Venetia Gauthier
Co-Director and Suzuki Violin Teacher
A Suzuki student herself, Venetia Gauthier began her music studies in Kingston. She studied with various local violin teachers including Denny Williams, Gisele Dalbec and Kenneth Perkins, attending Suzuki Summer Institutes as well as the prestigious Indiana String Academy. Venetia also studied with Helen Brunner in England and toured North America with the London Suzuki Group. She went on to win a scholarship to Chetham’s School of Music in the U.K.
She has been a member of the Kingston Symphony Orchestra first violin section for over 25 years and has played with many local ensembles, including Melos, Orchestra Kingston and the Kingston Baroque Consort.
Currently a Co-Director, Venetia has taught for over 18 years in Canta Arya School for Strings, as well at Southwestern Ontario Suzuki Institute and various workshops. Venetia is an Editor of the bilingual Suzuki Music/Musique Canada Association E-Newsletter and has completed extensive teacher training through the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She also holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Queen’s University, Kingston.
Her other great passion is the History of Art, in which she holds a Master’s Degree and has been published. In her former life in London she was a Specialist in British Pictures at the auction house Christie’s. Venetia is the mother of two boys, both of whom are violinists in Canta Arya.
Julia McFarlane
Co-Director and Suzuki Violin Teacher
Known for her sensitive and engaging playing, violinist/violist Julia McFarlane is equally at home as a performer and educator. Born in Kingston, Julia began her violin studies at the age of five. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performance from McGill University and a Master’s degree from the Peabody Institute of Music, having studied with Mauricio Fuks, Yehonatan Berick, and Herbert Greenberg.
Currently, Julia is principal second violin of the Kingston Symphony and a member of the Isabel String Quartet. From 2000-2003, Julia was principal second violin of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. She held the position of concertmaster of the NYCO Symphony Orchestra from 2006-2017 and is in demand as a free-lance violinist throughout Ontario.
As a registered teacher with the Suzuki Associations of the Americas and Ontario, Julia has been teaching violin for 35 years having taught with the Kingston Suzuki program, Beaurepaire Suzuki Strings (Montreal), the Saskatoon Suzuki Strings Program, The Royal Conservatory Community School and Etobicoke Suzuki Music. She has also been asked to be guest clinician at numerous workshops. Julia is currently co-director of Canta Arya School for Strings and she is mom to two Suzuki violinists!
Tricia Balmer
Suzuki Cello Teacher
Tricia Balmer has a BMus in Performance, and a BA in SocialCultural Anthropology, both from the University of Toronto. Her Suzuki training includes cello and violin, completed in Canada, the United States and Europe.
She taught cello for the Etobicoke Suzuki Music program for 30 years, and co-directed the program for 20 years. In addition, Tricia has been on the faculty for Southwestern Suzuki Institute (Ontario) since 2003. Other Suzuki Institute teaching included St. John’s NLFD, Oakville Summer Music Camp, Huckleberry Summer Music Camp, and Saskatoon Summer Strings Experience. She also taught as a Strings Specialist with the Toronto District School Board from 1989-2001. Her experience as an adjudicator includes the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music Non-competitive Festival (cello), as well as the London Ontario Kiwanis Festival. Experienced as a workshop clinician, she has worked for the Toronto Middle and HighSchool Music Festivals, as well as Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ottawa, and Montreal Suzuki Schools. Tricia’s conducting experience includes a number of years with The Suzuki Strings School of Guelph, the Toronto District School Board, and the Etobicoke Summer Music Camps.
In July of 2023, Tricia moved to Kingston and is enjoying playing with Orchestra Kingston, Kingston Cello Choir, Kingston Baroque Ensemble, and subbing with Kingston Symphony.
Extended Teaching Team
Deborah McFarlane
Beginner Teacher
Clare Marion
Performance Accompanist
Dr. Adrienne Shannon
Performance Accompanist
Michael Capon
Group Class Accompanist
Student Mentoring
Interested high school students have the opportunity to mentor younger students and to help with the weekly group classes. Students gain teaching experience and leadership skills while collaborating with teachers in organizing group classes. In turn, they become inspiring role models for our younger students. Every year Canta Arya supports several student volunteers, many of whom go on to make music studies a major component of their university programs.
Learn more about Suzuki and the teaching methods of our school
- Learn with trained Suzuki instructors
- Opportunities for peer mentoring and leadership
