Kendra Breen - Violin & Voice
Kendra has been playing violin for 10 years. She started out learning Irish folk songs from her grandfather and then signed up a year early with the District 6 violin program in grade 3 with level 1 through 10. While still in elementary school, Kendra was invited to join the District 6 Senior String Orchestra, conducted by Fran Dearin, and the Fiddle 6 group. During this time, she instructed small groups within the Intermediate Orchestra. Kendra has taught fiddle/violin from her home in Quispamsis for the last 4 years to students aged 6 - 60 years. She is still a member of the Senior Orchestra and her own fiddle group she started with friends a few years ago called the "The Maraon Fiddlers". They have played at many community and corporate functions. Kendra is also classically trained and is very familiar with music theory and site reading. Her private classical teachers included Paul Campbell and David Adams. Along with the Violin, Kendra enjoys singing, songwriting, playing piano, guitar, and mandolin. After graduation Kendra plans to pursue a musical career.
Norman Calp - Consultant to the drum program
Norman Calp is a New Brunswick legend.
Has been teaching drums for over 40 years, with some of his students including Dave Langguth of Nelly Furtado, big band drummer/arranger/conductor John Cheeseman and jazz drummer Greg Ritchie of New York.
Norman studied drums with Hein Henkes from age 12 - 14 at the New Brunswick Conservatory of Music. His unique style and determination to explore new things led him to be one of the first Canadian drummers to use double bass drums.
During his formative years, Norman played with everybody and anybody who called with a job, including Johnny and the Kingsmen and Dutch Mason. In 1966, Norman moved to Toronto to continue his studies at the Ontario Conservatory of Percussion with Paul Robson. During his off hours, he kept developing his chops by backing up an array of popular artists, including Anne Murray, John Allen Cameron, The Sugar Shoppe, Paul Soles, Terry Black, Ronnie Hawkins, Ken Tobias, Twiggy, Soma and Gordon Pinsent to name a few.
In 1971, Norman decided that life on the road was not for him, but he kept his love for the drums alive by teaching hundreds of students the art of drumming. To this day, he still enjoys teaching beginners to advanced drummers and takes great pride in the accomplishments of his former students that have touched millions of music fans around the globe.
Dan Chamberlain - Keyboards
Dan Chamberlain has been playing organ and synth for the past 15 years, playing a diverse range of styles, which has made Dan a sought after session player, since he can play just about anything.
He has been a regular on the local original music scene, playing live and /or recording with bands such as Porkchop Sandwiches, Halo, Penny Blacks and The Carousels.
Dan teaches "Audio Synthesis" in the Atlantica College's Recording Arts Program and plays keyboards in the Atlantica House Band.
Dan's Keyboard Course has been designed for the beginner, who would like to play music using a keyboard and wants to do so quickly. Basic theory is also taught to give a better understanding. Upon completion of the course, students will be able to play a variety of songs and are ready to move on to the Atlantica Piano Course or an intermediate Keyboard Course. Students are required to purchase an instructional book for this course, which is sold at local music stores.
John Collier - Bass
John has been playing bass for over 23 years. At the age of 17, he joined a band, began playing locally and spent years on the road touring across the Maritimes and Quebec.
John has had a very active musical career in Saint John, performing as a member of numerous bands and doing session work for many local artists, such as Kid Wicked, Crossroads, In Between Days, Roadhouse, Scattered Beans, Aaron Jenkins Band, Bootleg, and Len Higgins. John has also recorded 3 albums with various local artists and is still a much sought after session musician.
Sue Hachey - Voice
Sue Hachey is an incredible vocalist, who has entertained audiences across Canada for the past 27 years. Her natural ability to make songs "her own" and her classy stage presence have made her a favorite on stages everywhere and brought her much praise from industry and fans alike.
She has toured with Randy Bachman and Billy Preston. As a recording artist, her band "Legal Limits" opened for Gowan, April Wine, Trooper and the Pursuit of Happiness. In the Maritimes, she is best known for fronting the band "Rampage".
