Mountainside Chamber Music
Music and Nature in Harmony
Faculty & Clinicians for 2024
Jeff Faragher, Program Director
Cello Instructor Conductor Coach
CELLO FOCUS
CHAMBER STRINGS
Known for his enrapturing performance style, Jeff Faragher is a natural entertainer. With extensive training and experience as a classical cellist, he performs and teaches in the Kootenays and Calgary as a professional cellist and is one of the regions most active performers. Jeff plays regularly as a soloist with Symphony orchestras throughout western Canada in addition to playing in several chamber ensembles. Currently, he is Artistic Director (Conductor) for Symphony of the Kootenays. At the University of Alberta Jeff began a Doctor of Music focusing on contemporary styles on the cello. This lead him down the path of using his jazz training to create new styles of playing cello in many different genres including Celtic, gypsy-jazz, middle-eastern, tango, and flamenco. Jeff feels at home in almost any ensemble and brings his energy to the mix. With more than 25 years of helping cellists reach their goals, he has been inspiring students of all ages. Drawing from his extensive experience working with world class instructors from around the world he has honed a style that speaks to his students and excites them to find undiscovered heights in their playing.
Olivia Walsh
Cello Instructor & Coach
Cello Focus & Chamber Strings
Cellist Olivia Walsh enjoys a varied schedule of teaching, orchestral and chamber playing, as well as conducting and adjudicating and studio recording. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Olivia graduated with a degree in Performance from the University of Alberta under the guidance of Tanya Prochazka. Olivia further pursued studies in conducting and pedagogy before settling with her family in the Okanagan. Since arriving in Kelowna in 2006, Olivia has enjoyed teaching throughout British Columbia, playing in both the Okanagan and Kamloops Symphonies, as well as teaching in Kelowna and Penticton.
Olivia joined Jeff in 2016 for the Cello Focus Program and will be joining him again this June! She will be a faculty member again in July for our Chamber Strings program for the 6th consecutive year! We are excited to have her for both programs
Cvetozar Vutev
Violin & Viola Instructor & Coach
CHAMBER STRINGS
Cvetozar Vutev has served as concertmaster with the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra and has taught violin, viola, chamber music, and string orchestra in Kamloops since 2005. He has also been a first violin core player with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra since 2009.
Cvetozar is the founding music director and conductor of the Kamloops Brandenburg Orchestra since 2012.From 2007 until 2021 he was the music director of Vivace Chorale Kamloops. Cvetozar has been a choir instructor at the Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops since 2013. He has also served as concertmaster with the Symphony of the Kootenays since 2014.
Cvetozar achieved a master's degree in violin performance under Boyan Lechevat the Pancho Vladigerov National Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1990. In 2016 he achieved a doctorate in musicology and musical arts at the same institution. Cvetozar also attended violin master classes taught by Yfrah Neaman (UK) and Wolfgang Marschner (Germany). In 2000 Cvetozar earned a master’s degree in law at the Kliment Ohridski University of Sofia, Bulgaria. In 2017, he received the Mayor’s Award for the Arts – Artist of the Year: Performing Arts in Kamloops. In June, 2023 Cvetozar conducted the Raminsh Choir and New
England Symphony performance of Missa Brevis, by Imant Raminsh in CarnegieHall, New York.
Cvetozar has performed and taught violin, viola, chamber music, and orchestra for about 35 years. As a violinist, violist and conductor he took part in many solo,chamber music, symphony, and opera performances in 12 European countries,as well as the Republic of Korea, Japan, USA and Canada. We welcome Cvetozar back for his 6th consecutive summer as faculty!
Martine den Bok
Violin & Viola Instructor Coach
CHAMBER STRINGS
Martine denBok is a classically trained, professional violinist with a captivating stage presence and a ‘spine-tingling’ tonal colour palette. A natural born musician who began violin lessons at the age of three, Martine has now performed as concertmaster for over twenty productions with Edmonton’s ‘Opera Nuova Orchestra’, spent three seasons playing next to Juno nominated Pablo Diemecke with Victoria’s ‘Die Mahler String Quartet’ and played first violin for Edmonton’s popular and ecclectic ‘StringBeans Quartet’. She holds a Masters of Music in Violin Performance, and is the Principal Second Violinist of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and the Principal Violist with the Symphony of the Kootenays. Now a resident of New Denver BC, Martine is a busy multi-instrumentalist and collaborator, most noteably with her acclaimed duo, ‘Freya’ – a group known for their heartfelt and spell-binding instrumental compositions and sweet vocal harmonies. Aside from performing, Martine maintains a busy teaching studio with students from Nelson to New Denver.
We are excited to welcome Martine back again for her 6th consecutive summer!
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Brie Hurlbert
Fiddle
Chamber Strings
At age 5, Brie began classically studying violin but she always enjoyed playing fiddle for fun. Later she honed her fiddling skills as she studied with Buddy McMasterat the Gaelic School of Celtic Arts at Cape Breton and learned bluegrass fiddle techniques with John Showman. As singer and fiddler, Brie played with the “Kootenay Grass Company” and currently plays with the Symphony of the Kootenays. She is an experienced teacher of violin and fiddle techniques and currently teaches 20-25 students from children to adults. Brie has been participating in and assisting with Chamber Strings since 2014. She facilitates our Evening Fiddle Fun event at the lovely Gyro Park!
Ross Hill
Luthier
Chamber Strings
Luthier and master instrument maker Ross Hill from Calgary will be joining us again this summer to re-hair bows and do minor repairs and adjustments on stringed instruments. He will also have a supply of accessories such as rosin,bows and more for purchase. Ross will be offering a class on instrument making. Visit www.aeolianstrings.com