 |
||
 |
||
 |
 
Tracy Kasner Greaves – Artistic Director Tracy joined the Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble as a vocalist in 1991, becoming Co-Vocal Director in 1995 and Co-Artistic Director in 2001. This is Tracy’s fifth season as the sole Artistic Director of Chai and in late 2007 she assumed the role of Managing Artistic Director. Tracy has studied music with the noted vocal instructor Diane Berger and is an alumna of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School and Musical Theatre Company. Tracy trained and performed extensively as a member of the “Triple Threats” under the direction of Janis Dunning. After graduating from the University of Winnipeg with an Education Degree majoring in Theatre and Language Arts, she began her teaching career at the Gray Academy of Jewish Education and then the Calgary Hebrew Day School. When Tracy returned to Winnipeg in 2003, she entered into an intensive study of Chazzanut through correspondence from the Cantor’s Assembly with mentor Cantor Sanford Cohn. Tracy is in her sixth year as serving as Cantor for Congregation Etz Chayim. Tracy is proud to have been with the Chai Folk Ensemble for 17 years and counting. Ariel Posen – Musical Director Ariel Posen is a first call freelance guitarist in Winnipeg as well as the Musical Director for the Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble. Playing all styles of music, he excels at taking on the challenges of the different varieties of music for which Chai is known. Aside from playing Acoustic and Electric guitar, he plays Mandolin, Dobro, Lap Steel, Piano, Bass, Drums and he sings. Being a freelance musician, some of the artists he has played for are Ron Paley, Jessee Havey, Finjan, Sierra Noble, Alana Levandoski, Ash Koley, Canada Idol runner-ups Tara Oram, Lisa Bell and Katelyn Dawn to name a few. He also has his own three piece band called Groovy Moustache, a duo group with jazz singer Sophie Berkal-Sarbit, with whom they just released a self titled record Ariel is also in the Instrumental Fusion Jazz group called Swunk. He also does lots of Studio Session work and recently played guitars for Don Amero, Darrelyne Bickel, Jaylene Johnson and Helen White's 2009 albums. Aside from playing, Ariel also teaches guitar privately and has been doing so for the past 6 years. Ariel has a put together a good band who are excellent musicians who complement each other very well in the Chai Folk Ensemble. The sound of Chai is very eclectic and versatile, yet sophisticated and exciting to listen to. Ariel is responsible for making sure that the orchestra is in perfect accompaniment with the vocalists and that the timing is precisely coordinated for the dancers on stage. Lina Streltsov - Vocal Director Lina Streltsov was born in the Ukraine. She studied to be a vocalist and a conductor and graduated from the music college and conservatory of music in Kiev and Donezk. Lina worked as a conductor for adult and children's choirs. In 1998 she and her family moved to Israel where she conducted the Bet Elazraki Childrens Home choir. She has built a varied repertoire including Israeli folk songs as well as new and modern songs. She has made a special connection and collaboration between the choir and famous Israeli singers and composers. In the Music Conservatory in Netanya and Kfar Yona Lina was coordinator of the vocal department. Her work included individual vocal lessons and vocal ensembles for different ages. "Tzlil Hama'ayan" adult choir at the Netanya Cultural Centre has performed throughout the country and is considered one of the best classical music womens choirs in the country. The Streltsov family came to Canada in 2007. Lina currently works as Program Director at the Etz Chayim Synagogue. She also directs the High Holiday choir at Etz Chayim Synagogue, childrens choir "Yona" and seniors ensemble at the Jewish Child and Family Service in cooperation with Etz Chayim Synagogue and Festival choir. Sarah Sommer – Assistant to Vocal Director Sarah has been a member of the Chai Folk Ensemble since 2008. She is a recent graduate from the Gray Academy of Jewish Education, and is currently studying at the University of Manitoba. Besides her wide knowledge of Israeli music, Sarah also studies classical music and sings with both the Etz Chayim and Shaarey Zedek Synagogues. Some of Sarah's performance highlights have included the Winnipeg Music Festival, Manitoba Opera's production of Jason and Hanna, as well as countless school and community performances. Sarah looks forward to being a part of what lies ahead in Chai's future. Beth Usiskin – Dance Director Beth joined Chai as a dancer in 2003 and is very excited to be in her ninth year with the group. She became Assistant Dance Director in 2007, Rehearsal Director in 2008 and is currently Co-Dance Director. She has traveled with the group to California, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Detroit, and Edmonton and is thrilled to be able to go with the group to Festival Aviv in Mexico City. Beth has earned both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education at the University of Manitoba, both degrees with a major in Mathematics and a minor in English Language Arts. She is currently teaching English as an Additional Language at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate. Sheena Stemler – Dance Director Sheena started dancing with Chai in 2004 and is so excited to be back with the group after a 2-year stint in Toronto, where she completed a Master of Information degree at the University of Toronto. Sheena has worked extensively with arts organizations, including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg's Contemporary Dancers and Kaeja d'Dance (Toronto). Sheena studied dance from young age, including ballet, jazz, tap and modern disciplines, and challenges herself to continually try new dance style and take classes whereever she lives and travels. She continues to study under Paula Blair as a member the Prairie Dancers troupe. Ian Kirk – Director of Production Ian has been involved with the Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble first as a stage manager and as Director of Production since 2008. Ian is currently the Assistant Technical Director for the Manitoba Theatre Centre. He has toured extensively throughout Canada and parts of Europe with Winnipeg's Ensemble Folklorique De La Riviere Rouge as technical advisor and dancer since 1980. He has also completed two regional tours with MTC.
Board of Governors |
|
