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Coaches and Affiliates

OSYO General Manager

Ryan MacKinnon

Ryan MacKinnon

General Manager | OSYO

Ryan MacKinnon started playing guitar at eight years old and switched over to drum kit when he was 10. Upon entering high school he found a new love in playing classical percussion instruments.

Ryan has a Bachelor of Music in Self-Directed Performance at Wilfrid Laurier University and has played with a variety of different orchestras, choirs and concert bands including the Stratford Symphony, Guelph Symphony and Guelph Concert Band.

He is the Community Program Manager at a local non-profit called Bandology. There, he organizes and runs all community programs such as: Bucket Drumming, Drumline and Percussion Ensemble workshops. These are held at various schools, community centers and parks. Ryan is also responsible for coordinating and running Halton Band Camp. He developed and facilitates Staff Training, the Counselor in Training programs for Halton, Guelph and Waterloo camp locations.

Ryan runs a private teaching studio and holds lessons for drums and classical percussion instruments, and is a teacher at the Burlington Music Centre. If you are interested in taking private lesson on any percussion instruments, check out this link: https://bandology.ca/percussion-lessons/

Ryan loves to share all the things he has learned on his journey to help young musicians excel!

STUDENT PERSONNEL

Dania Gonzalez

Dania Gonzalez

Media Coordinator | OSYO

Dania is in Grade 12 at White Oaks Secondary School. She started playing violin at eight years old, currently plays at level ARCT RCM, and has won numerous competitions including first place at the 2023 OMFA Violin Provincial Finals.

She has also played piano from the age of four, and is studying at the level 10 RCM Harmony & Counterpoint. Dania has played with all four ensembles of the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra for many years and is Concert Master of the Symphony. She has been part of the Burlington Symphony Orchestra with the Young Artists Mentorship Award, and has played with the Oakville Symphony. 

Dania has also been part of the OSYO Quartet since 2019 and has perofrmed in various retirement homes, hospitals and events in Oakville. She also mentors musicians in the younger ensembles- playing alongside and coaching the string sections.

She is part of her school’s Student Council, STEM program and volunteers weekly at the Oakville Trafalgar Hospital.

Dania is currently the Media Coordinator of the OSYO, where she handles all the graphic design responsibilities for posters, concert programs, digital marketing and manages the social media accounts.

Carol Chen

Carol Chen

Personnel Manager | OSYO Symphony

Carol Chen, class of 2026, is a percussionist whose musical journey began at age four with the piano. But it was at eight, when she discovered the marimba, that her true passion ignited. Drawn to the complexity and rich tones of percussion, she didn’t stop at the marimba. Over the years, she’s mastered various instruments, including the snare drum, timpani, and mallet percussion. Her passion for music has won her the First Prize National at the Hummingbird International Music Award, along with many others. 

Since the 2022/23 season, Carol has been the principal percussionist and percussion section leader of the OSYO Symphony, working under the highly respected Colin R. Clarke. Her leadership and precision have been vital in the ensemble’s performances, and her expertise has allowed her to collaborate multiple times with the Oakville Symphony Orchestra. Her blend of technical skill and emotional resonance engaged the audiences and made each performance a meaningful experience.

Outside of music, Carol is an active leader at Oakville Trafalgar High School, serving on the Student Council and as an executive member of both the Eco Council and the Economics Club.

Anjali Balan

Anjali Balan

Personnel Manager | OSYO Symphony

Anjali Balan is currently a grade 10 student attending Abbey Park High School, and has been a dedicated violinist in the OSYO since their 2019-20 season and has been playing under the leadership of the esteemed Colin R. Clarke since 2023. Originally starting with the piano at age 3, she extended her musical proficiency with the violin and has been playing since the age of 10.

Playing at an RCM 10 level, her dedication and passion towards her instrument with her teacher, Valerie Gordon, has led her to win numerous competitions, one being First Place at the Hamilton Music Festival. She has also collaborated several times with the Oakville Symphony.

When she is not practicing Pictures at An Exhibition or The Pines of Rome, Anjali is actively involved at her school as part of the executive team on her school’s Environmental Council and REACH for the Top Trivia team, helping them win First Place at their provincial competition. 

Anjali believes in the great impact music can have on people of all ages, and with collaboration, passion, and dedication, she strives to create a meaningful experience to all musicians within the OSYO as Personnel Manager. 

Hope Ballantyne

Hope Ballantyne

Personnel Manager | OSYO Youth Band

COACHES

Paul Barna

Paul Barna

Coach | Violin and Viola

Paul Barna, has been seen as soloist, chamber player and orchestral musician throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Highlights of previous performances including performing for an opening game for the Hamilton Tiger Cats, recording for the JUNO’s award ceremony with celebrated rock band, The Arkells, (He can also be seen and heard on several of their music videos) performing for the closing ceremonies of the Pan Am games of 2015 with Terra Lightfoot and the National Academy Orchestra as well as performances with the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony featuring Inuit throat singer, Tanya Tagaq. He recently performed with JUNO award winning artist, Jeremy Dutcher and is featured on an episode of Murdoch Mysteries, “Murder in F Major” In 2023, Paul was selected for the Aldershot Community Honour Roll award in recognition of his outstanding community contribution and commitment to the arts.

