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Canadian Pianist Cheryl Emery-Karapita specializes in the field of song in recital with Canadian vocal and instrumental talent. After completing a M.Mus in Vocal Operatic Coaching at McGill, Cheryl moved to Europe to pursue a Post-Graduate degree in Concert Collaborative Piano with Julius Drake at the Kunst Universität in Graz, Austria. In addition to studies in Graz, Cheryl spent two summers in Baden bei Wien working with Helmut Deutsch, Roger Vignoles, Rudolph Jansen and Wolfram Rieger at the Franz Schubert-Institut. Current activities include recital and recording projects, teaching students at Lethbridge Piano Intensive and CASA Art Centre, collaborating with Mezzo Soprano Liesel Fedkenheuer (Calgary), Ventus Women’s Choir (Lethbridge), Juno nominated Luminous Voices (Calgary), and Fourtitude (Lethbridge).
Holly was born in Durham, U.K. to two musician parents and she began leaning the violin at the age of four. She was a pupil at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester and later studied at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Richard Deakin, Wen Zhou Li and Christopher Rowland (chamber music). Her college quartet performed regularly throughout the U.K. and won the Hirsch Prize for Chamber Music in 2005. She toured Europe and Kazakhstan as a member of the European Union Youth Orchestra, with whom she played for four years.
Since graduating from college, Holly has enjoyed a varied career, spanning orchestral, chamber, theatre and commercial music as well as teaching, coaching and invigilating for music competitions. She has been a regular player with many of the UK’s top orchestras including the London Philharmonic and Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Holly also performed as part of the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival (Maine, USA) and MusicaRiva Festival (Lake Garda, Italy)
Holly is enjoying making Canada her home and already has a busy class of violin and piano students. She is a member of the Jessica Mcmann Trio and recorded the album “Prairie Dusk” with them in 2023 which won a YYC music award in 2024. It was shortlisted for a Grammy nomination and the album was trending at #1 on CKUA for some time. In September she joined the faculty at the University of Lethbridge, the University of Lethbridge Conservatory and took up the position of assistant concertmaster at the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra. She loves performing and is looking forward to more concerts and collaborations with various artists in the future. She is passionate about education and making music accessible to everyone.
Clarinetist Joan Rogers holds Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Lethbridge, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Music from Washington State University. Her clarinet teachers included C. Orlan Strom, Christopher Jackson, Margaret Mezei, Robert L. Miller, and H. James Schoepflin.
Joan spent two summers as a member of the Band of the Ceremonial Guard on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. She has been a member of the clarinet section of the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra since 1977 and has held the principal clarinet position since 2016. She performed with the string quartet Musaeus in January 2023 and again in January 2025 and was featured as a soloist with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra in October 2024. Joan retired in 2022 as a teacher with Holy Spirit Catholic Schools, where she spent 30 years teaching Music and Math.
Susan Supeene has enjoyed singing and teaching music for more years than she’d like to admit! She was a performance voice graduate of Western University, when it was University of Western Ontario, and subsequently took a B. Ed. with a music specialty at Elborn/Althouse College.
She has performed with orchestras in Ontario and Alberta, and her teaching spans from early childhood music through to post graduate singers.
She currently teaches private voice as well as a church and performing adult choir, and is preparing courses to pass on her knowledge of childhood Kodaly education to some of her senior students. She enjoys working with all ages, and especially loves making music with her grandchildren.
Adam Mason has received international recognition as a clinician and performer in World Music, Marching Percussion and Percussion Ensemble. He has toured worldwide throughout China, Japan, United Kingdom, the U.S. and Canada, as well as Brazil, Ghana, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Trinidad. He is Director of Percussion at the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, Canada and Principal Timpanist for the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra.
Prof. Mason is a strong advocate for Percussive Arts Society. As Past-Chair of the Percussive Arts Society International Committee he helped establish multiple chapters around the globe. Alberta PAS received the Outstanding Chapter Award in 2018, where he serves as Chapter President. He has presented and adjudicated at numerous PASIC’s and state Days of Percussion, and has served on numerous national PAS Committees.
Adam Mason has worked with multiple DCI member drum and bugle corps, including 10-Time-World Champion The Cadets, Phantom Regiment and Suncoast Sound. At U of L, Prof. Mason directs the internationally recognized Global Drums Steel Band, U of L Taiko Ensemble, African Music & Dance Ensemble, Chinese Ensemble, Polynesian Ensemble, Brazilian Samba Bateria and Percussion Ensemble.
Professor Mason is proud to serve as educator/endorser for Remo, Zildjian, Vic Firth and Yamaha Canada.
Nicole proudly holds a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary. She taught secondary music for the Calgary Board of Education for 32 years. School bands, under her direction, were the recipients of numerous awards including Most Outstanding Performances from various music festivals.
Personally, Nicole is very honoured to have received the Alberta Band Association Award of Distinction 2025 and the Elkhorn Music Director of the Year Award 2024! Nicole has also received the Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award in 2010 and the Pan Canadian Teaching Award.
Recently retired, Nicole continues to support her peers and their students by guest teaching, guest conducting and teaching brass masterclasses. “Retirement” has allowed Nicole the opportunity to host and guest conduct many school ensembles from Alberta and Saskatchewan for Banff Music Retreats. Since 1990, she has been the Coordinator of the Calgary Regional Summer Band Workshop. She is very grateful to work with so many outstanding music educators and young musicians throughout her years.
Nicole believes strongly in getting involved with our music community and has contributed to Phi Beta Mu, CADME, AIBF South and adjudicated the Calgary Stampede Parade for 17 years. Nicole also enjoys adjudicating and inspiring ensembles including the Alberta Band Association Festival 2025. She has thoroughly enjoyed performing with the Cappy Smart Band, Westwinds Wind Orchestra and currently the Foothills Music Society. She actively seeks professional development opportunities to continuously build her abilities to share with students.