Conservatory Faculty

Our commitment to quality instruction sets the standard for similar programs throughout Canada. We are proud of the accomplished and acclaimed faculty of professional performers and pedagogues who contribute so much to achieving this goal. Instructor information is arranged by program type or instrument. Wherever possible, direct e-mail links to individual instructors have been included.

Director of The Conservatory

Terry Clark joined The Conservatory at Mount Royal University in 2022. Clark has deep ties to the Calgary community and is excited to return to the Conservatory after spending a number of years abroad. Like his grandfather, he studied at The Conservatory as a youth before going on to the University of Calgary where he earned a Bachelor of Music in flute performance.

Clark joins MRU from the Royal College of Music in London, England where he obtained his PhD. Since then he has been researching and teaching at the College, in addition to managing its Performance Simulators. Clark brings a unique expertise to MRU having dedicated much of his time to performance development and psychology, and he is looking forward to exploring the potential of The Conservatory.

“The Conservatory has always had a very illustrious place in my mind and I am overjoyed to be returning as director,” he says. “The Conservatory is home to some of Calgary’s most talented musicians and I am looking forward to further developing their skills, while also bringing in some of my knowledge around performance psychology.”

Quicklinks to Faculty

Collaborative Pianists

Susanne Ruberg-Gordon, Artistic Facilitator, Academy Collaborative Pianists
Marianne Bleile
Ami Longhi
Kathy Dornian

Accompanists: General Programs

Accompanist: Choirs

Melissa Ko
Mary Buckley
Zixin (James) Chen

Band Programs

Gina Allen
John Roggensack (Facilitator, Custom Band Workshops)

Brass

Laurie Matiation, Facilitator, Academy Brass: General Program Brass
Natalie DeJong, Suzuki Trumpet

Nikki McCaslin, Tombone, Euphonium
Tom McCaslin, Tuba
Andre Wickenheiser, Trumpet

Chinese Classical Music Studies

Jiajia Li , Dizi
Jeffrey Chao, Erhu

Wei Chi Vicky Su, Guzheng
Xue Jia (Shana) Yang , Voice

Choral Programs

John Morgan, Kantorei Choir Director
Elizabeth Paynter, Arioso/MRU Youth Choir Director
Lori Follis, Arietta Children's Choir Director
Jocelyn Paynter, Ariel Children's Choir Director
Shana Yang, Calgary Zhi-Yin Choir Director
Andrea Ciona, APP Choral Conducting

Mary Buckley, Kantorei Accompanist
Claudia Istvanffy, Mount Royal Choral Association Manager
Melissa Ko, Arioso Accompanist
Zixin James Chen, Calgary Zhi Yin Accompanist

Early Childhood Programs

Lori Anderson-Doering, Suzuki Guitar
Kim Aull, Suzuki Guitar
Marg Caspell, Suzuki Piano
Suzanne Derbecker, Facilitator, Early Childhood & Kod ály Early Childhood Instructor
Marissa Feria, Suzuki Piano
Marc Houde, Suzuki Piano
Amanda Massey, Early Childhood Instructor