Christian Paquette is the former principal flute of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony Orchestra. He previously held the positions of Principal flute with the York Symphony Orchestra in Pennsylvania and the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra. He has recently completed his doctoral studies at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. He frequently performs with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. 

Christian has performed in the Shriver Hall Concert Series in Baltimore MD, Music and Beyond Festival, recitals at the National Arts Centre Fourth Stage, Concerto performances in the U.K. with the Farnborough Symphony Orchestra (Reinecke), as well as the Peabody Symphony Orchestra (Nielsen) under the baton of Miguel Harth-Bedoya, the University of Ottawa Symphony Orchestra (Ibert and Nielsen), and with the Ottawa Chamber Orchestra (Rodrigo). He is the recipient of numerous competition awards, such as the MPIMC (Marina Piccinini International Master Classes) Concerto Competition, first prize at the Yale Gordon Competition, Canadian Music Competition, the National Music Festival, the NACO Bursary Competition and many others. In the summer months of 2021 and 2022, Christian was a Fellow in the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble.

Christian is extremely grateful to the Fondation Baxter et Alma Ricard as well as the Sylva Gelber Music Foundation for their generous support in his doctoral studies at the Peabody Institute.

Oboist Susan Butler has been a member of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra since 1979: as English Hornist from 1979 to 1984 and as Principal Oboist from 1984 to the present. Susan’s busy career as a freelance musician frequently includes performances with ensembles such as the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Thirteen Strings, l’Ensemble Prisme, and the Ottawa Choral Society. As a chamber musician, Susan plays in The Harmonious Pigs Reed Trio with fellow OSO principal musicians Shauna Barker and Ben Glossop, and from 2004 to 2019 she was oboist of the Bel Canto Wind Quintet. In addition to her work as a professional oboist, Susan is an accomplished recorder player and piano accompanist. As a soloist, she performs concertos and recitals on oboe or recorder.

Susan is a dedicated teacher, working with music students of all levels in her private studio in Deep River, Ontario. She is an experienced and well-respected instructor of student music ensembles of all levels: her work in this capacity includes the Kincardine Summer Music Festival from 1993 to 2002, the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy from 1999 to 2015, and Deep River’s Summermusic day-camp from 1993 to the present. She conducts the Deep River Youth Orchestra and isthe artistic and administrative director of Summermusic, also conducting ensembles and teaching woodwinds at the camp. Susan enjoys coaching recorder consorts of all ages and working with adult amateur musicians in community orchestras and with CAMMAC.

Susan Butler graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1980 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Oboe Performance. Her post-graduate studies were with the Orchestral Training Program of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Her primary oboe instructors were Rowland Floyd and Harry Sargous, with additional studies with Richard Killmer, John Mack, James Mason and Charles Hamann. When she is not busy with musical activities, Susan enjoys cryptic crossword puzzles, cooking, and outdoor pursuits such as gardening, camping, and snowshoeing.

Shauna Barker started playing the clarinet at the age of 11 and immediately fell in love with the instrument. As a youth, she studied with Stephen Robb, played in the Delta Youth Orchestra, the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from McGill University with Robert Crowley, and a Masters degree from DePaul University in Chicago with Larry Combs.

For over 12 years, Ms. Barker has served as Principal Clarinet in the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and as regular extra musician with the National Arts Centre Orchestra. She performs with many chamber ensembles, namely the Ayorama Quintet, the Bel Canto Quintet (both ensembles also belonging to the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s Music in the Schools program), and the Harmonious Pigs Trio.

Shauna has been on faculty at the University of Ottawa as Clarinet Professor since 2008, and more recently as Coordinator of the Winds Sector in 2017. A sought after educator, Ms. Barker is also the Senior Winds Coach and Conductor at the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy, and is very excited to join the Carleton University’s Music Program as Performance Instructor and clarinetist in the Carleton-OSO ensemble in residence. Shauna also holds a private clarinet studio.

Ms. Barker has performed with several ensembles such as the Thirteen Strings, Les Violons Du Roy, L’Ensemble Prisme, L’Orchestre Symphonique de Gatineau, and has appeared as soloist with the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the Deep River Symphony Orchestra, the Pembroke Orchestra and the Parkdale Orchestra. She can be heard on recordings with NACO, Les Violons du Roy, L’Orchestre de la Francophonie and Maghan McPhee’s solo album, Portrait.

