CONSERVATORY CANADA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Office Administrator
- Registrar
Debra's main instrument is clarinet. She was taught by Helmut Winkler throughout high school in Rosemere, Quebec, has enjoyed private clarinet lessons, and played clarinet and saxophone in concert bands in the Montreal area. Debra also studied with Liane Tieman, who provided private theory and piano lessons in Rosemere in preparation for exams at Montreal's McGill Conservatory of Music. In 2015, Debra achieved a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Western Ontario (Music/Comparative Literature) and is currently enrolled in a second degree (Honors Specialization in Art History and Museum Studies) that includes a Minor in Astronomy. Debra is very grateful to the teachers, instructors, and professors who inspired her musical journey.
She began as Conservatory Canada's Office Administrator in August 2020, and was appointed the Registrar in March 2023.
Debra can be reached by email at: debra@conservatorycanada.ca
Derek Oger has lived his entire life in Thunder Bay, ON, where he began his studio piano teaching career in 1987, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree (Economics concentration) followed by an Honours Bachelor of Music Degree from Lakehead University. Having established a reputation as a pianist, he performs regularly in various chamber music settings. He can be heard on a CD entitled "First Recording" which was released by New Music North in 2008 and part of which was broadcast on CBC Radio Two's The Signal. As a studio teacher, he is experimenting with creating ensembles for young musicians that operate in Self Organized Learning Environments, where the varied avenues of expression are using electronic keyboards to their fullest potential, as well as applications to mix live music, and improvising using Orff instruments. Among his other diverse interests, he is also an ADAPT certified Functional Health Coach.
Derek has met many studio music teachers in his travels as a music festival adjudicator and workshop clinician across Canada, and enjoys connecting with them in his role as Executive Director. In a renewed effort to aid teachers in engaging today's youth in music, we will be working toward developing new assessment processes and other innovative programs. He looks forward to and welcomes the ideas of Conservatory Canada teachers coast to coast.
He can be reached by email at derek@conservatorycanada.ca
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Directors
Gregg Bereznick has served public education for over 30 years as a Superintendent of Education, Principal, Vice-principal, Arts Consultant, and Instrumental Music Teacher. He is Past President of both the Canadian Music Educators' Association and the Ontario Music Educators' Association, past Editor of "The Recorder" and contributor to Ministry of Education publications as well as to various professional journals. He currently is an instructor at the Faculty of Education at Western University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Joan Woodrow obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from Mount Allison University and went on to further her studies at Ithaca College, New York, University of Wisconsin, as well as Queen's University, Kingston. Mrs. Woodrow has won numerous awards and scholarships, and was a frequent winner in both piano and cello at the Kiwanis Music Festivals. She also holds two Music Exhibitioner Awards from Trinity College of Music, London, England for the highest marks in Canada in Pianoforte playing. Mrs. Woodrow is also the chairperson of the advisory board for the St. John's Kiwanis Music Festival, and is the Newfoundland and Labrador Provincial Advisor for the National Music Festival. She is an active adjudicator, having adjudicated extensively in Canada from coast to coast. Joan is also an examiner for Conservatory Canada.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Retired Music for Young Children Instructor
Leslie Youngson is a retired Music For Young Children instructor and private piano teacher who resides in Ottawa, Ontario. She received her A.R.C.T in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music and obtained her Bachelor of Applied Science in Systems Design Engineering with a minor in Management Science from the University of Waterloo. Leslie's 30 + year information technology career has spanned a range of not for profit associations, mid-large size businesses, as well as government, and has focussed on business system and web-based applications including education portals and Customer Relationship Management systems. She has been involved with various community activities and combines creative "out of the box" thinking with an analytic approach to problem solving and strategic thinking to help organizations achieve their objectives.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Mark Nelson completed a Cross-Discipline BA with a business major at King's College, London, ON. He has completed several Microsoft Certifications. In the summer of 2000 Mark started his own computer consulting and service company called FULL Nelson Computer Services. The company assists organizations with the design and implementation of new policies, investigation and selection of relevant products, and at times informs and educates members of the Boards and Committees. Ongoing he is the liaison with third parties who supply software, hardware, or both, that integrate at a client's site.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Patricia Frehlich pursues an extensive and versatile career as a musician and has built a solid reputation as a sensitive and accomplished teacher.
As an independent music teacher, she works successfully with all levels and ages of students. Known as an inspiring educator who fosters keenness and curiosity in her students, her students frequently win awards, scholarships and medals by consistently achieving high results in examinations and have been accepted into post-secondary institutions for further studies.
Patricia is currently an examiner for Conservatory Canada, has participated in teacher training in China and is the Chair of the College of Examiners for USMCE (United States Certification Exams). As a conference presenter, she has presented on a variety of subjects at provincial, national and international conferences, including the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers' Associations(CFMTA), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and the International Society of Music Educators(ISME).
Ms. Frehlich has had articles published in the Canadian Music Teacher, American Music Teacher, Merge Magazine and The Canadian Family. As member of the CFMTA since 1995, she has continually served in numerous capacities, including national president and is currently chair of Professional Development and Research, and Public Relations. Patricia is recognized as a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) in the USA and has co-chaired two of MTNA/ CFMTA international conferences; the first in 2007 and more recently in 2017.