Teachers
Aleksandra Balaburska BMus
Administrator
Aleksandra has devoted herself teaching music for the past 10 years. She was a full time teacher at the Peel Music Academy and Tan Music Academy in Brampton.
In 1999 Aleksandra graduated from the Faculty of Music at the University Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Macedonia in the voice department. Driven by the need to expand her experience and knowledge, she moved to London, UK to study singing with Denise Mulholland and Margaret Kingsley from the Royal College of Music. In addition, she completed a non-degree Opera Program at the Morley College with which she performed the productions of La Cambiale di Matrimonio by Rossini and Carmen by Bizet, collaborating with the conductor Alex Ingram of the English National Opera.
Aleksandra's education also includes numerous Master Classes with distinguished professors in England, Italy and Bulgaria. In 2002 she made her debut at the Macedonian Opera and Ballet in Il Barbiere di Seviglia as Rosina. She also performed many leading and supporting roles in the productions of Cavalleria Rusticana, La Traviata, Nabucco, Rigoletto and others. Aleksandra’s repertoire is very wide and includes works from all periods and styles. As a concert singer she has performed in Italy, Poland, England, Macedonia and Canada.
From the many concerts and recitals in Canada the most significant are at St. Lawrence Hall performing for the 175th birthday of the City of Toronto and John Basset Theatre in the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto. She has performed solo recitals in Brampton, Toronto and Cobourg as well as with the Hart House Chamber Strings in Toronto.
In the past two seasons Aleksandra has performed in concert with the Huronia Symphony Orchestra in Barrie.
VOICE
PIANO
THEORY
Oliver Balaburski BMus,BMus, MMus
For the past four seasons Oliver Balaburski has been the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Huronia Symphony Orchestra in Barrie and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Orilia Youth Symphony Orchestra and surrounding area contributing to the cultural life in Simcoe County.
Oliver has been teaching students of all ages for 10 years successfully preparing them for attending art schools, faculties of music, youth orchestras, RCM exams and competitions like Peel Music Festival where his students were recipients of high awards. In 2012 he was an adjudicator at Kiwanis Music Festival in Orillia.
His other conducting engagements include concerts with the Hart House Chamber Strings as well as guest conducing with the Macedonian Opera and Ballet.
In 2006, seeing the opportunity to go deeper into the secrets of the broader symphonic repertoire, Oliver started his Masters studies in Performance at the University of Toronto, with his mentor and teacher, the eminent conductor, Prof. Raffi Armenian. He also studied with Prof. Dr. Doreen Rao at the University of Toronto, fulfilling the necessity for the philosophical and practical approach to the extensive vocal- instrumental music.
In 2008 Oliver received a Masters of Music degree, Masters in Performance (conducting) .
In 1999 he was awarded with the Norman Del Mar Junior Fellowship in Conducting at the Royal College of Music in London, UK, specializing in symphonic repertoire and studying with the distinguished conductor and Professor John Carewe.
After Oliver's return from UK, he was appointed as Artistic Director and Conductor of the Opera of the Macedonian National Theater, where he managed to significantly increase the budget, enlarge the repertoire and promote the Macedonian Opera House. Until 2004 he was the Principal Conductor at the same Opera Company.
Oliver has had many successful concerts and performances with distinguished orchestras and ensembles such as Symphony Orchestra of the Royal College of Music, London- UK, the Macedonian Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestra of the Opera of Macedonian National Theater, the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Opera of the National Theater in Belgrade, the Nish Symphony Orchestra and the Huronia Symphony Orchestra.
He has had the honour to actively participate in Master Classes with Sir Roger Norrington and Michael Tilson Thomas and with one of the greatest Bach authorities, Helmuth Rilling.
He is the recipient of many awards and recognitions such as:
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Newcomer Recognition Award- Immigrant Artist by County of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada
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Recognition Of Outstanding Service by Hart House, University of Toronto,
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The Arthur Plettner Graduate Fellowship, University of Toronto,
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The University of Toronto Fellowship,
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The Norman Del Mar Junior Fellowship at the Royal College of Music, London, United Kingdom,
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A Scholarship from the Macedonian Government for Specialization in Conducting,
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A Macedonian National Scholarship for Talented Students.
ADVANCED PIANO
VIOLIN & VIOLA
ADVANCED VOICE
THEORY
HARMONY
COUNTERPOINT
CONDUCTING
AND ALL THE COURSES
Heather Lentini RCM Certified
Heather is a dedicated piano instructor and enjoys teaching children of all ages. She is known for her patience and calm nature.
Heather ran her own music studio in Barrie for over 20 years, teaching both private lessons and group lessons through the Music For Young Children program.
Heather received her training at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and is certified as an elementary and intermediate specialist in piano and theory. Her students have achieved numerous exam results, with honours, in both piano and theory and have also enjoyed learning the basics of music composing.
