artist, Gerecke has performed with EDAM Dance and collaborated with Battery Opera, Project In Situ, and others. Recent projects include residencies at Vancouver's Dance Centre and SFU's Community-Engaged Research Initiative, supported by the Canada Council for the Arts. Her awards include the Robert Lawrence Prize for emerging scholars (2019). Gerecke’s praxis emphasizes public-facing research, blending theory with embodied practice to investigate how art shapes social spaces. She prioritizes collaboration and has presented work internationally in galleries, theatres, and festivals.
Torin Chiles is a Lecturer and currently serves as the Acting Chair of the Department of Music Performance Studies at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University. He began teaching part-time at Western in 1999 while maintaining an active operatic career, and was appointed to the Don Wright Faculty full-time in 2004. Previously, he served as Voice Division Co-ordinator from 2006-2011 and 2016-2023. His research and professional focus centers on vocal performance and pedagogy within classical and operatic traditions. With a 20-year career as an operatic tenor, Chiles has performed principal roles for major North American opera companies including Opera Lyra at the National Arts Centre (Pinkerton, Count Almaviva), Manitoba Opera (MacDuff), and Vancouver/Montreal/Calgary/Edmonton/Arizona Opera (Pang). He has premiered significant Canadian works such as John Estacio's Filumena , Louis Applebaum's Erewhon , and John Beckwith's Taptoo , with performances frequently broadcast on CBC Radio Two's 'Saturday Afternoon at the Opera' and CBC television. Chiles has taught undergraduate and graduate vocal pedagogy courses at Western since 2004, while maintaining an active role as clinician, lecturer, and adjudicator. He has presented seminars for the Schulich Faculty of Medicine, Alberta Music Educators Association, NATS Ontario, and Conservatory Canada. His professional leadership includes serving as past president of NATS Ontario, past District Governor, VP-Membership for the national NATS board, and strategic planning roles for the NATS Foundation.
Gloria Gassi is a dedicated Lecturer at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University, specializing in Voice Studio instruction, Foundations in Singing, and Vocal Methods. Active in teaching since 2003, she also serves as conductor of the St. Cecilia Singers and maintains a thriving music ministry program at St. Peter's Cathedral Basilica in London, Ontario. Education: Master of Music with Honours in Voice Performance and Literature (Western University), Licentiate and Associateship in Voice Performance, Gold Medal, ARCT in piano Her performance career spans Canada, England, and Italy, featuring roles like Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and soloist work in major choral works (Brahms' Requiem , Handel's Messiah ). She has adjudicated voice and choral competitions across North America and Europe. Recipient of the Sir Ernest MacMillan award for conducting and Western University's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching, Gassi's contributions to music education have been recognized nationally. Her studio has produced students who have achieved success in leading opera companies and competitions.
Ron George is a Lecturer in Horn at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University. Over a four-decade career, he has served as a teacher, soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. His affiliations include principal horn with London Symphonia (formerly Orchestra London) since 1979, collaborations with Western University colleagues, and performances with major orchestras across Canada, the US, and Europe. Primary roles: Lecturer, horn performer, chamber musician Key affiliations: London Symphonia, Western University, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra His research/teaching interests focus on horn performance, natural horn techniques, and chamber/orchestral music. He has participated in international festivals like Les Journées du cors de Montréal as performer and adjudicator. Performance highlights: Wagner Ring Cycle (Canadian Opera Company), recordings with Pinchas Zuckerman and Bruno Weil Teaching legacy: Mentored prominent Canadian horn players
Bethany Hörst is a Lecturer in Voice at Western University's Don Wright Faculty of Music and maintains an active studio teaching repertoire spanning art song, opera, musical theatre, and jazz. She has performed extensively across Canada, France, and the Netherlands in Baroque, Classical, and 20th-century works. Education Master of Music in Literature and Performance from Western University Research & Performance Highlights Specializes in opera, oratorio, and concert performance Active adjudicator and masterclass instructor across Ontario Former student placements at prestigious institutions including Glenn Gould School and McGill University Scientific Awards & Recognition Lyndon Woodside Oratorio Competition Winner Jacqueline Desmarais Award Recipient Multiple NATS/NYCO Competition Laureate Western University Board of Governor's Award Recipient Notable Engagements Guest instructor at Singers Theatre, Eastwood Collegiate, Rockway Mennonite Collegiate Performance credits include Pamina in Die Zauberflöte , Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte , and multiple Bach and Mozart oratorio roles
Janet Loo is a Lecturer at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University, specializing in vocal pedagogy and choral conducting. She teaches Foundations in Singing, Vocal Methods, and French Lyric Diction courses, and has conducted choral ensembles such as Les Choristes and Chorale. With over two decades of experience, she has led choirs in Toronto, Taizé (France), and London, Ontario. Currently, she serves as Director of Music Ministry and Conductor/Artistic Director of the Chamber Choir at King's University College. Formerly, she held choral conducting roles at St. Peter’s Cathedral Basilica, Holy Rosary Church, and the University of St. Michael’s College. Vocal Performance Choral Conducting Liturgical Music Leadership Music Education As a mezzo-soprano, she has performed with notable ensembles including Fanshawe Chorus London, Arcady, London Singers, and Summer Opera Lyric Theatre. Her academic credentials include a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and a Master of Music in Performance and Literature from Western University. Additional engagements include membership on the National Council for Liturgical Music and serving as a Board Member for the London Arts Council. Her career integrates performance, education, and leadership within both academic and ecclesiastical contexts.
