Meet the Members!
Jessie RamsayJessie Ramsay grew up in a musical family in Regina, Saskatchewan. Jessie owns a Diploma of Music Performance from the University of Calgary, where she studied with Mr. Bill Van der Sloot. After completing the Advanced Performance Program, she transferred to the University of Ottawa to finish her Bachelors of Music in Violin Performance, studying with Yehonatan Berick. Jessie is currently continuing her master’s studies at the University of Ottawa. Jessie has been praised for her warm sound and charismatic playing.
You’ll find Jessie in a variety of musical settings. She plays in the first violin section of the Ottawa Symphony, and enjoys sharing music at the Perley and Rideau Veteran’s Centre. Jessie is also a frequent busker and improviser, playing with jazz and folk groups in Calgary, Regina, and Ottawa. |
Hanna WilliamsonHailing from Mission, B.C., Hanna began her post-secondary studies with Michael van der Sloot at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. Hanna has since earned her Bachelors of Music at the University of Ottawa, and is continuing her Master's degree with Yehonatan Berick. Hanna has been praised for her strong musicality and ability to move well with ensemble-mates.
Hanna is busy as both an orchestral and chamber musician and performs regularly around Ottawa with the Happy Shepherd Quartet, as well as with the University of Ottawa Orchestra and Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. During the summer, Hanna enjoys travelling with programs like the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and National Academy Orchestra, with worship artist Fraser Campbell, or subbing with the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra and Vancouver Island Symphony. Hanna is also an experienced educator. Having completed her Performer’s ARCT’s (RCM) in both violin and piano, she has enjoyed teaching both instruments for many years. |
Mark KleynMark Kleyn was born in Michigan and began playing viola and violin at the age of ten. He has received his Bachelors of Viola Performance from Western Michigan University, studying with Professor Igor Fedotov, and his Masters of Viola Performance at the University of Ottawa with Professor Rennie Regehr. Mark has graduated from the University of Ottawa with Masters of Arts in Musicology, focusing his research on the application of sport psychology to performing musicians. He is now teaching and performing in the Ottawa area, and writing on sport psychology for musicians. Mark is currently a member of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, and the Pembroke Symphony Orchestra,
Mark has a flair for working with young people. He currently teaches privately and has been a part of several youth programs, including the El Sistema “Kalamazoo Kids in Tune” program, and Michigan’s American String Teacher’s Association Camps. Mark has also served as the conductor of the University of Ottawa's Pop's Orchestra, fostering a culture of family and excellence in the group's beginning years. |
Jaeyoung ChongJaeyoung Chong was born in South Korea, and began playing cello at the age of eight, eventually studying in the Maritimes with Shimon Walt. Jaeyoung quickly progressed to an advanced level, winning awards from the New Brunswick Provincial Music Festival and the Fredericton Music Festival. Jaeyoung currently studies with Paul Marleyn at the University of Ottawa, and has had masterclasses from notable greats like Deve Doane, Matt Haimovits, Laurence Lesser, Richard Aaron, and several others.
Jaeyoung is an avid orchestral player, playing with the Ottawa Symphony and as principal cellist in the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, a group he has also performed with as a featured soloist. Jaeyoung also performed with the High School Honors Performance Series Orchestra in Carnegie Hall. Jaeyoung also has a strong creative streak with the instrument. He is heavily involved in contemporary composition, frequently performing pieces of his own writing. To see Jaeyoung perform some of his works, you can follow this link. |