PIANO
Valerie Smith BA(Mus)
Valerie Smith is a committed and passionate educator. She has been teaching piano and music theory in the Barrie area over 15 years and enjoys working with inspiring students of all ages. Valerie is a graduate of Western University, Faculty of Music. She is certified by the Royal Conservatory of Music as an Elementary and Intermediate Specialist in Piano and Theory.
Before moving to Barrie, Valerie operated a music studio teaching Music for Young Children group classes and private piano instruction. Her students have successfully completed Royal Conservatory of Music exams in both piano and theory and have competed in local music festivals.
Valerie is dedicated to instructing and promoting quality music education.
PIANO
Adam Crossman RCM Certified
Adam is an award winning solo acoustic guitarist, composer and educator.
He has been performing and teaching professionally for over 10 years, he has toured internationally through Canada, USA, and has successfully performed a solo guitar concert series throughout China in 2019.
In 2015, he won 2nd place at The Canadian Guitar festival (International fingerstyle guitar competition)
Adam has been highly recognized by the progressive guitar community and labels such as (CandyRat Records & FretMonkey Records).
Adam has a strong passion for teaching and sharing guitar concepts and ideas. He is excited to help guide you along on your own guitar journey!
CLASSICAL GUITAR
Salvatore Di Cerbo BMus
His musical experience began in his Grade 9 music class where he played both the tuba and percussion. He quickly developed an interest in Classical and Jazz music and started learning how to play the trumpet, which eventually became his primary instrument.
In 2016, Salvatore began his post-secondary education at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. His major was music education with a minor in geography. He became fully immersed in the music world by taking a variety of fantastic courses such as conducting, orchestration, wind ensemble, high school music education, elementary music education, and Symphony Orchestra. During his last year of studies, he became the conductor and music director of the WLU Brass ensemble and won the WLU concerto competition, granting him the opportunity to perform his piece with the symphony orchestra.
In his third year of post-secondary education, he decided to deepen his involvement with music and joined the Canadian Armed Forces as a trumpet player. During his first year in the Forces, Salvatore had the honor of playing with the Ceremonial Guard Band in Ottawa, Ontario, performing daily on Parliament Hill for the Changing of The Guard. He then became a member of the Governor General's Horse Guard Band in Toronto, Ontario, and currently he is an assistant conductor and trumpet section leader for the band.
In April 2022, he became an instructor for the Canadian Armed Forces School of Music in Borden, Ontario. Here, he teaches ear training and the RQ Master Corporal Leadership course. The CAF music school trains military musicians from across Canada to master their instruments, play in marching bands, wind ensembles, small ensembles, and develop excellent military drill.
He began his Bachelor of Education in September 2022 at Lakehead University in Orillia, Ontario.
TRUMPET
HORN
TROMBONE
TUBA
EUPHONIUM
PIANO
Paul (or Pj) has been playing guitar since the age of 13. After moving to Canada from the UK, he further pursued his interest and studied to be a musician at Mohawk College. There, he completed his Diploma in Jazz Guitar and has been studying and teaching for all ages for the last 12 years. He then pursued teaching further and studied to become a teacher with the SCDSB. In 2013, Paul met his wife Olivia and formed Pj & Oli, an acoustic wedding duet in Simcoe County. Paul especially enjoys playing in the styles of Jazz Funk, Rock and Blues. He loves to bring his own sense of humor to his work!
GUITAR
UKULELE
Substitute Teacher
The Real Dan McCoy studied music at the University of Toronto (Mus.Bac. 2000, M.A. 2003) and later at the Franz Liszt School of Music in Weimar, Germany where he earned a Master’s in harpsichord performance (2010). His writings on music performance have been published in the scholarly journal, Early Music, by Oxford University Press and elsewhere. While in Germany, Dan was the summer organist at the Kaufmannskirche where Martin Luther preached and where Bach’s parents were married. Dan has concertized in Canada, France, England, Germany including at the Bachhaus Museum in Eisenach in Germany and a birthday concert including harpsichord at the Palace in Ohrdruf to celebrate Bach’s 325th. Dan currently leads the music programs at Trinity United Church in his hometown of Gravenhurst. He enjoys working with and learning from children as well as teaching the new generation of music students. He is the co-founder of the Muskoka Youth Choir, Muskoka Ukulele Society and served for the past decade as President of the Royal Canadian College of Organists (Simcoe-Muskoka). Dan was also a recent Adjudicator at the Kiwanis Music Festival in Orillia, Ontario. For many seasons, Dan was the Associate Conductor and Accompanist of the Barrie’s King Edward Choir.
Dan is a yoga instructor and has completed over 500 hours (RYT-500) of yoga training in Muskoka, Canada and in Rishikesh, India including Ayurveda, meditation, kirtan and mantra. He has helped manage many charities yoga events in the Muskoka area.
Dan has also completed the 101: Mindfulness Foundations training through MindfulSchools.org and has led and/or co-facilitated meditation and mindfulness groups.
PIANO
VOICE
GUITAR
UKULELE