2025/26 Mentors
Russell Bajer has been a member of the Victoria Symphony for 19 years. He has appeared as soloist with the VS on both oboe and English horn. In 2011 he premiered Rodney Sharman’s Songs without Words for English horn and Orchestra which was recorded for CBC. He has played concerti and solos with the Sidney Classical Orchestra, The Galiano Ensemble, The Victoria Chamber Orchestra, Capriccio Ensemble and Linden Singers. Russell has been a guest oboist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, The Vancouver Opera orchestra and the CBC Radio orchestra. He has toured as principal oboist with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in Canada and the US. He has also appeared in Japan with the Pacific Wind Trio.
Russell is the oboist for Aventa Ensemble and has toured extensively with them to Europe, Canada and the USA. In March 2013 Russell took part in the 6th tour with this ensemble. With the Aventa Ensemble he has had the pleasure of working closely with some of the finest composers in Canada and Europe. Russell teaches music at the Victoria Conservatory and has been guest instructor at Uvic where he has taught oboe and chamber music. He has been an instructor at Comox Valley Youth Music Centre (CYMC) since 2002 where he also appears as chamber musician and soloist.
Russell is a frequent recital performer and appears with pianist Kelly Charlton. Russell started his musical life with clarinet lessons at age 8 in Calgary Alberta. After moving to Kelowna he heard the oboe being played by a talented student and was immediately drawn to the instrument. He began lessons with Walt Burton of the OK Symphony and later with Jerry Domer (former principal oboe of the CBC Orchestra). At UBC and the Vancouver Academy of Music he studied with Roger Cole and later masterclasses with Ray Still and further studies with Fred Korman (principal Oregon Symphony). Russell spent a number of years pursuing other interests, including studying psychology, politics and even hypnosis.
Russell is the oboist for Aventa Ensemble and has toured extensively with them to Europe, Canada and the USA. In March 2013 Russell took part in the 6th tour with this ensemble. With the Aventa Ensemble he has had the pleasure of working closely with some of the finest composers in Canada and Europe. Russell teaches music at the Victoria Conservatory and has been guest instructor at Uvic where he has taught oboe and chamber music. He has been an instructor at Comox Valley Youth Music Centre (CYMC) since 2002 where he also appears as chamber musician and soloist.
Russell is a frequent recital performer and appears with pianist Kelly Charlton. Russell started his musical life with clarinet lessons at age 8 in Calgary Alberta. After moving to Kelowna he heard the oboe being played by a talented student and was immediately drawn to the instrument. He began lessons with Walt Burton of the OK Symphony and later with Jerry Domer (former principal oboe of the CBC Orchestra). At UBC and the Vancouver Academy of Music he studied with Roger Cole and later masterclasses with Ray Still and further studies with Fred Korman (principal Oregon Symphony). Russell spent a number of years pursuing other interests, including studying psychology, politics and even hypnosis.
Curious ears led Marcella Barz from Kamloops, Canada to Dublin, Ireland to pursue contemporary bass clarinet performance. She graduated from the Technological University Dublin with a Doctor of Music degree in March 2023. Her doctoral research explored the production of electronic sounds using sensors attached to a clarinet or bass clarinet. While in Ireland, Marcella collaborated with Irish composers to produce international performances and gave workshops for composers interested in composing for the clarinet(s). She taught clarinet at Maynooth University for several years. Previously, Marcella graduated with a Master of Music in clarinet performance from the Dublin Institute of Technology (2017) and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Victoria (2016). Marcella currently works at the Butchart Gardens, as well as on independent music projects in her spare time.
She recently released an album of collaborative music with Chinese composer Yue Song on North Bull Records entitled Stories in the Wind.
She recently released an album of collaborative music with Chinese composer Yue Song on North Bull Records entitled Stories in the Wind.
Murray Creed started playing the drums at age twelve and worked with bands in his hometown of Victoria, BC, Canada through his teens. He then headed off to the prestigious Percussion Institute of Technology in Hollywood, California. Upon graduating Murray returned to Canada where he played and recorded with Fine Tooth Combine, Camille Miller, Triple Sow Cow, Honey Loaf, Thin King, Mike Demers, Vince Vaccaro and Justin Hewitt. In 2000 Murray opened Groove Studios which quickly became Victoria’s biggest drum lesson studio. He is the author of five books on drum instruction – “Groove Evolution,” teaches 60 students per week, does clinics and masterclasses and plays 50 shows per year with his band The Temps. In 2010 Murray founded the Victoria Drum Fest which has become one of the longest standing drum festivals in North America.