Paul’s eclectic and vast repertoire combined with his keen interest in new music had led him to record on various CD’s including a premier performance of Abigail Richardson’s composition The Labyrinth with the Schulte Strings Chamber Orchestra, and recording Mahler’s Ninth Symphony with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. (Disc had a JUNO nomination track, Isomorphia). Paul’s string playing can be heard on a recent release of local folk/ blues artists Andre Bisson’s latest new album, The Ballad of Lucy Stone. (https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0B6QH7632) He is also featured on André’s latest album, Latchford and music various music videos. h"ps://ffm.to/andre-bissondusty-albums.OEM https://open.spotify.com/album/08mlrsVFVVeqZEXNT2P0Tp?si=mSrMdgVEQg-r_0gSOFnmHg&nd=1

Paul is currently a highly in demand freelance musician within the Greater Toronto Area, performing with various orchestras and ensembles. He has performed as soloist with the Mississauga Symphony, North York Symphony Orchestra, Symphony on the Bay and regularly appears with with Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, Esprit Orchestra, Thunder Bay Symphony and Sudbury Symphony as to name a few. He formerly studied viola with Mr. Steven Dann, however past teachers include Atis Bankas, and Michael Schulte. He is the owner and operator of a successful booking company, Paul Barna Strings where he books and coordinates specialized performances for weddings, events and galas. He is currently serving as Principal Second violin with the Burlington Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Barna is a graduate of the Glenn Gould School of Music and Young Artist Performance Academy program at The Royal Conservatory of Music as well as former apprentice from the National Academy Orchestra; Canada’s only professional training orchestra.

Not only a devout performer, Paul is a sought after educator and instructor. He currently has a large and flourishing studio, Paul Barna Music Studio that has celebrated over a decade of providing high level music instruction to students and currently serves on the string faculty at Burlington Suzuki He founded and directs the Burlington Chamber Sinfonia; an ensemble comprised of advanced students with a focus on performing solo repertoire with the ensemble and runs an apprenticeship style program that hires advanced students and emerging artists to perform professionally. Many of his students are award winning and celebrated young musicians that can be heard in youth orchestras across Ontario. (Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, OSYO, Hamilton Phil Youth Orchestra among others) They hold concertmaster positions, principal section positions and various leadership positions within the ensembles. In November 2021, Paul helped to initiate a mentorship program with the Burlington Symphony where talented and hard working students were able to join the orchestra as part of a side by side learning in concert. His students regularly work towards completing Royal Conservatory examinations and participate in local competitions and are routine prize winners at festivals, scholarship recipients at elementary and post secondary levels, and have gone on to win in provincial level competitions. His teachings have led him to work with various music schools and institutions ranging from Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra, Mississauga Youth Orchestra, Ontario String Association, and formerly Axis Music in Toronto; a string program developed for under privileged youth. He has also served as faculty assistant at the Interprovincial Music Camp in Parry Sound. In addition to loving his career and being an avid car nut, real estate enthusiast and horological aficionado, there are few things that bring Paul as much joy as successfully pulling off one of his elaborate, ingenious and oh so witty practical jokes/ pranks on unsuspecting students…

Sarah Zbogar

Sarah Zbogar

Coach | Violin

Mrs. Sarah Zbogar has worked for over twenty-five years in both elementary and secondary schools within Peel and Halton teaching music. Her passion for singing and for public speaking has enabled her to introduce numerous classes to the joys of choral singing and musical theatre.

Mrs. Zbogar has Masters of English and teaching degrees from U. of T. as well as ARCTs in both piano and violin performance from the Royal Conservatory.

Mrs. Zbogar is the director of the St. Andrew Children's Choir and a string coach for the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra.

She also teaches private piano and theory classes for students in Oakville and is an active member of the Oakville Symphony Orchestra.

Mother of four young adults, Mrs. Zbogar shares with her family a passion for dog-walking, hiking, cross-country skiing, cycling, camping, travelling and canoeing!

Jose Shapero

Jose Shapero

Coach | Cello

Mr. Shapero graduated from the University of Toronto with Bachelor and Masters of music in cello and piano.

He has been Principal Cellist and guest soloist with several professional and community orchestras before joining the Oakville Symphony as Principal Cellist in 1987. Jose has recorded commercials and television shows. He was very active with school performances as part of the Meet a Musician program and was music director at North Bramalea United Church in Brampton for the past 25 years.

Jose is proud to be working with the cellists of the OSYO. He plays on a beautiful 18th century Italian cello made by Luigi Venturini.

Nancy Nelson

Nancy Nelson

Coach | Oboe & English Horn

 

Nancy Nelson’s oboe/English Horn performing career has been a wonderful ride so far! After receiving her Honours Degree in Music, she received a prestigious Canada Council Grant for further performance studies with Louis Rosenblatt, the solo English Horn in the Philadelphia Orchestra, while also attending many masterclasses with renowned players such as John Mack, Robert Bloom and John DeLancie.

Nancy performs on both oboe and English Horn in the Hamilton Philharmonic, is Principal oboe of the Brantford Symphony, and enjoys coaching and mentoring many musical groups in the area. She has performed in the Toronto Symphony, COC Orchestra , NBOC Orchestra, KW Symphony, Niagara Symphony and Orchestra London oboe sections. Furthermore she has been guest soloist with the HPO, McMaster Symphony, Brantford Symphony and Oakville Symphony. Nancy was also honoured to perform Divertimento No. 11 for English Horn and Strings, by John Weinzweig, composed specifically for her and commissioned by the HPO and Victor Feldbrill.

She has had the privilege of performing in many wonderful musicals in Toronto, Stratford, and Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Shaw Festival as well.
Nancy has been a Sessional Instructor at McMaster, Redeemer, and Guelph Universities while operating a private music studio in home. In addition, she is the Music Director/Organist at Christ Church Flamborough.