Violin Symposium

This full-day intensive workshop will help violin teachers focus on the elementary levels of the RCM Certificate Program with the option to apply for the Viva Voce of the Elementary Pedagogy exam (in June) to work towards the ARCT Pedagogy certification. All participants will receive a certificate of Teacher Training from the RCM.

2:00 - 3:00 PM: GRIT workshop with Kelly Parkins-Lindstrom, RCM faculty member, master class clinician and Member of The Royal Conservatory’s College of Examiners.  

Explore tools to develop ‘GRIT’ to overcome adversity, and model persistence and resiliency for students. By employing a positive mindset that embraces and tolerates discomfort, the exercises and practice techniques explored will look at difficult circumstances and show how stick-to-itiveness may enable students to persevere in working toward their goals.

3:30 – 5:00 PM: Find the Edge: Tips on Preparing Students for Exams 

A workshop of practical advice on technique and musicianship to help give students an edge in their examinations, with: 

• Jinjoo Cho, internationally acclaimed violinist  

• Min-Jeong Koh, RCM faculty member  

• Kelly Parkins-Lindstrom, RCM faculty member and member of The Royal Conservatory’s College of Examiners  

• Barry Shiffman, Associate Dean & Director of Chamber Music, The Glenn Gould School, and Director, The Taylor Academy  

5:30 – 6:30 PM: The Taylor Academy Violin Showcase Concert 

Featuring the virtuosi students and alumni of The Royal Conservatory’s Taylor Academy. Don't miss the stars of tomorrow!

7:00 PM: Optional Social Event 

2:00 - 3:00 PM: Improvisation Workshop  

With RCM Jazz Artist in Residence Robi Botos, and 2023 Grammy Award nominated artist, arranger, and producer Drew Jurecka. 

3:30-5:00 PM: The Art of Practicing 

Internationally acclaimed violinist and influencer Ray Chen shares practicing insights and strategies to achieve optimal results. 

5:30 – 6:30 PM: RCM Violin Series (5th Edition) Showcase Concert 

Come explore the repertoire of the Royal Conservatory’s celebrated Violin Series, 2021. Performers include celebrated RCM faculty including Jonathan Crow, Barry Shiffman, and guests.  

7:00 PM: Optional Social Event 

James Ehnes with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, performing Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto at Roy Thomson Hall. Please purchase tickets for this performance directly from the Toronto Sympony Orchestra.

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Open Rehearsal (free event) 

Bach’s Double Violin Concerto and Brandenberg Concerto No.3 in G Major, and Vivaldi’s Concerto for Four Violins. 

2:00 – 3:00 PM: Life of a Virtuoso 

A conversation with Barry Shiffman and Ray Chen about what they have learned after performing in concert halls around the world. 

3:30 – 5:00 PM: The Dean’s Master Class 

With internationally acclaimed violinist Ray Chen, generously supported by Jenifer and Stephen McDonald.  

5:30 – 6:30 PM: Violin Symposium Finale Concert  

Concerto for Two Violins in D Minor (Bach); Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major (Bach); and Concerto for Four Violins (Vivaldi) performed by internationally acclaimed violinists Jinjoo Cho, RCM faculty members Min-Jeong Koh, Barry Shiffman, and students of The Glenn Gould School including from The Rebanks Family Fellowship Program.

Aaron Chan first heard classical music on the radio growing up in Hong Kong, signed up for violin lessons and quickly discovered that music could transcend words and give him a voice. He has won concerto competitions at the Cleveland Institute of Music, McGill University, and the Shepherd School at Rice University, and has attended the ENCORE Chamber Music festival in Cleveland and the Verbier Festival's Soloist and Chamber Music Academy in Switzerland. He has twice won the Sylva Gelber Award and is currently a resident of the Rebanks Family Fellowship and International Performance Residency Program at The Royal Conservatory of Music. He is fascinated with jazz, loves playing in chamber ensembles, and is inspired by musicians who take chances – which is the ideal he strives for.

Violinist and online personality, Ray Chen redefines what it means to be a classical musician in the 21st century. With a global reach that enhances and inspires a new classical audience, Ray Chen's remarkable musicianship transmits to millions around the world, reflected through his engagements both online and with the foremost orchestras and concert halls around the world.

Beyond the performing arts, his work has also contributed to philanthropy, popular culture and educational technology. Initially coming to attention via the Yehudi Menuhin (2008) and Queen Elizabeth (2009) Competitions, of which he was First Prize winner, he has built a profile in Europe, Asia, and the USA as well as his native Australia both live and on disc. Signed in 2017 to Decca Classics, the summer of 2017 has seen the recording of the first album of this partnership with the London Philharmonic as a succession to his previous three critically acclaimed albums on SONY, the first of which (“Virtuoso”) received an ECHO Klassik Award. Profiled as “one to watch” by the Strad and Gramophone magazines, his profile has grown to encompass his featuring in the Forbes list of 30 most influential Asians under 30, appearing in major online TV series “Mozart in the Jungle”, a multi-year partnership with Giorgio Armani (who designed the cover of his Mozart album with Christoph Eschenbach) and performing at major media events such as France’s Bastille Day (live to 800,000 people), the Nobel Prize Concert in Stockholm (telecast across Europe), and the BBC Proms.

