Alumni Success Stories



Many of SOCMI’s students have gone on to brilliant musical careers as teachers, professors and performers - their music can be heard throughout North America and Europe.  The following captures just some of the highlights of SOCMI Alumni Success Stories . . .

  • Suhashini Arulanandam: Member of string quartet Feu Noire, Hamilton Philharmonic, and Windsor Symphony. Master of Music, City University of New York Queens College. String coach and private violin teacher at Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts.
  • Daniel Bard, violin, member of the Nagoko Chamber Orchestra, Japan.  Principal Player of the Tel Aviv Soloists in Israel and the Camerata Nordica in Sweden.
  • Dr. Jeremy Bell, violin, member of the Penderecki String Quartet; Wilfred Laurier University.
  • Laura Bellhouse, violin/viola, Bachelor of Music June 2007, studying with Mark Gothoni in Berlin, Germany.
  • Caitlin Boyle, viola, member of the Cecilia String Quartet; winners of the 2010 Banff International Competition, quartet in residence at Music Toronto and finalist at the Melbourne String Quartet competition July 2007.  Former member of the Gemini String Quartet. Completed performance diploma with Harioff Schlichtig in Munich, Germany. 
  • Andrew Deaville, cello, member of the Munich Youth Orchestra, currently on a Rotary Exchange in Germany.
  • Rachel DeSoer, cello, member of the Cecilia String Quartet; past member of the Lloyd-Carr-Harris String Quartet, McGill University, finalist at the Melbourne String Quartet Competition July 2007.
  • Kelvin Enns, viola, Principal Viola of Orchestra London.
  • Adrian Fung, cello, member of the Afiara String Quartet, second place winners at the 10th Banff International String Quartet Competition, September 2010.
  • Corey Gemmel, violin,  Symphony Hamilton Concertmaster and Royal Conservatory of Music teacher.
  • Sheldon Grabke, violin,  The National Ballet and former CMC Regional Director.
  • Arlen Hlusko, cellist, completing her Bachelor of Music in Cello Performance at the Colburn Conservatory of Music, Los Angeles, California.
  • Grace Hong , violinist, concertmaster of Orchestra Toronto.
  • Ivan Ivanovich, violin/viola, pursuing Master’s Degree at the Juilliard School in New York in the viola class of Masao Kawasaki, member of the Sonora String Quartet.  Winner of the 2006 “Galaxie Chamber Music Marathon” CBC.
  • Nadia Klein, cello, former member of the Gemini String Quartet.  Master of Music in Performance and a Professional Studies Diploma, San Francisco Conservatory. 
  • James Tiga Kim, violin/violist, in third year in McMaster University in Bachelor of Health Sciences program and aiming for a minor degree in music by taking university credit courses in performance learning both violin and viola. Currently, he is playing the viola for the Schulte's Strings.
  • Sharon Lee, violin, member of the Cecilia String Quartet – finalist at the Melbourne String Quartet competition July 2007.
  • Victoria Lindsay, violin, Principal Second violin Victoria Symphony, former member of the Gemini String Quartet.
  • John Lowry, violin, Assistant Concertmaster of Calgary Philharmonic.
  • Max Mandel, viola, former member of the Metro String Quartet. Current group affiliations; Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, Kirby String Quartet, Flux Quartet, The Caramoor Virtuosi, The Metropolitan Museum Artists, Toronto Camerata, Il Furiosi Baroque Ensemble.
  • Meredith McCallum, violin, Bachelor of Music McGill University 2006.  Currently in graduate studies at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.  Boris Brott National Academy Orchestra, Apprentice 2006.
  • Kenin McKay, violin, Masters of Music in Performance UofT 2007, Women’s Musical Club of Toronto Centennial Scholarship 2006, Boris Brott National Academy Orchestra, Apprentice 2006.
  • Rory McLeod graduated from the Performance Diploma Programme at the Glenn Gould School in 2010. He now plays as Assistant Principal Viola in Symphony Nova Scotia and is still and avid chamber musician.
  • Akemi Mercer, violin, former member of the Gemini String Quartet.  Winner of the 2003 “Galaxie Chamber Music Marathon” CBC.  Completed Bachelor of Performance UofT and Diploma program at Hochschule fur Music in Koln, Germany.  2006 Semi-finalist Eckhardt-Grammatte National Music Competition.  Member of Via Salzberg Chamber Orchestra, Toronto.


  • Rachel Mercer, cello, member of the Aviv String Quartet, Paris, France.  Member of the Les Amis Ensemble.  Former member of the Metro String Quartet. Principal cellist Via Salzberg Chamber Orchestra, Toronto. Grand prize winner of the 2001 Vriendenkrans Competition in Amsterdam.  


  • Katherine Mrmak, viola, Bachelor of Music, Wilfred Laurier University.
  • Aissilinn Noskey, violin, member of the Kirby String Quartet, assistant principal second violin Canadian Opera Company 2003-05.  Affiliations include: National Ballet, TSO, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Seiler Strings, Il Furiosi Baroque Ensemble.
  • Elizabeth Orr, violist, assistant principal violist of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Luebeck, Germany.
  • Kelly Parkins - violinist/violist, instructor at Royal Conservatory of Music.
  • Espeth Poole, cello, recitalist and chamber musician. Master’s degree at the Juilliard School.  Her ensembles have won prizes, including the Max Pirani Trio Prize, and the Harold Crarton Prize in London.
  • Adam Riggs, cello, a 5 time participant at SOCMI , Adam Riggs has his BMus from Wilfrid Laurier University where he studied with Paul Pulford and Simon Fryer, his MMus from The Hartt School, where he studied with Mihai Tetel. Currently he is pursuing his DMA at the University of Colorado at Boulder, with Judith Glyde.
  • Michael Schulte, violinist/violist/conductor, instructor McMaster University School of the Arts, conductor; Schulte Strings, Artistic Director; Chamber Music Hamilton, Turini, Schulte, Domb Trio.
  • Dayoung Seo, cellist, completing her bachelor of music at the University of Toronto; studying with Shauna Rolston.
  • 

Kirk Starkey, cello, Suzuki cello instructor for SuzukiMusic in Ottawa.  Plays principal cello with The Ottawa Chamber Orchestra.
  • Laura Sinclair, violin, currently pursuing a Professional Performance Certificate with Ralph Fielding, on scholarship at Lynn University Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, FL. Freelancer with many orchestras in South Florida, supply teach at the Donna Klein Jewish Academy and coach sectionals for the Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County.
  • Monica Westerholm, violin, Bachelor of Performance Degree at the University of Toronto.   


If you would like to share you alumni success story please send your email to: aficzere@socmi.org