about
Virginie Gagné is the founding member of the Polyphonie String Quartet. As one of Edmonton's most sought-after violinists, Virginie Gagné has been involved in numerous local musical events since her arrival in Edmonton, Alberta in 2006.
Originally hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Virginie started to learn the violin at 3 years old with Ms. Jacqueline David, then followed her studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal with Johanne Arel and Helmut Lipsky. Her playing style transcends musical genres, from baroque to pop to new music. She has been a featured soloist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, in addition to being an active chamber violinist with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble and the Edmonton Recital Society.
She currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta, with her husband, Alexander, and her sons, Julius and Marcel.
Originally hailing from Montreal, Quebec, Virginie started to learn the violin at 3 years old with Ms. Jacqueline David, then followed her studies at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal with Johanne Arel and Helmut Lipsky. Her playing style transcends musical genres, from baroque to pop to new music. She has been a featured soloist with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, in addition to being an active chamber violinist with the Alberta Baroque Ensemble and the Edmonton Recital Society.
She currently resides in Edmonton, Alberta, with her husband, Alexander, and her sons, Julius and Marcel.
Ewald Cheung has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras around Canada, with many distinguished conductors, including James Sommerville, Yoav Talmi, Victor Sawa, and William Eddins. He has also performed in recital series in Trois‐Rivieres, CAMMAC, and Edmonton with pianists such as Philip Chiu, Henry Mokken, and Michael Massey. As a chamber musician, Ewald was a founding member of Geistrio, which has performed at the Toronto Summer Music Festival in the summer of 2011 and at the Canadian Opera Company’s Free Concert Series in May 2012.
He was also a founding member of the Roddick String Quartet, which has performed at the Toronto Summer Music Festival in 2008 and at the Montreal String Quartet in 2009, among many others. Ewald currently records with the Espace 21 label (formerly XXI‐21 Productions). His first recording was released in the spring of 2013.
He was also a founding member of the Roddick String Quartet, which has performed at the Toronto Summer Music Festival in 2008 and at the Montreal String Quartet in 2009, among many others. Ewald currently records with the Espace 21 label (formerly XXI‐21 Productions). His first recording was released in the spring of 2013.
Ethan Filner enjoys an active career as performer, teacher, and chamber music coach. Assistant Principal Viola in the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra since 2019, he has also held the Assistant Principal Viola position in the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony since 2017, and taught viola at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music from 2016-19. From 2001-16 he was the violist of the San Francisco-based Cypress String Quartet.
In 2018 Ethan was the viola soloist in the Hart House Orchestra’s springtime performance of both Arthur Benjamin’s “Fantasy Concerto” for violin and viola, and Strauss’s Don Quixote. A year later Ethan performed a series of “Viola 1919 Centennial” recitals in Toronto (with Jamie Parker), Waterloo (with Beth Ann de Sousa), and central Pennsylvania (with Daniel Immel).
In 2018 Ethan was the viola soloist in the Hart House Orchestra’s springtime performance of both Arthur Benjamin’s “Fantasy Concerto” for violin and viola, and Strauss’s Don Quixote. A year later Ethan performed a series of “Viola 1919 Centennial” recitals in Toronto (with Jamie Parker), Waterloo (with Beth Ann de Sousa), and central Pennsylvania (with Daniel Immel).
Julie Hereish pursued her studies in Montreal and then in Vienna, Austria. In the Fall of 2019, she joined the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra as Assistant Principal Cello. Previously, she held the same position in the Québec Symphony Orchestra. During her time in Québec City, she co-founded the piano quartet Quatuor Philanthros and the cello octet Élément 8. Her chamber music performances have taken her across Canada, where she’s toured with Debut Atlantic and Jeunesses Musicales du Canada.
As a guest artist, Julie joined the Grammy Award winning ARC Ensemble in performance in Toronto. She has also performed with the Canadian Opera Company as guest continuo cellist. Julie has performed extensively with the chamber orchestra Violons du Roy in Québec City and throughout Europe and North America. Together with actor Pierre Mayer, Julie created Charlot et Mlle Cello, a theatrical concert experience for children based on Charlie Chaplin’s famous character.
As a guest artist, Julie joined the Grammy Award winning ARC Ensemble in performance in Toronto. She has also performed with the Canadian Opera Company as guest continuo cellist. Julie has performed extensively with the chamber orchestra Violons du Roy in Québec City and throughout Europe and North America. Together with actor Pierre Mayer, Julie created Charlot et Mlle Cello, a theatrical concert experience for children based on Charlie Chaplin’s famous character.
FRIENDS OF POLYPHONIE STRING QUARTET
FRIENDS OF POLYPHONIE STRING QUARTET
Kerry Kavalo is a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is currently in the viola section of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining the ESO, Mr. Kavalo was an Assistant Principal viola with Symphony Nova Scotia and fellow with the New World Symphony, America’s orchestral academy.
Mr. Kavalo has been a prizewinner of numerous solo competitions including the Ohio Viola Society, Tuesday Musical Club of Pittsburgh, and the Alexander & Buono International String Competition as a member of the Konova String Quartet. Committed to sharing classical music with all audiences, Mr. Kavalo has performed solo and chamber music in senior centers and in schools for children with special needs. Mr. Kavalo enjoys reading books about food, working out, and drinking obscene amounts of coffee.
Mr. Kavalo has been a prizewinner of numerous solo competitions including the Ohio Viola Society, Tuesday Musical Club of Pittsburgh, and the Alexander & Buono International String Competition as a member of the Konova String Quartet. Committed to sharing classical music with all audiences, Mr. Kavalo has performed solo and chamber music in senior centers and in schools for children with special needs. Mr. Kavalo enjoys reading books about food, working out, and drinking obscene amounts of coffee.
Kathleen de Caen started playing the cello at age five. Her primary teachers were Grazyna Sobieraj, Julie Amundsen, Tanya Prochazka, and Colin Ryan. She later went on to complete a Master’s in Cello Performance with Matt Haimovitz at McGill University. She is presently principal cellist with Symphony Nova Scotia and will be starting a section position with Calgary Philharmonic in 2018/19. As a soloist, she has been invited to perform with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra on multiple occasions for their education series. Kathleen was also the featured young artist of the 2012 Symphony Under the Sky series.
As a chamber musician, Kathleen has performed across North America with musicians such as Yehonatan Berick, Jean Efflam-Bavouzet, and Paul Coletti. She often performs with Matt Haimovitz’s ensemble, Uccello, who performed at Carnegie Hall in 2013. Kathleen recently co-founded Trio De Moda, an Edmonton based string trio.
As a chamber musician, Kathleen has performed across North America with musicians such as Yehonatan Berick, Jean Efflam-Bavouzet, and Paul Coletti. She often performs with Matt Haimovitz’s ensemble, Uccello, who performed at Carnegie Hall in 2013. Kathleen recently co-founded Trio De Moda, an Edmonton based string trio.