Sue is the female lead vocalist in the Atlantica House Band and the 4 part harmonies vocal band FOREFRONT.
Dianelys "Dee" Hernandez - Voice, Piano
Dianelys Hernandez grew up in Havana, Cuba surrounded by music. "For my family, singing was the way we could all come together. Every member in my family has a beautiful voice ". She has developed into an artist with a national and international career. The combination of original music, intelligent lyrics, superb vocal abilities and a dynamic stage presence make Dianelys Hernandez an artist to both appreciate and watch out for.
Dianelys Hernandez trained at the Conservatory of Music in Cuba, performed throughout the Island with a number of different bands and sang for Cuban President Fidel Castro by the age of 11.
After performing at the International Music Festival "Quimera96 " at age 13 in Toluca-Metec, Mexico, she was invited to perform at Canadian venues and festivals, such as the world-renown Montreal Jazz Festival. By the time she reached age 16, Dianelys "dedicated her life to music" (inspired by Cuban diva Celia Cruz) to the point where "I had to leave my family and country to take my career to a higher level". She settled in Canada to pursue her dreams.
Dianelys started her new life as a singer in Toronto, performing regularly with the Latin band Cassava, Hot Handle and recording as a featured vocalist on many independent CDs with various artists, such as Pedras da Rua. Word about her unique talents spread quickly and soon Dianelys was invited to perform at top Latin and Jazz venues in Toronto such as Lee's Palace, the Harbor Front Center, Havana Cafe and many others. Singing in Spanish, Portuguese and English, Dee - as her family and friends call her - developed her own musical style as a singer and composer.
In 2005, Dianelys started a solo project under the name of "DEE " that incorporates the success of her previous works and her appearance on Canada's top rated TV program, Canadian Idol, where she placed in the Top 11 and received many rave reviews from the judges, such as being described as "A World Class Jazz Singer" by Sass Jordan.
DEE has performed at a variety of festivals and special events, such as the Fredericton Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival to rave reviews from critics and audiences alike.
Today, Dianelys writes and performs her own Cuban Latin Jazz and Funk material and teaches Piano, Voice and Latin Dance lessons, while fine-tuning the next steps in her ever interesting musical journey.
Allison Hovey - Drums
Allison Hovey says "I was born to play drums." One look at his career will confirm this beyond a doubt.
A drummer since the age of twelve, he has never had any doubts about his goal in life: to be a professional drummer. He began drumming in the local school district band programs throughout juniorhigh and high school. That was an invaluable experience for me as it taught me to read music and exposed me to many different forms of music. He won several awards throughout the school programs, including two consecutive years being named most valuable player, nominated most valuable player for Yamaha Music Canada and given the honor to play in a big band lead by trumpet great Randy Brecker. Allison continued his studies following school with lessons from Canadian greats Paul Delong and Rick Gratton, as well as renowned Fredericton, New Brunswick teacher George Buddy Pennington.
Armed with an extensive drumming education, he began to record and perform live with several acts ranging from country to jazz. "I always felt a drummer should be able to handle many different styles and play them convincingly." Allison’s recording resume certainly reflects his wide range of talent with more than 20 recordings ranging from country to hard rock, blues as well as pop, traditional and gospel.
Allison has a love of performing live. He has made several television and live radio performances and has been blessed to perform with some of Canada’s legends in music and up and comers. Some of Allison’s favorites include performances with blues great Dutch Mason, Roger House and Grammy winner Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson at the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
He has also played with country artist Julian Austin and performed extensively with the Boyer Band in support of their East Coast Music Award nominated album, "Connected".
He acted as drummer and band leader for Steve Waylon and Rebel Ridge, touring Canada as well as Europe in early 2007 after a successful "New Artist Showcase" at the Canadian Country Music Awards. Allison is featured on their debut single "No Deposit, No Return", released throughout Canada, Europe and Australia.
