British Columbia Kodály Society of Canada

BC Kodály Society of Canada

President

Darlene Ngo holds a Bachelor of Education (Music) from the University of Victoria, an ARCT piano diploma from the Royal Conservatory of the University of Toronto as well as a Master of Music (Kodaly) from the University of Calgary. She is an Elementary Kodaly specialist who has taught general music, band and choir in Calgary, Alberta and Campbell River, British Columbia. She has led workshops for Singspiration in Edmonton, BCMEA in Vancouver as well as KSC and BCKSC. Darlene , currently teaching music classes and choir, K-5, in two elementary schools in Campbell River.

Vice President, Victoria

Kristine Kosolofski grew up singing and playing the piano in Williams Lake, BC.  After graduating with a Bachelor of Education from the University of Victoria, she discovered her passion for providing all students with the opportunity to enjoy singing and playing music.  She is continuing her own musical education at the University of Alberta and is hoping to take her Kodaly levels there, though she would prefer to take them closer to home.  Kristine is currently teaching elementary music in the Sooke school district and is the Treasurer of the Sooke Music Teacher's Association.

Vice President, Vancouver

Jo Yawney currently teaches Kodaly classes, private violin and viola lessons, elementary chamber music and theory classes and workshops as well as vocal coaching. Jo is an avid chamber music enthusiast, playing whenever she can!  Jo has a B.A. and M.A. from U.B.C as well as Montessori and Kodaly method training.

Treasurer

Emily Pollet is an enthusiastic elementary music teacher at Quadra Elementary in SD61, Victoria.  As Vice President of the BCKSC , she has enjoyed working facilitating workshops and organizing publicity.  In her early teaching years, she began by teaching high school band and choir but found, as the years went by, she enjoyed teaching younger students.  Faced with only minimal elementary training in her Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education programs at University of Victoria, she turned to the BCKSC for further teaching skills.  Emily hopes that in her time on the BCKSC Board there will be a certified for credit Kodaly levels program available in Victoria.

Newsletter Secretary

Rebecca Claussen graduated from the University of Victoria with bachelor degrees in both music and education. At the University of Victoria Rebecca performed as the principle euphonium player with the UVIC Wind Symphony and the Don Wright Symphonic Winds and as a singer with the UVIC Chorus and the Philomela Woman’s Choir. Rebecca is currently teaching elementary music in Victoria. Rebecca is very passionate about helping her students expand their musical abilities as well as their appreciation for music around the world.

Secretary Victoria

Beth Jay has just recently located to the Comox Valley after living in Bella Coola, B.C. for nine years. She taught music and library at Acwsalcta First Nations School for grades 1 – 3, including Orff, primary choir, and ukulele in the music program. Beth has recently moved to the Comox Valley in the hopes of finding a teaching position and is interested in learning more about Kodaly and the teaching methodologies. She has Orff training, but wants to expand skills to include Kodaly training. She also has two years experience being secretary for the Bella Coola Valley Arts Council and familiar with taking notes and other official tasks of a secretary!

Secretary Vancouver

Susan Seneshan earned her Bachelor of Science degree from University of Western Ontario and a second Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Therapy and her K-12 music teaching credentials  from Colorado STate University.  In her youth she studied piano with Damjana Bratuz, who introduced Susan to the value and beautiy of folk songs.  Susan's Kodaly training with Jo Kirk and working with June Grice strengthened this interest.  she loves the musicality of different languages and has studied French at University Staine Anne, Chinese at University of Alberta and Arabic at Colorado State University.  Her passsion is helping students learn about and create music. Susan also enjoys performing in small ensembles and singing.

Members at Large

Jake Autio is a student and the University of Victoria completing both his Masters in Music (euphonium performance) and his Bachelor of Education. He has completed Kodaly level 1 of the Kodaly Summer at the University of Alberta with Amanda Montgomery and Ardelle Reis and has been stricken by Kodaly-inspired pedagogy. He teaches privately and provides clinics for beginning brass students in the Victoria region and is the Grade 8 Boarding Music tutor at St. Micheal's University School. He plans to teach elementary music education and has a passion for French immersion music education.

Helen Van Spronsen gained her Bachelor in Music and Teaching Diploma in Auckland, New Zealand, before heading for London, UK.  There she discovered the world of Kodaly, working for the Voices Foundation, the Finchley Children's Music Group and Colour Strings, and studying with the British Kodaly Academy and the Kodaly Centre of London.  In 1996 she spent a year studying at the Zoltan Kodaly Pedagogical Institute in Kecskemet, Hungary. Helen has led workshops for music teachers in the UK and New Zealand, and currently teaches music at Signal Hill Elementary School, in Pemberton, B.C.

Sue Herzog earned her Bachelor of Education from the University of Victoria.  She is currently working on increasing her musical knowledge through the Royal Conservatory of Music.  She has Level 1 certification from Wilfrid Laurier University.  She is an elementary school teacher at an independent school in the Greater Victoria area.  Her desire is to pass on to her students a love and enjoyment for music while they develop musical skills.

Cathy Pedersen has a Bachelor of Music Education, University of Idaho and Masters Degree in Piano Pedagogy from Southern Methodist University.

She has been teaching in the Surrey School District since 1988, using Kodaly principles learned in the Kodaly certification course through UVIC. Besides teaching music, she also enjoys singing in the Jubilate Choir (we are doing two concerts in Victoria / Saanich in November!) She is currently teaching elementary music in the Surrey School District and piano at Douglas College.

Debbie McLaren was an elementary teacher with the Sooke School District for 33 years - the last exciting five years were teaching Music and Dance in the new Fine Arts school.  Currently, she is enjoying teaching Music with K - Gr. 5 in a private school. She has appreciated the opportunity to participate in many Kodaly workshops over the years and am now delighted to serve as a member-at-large in this wonderful organization.

Donna Woodland holds a Bachelor of Music from Memorial University of Newfoundland, a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Victoria, and is a certified yoga and Pilates instructor. Donna is very excited to be teaching music and choir at West-Mont Montessori School in beautiful Metchosin, BC and is eager to complete a Kodaly certification program in the next few years.