Canadian soprano Jackalyn Short serves as a Lecturer in Voice at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University, where she has taught vocal technique, repertoire coaching, and diction (Italian, French, English, German) since 2001. Based in office MB 345, she instructs students in International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) systems and maintains an active performance career while contributing to the faculty's collaborative environment. Her professional focus centers on Vocal Performance and Voice Pedagogy, with specialization in Opera and multilingual Diction. As an accomplished performer, she has sung leading lyric coloratura roles with all major Canadian opera companies and orchestras, and performed internationally across the United States, Korea, Japan, Singapore, New Zealand, England, and Israel. Her broadcasts on CBC's 'Saturday Afternoon at the Opera' and 'Two New Hours' demonstrate her commitment to public engagement in classical music. Ms. Short's recognition includes listing in Canada's Who's Who and Western University's highest teaching honor awarded annually since 2001. These accolades reflect her dual excellence in performance artistry and pedagogical innovation within vocal education. She has mentored students who achieved success in Kiwanis competitions, advanced in the Metropolitan Opera Competition, and secured positions in professional opera ensembles. Supported by Canada Council grants for artistic development, she extends her expertise through summer programs including NUOVA (Edmonton) and Opera on the Avalon (St. John's). As a NATS member, she actively collaborates with faculty colleagues in performances and pedagogical initiatives while balancing her marriage to opera director Michael Cavanagh.
James Westman is a Lecturer in Voice at the Don Wright Faculty of Music, Western University . A globally acclaimed Canadian baritone with a career spanning over four decades, he has performed in leading opera houses, recital venues, and concert halls worldwide, renowned for his versatility in grand opera, oratorio, art song, baroque, and modern classical music. His signature role as Germont in Verdi’s La Traviata has been featured in over 200 performances.
Betty Allison is an Assistant Professor at the Fountain School of Performing Arts , Dalhousie University. A renowned soprano and graduate of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble, she combines academic teaching with a distinguished performance career. Her research explores the intersection of vocal health, wellness, and resilience in mid-career opera singers. BMus & BEd – University of Victoria MMus – University of Victoria Artist Diploma – Indiana University DMA – University of Toronto Betty's research focuses on vocal pedagogy, performance health, and coping strategies for musicians. She co-founded a summer voice training program in BC emphasizing process-based learning for classical singers. Her teaching includes courses in Voice, Vocal Literature, and Performance Streams. Recent Awards: Sheila K. Piercey Award for Performing Arts Educators (2022) Ontario Graduate Scholarship (2020) Hnatyshyn Developing Artist Grant (2013)
Dean Bradshaw is a Lecturer at the Fountain School of Performing Arts within Dalhousie University. With a career spanning decades, he is a collaborative pianist , accompanist , and music educator who has taught since 1996. His roles include instructing courses in ear training , keyboard harmony , and foundation theory , while actively performing in Dalhousie’s Chamber Series and collaborating with voice/instrumental students and the Dal Opera Workshop. Education: BMus and MMus from the University of Toronto Bradshaw’s creative activities focus on collaborative piano , music performance , and composition , particularly in the realm of ballet music . His research interests align with Brass , Keyboard Skills , and Voice disciplines, reflecting his expertise in instrumental and vocal accompaniment. As a church organist and choir director , Bradshaw bridges academic and community music engagement. His contributions to the Atlantic Dance Teachers Association through commissioned ballet works highlight his interdisciplinary outreach.