Born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Steve Donegan is an active performer and educator based in Victoria BC and is currently a trumpeter for the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy.
Steve holds both an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University as well as a Master of Music degree in Performance from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Steve has had the privilege of performing with many ensembles throughout the country including the symphony orchestras of Victoria, Thunder Bay, Newfoundland, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada as well as Ottawa’s Band of the Ceremonial Guard.
In addition to his activities as a performer, Steve is also passionate about music education. Prior to his current post, Steve served as the band teacher at Terrace Bay Secondary School and as a contract lecturer at Lakehead University’s Department of Music where he was nominated for a "Contribution to Teaching Award"
Steve holds both an Honours Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University as well as a Master of Music degree in Performance from Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Steve has had the privilege of performing with many ensembles throughout the country including the symphony orchestras of Victoria, Thunder Bay, Newfoundland, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada as well as Ottawa’s Band of the Ceremonial Guard.
In addition to his activities as a performer, Steve is also passionate about music education. Prior to his current post, Steve served as the band teacher at Terrace Bay Secondary School and as a contract lecturer at Lakehead University’s Department of Music where he was nominated for a "Contribution to Teaching Award"
Michelle Feng joined the Victoria Symphony as Principal Oboe in 2024. Raised in Vancouver, BC, her “authoritative, soulful” playing has enraptured audiences across the globe (Your Observer News, 2015). She formerly held the position of Associate Principal Oboe of the Hawai’i Symphony Orchestra. In 2023 she was invited to spend half a year in New Zealand as Guest Principal Cor Anglais of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, where she was featured as a soloist in Copland’s Quiet City. Michelle has also been a soloist with a number of other ensembles including the Victoria Symphony, the Colburn Orchestra, and the Sarasota Music Festival Orchestra. Michelle has frequently appeared as Guest Principal Oboe with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and has performed chamber music with the Ad Mare Wind Quintet, the Banff Festival Orchestra, and Chamber Music Hawaii.
Alongside a busy orchestral career, Michelle is a dedicated educator. In addition to her UVic teaching, she maintains a private studio for students of all ages. As a teacher, Michelle provides a welcoming experience for students of all backgrounds. In addition to a wealth of performance expertise, she offers insights on performance psychology and musician wellness. Michelle is committed to music outreach and has performed as an actor-musician in a number of educational shows for children, most recently “Baba Yaga and the MAGIC Gallery” with the Vancouver Island Symphony.
Other recent projects include a collaboration with the Canadian publisher, Éditions Plamondon, on a series of arrangements for the oboe and English horn that will be released in 2024 and 2025.
Michelle is a graduate of the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles where she studied with Allan Vogel. She lives in Victoria with her husband, Malcolm, and her cat Finland. When not performing or teaching, she can be found gardening, birding, or knitting.
The group of mentees is very excited to see Michelle perform a Strauss Oboe Concerto with the Victoria Symphony in November
Alongside a busy orchestral career, Michelle is a dedicated educator. In addition to her UVic teaching, she maintains a private studio for students of all ages. As a teacher, Michelle provides a welcoming experience for students of all backgrounds. In addition to a wealth of performance expertise, she offers insights on performance psychology and musician wellness. Michelle is committed to music outreach and has performed as an actor-musician in a number of educational shows for children, most recently “Baba Yaga and the MAGIC Gallery” with the Vancouver Island Symphony.
Other recent projects include a collaboration with the Canadian publisher, Éditions Plamondon, on a series of arrangements for the oboe and English horn that will be released in 2024 and 2025.
Michelle is a graduate of the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles where she studied with Allan Vogel. She lives in Victoria with her husband, Malcolm, and her cat Finland. When not performing or teaching, she can be found gardening, birding, or knitting.
The group of mentees is very excited to see Michelle perform a Strauss Oboe Concerto with the Victoria Symphony in November
Melissa Goodchild is an active teacher and freelance clarinetist in Victoria, British Columbia. She performs music for solo clarinet, chamber groups, and music for large ensembles. In 2019 she joined the faculty of the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She enjoys teaching students of all ages in private as well as group settings including chamber music, clinics for schools, and adjudicating for music festivals across Canada.
She received her Bachelors of Music from the University of Windsor and also studied at Western University where she earned her Artist Diploma in Clarinet Performance and Master of Music in Performance and Literature.