“It’s hard to say something new with these celebrated works; however, Ray Chen performs them with the kind of authority that puts him in the same category as Maxim Vengerov.”— Corriere della Sera

He has appeared with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhausorchester, Munich Philharmonic, Filarmonica della Scala, Orchestra Nazionale della Santa Cecilia, Los Angeles Philharmonic, SWR Symphony, New York Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, Berlin Radio Symphony, and Bavarian Radio Chamber Orchestra. He works with conductors such as Riccardo Chailly, Vladimir Jurowski, Sakari Oramo, Manfred Honeck, Daniele Gatti, Kirill Petrenko, Krystof Urbanski, and Juraj Valcuha.

More recently, Ray Chen co-founded Tonic, an independent startup that aims to motivate musicians and learners around the world to practice their craft together. Although new, the innovative app has cultivated a highly engaged and supportive community and is available to download on iOS and Android. Ray Chen’s presence on social media makes him a pioneer in an artist’s interaction with their audience, utilising the new opportunities of modern technology. His appearances and interactions with music and musicians are instantly disseminated to a new public in a contemporary and relatable way. He is an ambassador for SONY Electronics, a music consultant for Riot Games - the leading esports company best known for League of Legends, and has been featured in Vogue magazine. He released his own design of a violin case for the industry manufacturer GEWA and proudly plays Thomastik Infeld strings. His commitment to music education is paramount, and inspires the younger generation of music students with his series of self-produced videos combining comedy, education and music. Through his online promotions his appearances regularly sell out and draw an entirely new demographic to the concert hall.

Born in Taiwan and raised in Australia, Ray was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music at age 15, where he studied with Aaron Rosand and was supported by Young Concert Artists. He plays the 1714 “Dolphin” Stradivarius violin on loan from the Nippon Music Foundation. This instrument was once owned by the famed violinist, Jascha Heifetz.

Christie Cheung, age 12, has been studying the violin for seven years. She is currently a fourth-year student at the Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where she is under the tutelage of Dr. Conrad Chow. Christie has had the opportunity to perform for renowned violinists such as Maxim Vengerov, Augustin Hadelich, and James Ehnes. She recently won the Concerto Competition at the Phil and Eli Taylor Academy, performing as a soloist. Additionally, Christie has been selected to perform as a soloist with the Burlington New Millennium Orchestra in May 2023. This summer, Christie will be attending the Heifetz Institute Program, an acclaimed summer program that focuses on developing the musical talents of young artists. Among her many accomplishments are winning the 1st Prize in the Canadian Music Competition in 2022, receiving the Grand Trophy in the CCC Toronto International Music Festival in 2021, being selected as a finalist in the Ysaye International Music Competition in Belgium in 2021, and winning the 1st Prize in the Little Mozart International Competition in New York in 2019. She made her debut at the iconic Carnegie Hall at just nine years old.

Passionate about pedagogy, Jinjoo Cho has taught at some of the most reputable conservatories in the United States such as the Cleveland Institute of Music. Since 2018, Jinjoo has held the position of Assistant Professor of Violin at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal and serves as the Founding Artistic Director of the ENCORE Chamber Music Institute

Pianist Jeanie Chung enjoys a rewarding performing and teaching life. She has given solo recitals, concerto performances and chamber music concerts throughout North America, Central America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. 
 
Recent and long term collaborations include projects with Barry Shiffman, Andrés Diaz, Colin Carr, Rachel Mercer, Ian Swensen, Yehonatan Berick, Mayumi Seiler; Susan Hoeppner, Ian Clarke, Frank Morelli, Shalom Bard, YaoGuang Zhai; William Vermeulen, Michael Sachs; Alexander Dobson; Laurence Lemieux, Margie Gillis, and Ted Robinson. 
 
Following her studies at The Glenn Gould School and the Young Artists Performance Academy at The Royal Conservatory in Toronto, she attended The Juilliard School where she obtained Bachelor of Music, Masters of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. Her principal teachers have been Boris Lysenko, Leon Fleisher, John Perry, and Herbert Stessin. 
 
Ms. Chung was the recipient of the Career Development Award from the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto and numerous grants from the Canada Council and Chalmers Fund. 
 
She is a faculty member of The Royal Conservatory Glenn Gould School and The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists. 