Ben Glossop is an active bassoonist living in Ottawa. He is the principal bassoonist of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, a regular extra with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and second bassoon of the Ontario Philharmonic Orchestra. Studying with Nadina Jackson, Bruce Bower, Whitney Crocket and John Clouser, Ben received his Bachelor and Master’s Degrees in Music Performance at McGill University, with a specialization in Chamber Music, in 1997. Also that year he joined the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and the Bel Canto Wind Quintet. He is the bassoonist of the Ayorama Wind Quintet, The Ottawa Symphony Wind Quintet, l’Ensemble Prisme, and the Harmonious Pigs Reed trio. He performs regularly with Thirteen Strings, The Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Music and Beyond and many other groups in the Ottawa area.

Ben co-directs the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra/Carleton Ensemble-in-Residence Program. A multi-instrumentalist, composer and active teacher, working with bassoonists as well as groups from large orchestras to children with autism, he recently released his second album of his compositions “Fever Lines” music for reeds and strings featuring the Prisme Ensemble. He is an avid outdoorsman, and enjoys camping with his family and volunteering in the community with groups like the Poets’ Pathway.

Cresta graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with an Honours Bachelor of Music Degree in Horn Performance. She continued her studies at the University of Toronto completing the Advanced Certificate in Performance. After graduation Cresta became a full time member of the Canadan Forces Music Branch. For over 13 years she served across Canada in the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, the Naden Band of Maritime Forces Pacific and the Central Band of the Canadian Forces. During her time out west, she also performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, the Victoria Symphony, the Vancouver Island Symphony and was one of the founding members of Ensemble Pacifica, a woodwind octet.

Cresta is currently a member of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, l’Orchestre symphonique de Gatineau and the Maple Leaf Horn Quartet. As an active freelance musician, she also performs with other small chamber ensembles in local schools and senior’s residences.

Catherine Gendron is a fourth-year student studying jazz saxophone and woodwind doubling within the BMus program. She first developed her skills through the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, playing saxophone at her home squadron and competing with cadets across the country for coveted national spots. Having started to seriously study flute in June of this year, this is her first experience playing the instrument in an ensemble setting.

Zhepeng (Patrick) Xu's musical journey was enlightened by participating high school choir and won the 3A prize of the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival in grade 12. During his time pursuing Communication and Media Studies degree at Carleton University he simultaneously started studying classical singing with his greatly respected teacher David MacAdam. In 2022 he graduated from COMS and decided to continue his musical road by formally enrolling in the Music program. Over these years he sung the chorus in opera Turandot, won 1st place in several classes of Ottawa Kiwanis Festival and got into the Trophy Night. On Carleton's stage he performed operetta excerpts from The Land of Smiles, musical theatre excerpts from Les Misérables, My Fair Lady, and Dear Evan Hansen, and is featuring opera excerpts the Magic Flute, Simon Boccanegra, and La Traviata this term.

Ian Guenette is an organist, pianist, accompanist, choral conductor, and church musician. Raised in Carleton Place, Ian began taking piano lessons at age 7. When he was 13, Ian discovered the Pipe organ and started studying with the Organist of Notre Dame Cathedral-Basilica, Jennifer Loveless in Ottawa. After completing High School, Ian moved to Montreal, in order to attend McGill University, studying organ with Professor Hans-Ola Ericsson, a prominent and world-renowned Swedish organist. While at McGill, Ian sang in the McGill University Choir under the direction of Prof. Dr. Jean-Sebastien Vallee. He also played harpsichord in Early Music Ensembles, and participated in many workshops with world-renowned organists such as Jean-Pierre Leguay, Olivier Latry, and Jonathan Oldengarm. Currently, Ian is the Director of Music and Organist at St. James Anglican Church in Carleton Place. Ian’s future endeavours include attending the University of Ottawa to obtain a Bachelor of Education. As an accompanist, Ian was accompanist for the Arnprior Community Choir for 5 years before joining the Carleton Place Town singers as their accompanist. He also has accompanied shows for the Mississippi Mudds of Carleton Place, including the sold out production of 'The Sound of Music' in spring 2023. Upcoming and current projects include accompanying the CAMMAC Ottawa Valley choir for their fall concert presenting John Rutter’s Requiem and other works by Healey Willan, Amroz Copi, and Harry Somers. In the fall of 2023, Ian will begin as the director of the Almonte Workshop choir.