In 2012 she moved to Saskatoon Saskatchewan where she held the position of Second Clarinet with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra until May 2018. While in Saskatchewan Melissa collaborated with percussionist Kevin Grady, and together they continue to perform repertoire including contemporary works. As a duo Kevin and Melissa have been featured artists-in-residence and in July 2018 the Duo performed at ClarinetFest in Ostend, Belgium. In fall 2023 she began her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and is currently in her third year exploring the possibilities of relational leadership and supporting learning communities.
She received her Bachelors of Music from the University of Windsor and also studied at Western University where she earned her Artist Diploma in Clarinet Performance and Master of Music in Performance and Literature.
In 2012 she moved to Saskatoon Saskatchewan where she held the position of Second Clarinet with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra until May 2018. While in Saskatchewan Melissa collaborated with percussionist Kevin Grady, and together they continue to perform repertoire including contemporary works. As a duo Kevin and Melissa have been featured artists-in-residence and in July 2018 the Duo performed at ClarinetFest in Ostend, Belgium. In fall 2023 she began her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and is currently in her third year exploring the possibilities of relational leadership and supporting learning communities.
Dutch soprano Anne Grimm studied voice in Amsterdam and London and is recognized for her work in opera, concert and recital throughout Europe, North America as well as in Australia and New Zealand.
Anne toured extensively with Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (Ambronay, Salzburg Festival) as well as with the Amsterdamse Bachsolisten, also appearing with at the Händel-Festspiele Halle and Potsdam Festival Sanssouci. Other highlights include touring with Frans Bruggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century as well as Christian Zacharias, Massimo Zanetti, Christoph Rousset amongst others.
Appearances in North America have include the Tanglewood Festival, the National Arts Center Orchestra under Pinchas Zuckerman, Toronto’s Tafelmusik, Symphony Nova Scotia, Winnipeg Symphony, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and Cleveland based Apollo’s Fire at the Ojai Festival in California.
Recognized for her performances in contemporary music, Ms. Grimm toured with Aventa to New York and Montreal as well as to Australia in Gavin Bryars’ opera, Marilyn Forever. Most recently she performed Rudolf Komorous’, The Mute Canary with Turning Point Ensemble of Vancouver in the Czech Republic.
She has recorded extensively for Erato, NM Classics, Vanguard Classics, Troubadisc, Sony Classics and Harmonia Mundi France as well as for CBC Radio, ZDF, RAI, Radio France and VARA in the Netherlands.
Ms. Grimm is on faculty at UVic’s School of Music and at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She also teaches at summer vocal programs including Opera Nuova, the Sicily International Voice Competition and Festival in Noto, Italy.
Anne toured extensively with Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (Ambronay, Salzburg Festival) as well as with the Amsterdamse Bachsolisten, also appearing with at the Händel-Festspiele Halle and Potsdam Festival Sanssouci. Other highlights include touring with Frans Bruggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century as well as Christian Zacharias, Massimo Zanetti, Christoph Rousset amongst others.
Appearances in North America have include the Tanglewood Festival, the National Arts Center Orchestra under Pinchas Zuckerman, Toronto’s Tafelmusik, Symphony Nova Scotia, Winnipeg Symphony, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Pacific Baroque Orchestra, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem and Cleveland based Apollo’s Fire at the Ojai Festival in California.
Recognized for her performances in contemporary music, Ms. Grimm toured with Aventa to New York and Montreal as well as to Australia in Gavin Bryars’ opera, Marilyn Forever. Most recently she performed Rudolf Komorous’, The Mute Canary with Turning Point Ensemble of Vancouver in the Czech Republic.
She has recorded extensively for Erato, NM Classics, Vanguard Classics, Troubadisc, Sony Classics and Harmonia Mundi France as well as for CBC Radio, ZDF, RAI, Radio France and VARA in the Netherlands.
Ms. Grimm is on faculty at UVic’s School of Music and at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She also teaches at summer vocal programs including Opera Nuova, the Sicily International Voice Competition and Festival in Noto, Italy.
Samuel He was born in 1994 in Victoria BC and began piano at age 6 and clarinet at age 11. He is the winner of the BC Provincial Festival for senior woodwinds, a prize winner with the Vancouver Women’s Musical Society, and has been awarded a number of honors and scholarships, most notably the prestigious British Columbia Graduate Scholarship. A full-time professional musician, Samuel is a member of the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy.
