Charlene Biggs, Artistic Director
Dr. Charlene Biggs gave her first solo recital at the age of 11, and made her professional debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at age 14. She received her Doctorate in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music, and her Masters in Performance and Piano Literature from Goldsmiths College, University of London, England. She has performed extensively in Great Britain as a soloist and collaborative artist, appearing at such prestigious venues as the Royal Festival Hall, the Purcell Room, Greenwich Festival, Glasgow University, The National Theatre and the Barbican Arts Centre. She has also performed in France, Holland, Austria, Italy, Canada and the USA. Dr. Biggs was Assistant Chair of Piano in the Community Division of the Eastman School of Music and held faculty positions in both the Professional and Community Schools of the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, where she was also the National Academic Advisor. She recently retired as Director of Piano Studies and Music History at Cambrian College in Sudbury Ontario. She continues as a Senior Examiner for the Royal Conservatory, and is much sought-after as an adjudicator and pedagogy clinician across Canada. Dr. Biggs has written nationally-published pedagogical articles, and continues a hectic schedule as a solo and collaborative artist.
Brenda Arrowsmith, Past President and Publicity
Brenda retired from the Cambrian College School of Music in 2012, after more than 30 years as head of wind instruction and theory studies. She was a principal player with the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, and served as their rehearsal conductor for many years. Brenda is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, where she studied Theory and Composition. She also attended the Banff School of Fine Arts. In addition to the clarinet, she is a talented pianist with an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto diploma in performance.
Danielle Braney, President
Born and raised in Québec, Danielle received a Diploma in Psychology from the CEGEP de Maisonneuve in Montréal in 1971. She later obtained the Accredited Appraiser Designation from the Appraisal Institute of Canada in 1995 and an Honours Bachelor Degree in Economics in 2009. Danielle retired in June 2016 as Director of Asset Services for the City of Greater Sudbury where she was employed for over 20 years. Hired as the Real Estate Appraiser in 1995, she later held the positions of Real Estate Coordinator, Manager of Asset Services, Acting Director of Solid Waste and Director of Fleet Services. As Manager and Director, Danielle prepared and managed multi-million-dollar budgets. In preparation for retirement and to fulfill her musical dream, Danielle started taking cello lessons in 2009 and piano lessons in 2015.
Milas Hewson, Secretary
Milas is a violinist currently living in Sudbury, Ontario, where they teach and perform. Milas has been playing the violin since the age of 3, where they started at the Suzuki String School of Guelph with Paule Barselou. Since then they have also studied with Witold Swoboda, Beth Schneider-Gould, and Jerzy Kaplanek. They have travelled the world, performing in chamber groups across Canada, the US, and Europe. Since 2021 Milas has been a fixture of the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra and the North Bay Symphony Orchestra, where they play associate principal second.
Debby Laporte, Treasurer
Debby was born and raised in Sudbury. She studied at Lasalle Secondary School and Laurentian University where she obtained her B.A. in Psychology. While being a stay-at-home mom, she also did bookkeeping and taught piano to 18 students. Later when employed with Desmarais Arsenault, she pursued her studies to become a CMA (now CPA) through Laurentian University, Cambrian College and by correspondence with the CMA Society where she obtained the Certified Professional Accountant designation. Since 1981 Debby has been with the firm now known as Baker Tilly SNT. She moved through the ranks from staff accountant, senior accountant to her current position as manager which she has held for the past 15 years. Debby was also co-owner and CFO of Plaza and Notre Dame Bowl from 1992 to 2007 until the alleys were both sold.
From her desire to become an artist in her younger years, Debby was the recipient of two visual art awards. She also loved music and shone as a flute player through high school and later with the Sudbury Philharmonic Society. She plays the piano and sings in three choirs, Bel Canto Chorus, Sudbury Chamber Singers, and St Andrew’s United Church Choir. She was the Treasurer of the Bel Canto Chorus for many years.
At one time, Debby aspired to become a United Church minister and took courses in theological studies. Today she leads services at St Andrew’s when the opportunity arises.
Through music Debby met her husband Graham. Their pride and joy is their family and two cats. They love to travel and spend time at their cottage on Manitoulin Island which they built in 1994.
Paul McNeil, Vice-President
Paul was born in Sudbury and has remained here. He completed his RN diploma through Cambrian College. After graduating he began work at the then Laurentian Hospital, completing his Bachelor of Science in nursing through Laurentian University.
Paul has completed his 30 year career as a nurse.
He is an amateur pianist and a member of Bel Canto choir. He plays piano at Glad Tidings. Paul has a vision to grow the music community in Sudbury.
Arianna Verbree, Social Media and Director
Arianna is a Double Bassist, multi-instrumentalist, and writer living in Sudbury, Ontario. After starting her musical life in punk rock bands in high school, she began to study music as a last-minute decision that has reverberated throughout her life. Described as a “passionate performer” by her former teachers, She has been a visible feature stage right for the Sudbury Symphony and the North Bay symphony, where she has been sitting as the Principal Bass for many years. She has a Diploma in Music Performance from Cambrian College, a Bachelor’s Degree in music from the University of Ottawa, a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from the University of Akron, and an Artist’s Certificate in Performance of Early Music from the University of Toronto. Her teachers have included Dr. Jamie Arrowsmith, Dr. Vernon Regehr, David Currie, John Geggie, Sue Yelanjian, and Joëlle Morton, and she has studied at musical festivals under Ali Yazdanfar, Richard Myron, Meredith Johnson, and Joel Quarrington. She has performed in ensembles under the baton of Jean-Francois Rivest, Kent Nagano, Jeanne Lamon, and Ivars Taurins.
In her free time, Arianna continues to play popular music, performing with the Hilltoppers Jazz Band throughout their 2024 fall-winter season, and recording solo indie music as Grayce Aromantic.
Her recent season highlights include performances with the Deep River Symphony, the Timmins Symphony, the Sudbury Symphony, and the North Bay Symphony, as well as a recording of a new music work, “The Seasons” by Justin Saulnier, to be premiered in Fall 2024.
Anne Zenker, Social Media and Director
Anne has lived in Sudbury since 1958. She worked as a piano teacher for 28 years until 1998
Anne is currently a member of the Bel Canto Chorus and plays violin in the Sudbury Youth Orchestra. In her spare time, she is also the organist at New Apostolic Church, Sudbury and has been a regular volunteer at Health Sciences North since 1985.