Jeffrey McFadden,
Artistic Director
Jeffrey McFadden has performed throughout Canada, the United States and Europe and at many international festivals. In 1992, he was awarded Silver in the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Competition. His debut recording for Naxos was the first in their Laureate Series, selling tens of thousands of copies; his eight subsequent CDs feature works of Fernando Sor, Napoléon Coste, Agustin Barrios, J.S. Bach among others.
Jeffrey McFadden is the first ever graduate of the Doctor of Musical Arts programme at the University of Toronto (2010). His dissertation formed the basis of his ground-breaking book, Fretboard Harmony: Common-Practice Harmony on the Guitar, published by Les Productions d’Oz. McFadden is the founder and artistic director of Sauble Beach Guitar Festival, and Associate Dean, Performance and Public Events and Associate Professor in the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto.
artisticdirector@guitarsocietyoftoronto.com
Heather Morand Clark,
President
Heather Morand Clark is a graduate of Queen’s University, and has a professional background in banking with TD Canada Trust. She has Board experience with the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival, Caledon Concert Band, and Caledon Arts and Crafts for Youth (CACY). She is a past Treasurer of Home and School Associations at two schools in Caledon.
Heather has studied the classical guitar since the age of 13, and has participated in master classes with, among others, John Mills, Marcin Dylla, Maximo Pujol, and Gerald Garcia. She has attended numerous guitar festivals in Canada, the US and the UK, and her articles on international festivals have been published by Classical Guitar Magazine (UK), Soundboard (USA), and online at www.thisisclassicalguitar.com.
Heather performs and teaches classical guitar in the Caledon area. She has held the position of President of the Guitar Society of Toronto since June 2015.
hmorandclark@guitarsocietyoftoronto.com
Jack Silver, Vice-President
A member of the executive of the Guitar Society for over 25 years, Jack Silver has had a passion for the classical guitar for half a century, ever since he first heard Eli Kassner playing on the recordings of the folk duo Malka and Joso. His love for the instrument led to studies with Alexandre Lagoya in Quebec, John Williams in Spain, and Ben Verdery in New York. Winner of a Premier Prix d’Interpretation from the Conservatoire National de Region de Nice, where he studied under the duo Ako Ito and Henri Dorigny, he performed professionally for many years, including a tour of Serbia with his friend Uros Dojcinovic. Director of DOREMI’s landmark series of restorations of historically priceless classical guitar recordings, he recently co-authored Eli Kassner’s autobiography and is currently working with Miguel Coelho on a biography and box set of recordings of the great Brazilian singer-guitarist Olga Praguer Coelho.
jsilver@guitarsocietyoftoronto.com
Tyler Yukich, Treasurer
Tyler Yukich brings a unique blend of business acumen and artistic passion to the Guitar Society of Toronto as its new Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Guelph, where he was also a member of the Varsity Rowing Team.
After spending over eight years in marketing and agency advertising managing relationships with Canadian brands including Tim Hortons and the Heart & Stroke Foundation, he recently transitioned his career to pursue a lifelong passion for technology. Tyler now works in “big tech” software sales, helping businesses grow and scale through innovative technology and strategic partnerships.
Tyler’s enthusiasm for technology is complemented by his deep appreciation for classical music. He began playing classical guitar at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, where he studied under Robert Hamilton from the ages of 10 to 17. He achieved his 6th grade certification in classical guitar performance and plans to attain his 7th and 8th grade certifications over the coming years.
tyukich@guitarsocietyoftoronto.com
Adrian Mann, Secretary
Adrian Mann retired in 2012 from a 30-year career with the Ontario Public Service. During her time with the OPS, she held a variety of senior executive positions, including Director of Communications for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing.
Adrian has served on the board of the Guitar Society of Toronto since 2015. She is also on the board of the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival and is an active volunteer with Craft Ontario. She is a keen amateur classical guitarist and has attended numerous guitar festivals over the years.
amann@guitarsocietyoftoronto.com
Board Members at Large
Susan Anderson, William Beauvais, Brent Crawford, Levon Ichkhanian, Avron Kulak, Luis Medina, Steve Shorter, Timothy Smith, Maryellen Symons, David Topping, Michael Yukich
Committees:
Bylaw: Maryellen Symons (Chair), Heather Morand Clark, Jack Silver, Steve Shorter, Susan Anderson, Adrian Mann
Commissioning: William Beauvais (Chair), Susan Anderson, Jack Silver, Maryellen Symons
Development: Adrian Mann (Chair), Maryellen Symons, William Beauvais, Susan Anderson, Tyler Yukich, Levon Ichkhanian
Operations: Luis Medina (Chair), Brent Crawford, Jack Silver, Heather Morand Clark
Outreach and Education: Michael Yukich (Chair), William Beauvais, Luis Medina
Promotion and Publicity: Heather Morand Clark (Chair), William Beauvais, Brent Crawford, Levon Ichkhanian, David Topping, Tyler Yukich
Scholarship: William Beauvais (Chair), Adrian Mann
Special Events: Heather Morand Clark (Chair), Jack Silver, Brent Crawford, Luis Medina
Communications Officer: Tim Smith
Student Liaison: Luis Medina
Guitar Society Archivist: Jack Silver
Graphic Designer: David Topping (volunteer)
Volunteers: Roslyn Stephenson, Wendy London, Anna Graham, Lucida Zhao, Navid Nikenejad, Nelly Orlova
Honorary Life Members:
Harold Levy, Past President
Joan York, Past President
Liona Boyd
Charity Registration No. 887382190 RR0001