Armed with a versatility of creative interests ranging from literature to fashion, cellist Peter Eom has been hailed for his “flowing, lyrical quality of sound” and “agility, purity of intonation, and sureness of taste.” A devoted chamber musician, Peter is the cellist of the Rolston String Quartet, first prizewinner of the 12th Banff International String Quartet Competition and heralded as “one of the very best in a quartet-rich age.” Peter's recent soloist engagements include the National Symphony Orchestra and MusicaNova Orchestra, and the chamber music societies of Lincoln Center, Munich, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Vancouver, and others.

Former first violinist of the Cecilia String Quartet, Min-Jeong Koh joined The Royal Conservatory in 2021 to provide leadership in the creation of new programs and opportunities in teacher training and pedagogy. In addition, she serves on the violin and chamber music faculty at The Glenn Gould School and The Taylor Academy.

Chinese-Canadian violinist Jasmine (Mengjia) Lin made her orchestral debut at the age of nine and was awarded the 1st laureate at the 2014 Kocian International Violin Competition. Jasmine has since performed with the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Pardubice, and at festivals such as the Mlada Praha Festival. Jasmine has been a fellowship student at Gstaad Menuhin Academy, Kneisel Hall, and Aspen Music Festival. An alumna of The Royal Conservatory’s Taylor Academy, Jasmine continued her studies (BM and MM) at the Juilliard School under the tutelage of Masao Kawasaki. She is currently studying with Sylvia Rosenberg and Nicholas Mann.

Evan Pyne attended The Taylor Academy from 2016-2022, studying under Marie Bérard and Barry Shiffman, and currently studies with Ilya Kaler at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He performed as a soloist with the Canadian Sinfonietta at age 12 and has since appeared with the Oakville, North York, Cambridge, and Huronia Symphony Orchestras. He won first prize at the Canadian Music Competition in 2018 and third prize at the 2019 Ilona Fehér International Violin Competition. His performance at Canada’s National Commemorative Ceremony in honour of Queen Elizabeth II was broadcasted nationally.

Internationally acclaimed violinist and violist Barry Shiffman is well-respected as a musician, educator, and administrator. He was co-founder of the St. Lawrence String Quartet, and since 2010 has been both the Associate Dean and Director of Chamber Music at The Glenn Gould School and Director of The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists. In 2022, he was inducted into CBC’s In Concert Hall of Fame to celebrate his outstanding contribution to classical music.

Canadian-born violinist Sophia Anna Szokolay is a Doctoral Candidate at the New England Conservatory and Chamber Music Faculty at NEC’s Preparatory School. Lauded for her “stirring, singing” tone (Vineyard Gazette), Sophia has won top prizes and awards at international competitions and performs across Canada, the United States, and Europe as a recitalist and chamber musician.   

Sophia held Teaching and Community Engagement Fellowships at The Juilliard School where she worked with violin and music theory students at Opportunity Music Project and at Thurgood Marshall Academy Lower School. Sophia received her Bachelor of Music degree from the New England Conservatory with a Minor in Music Theory, and her Master’s Degree from Juilliard. Her teachers include Catherine Cho, Miriam Fried, and Donald Weilerstein. 

Sophia’s passions include photography and distance running. She recently qualified for the 2024 Boston Marathon. 

Recipient of numerous accolades and scholarships, Nicholas Vasilakopoulos-Kostopoulos was granted the Award of Excellence to join the NYO in 2022. In 2021, Nicholas was awarded the Gold medal at the 2021 Vancouver International Music Competition. He was recently featured on From the Top Daily Joy. As a soloist, he performed with the OM Tutti Orchestra at Maison Symphonique in Montreal. Since November 2021, he plays a Nicolas Lupot violin (1792) and a Eugène Sartory bow (Paris, ca. 1920) generous on loan from CANIMEX INC. from Durmmonville, QC. This fall, Nicholas will continue his studies at Columbia University and Juilliard. 

Ian Ye is currently studying at The Royal Conservatory’s Taylor Academy under Barry Shiffman and Conrad Chow. Ian has received numerous awards and solo opportunities including as a winner of the Concerto Competitions of both The Taylor Academy and the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra (TSYO) which earned him soloist performances with the Royal Conservatory Orchestra and TSYO respectively. Ian is concertmaster of the Academy Chamber Orchestra at The Royal Conservatory of Music, co-concertmaster of the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra and violinist in the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. A graduate of Upper Canada College, Ian will continue his studies at Stanford University in the fall of 2023.

Tiffany Yeung is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree under Min-Jeong Koh and Erika Raum at The Glenn Gould School, after beginning her studies at the New England Conservatory with Miriam Fried as a Dean’s Scholar. Tiffany won 2nd prize at the 2019 Shean Strings Competition and was the winner of both the Remember Enescu International Violin Competition and the Vancouver International Music Competition in 2017. In addition to collaborations with the Amici Ensemble, and the Kelemen and Kronos quartets, she has performed as a soloist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and served as concertmaster of the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the Academy Chamber Orchestra. Tiffany plays an 1836 Chanot violin generously on loan from The Royal Conservatory of Music.