Profiles 

Paul Earle - Concert Master

Paul Earle began his studies on the violin at the age of 13. He studied at The University of Western Ontario with Yuri Mazurkevich and Lorand Fenyves. After completing an Artists Diploma in Performance he furthered his studies at The Royal Conservatory in The Orchestral Training Program.

Currently Paul plays regularly with The Hamilton Philharmonic, Opera Hamilton, The Brott Festival and Toronto Operetta Theatre, the Mississauga Symphony, as well as being GBS concertmaster and playing with the GBS String Quartet. Paul has also participated as a soloist with several orchestras including The Windsor Symphony where he was Associate Principal Second violin for 2 years. He is equally at home on the viola and also dabbles in Early Music Baroque Performance with Arcady, a baroque orchestra and choir.


Ihor Bidiak, violin

Ihor completed his grade 10 in violin studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.
After a stint in the music program at York University he went on to study with the eclectic TSO violinist
Peter Daminoff.
Under Daminoff’s tutelage Ihor acquired access to extensive repertoire and the art of the strolling violinist.
This led to music work in many of Toronto’s fine dining restaurants and hotels.
During this period Ihor developed his other two passions -Food and wine.
After Graduation from George Brown College’s Culinary management program Ihor found himself cooking in some of the very same restaurants he had previously performed in.
These days when not cooking or playing music you can find Ihor tending his award winning vineyard in the Blue Mountain area, producing grapes for a local winery.



Norma Morrsion

Norma grew up in Kitchener and first studied violin with Rudy Roth, Kitchener’s version of Ed Bartlett. She was in school and youth orchestra groups there. Her first experience playing in a community orchestra was the Fanshaw Community orchestra in London, under the direction of Ivar Taurens of Tafelmusik fame. Norma moved with her husband David to North Bay and played there with the North Bay Symphony.
As a dramatic change of pace, Norma had five children and now also has 2 grandchildren. She joined the Georgian Bay Symphony in 1989 after she and David moved to Bogner. She is a past member of the Board (serving 4 years) and has held the position of Orchestra liaison since 1999- 2000. Norma plays on an Ed Bartlett violin. She is presently studying harmony under Audrey Mackenzie whom she says is very patient and also studies with Sandra Swanell, who has seen Norma through one conservatory exam and will also be sure to get her through the next one. Norma directs the “Fiddleheads”, an adult string group where friendship and wine are high priorities. Her hobbies include many activities associated with her growing family. She claims to be perhaps Stone Tree’s oldest surviving member- although this is doubtful for someone who is forever young.


Sabrina Perry, violin

Sabina is an 18 year old diverse musician, living in Owen Sound, and is starting her fifth year with GBS. She eagerly started playing the violin at age four after being inspired by her fiddling grandfather. At the same time, she was also enrolled in the Kindermusik program and in the Owen Sound Children’s Chorus where she sang for 10 years, including a performance in Carnegie Hall. She is currently studying violin with Sandra Swannel and Praise Lam at a grade 10 RCM level. She has performed and competed with both fiddle and classical music. Currently, she is teaching violin/fiddle, playing with the Celtic band Beggar’s Road, and solo performing in various venues. As well as violin, she plays piano and guitar, sings, step dances and is on the board of directors for the Youth Theatre Coalition.


Donna Steinacher

Donna has been described as one of the foundations of the orchestra, a renaissance woman due to her many interests and talents and someone who you always know you can count on. She is a charter member of the Georgian Bay Symphony and the string group that preceded it. She was the first Chairman of the Orchestra Board. In addition she often volunteers her spare time (what spare time!) at the GBS office. Many former students recognize her as a teacher in this area for many years. She has played violin in the GBS orchestra for 35 + years and one cannot imagine the symphony having a performance without her. She also serves as the person in charge of the orchestra archives and if there is information to be tapped, this is the lady who knows where it is.

Space constraints prohibit listing all of the skills, talents, interests of this special woman.

We are indeed fortunate to have someone of Donna’s remarkable dedication in our orchestra family.


Dian Wood

Dian comes from Kitchener where she studied Violin up to Gr. 10 and played in St. Jerome's Orchestra. She kept up her playing skills by playing for schools and churches. Today she is an Art Teacher at West Hill SS, and is the Head of the Arts Department. She has been with the GBS for 6 years. She is quite active enjoying swimming, kayaking, hiking and cross-country skiing. In March she is leading a team of youth and adults to Sri Lanka to build Habitat for Humanity houses for tsunami-survivors.