Artistic Team
Jean MacRae, Artistic Director
Born in Victoria, British Columbia, Jean studied violin, piano and voice at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. She continued her studies in London, England with the renowned teacher Frederick Grinke, and in Canada, with Sydney Humphreys, Gwen Thompson, and Rivka Golani. Much in demand as a chamber musician, Jean has performed in chamber music concerts for CBC Arts National broadcasts, and has collaborated with young Canadian composers for the world premiere performances of their works for viola. Jean has been a member of the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec, l’Orchestre Métropolitain, La Pietà with Angèle Dubeau, and was principal viola of the Montréal Chamber Players.
Jean has built a solid reputation as a pedagogue, teaching violin, viola and chamber music at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, École Secondaire Pierre Laporte in Montréal, and at CEGEP Vincent D’Indy. In 2006, Jean was director of the Youth Program at the International Viola Congress and she is a Consulting Music Educator for the Norman Burgess Memorial Fund of the Canadian Music Centre.
As the Artistic Director and Conductor, she will lead the following ensembles:
- Symphony Orchestra
- Sinfonietta
Mayu Egan, Director
Mayu has been playing the violin and viola for over 15 years, and has taken private lessons with Jean MacRae and Steven Dann. She has played in orchestras such as the FACE symphony and chamber orchestras, as well as the Orchestre des jeunes du mont Royal and the McGill Symphony Orchestra.
Mayu is currently finishing her Master’s degree in Musicology at McGill’s Schulich School of Music, where she got her Bachelor’s Degree in Music in 2020.
As a director, she will lead the following ensembles:
- String Ensemble
- DaCapo
Sylvie Allaire, Director
Sylvie Allaire is a graduate of McGill University, where she taught at the McGill Conservatory from 1988 to 2004 and conducted the Conservatory Orchestra from 1989 to 1993.
From 1999 to 2011, Ms. Allaire taught violin and conducted the string orchestras at École Des Cèdres, part of the Commission scolaire de Laval. Under her leadership, these ensembles received numerous awards and distinctions.
Since 2004, she has been teaching violin and chamber ensembles at Vanier College.
As a violinist, Ms. Allaire performed with the Orchestre symphonique de Laval, the Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières, the Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil, and the Orchestre des Grands Ballets Canadiens.
As a director, she will lead the following ensembles:
- Dolce Musica
Management
Jean MacRae, Chef and Artistic Director
Anne-Marie Talbot, Administrative Director
Mahshad Nadalian, Artistic and Communications Assistant