Kenin McKay
Kenin McKay, B. Mus (U of T), M. Mus. in violin Performance (ibid)
Violin/Viola
Kenin McKay
Violinist
An active freelance musician in the Toronto area, Violinist Kenin McKay recently completed her Masters degree in Performance at the University of Toronto, where she studied with Annalee Patipatanakoon and Scott St. John. In 2006, upon receiving her Bachelor of Music Degree with honours standing from the University, she was awarded the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto graduating scholarship, and in 2007 she also received the Frank M Waddell scholarship for outstanding academic achievement.
A seasoned orchestral player, Kenin most recently performed with the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony in their Signature concert series. The 2008-2009 season also sees her performing with the Canadian Sinfonietta, the Brantford Symphony Orchestra, the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, and the Georgian Bay Symphony, as well as leading the Masterworks of Oakville orchestra as concertmaster. Other ensembles she has played with include the Royal Conservatory Orchestra, the Oakville Chamber Orchestra, the Toronto Sinfonietta, Brampton Lyric Opera, and the Korean-Canadian Symphony Orchestra, as well as engagements with the Thunder Bay, Kingston, and Oshawa-Durham Symphony Orchestras. In 2006 she was selected by audition as a member of the National Academy Orchestra under the baton of Boris Brott, and still performs several concerts a year with the group. While still a student, she acted as concertmaster and principal second for the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and in 2006 participated in the International Bach Festival of Music directed by Maestro Helmut Rilling. Prior to attending university, she joined the 2002 National Youth Orchestra of Canada for their tour of Asia, led by conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama.
Kenin’s chamber group, the Blume Quartet, won the University of Toronto’s prestigious Felix Galimir Award for 2007, which included a featured concert, as well as full sponsorship to participate in the Banff Centre for the Arts renowned Chamber Music workshop. This coming summer they plan to study with the St. Lawrence String Quartet at their Chamber Music Seminar at Stanford University. In previous summers, Kenin was awarded full tuition scholarship to attend The Banff Centre’s Summer Music Festival masterclasses, and participated in the Domaine Forget Academy, Scotia Festival of Music, and the Southern Ontario Chamber Music Institute.
Growing up in Brantford, Ontario, Kenin was an active member of the local music community, serving as concertmaster of several ensembles, and performing as a featured soloist with orchestras and in recital. She was also a member of the violin ensemble “Zimrah,” which produced a CD recording in 1998 called “Music to Warm the Soul.” In 2002 Kenin received her ARCT diploma from The Royal Conservatory of Music in Violin Performance, under the guidance of her teacher Adele Pierre.
In addition to her many performance commitments, Kenin also currently maintains a busy teaching schedule both privately and with the Classical Music Conservatory.