Faculty

Summermusic’s campers are fortunate to have such a great team of faculty: not just good teachers, but role models who care about the kids, appreciate the importance of music in a well-rounded society, and respect the value of education. One of Summermusic’s great strengths is that all our staff are multi-talented, with skills and expertise in more than one area.

Susan Butler is a professional oboist, pianist, and recorder player, She is the principal oboist of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and plays oboe in the Harmonious Pigs Reed Trio and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra Wind Quintet. She has an active career as a freelance musician, performing frequently with various ensembles such as the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Thirteen Strings, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Centennial Choir, and the Ottawa Choral Society. Susan is a dedicated teacher, working with music students of all levels in her private studio in Deep River, Ontario. She is in demand as a coach for workshops and clinics, and is a music festival adjudicator of woodwinds, recorders and bands. 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, Mackenzie Community School High School band from 2012 to 2019, and Deep River’s Summermusic day-camp from 1993 to the present. She conducts the Deep River Youth Orchestra and is the past-director and a founder of the Summermusic day-camp, where she continues to teach woodwinds and to direct orchestras and wind ensembles. In addition to her work with instrumental music, Susan is the choir director for the Deep River Community Church. Susan obtained her Bachelor of Music in Oboe Performance from the University of Ottawa in 1980, followed by post-graduate studies in the Orchestral Training Program at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Her studies at UOttawa included piano pedagogy and Early Music. When she is not busy with musical activities, Susan enjoys reading, cooking, solving cryptic crossword puzzles, and outdoor pursuits such as canoeing, hiking and snowshoeing.	Susan Butler Past Director, Administrative Team, Teaching Faculty
April Morris is a violinist and musicologist originally from Deep River. She holds a Bachelor of Music (2013) from the University of Ottawa, where she studied violin with David Thies-Thompson of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. In 2021, she earned a PhD in Musicology from Western University, studying the involvement of U.S. composers in Vietnam War protest. She also completed a Master of Arts degree in Musicology from Western in 2015. Born into a musical family, April began playing the violin at age seven, studying initially with her father Peter Morris and later with Elaine Klimasko in Ottawa. Currently based in London, Ontario, she teaches violin lessons to students of all ages at the School of Music Arts (SMArts). April particularly enjoys orchestral playing and often performs with ensembles in the London area and in Deep River. April was a camper at Deep River Summermusic for eight years and has been on faculty since 2008.	April Morris Camp Director, Teaching Faculty
Megan Jones Reeves, originally from Deep River, is an accomplished violinist and educator, with over 30 years of experience in performing, artistic leadership and educations. We are thrilled to have Megan on staff this year to assist the strings and lead our Junior Choir.	Megan Jones Reeves Administrative Team, Teaching Faculty
Laura Vokey holds a Bachelor of Music in Violin and a Bachelor of Music Education from Memorial University. With Orff and Suzuki qualifications, she has taught choirs, strings programs, early childhood and K-12 classroom music. Laura is an executive member of the Pembroke Symphony Orchestra and teacher at Pine Arts Collective in Petawawa. She especially loves working with young children and their families through her creative music and movement programs.	Laura Vokey Teaching Faculty
Peter Morris is well known in the Deep River area for his many years guiding, influencing and teaching music to members of our community, young and old. He has been Music Director of the Deep River Symphony for 32 years and has had stints with the Valley Festival Orchestra, and the Kincardine Music Festival Chamber Orchestra. He has also adjudicated music festival in London, Kitchener-Waterloo, North Bay and Renfrew. Peter currently directs the DRSO, the DR Choral Group, and the newly revived Children’s Choir is called “Let the Children Sing”. Peter is the co-founder of Summermusic and we welcome him back this year as conductor of our Massed Choir.	Peter Morris Teaching Faculty
Liz Hart received her Bachelor of Music degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, where she studied flute with Donelda Hunter. Since graduating, Liz has continued to teach flute privately and perform in various community events and ensembles. Currently, Liz a member and President of the Deep River Symphony Orchestra. She is also very involved in the administrative side of the Arts which began when she completed the Arts Administration course at the Banff Centre, shortly after graduation. Liz has been the Administrator for Summermusic since 2008. She is thrilled to be part of the wonderful group of teachers and campers that make up Summermusic.	Liz Hart Administrative Team, Teaching Faculty
Pianist Dian Wilkie was born and raised in Deep River. In her youth, she studied piano with Laurie Jarbo and Mary Greiner, and later went on to attain a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Ottawa as well as a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto (OISE). Before moving to the Ottawa Valley at the end of August of 2022 she lived in Ottawa for several years. There, she established herself as a teacher, accompanist, and performer in the Ottawa and Ottawa Valley. She had a large number of private piano students and accompanied instrumentalists and vocalists for music competitions, examinations, and recitals. She also accompanied 5 choirs a week: Cantiamo Apprentice Choir, Cantiamo Women’s Choir, Tone Cluster, Hypatia’s Voice, and Chorale Entre-Nous. Dian and her husband, Brandon, recently moved back to Deep River along with their two young children. Here, she has a private piano studio, and accompanies the Deep River Choral Group as well as various instrumentalists and vocalists. She also plays the violin in the Deep River Symphony Orchestra for fun. Dian and Brandon also play together as a piano-cello duo, performing for concerts and events in Ottawa and the Ottawa Valley, Prince Edward County, Toronto, Montreal and many other places throughout Ontario. Dian attended the Summermusic program as a child, and looks forward to now returning as a staff member.	Dian Wilkie Teaching Faculty
Cellist Brandon Wilkie grew up in Pembroke, Ontario where he began playing the cello at age 13. His first teacher was Peter Morris. After high school, Brandon had the opportunity to study with several renowned teachers including Matt Haimovitz at McGill University and Shauna Rolston at the University of Toronto. For several years, Brandon was based in Toronto where he was a member of the Arkadas String Quartet. As a member of the group, he had the opportunity to perform at music festivals in Banff and San Francisco.As a recording artist, Brandon was featured on the debut recording by the Capital Chamber Choir of Ottawa performing Jocelyn Morlock’s Exaudi.Brandon resides in Deep River, Ontario with his wife and two children. He performs regularly across Ontario and Quebec with his wife Dian as a piano and cello duo and in addition to his musical activities also works as a letter carrier with Canada Post.	Brandon Wilkie Teaching Faculty
Karen Christian is a graduate from the secondary music education program at the University of Alberta with 20 years of music instruction experience both privately and publicly. She has directed wind ensembles, concert bands, jazz ensembles, and choirs that have travelled across Western Canada performing at festivals and on tour at schools and community events. She has been awarded the Alberta Band Association 2001 Young Band Director of the Year as well as the 2006 Alberta Excellence in Teaching. Karen’s enthusiasm for music continued with her move to Deep River in 2007 where she became involved with the Deep River Choral Group and the Deep River Community Band. Currently Karen is a member of the Ontario Music Educators Association, and teaches music, and math at Bishop Smith Catholic High School in Pembroke.	Karen Christian Teaching Faculty