Meet The Musicians

Andrew Noseworthy (he/him/his) is a multidisciplinary artist whose music reflects
upon the acceptance/rejection of “locality,” while addressing ideas of post-regional spaces
and questions of accessibility for the musical voices within them. His genre-fluid projects coalesce wide-ranging styles and distinct artistic practices; and include compositions for
contemporary music ensembles (often with electronics); performing with hardcore and
experimental rock bands in DIY venues; commissioning and premiering new works
involving the electric guitar; music for dance and experimental film; pop music production
and audio engineering; and integrative work that combines seemingly disparate elements
from any number of these settings.

Through his work as an educator, Andrew strives to foster equitable spaces for
community and collaboration. His engagements span over a decade of private guitar, theory, and composition teaching; distance and outreach learning; adjudicating; university-
level theory, ear-training, and electronic music positions; and frequently guest lecturing at festivals, workshops, and academic courses. Focusing on transparent and open
communication among students, Andrew provides them with support, guidance, and
relevant skills to pursue their own interests or goals. In 2020, Andrew was an instrumental and composition tutor for Go Compose! North America. In 2021, he joined the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music in teaching courses on the electric guitar in
contemporary classical music. He has been a faculty member at Community Music Schools of Toronto since 2022.

Andrew’s previous mentors include Paul Frehner, Michael Gordon, Andrew
Staniland and Sylvie Proulx. He holds degrees from Western University (PhD), NYU
Steinhardt (MM), and Memorial University (Bmus, honours). His PhD dissertation work
involved the creation of a new electric guitar concerto with modular performance settings, while his research examined the transference of experiences between composer-performer
roles and genre concerns regarding the electric guitar in contemporary music.

Website:
http://anmusiccomposer.com/
Contact:
anmusiccomposer@gmail.com

Fethi Nadjem is a multi-instrumentalist artist, author, and composer born on August 1, 1983, in Algeria. He comes from a family of musicians and is one of the founding members of the Algerian group Djmawi Africa, with whom he toured the world for 20 years. In late 2017, Fethi Nadjem immigrated to Toronto and received the RBC Newcomer Arts Award for the song “Darouni.” He has also collaborated with numerous Canadian artists such as Jesse Cook, Moskitto Bar, Ahmed Moneka, and others. Additionally, he has his own band, and his music is a blend of Algerian sounds and influences from around the world that have inspired him during his tours and travels throughout his career.

Jennifer is very active in the greater Toronto area as both a performer and teacher. She holds her Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Toronto where she studied with Dr. Midori Koga. Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Music at the University of Western Ontario, her A.R.C.T. Performer’s diploma with the Royal Conservatory of Music, and her Associate Teaching diploma with Conservatory Canada.  Throughout her studies, Jennifer was the recipient of several academic awards including the prestigious Ontario Graduate Scholarship.  Her research centred around injury prevention as well as piano student retention strategies.

Jennifer is an active member of the Royal Conservatory of Music’s College of Examiners and runs a professional studio in Brampton where she offers piano and theory lessons in both Classical and Popular genres.   She has been a guest clinician at the University of Toronto, presenting graduate student workshops on a variety of pedagogical topics, and enjoys adjudicating music festivals throughout Canada.   

Jennifer has pursued studies in the field of Early Childhood Music Education as well as mindfulness practice and performance under Madeline Bruser of New York.  She completed a collaborative piano internship with Music Theatre Bavaria in Oberaudorf, Germany as well as the musician mentorship program with the Canadian National Ballet.   Jennifer enjoys classes in Dalcroze Eurythmics which combine her passions for movement, music education and improvisation.  

A versatile pianist, Jennifer performs regularly at a variety of venues including nursing homes, receptions, weddings, and churches throughout Ontario.  She has recently enjoyed collaborating with the Brampton Childrens’ Chorus, the Rose Orchestra, and the Chinguacousy Swing Orchestra. 

In her spare time, Jennifer loves to ballroom and Latin dance and practices yoga.  She has a very special place in her heart for little pianists and is grateful for the opportunity to nurture and pass on to them the love of music.

Carla Perrotta-Pyrgos is a freelance clarinettist, clinician, and private teacher based in Toronto, Ontario. Carla currently holds the principal clarinet position with the North Bay Symphony, but has also played with the Jeans ‘n Classics Symphony, the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra, the Mississauga Symphony, the Ontario Philharmonic, the Stratford
Symphony Orchestra, and the Toronto Concert Orchestra. She has given clinics for beginner and intermediate students all over Ontario, and teaches privately at Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton, and at her home studio in Toronto. These various gigs involve a lot of driving; her secret musical
indulgences on the road are ‘80s “big hair” bands like Guns N’ Roses, Metallica, and Bon Jovi.

