Reena Katz

Reena Katz began classical violin instruction at the age of four at the Guelph Suzuki School for Strings. She went on to study in Toronto with May Ing Ruehle for 11 years, and became interested in Suzuki pedagogy in her early 20‚s, studying annually at various Suzuki institutes. For the past 7 years, she has directed and instructed at the Cabbagetown Community Arts Centre in Toronto, an arts centre for low-income students in Regent Park and St. Jamestown, Toronto. Her program includes private and group instruction, composition and theory classes, non-classical violin workshops with local artists, seasonal recitals, a CD lending library and free TSO concert tickets on a regular basis. Reena‚s teaching is a central part of her musical work, and she incorporates her interests in non-classical violin and audio art into her teaching.

For 10 years, Reena has been studying Klezmer fiddle as well as Klezmer arrangement and Jewish liturgical traditions through private and group study. She currently plays with the Pomegranate Squad, a nine member women‚s group which plays traditional tunes, as well as more experimental work. Her solo project Needletrade is a fusion of Klezmer tradition with samplers, sequencers, effects pedal and turntable. Using voices and instruments sampled from early Klezmer recordings; Needletrade weaves an intricate soundscape of cultural memory and haunting. It has been developing over 5 years, and Reena has performed it in Toronto, Montreal, New York and Berlin in its various manifestations.

In 2001, Reena participated in the Screams and Whispers residency with Charles Street Video. Her piece, SWEAT exhibited as part of the TransTech festival and opened many doors for Reena in terms of digital audio technology and it‚s possibilities for sound art. She has composed scores for independent film and video, working with artists Benny Nemerofsky Ramsay and Aleesa Cohene as well as performance artist Mirha-Soleil Ross and is currently working with poet Trish Salah on music and poetry collaboration. She is also developing work with choreographer/dancer Karen Guttman.

Kathy Kennedy

Kathy Kennedy is a sound artist with a background classical singing. Her art practice generally involves the voice and issues of interface with technology, often using telephony or radio. She is also involved in community art, and is a founder of the digital media center for women in Canada, Studio XX, as well as the innovative choral groups for women, Choeur Maha and Esther. Her large scale sonic installation/performances for up to 100 singers and radio, called "sonic choreographies," have been performed internationally including the inauguration of the Vancouver New Public Library and at the Lincoln Center's Out of Doors Series.