Established in 2009, Saskatoon’s Ritornello Chamber Music Festival is an annual event that showcases young, Canadian musicians who are currently pursuing professional careers across the country and around the globe. The festival’s mandate is to provide Saskatchewan audiences the opportunity to hear superior quality musicians, with special attention to those who were born and raised in the Prairies. We seek to expose a more diverse audience to chamber music and to provide educational opportunities, such as masterclasses and lessons, to young “up and coming” Saskatchewan musicians. Ritornello Fest is a non-profit organization supported by donations, ticket sales and grants, and the only one of its kind in the province.

Carissa Klopoushak, Artistic Director

Carissa Klopoushak is quickly emerging as one of Canada’s most versatile and creative violinists. Her playing has been described as having the complete package of sensitive musicianship, effortless technique, and a charismatic, engaging stage presence.

Winner of the 32nd annual Eckhardt-Grammatté National Music Competition, Carissa completed a Canada-wide début recital tour with pianist Philip Chiu in 2009. Together, they have also been featured in recital at the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival and on the airwaves of the CBC.

Based in Montreal, Carissa performs with many chamber groups around Montreal, including the ensemble Mooncrest (Crête de lune), which recently recorded Schoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, Warhol Dervish, and Portmantô, and performs frequently with Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra (Ottawa) and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Originally from Saskatoon, Carissa was working towards her bachelor’s degree at the University of Saskatchewan when she won the position of Principal Second Violin with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, a position she held for three years. Still active in the prairie music scene today, Carissa is an Artistic Director for the Ritornello Chamber Music Festival, and performs with the Regina-based Boundary Ensemble, and Saskatoon's Prairie Virtuosi.

Carissa is the lead singer and violinist in the Ukrainian band Tyt i Tam. Established in 2003, the band has recorded three albums, performed at the Vegreville, Montreal and Toronto Ukrainian festivals, and is currently working on a new album to be released in early 2013. Highly in demand as a studio musician, Carissa has recorded with JUNO nominated Coeur de Pirate, Jordan Cook, The Plumes, and for the APTN program Wapos Bay. Carissa contributes vocal harmonies and violin, mandolin, and accordion on Canadian songwriter David Martel’s roster, and has recorded an album Ukrainian Roots with Theresa Sokyrka.

Carissa is completing a Doctorate in Violin Performance at McGill University with Jonathan Crow. Her research explores the largely unknown repertoire for the Violin by Ukrainian composers. When not performing, rehearsing, teaching, or traveling, Carissa can be found having coffee in one of the many Montreal 'Mile-End' cafes.

Jacqueline Woods, Artistic Director

Pianist Jacqueline Woods is deeply committed to showcasing Classical music in an exciting and accessible way - this has led to many adventurous collaborations with artists and musicians of other genres in more casual presentations of music and art. She feels that amalgamation of the arts and avant-garde production are the way forward for Classical music and has a particularly keen interest in sharing innovative programs with rural communities across Canada.

Jacqueline commands a wide range of repertoire but has a special affinity for chamber music and has focused heavily on the genre throughout her studies. Major projects during her graduate studies included Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire in multiple performances in Ottawa and New York and George Crumb’s Voice of the Whale in Ottawa and Boston. While involved in her doctoral studies at the State University of New York – Stony Brook, Jacqueline was an active member of Stony Brook’s Contemporary Chamber Players (CCP). In 2010, Jacqueline toured with this ensemble, performing in Steve Reich’s Sextet and Jacob Druckman’s Come Round. Other exciting opportunities with the CCP have included Reich’s Music for 18 and the Premieres series at Merkin Hall in New York.

Jacqueline holds Artist Diplomas from the Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, Hungary and the London College of Music (Licentiate). She achieved her Bachelor of Music with great distinction from the University of Saskatchewan and a Master’s in Music at the University of Ottawa, where she was the only student of renowned Canadian pianist Anton Kuerti. Other principle teachers have included Gyongyi Kevehazi, Kathleen Solose, Michael Angell and Christina Dahl. Jacqueline is currently an advanced DMA candidate at the State University of New York – Stony Brook. Time away from music is spent hiking with her miniature dachshund and writing and researching environmental and ethical policy for the federal government.

Mike Bursey - Viola

Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Michael Bursey started playing the violin at an early age. He later switched to the viola after breaking his thumb and fingers playing football. Being of large stature, Michael always thought the violin was like a baby toy anyway.

