History

Canta Arya School for Strings is a Registered Charity located in Kingston, Ontario.

Founded in 2002 by Denise Williams and Karen-Michele Kimmett and based on the Suzuki method teaching principles, the bilingual school today has over fifty violin students from four to sixteen years of age with its three teachers – Venetia Gauthier, Karen-Michele Kimmett & Julia McFarlane, offering Suzuki violin and viola lessons for the beginner to advanced level student.

In addition to weekly lessons, students have the opportunity to perform in solo recitals, gala group concerts, masterclasses, workshops and community recitals including those held at Providence Manor.

The school’s acclaimed senior ensemble, Canta Arya Strings, has performed extensively throughout Ontario including performances in Ottawa, at Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto, at the Westben Festival and yearly at the Kiwanis Festival. In 2016, Canta Arya senior students made Kingston history as part of the Performance Ensemble of Canada’s five city tour of China.

Canta Arya has shifted its programming to virtual lessons, masterclasses, concerts and recitals in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This year, in addition to weekly virtual private and group lessons, our school has hosted a virtual seminar on musicianship with Dr. Adrienne Shannon and masterclasses with Rob Richardson.

Canta Arya created in the summer of 2020 a series of informal, socially-distanced concerts in the Providence Manor courtyard which brought great joy to residents and students alike. This February, virtual recitals have included Manor residents and staff who shared their singing and appreciation with the students.