As a diverse musician, Samuel has attended festivals such as Domaine Forget, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute, and the Beijing International Music Festival Academy, and has performed in masterclasses for such musicians as Yehuda Gilad, Keith Adam Lipson, and Carlos Ferreira.
An alumni of the Harry Ainlay high school music program, Samuel continued with music into university and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria and a masters degree from the University of British Columbia. His primary teachers include Patricia Kostek, Jose Franch-Ballester, Eric Abramovitz, and Sam Boutris.
In his free time Samuel enjoys playing video games, and was a former professional gamer for the premier American organization compLexity Gaming, a subsidiary of the Dallas Cowboys football team. In 2018, he was one of 12 North Americans to qualify to attend the Blade and Soul world championship qualifiers at ESL studios in Leicester, England, and in 2021 was awarded from hundreds of applicants a $10,000 USD esports scholarship+apprenticeship by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities and YESports Hong Kong esports company.
As a diverse musician, Samuel has attended festivals such as Domaine Forget, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestral Institute, and the Beijing International Music Festival Academy, and has performed in masterclasses for such musicians as Yehuda Gilad, Keith Adam Lipson, and Carlos Ferreira.
An alumni of the Harry Ainlay high school music program, Samuel continued with music into university and holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Victoria and a masters degree from the University of British Columbia. His primary teachers include Patricia Kostek, Jose Franch-Ballester, Eric Abramovitz, and Sam Boutris.
In his free time Samuel enjoys playing video games, and was a former professional gamer for the premier American organization compLexity Gaming, a subsidiary of the Dallas Cowboys football team. In 2018, he was one of 12 North Americans to qualify to attend the Blade and Soul world championship qualifiers at ESL studios in Leicester, England, and in 2021 was awarded from hundreds of applicants a $10,000 USD esports scholarship+apprenticeship by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities and YESports Hong Kong esports company.
Robert Holliston studied at the Victoria Conservatory of Music under Robin Wood and Winifred Scott Wood, and at the University of British Columbia under Robert Rogers. As an accompanist and chamber player he has performed throughout Canada and the USA, England and New Zealand, and has been heard frequently on CBC-Radio. He has recorded CDs with the popular salon ensemble Viveza, trombonist Ian McDougall, tenor Ken Lavigne, his brother Tom Holliston, Show Business Giants, and members of the Hornby Island Ensemble.
Robert has collaborated with many of Canada’s leading singers, including Richard Margison, Benjamin Butterfield, Judith Forst, Nathalie Paulin, Susan Platts, Peter Barcza, and fellow VCM faculty members; string players Eugene Fodor, Moshe Hammer, Marc Destrubé, Jonathan Crow, and Paul Marleyn; and (with Viveza) dancers Karen Kain and Evelyn Hart. A popular public speaker, Robert has given pre-performance lectures for Pacific Opera Victoria since 1993 and is POV’s Principal Coach. Still an active performer, Robert is currently Head of Keyboard at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where he also teaches piano and music history, and acts as vocal coach. Robert was a founding director of the VCM Opera Studio.
Robert has collaborated with many of Canada’s leading singers, including Richard Margison, Benjamin Butterfield, Judith Forst, Nathalie Paulin, Susan Platts, Peter Barcza, and fellow VCM faculty members; string players Eugene Fodor, Moshe Hammer, Marc Destrubé, Jonathan Crow, and Paul Marleyn; and (with Viveza) dancers Karen Kain and Evelyn Hart. A popular public speaker, Robert has given pre-performance lectures for Pacific Opera Victoria since 1993 and is POV’s Principal Coach. Still an active performer, Robert is currently Head of Keyboard at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where he also teaches piano and music history, and acts as vocal coach. Robert was a founding director of the VCM Opera Studio.
Grateful for the opportunity to return to Victoria, Sam McNally is passionate about making and teaching music. He has a Bachelor's of Music with distinction from the University of Victoria and a Master's of Music from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, UK. Sam began his studies in Calgary with Laurie Matiation at the Mount Royal Conservatory and continued with Kurt Kellan the University of Victoria. In London, Sam studied with David Pyatt, Alec Frank-Gemmill, Sue Dent, and Nico Fleury.
Recently appointed 3rd horn of the Victoria Symphony, Sam is also currently the principal horn of both the Kamloops and Okanagan Symphonies. Since 2019, Sam has been on the faculty at the Penticton Academy of Music.