Carla plays with the Licorice Allsorts Clarinet Quartet(LACQ), an ensemble created more than 40 years ago by legendary pedagogue, Avrahm Galper, who taught at the University of Toronto. LACQ presents concerts for
children. The group has performed in the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony’s
Kinderconcerts series, and with the now-defunct Orchestra London, as well
as perform in elementary schools, libraries, and retirement homes. Despite personnel changes over the years, all members at one point studied with
Mr. Galper.

It was the itinerant music program in elementary school that introduced
Carla to the clarinet, and it also got her out of class once a week for 45 minutes. Along with studies with Mr. Galper at U of T, where she received her Bachelor of Music Performance, Carla is also a graduate of the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music, where she studied with Max Christie.

Carla and her husband Demetri are also raising two rambunctious boys,
Leo and Max. She is therefore a Nerf gun afficionado, and a huge fan of the Marvel movies franchise. She enjoys film and music trivia, and travelling.

Toronto based violinist Valerie Gordon is an avid performer and teacher. She currently has her own private studio in Oakville, ON. As a teacher, Valerie strives to instil a sense of wonder in her students. She believes that learning is best done through a positive and nurturing environment, surrounded by tools and information to support a child’s musical development. Valerie has taught on the faculties of the Kingsway Conservatory of Music and the String Academy at Laurier University in Waterloo. 

Valerie is a Suzuki certified teacher, and has taken pedagogy courses with Brenda Brenner and Mimi Zweig during her time at Indiana University. 

Recent activities include performances and recordings with Tafelmusik, Handel and Haydn Society (Boston), Opera Atelier, Holland Baroque Society (The Netherlands), Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, Bourbon Baroque, and concerts with Elixir Baroque Ensemble- of which she is a founding member.

Valerie has completed a Bachelor’s Degree from McGill University in Montreal, an Artist’s Diploma from The Glenn Gould School in Toronto, and a Master’s Degree in Early Music from Indiana University.

Benjamin Stein is  a singer, composer, music director, writer and multi-instrumentalist. He has played or sung for ensembles such as 

Tafelmusik Baroque Chamber Choir, Toronto Consort, Opera Atelier, Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Elora Festival Singers, Toronto Masque Theatre and Soundstreams Canada. He has recently completed a Ph.D at York University in historical and contemporary approaches to improvisation training in the area of classical music.

Waleed Abdulhamid is a Canadian Multi-instrumentalist; Composer; Vocalist; Music and Film Producer, known for his striking vocals, innovative bass technique, and his speed and precision on percussion. He has been an active member of the Toronto music scene since his arrival, in 1991 from Sudan, where he began to perform as early as six years old. He is the recipient of the Canadian New Pioneer Award; African Tama Award; Reel World Film Festival Award and Canadian Film Board of Excellence Award. In addition, he has not only received other international awards, but was also twice honoured with a DORA Award. In turn, he is frequently invited to serve on juries in Music and Theatre, and has acquired a distinctive profile in the media. 

This educator-artist of demonstrated versatility plays 20 instruments including the guitar; bass; drums; flute; harmonica; kirin; bass kirin; darabhuka; marimba; balimbo; congas; bongos; djembe; dumbek; aghera; tambour; cajun; denger; ekaa and tama.

Waleed is not only a band leader, a conductor and insightful arranger of popular compositions, but also a Director of Choral and Orchestral Music. He frequently conducts workshops designed for both new or advanced learners, and works collaboratively with choreographers to produce innovative creations.

Waleed Abdulhamid has recorded, performed and toured with celebrated artists including David Clayton Thomas of the Grammy Award winning band Blood, Sweat & Tears and Motown legends, The Drifters. He has also toured both nationally and internationally. However, he is most proud of his role as a mentor to acclaimed younger artists such as D’bi Young, Ngozi Paul, and Zaki Ibrahim.

Waleed has been the subject of study for researchers and PhD candidates seeking to understand the workings of the virtuoso mind, and is currently a faculty member in the music department of the University of Toronto. Formerly, he worked for twenty years as a professor in the Music Degree Program at Humber College.

When not teaching, performing and producing, Waleed can be found in front of the camera, acting in short and feature films, most recently for CBC, CANN Film Festival France, and TIFF.