Finally enjoying playing music for the first time, Michael enrolled at the Conservatoire de Musique de Quebec to pursue his dream of being a professional musician. At the Conservatoire, Michael obtained his Master's in Viola Performance, studying viola with Francois Paradis and chamber music with Darren Lowe. He also had the opportunity to study with Pinchas Zuckerman and Steven Dann at the NAC in Ottawa (Young Artists Programme) as well as Roberto Diaz and Bruno Giuranna at Domaine Forget in Quebec. He was a member of NYO in 1995.

While in Quebec, he played regularly with the Quebec Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre de Sherbrooke, Orchestre Symphonique du Saguenay Lac St. Jean and Orchestre symphonique de L'Estuaire. While in Regina he was a member of the Regina Symphony Orchestra. Shortly after graduating in Quebec, Michael obtained his position with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Thomas Cosbey - Violin/Viola

Thomas Cosbey has been Concertmaster of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra since 2007. Mr. Cosbey began his career in Regina as a member of the Regina Symphony Orchestra and later served as Principal Second Violin of Sinfonia Toronto. He has been featured as soloist with the Regina Symphony Orchestra, the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and Sinfonia Toronto, and has collaborated in concert with Gwen Hoebig, Paul Katz, Marc Durand, Steve Dann, and others. He has been broadcast often on CBC Radio, most recently with bassoonist Stéphane Lévesque.

Prize-winner at the National Music Festival, Mr. Cosbey has also claimed top prizes at numerous other competitions. Mr. Cosbey holds a Performance Diploma from the Glenn Gould School, where he studied with Erika Raum; he has also worked with Pinchas Zukerman, Lorand Fenyves and Mark Fewer.

Kerry DuWors - Violin

Praised for “always finding the music behind the notes” and her “fearless competence” (Winnipeg Free Press), violinist Kerry DuWors has performed as soloist and chamber musician across North America, Europe and New Zealand. At home in many musical settings, she has collaborated with internationally-­acclaimed soloists, ensembles and composers, including James Ehnes, Marc­André Hamelin, the St. Lawrence String Quartet and Krzysztof Penderecki. Recent performances in Jordan Hall (Boston), Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, Caramoor Festival (NY), Philharmonic Society of Orange County (California), Beethovenfest (Bonn), RadialSystem V–New Space for the Arts (Berlin), Semperoper (Dresden), Baryshnikov Arts Center (NY), Montreal Chamber Music Festival, Vancouver Recital Society. She has been a soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony, the Red Deer Symphony, the Montreal Chamber Orchestra, and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. She recently joined The Knights, an ensemble based in New York City devoted to expanding the orchestral concert experience with diverse and innovative programming and the intimacy of chamber music, for performances in New York with Yo-Yo Ma, a tour of Germany, recording projects and commissions. May 2011, Ms. DuWors was a featured artist at Prairie Scene at the National Arts Centre, a festival devoted to combining rural and urban, traditional and contemporary, shaking stereotypes and celebrating new voices.

During studies at the University of Victoria, University of Toronto, and Banff Centre for the Arts, Ms. DuWors received many prestigious awards including the grand prize at the 26th Eckhardt-­Gramatté Competition, Eaton Graduate Scholarship, Yo-Yo Ma Fellowship for Strings, Felix Galimir Award for Chamber Music Excellence and two Canada Council Career Development Grants. Assistant Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at Brandon University, Ms. DuWors is also pursuing a Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY) where, under the mentorship of Charles Castleman and Jean Barr, she formed duo526 with pianist Futaba Niekawa. She plays on the 1820 Joannes Franciscus Pressenda violin generously on loan from the Canada Council for the Arts and an anonymous donor.

Simon Fryer - Cello

Recently appointed Principal Cello of the Regina Symphony Orchestra Simon Fryer is an artist of the utmost versatility, at home with the demands of the music of our time and those of historical performance, with collaboration and solo recital. Artistic Director of the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto, Simon is also in demand for his teaching, coaching and masterclass skills.

Appearances as soloist in Canada with the Esprit Orchestra and the Da Capo Chamber Choir, are complemented by performances as guest Principal with the Hamilton Philharmonic and internationally with the Orqestra Sinfonica de Tenerife and the UK’s Northern Sinfonia. Formerly a member of the Juno-winning Penderecki String Quartet and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Simon collaborates regularly with musicians such as the Silver Birch String Quartet, Duo Concertante and flutist Robert Aitken. His discography of over 20 recordings includes the solo CD: Music of a life so far... which was acclaimed as ‘a fascinating collection' by the Toronto Star. He will shortly release a CD of Victorian English Sonatas with pianist Leslie De’Ath.