He is currently playing with Country artist Kevin Chase and is actively working as a studio, live session drummer and clinician for Mapex Drums and Los Cabos Drumsticks.
Blaine LeRoy - Voice
Blaine has been singing since about five minutes after he began talking. He has 7 years of formal musical education playing saxophone, and has applied that musical knowledge along with the unique breathing and control needed for wind instruments to his vocal technique.
He spent 6 years as lead singer of West Coast country band Western Electric. Since moving to the East Coast, he has been involved musically with the Saint John Theatre Company and Opera New Brunswick; appearing in Guys and Dolls as Benny Southstreet, Evita (multiple characters), Cabaret as Bobby, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Tosca, and most recently in Chicago as Billy Flynn.
Antonia Munro - Violin, Piano, Keyboards
Antonia Munro was born in Latvia (one of the Baltic States)
She comes from a musical family for her mother (now in the U.K.)
is a piano teacher while her father, an engineer, enjoys playing the trumpet, piano, and bass guitar.
Just before Antonia was born her parents played in a popular pop band in Latvia.
In a while, Antonia was taking part, as a singer and violin performer with Kraslava's Music School kids ensemble. She performed on a Moscow TV Channel, in a Morning Kids Show – called “Veselie Notki”.
Just being age 4, Antonia started her performing career. And there was no single month without her taking part in any festival or competition.
After almost three years of Music "pre-school', Antonia started her Official (by government) schooling in two schools:
Musical and Primary:
1990 - 1995 Kraslavas Primary School (Latvia)
1988 - 1995 Officially attending Kraslava Music School (Latvia)
When Antonia was 11 years of age, her music teacher talk to Antonia's mom about transforming her to a better Music School in to a city, to continue her professional grouth.
Family moved to the city and Antonia continued her schooling in Daugavpils, attending also two schools.
And in her new Musical school Antonia continue shining as a performer: by getting any possible parts in a concerts; performing solo or/and with a bands:
1995 - 1999 Daugavpils Secondary School (Latvia)
1995 - 1999 Daugavpils Music School (Latvia)
After finishing secondary education, Antonia's violin teacher promoted her to enter the Musical College, to be a professional Violinist:
1999 - 2003 Daugavpils Musical College (Latvia)
Now Antonia has got a Diploma of Secondary Vocational Education – Pre Bachelor. And is recognized as a Professional Musician.
Getting part in various festivals and concert, allowed Antonia to be recognized by a professor from Latvian Music Conservatory, A. Bulavs. He advised her to enter the Latvian Music academy.
And so she did, passing her exam she was successful enough to get a government scholarship:
2003 - 2004 J.Vitola Latvian Academy of Music (Latvia)
As a professional musician in Latvia she took part in various projects on TV and theatre, and, among others, she performed with the Daugavpils Music College Orchestra, the Daugavpils Music College Teacher's Ensemble, and the Latvian Music Academy Orchestra.
Antonia lived in the U.K. for three years prior to moving to Canada, where she continues her career as a solo musician and performing with such artists as
singer-songwriters Barry James Payne and Richard Miron, and with jazz singers Valerey Laverne and Alex Barham.
Though a professionally trained classical musician Antonia plays almost all styles, including folk, pop, heavy metal, and rock.
Luke Patterson - Guitar, Bass, Drums
Luke James Patterson is a true multi-instrumentalist, who has been demonstrating his chops for the past 20 years. Playing a multitude of instruments with an emphasis on drums and bass, he understands groove and rhythm patterns very well, an important assset when teaching both instruments and how they relate to one another.
Luke is an accomplished singer/songwriter, who also likes acting and considers himself an entertainer (the combination of which can be witnessed, when he is playing with the Water Street Dinner Theatre Band).
Luke has appeared on many festival, corporate and club stages and has opened for acts like Trooper and Jeff Healey. He is the drummer and "Groove Meister" for the Atlantica House Band.