Now teaching at the Regina Conservatory for the Performing Arts Simon has previously held faculty positions at Wilfrid Laurier University, the University of Toronto, the Glenn Gould School, Canada and the Casalmaggiore International Festival in Italy. Continuously active as a chamber musician, orchestral player and soloist in more than thirty countries on six continents, he performs on an instrument completed in 1998 by Masa Inokuchi.

Carissa Klopoushak - Violin; Ritornello Chamber Music Festival Artistic Director - See ABOUT

Jordan Nobles - Composer

Known for creating music filled with an “unearthly beauty” (Mondomagazine) that makes listeners want to “close (their) eyes and transcend into a cloud of music” (Discorder Magazine), Jordan Nobles has emerged as one of Canada’s finest composers.

Jordan writes music that envelops the listener in sound. Known for his commitment to spatial music, he often takes performers and audiences away from traditional concert experiences. Whether surrounding audiences with ten flutes, filling museums with live musicians on multiple floors, or inviting players to move across the stage during performances, Jordan adds an extra, and often emotional, level of conversation to musical thought.

His multiple awards and commissions have led to more than seventy-five new works. From solo instrumentalists to symphony orchestras, chamber choirs to percussion quartets, musicians from around the world have embraced his music. Recently his music has been released on Germany’s SPEKTRAL label, won First Prize in the Vancouver Bach Choir’s National Competition for Large Choirs, and been premiered in Toronto, New York, Belgium, Edmonton, Vancouver, Fredericton, Calgary, Windsor, Halifax and Lima, Peru.

Jordan’s music has been heard throughout North America and Europe at such festivals as the Bang On A Can Summer Music Festival, Sound Symposium, Vancouver New Music Festival, Toronto (new music) Marathon, and the X Avant Festival. Canada’s leading orchestras, choirs, chamber ensembles and soloists regularly perform his works, as do groups as diverse as theNew York Miniaturist Ensemble, Cologne’s Kammerchor CONSONO and New York’s Flexible Orchestra.

Recent premieres include music for Aeriosa Dance’s monumental In Situ spread out over the seven floors of the atrium at the Vancouver Public Library, Entropy for the Vancouver Symphony, We Were Here for the Vancouver East Cultural Centre created in collaboration with Canada’s premier spoken word artist Shane Koyczan, A Sign in Space for the SoundaXis Festival performed inside the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal at Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum, and a piece for the Standing Wave Ensemble conducted by a four story pendulum.

His music can be heard on numerous CDs and has appeared in short films, theatre, live television and radio.

Curtis Scheschuk - Double Bass

Curtis Scheschuk has been performing with ensembles across Canada for the last 10 years. Curtis is the Head of the String Department at Regina’s Conservatory of Performing Arts where he teaches the double bass, chamber music and works with young string players through the Early Birds String Program. As the double bass instructor at The Regina Summer Strings Workshop he has worked with students who have gone on to perform with The Regina Symphony Orchestra. Curtis studied performance practice with renowned Baroque/Classical violinist Stanley Ritchie at the Indiana University School of Music’s Early Music Institute, Double Bass with string pedagogue Lawrence Hurst and former NBC Orchestra Bassist Murray Grodner at Indiana University, as well as Joel Quarrington at the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Curtis is one of the founding members of The Boundary Ensemble.

He has performed and recorded with Toronto’s Classical Music Consort and Aradia Ensemble, Baroque Music by the Grange, The Bloomington Early Music Festival, Grand River Baroque Festival, Regina Symphony Orchestra, Via Salzburg Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra London, The Windsor Symphony, Ray Bell, Shamma Sabir, Juno Award winning violinist Shannon Johnson of The Mcdades and WCMA winning guitarist Joel Fafard.

Leanne Zacharias - Cello

Cellist Leanne Zacharias is a versatile soloist, interdisciplinary performer and new music advocate. While rooted in the classical tradition, she collaborates with artists of all stripes: the Weakerthans, the Mountain Goats, the Hylozoists, Edgar Meyer, poet Di Brandt, visual artists Shary Boyle and Ben Davis; performance artists, installation artists and extensively with songwriter Christine Fellows. Following years based in Austin, Texas, she joined Brandon University's music faculty in 2008 and brings to Saskatoon a unique performance style and array of modern solo works all written in her 30-odd-year lifetime.

Photos from past festivals taken by Amber Ling and Carissa Klopoushak.

Lessons on violin, viola, cello and bass will be available Sunday, June 3rd.

Email us at ritornellofestival@gmail.com to have a lesson with one of the Ritornello artists.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, the Paddock Wood Brewing Co, and the Ukrainian Museum of Canada.

If you have questions, comments, or would like to be added to our mailing list,
please email ritornellofestival@gmail.com or call us at 306-715-0919.