Sistema Kingston Team

Email: tomm k@queensu.ca

Karma Tomm’s multi-faceted career has included performing, teaching, and music administration. She holds degrees in violin performance from McGill University and Indiana University. She performed professionally as an orchestral and chamber musician, toured North America, Europe and Asia with different ensembles and participated in several international festivals, and has taught students of all ages and levels. She particularly enjoys collaborations with living composers, and projects that involve different artistic mediums.

In 2007, she relocated to Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario where her focus shifted toward teaching and administration. In 2015 Ms. Tomm, together with colleagues from Queen’s University, the Limestone District School Board, The Joe Chithalen Memorial Musical Instrument Lending Library, and a fabulous team of teaching artists and volunteers, launched Sistema Kingston. Ms. Tomm is committed to providing access to high quality music learning for children who face adversity, and to building bridges for students between Queen’s University and the greater Kingston community.

A Kingston-raised artist, Hope holds a Bachelor of Arts with Joint Honours in Drama and Music (flute) from Queen’s University, as well as a Bachelor of Education in I/S Drama and Music with a concentration in Artist in the Community Education. Her studies have allowed her to explore the intersection of arts education, community engagement, and creative practice.

Hope has been an active member of Kingston’s community musical theatre scene for close to two decades, building a diverse performance background both on and off the stage. Her experience includes performing, music and vocal direction, choreography, and working as a pit musician. She has also trained in dance for over ten years and examined all the way to her Associates (Tap) through the British Association of Teachers of Dancing in 2024.

As an educator, Hope is passionate about making the arts accessible, engaging, and community-centred. Her teaching experience includes music and drama education, classroom teaching, and working with students across a range of ages and abilities. She believes that arts education provides young people with not only creative skills, but also opportunities to develop confidence, collaboration, communication, and a strong sense of community.

Bibi Henson is originally from the Kingston/Gananoque area, and has been playing the violin since she was six years old. She holds a Bachelor of Music with a concentration in violin, a minor in Jazz Voice performance and a minor in Psychology from McGill University, and has been teaching private violin lessons for the last eight years.

Bibi is a passionate violinist with a rich performance background spanning continents. Having played in China with the Performance Ensemble of Canada and in Europe with the Montreal Suzuki String Orchestra, she also performs with the Orchestra Kingston.

Dedicated to the art of music education, Bibi loves teaching and is excited to join this dynamic team, eager to share her expertise, enthusiasm and love of learning with students and colleagues alike.

Jan LeClair is a Kingston Ontario based educator and musician. Hailing originally from southwestern Ontario, Jan has been a performance musician for much of her life. Recently retired from her day job as an elementary teacher and administrator, Jan now devotes her time to music performance, gardening, cooking, rural romps with her sheltie, and her long term passion project, Sistema Kingston.

A recent recipient of an Imagine grant from Kingston’s Isabel Bader Centre (2021) and an artist residency at Kingston’s Grand theatre (2022), Jan’s primary musical focus is traditionally based. An experienced folk festival player, highlights include the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Calgary Folk Music Festival, Summerfolk (Owen Sound), Folk on the Rocks (Yellowknife), Alianait (Iqaluit), Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival, Festival Chants de Vielles, and Kingston's own Skeleton Park Music Festival. Jan is a frequent collaborator with other musicians, choral groups, and theatrical productions.

Amanda MacLean is a Kingston Ontario based Child and Youth Worker. Spending most of her life growing up in Kingston, she is passionate about the local community and supporting youth development through education, community engagement, and inclusive initiatives that drive positive social impact. 

Amanda is driven by a lifelong love of music. She believes music education can transform youth, empower them to succeed and foster confidence and lifelong success.

When not working Amanda enjoys crafting, reading, camping, and watching her favourite TV shows. Favourite non-musical activity: wool felting

Hudson Maness is a violist and music teacher based in Kingston, Ontario. 

He regularly performs with the Kingston Symphony, and his recent large-ensemble highlights include joining FILMharmonique for Fellowship of the Ring in Chicago and playing strings backup alongside Jordanian-American pianist Zade Dirani to sold out shows at Maison Symphonique and Théâtre Maisonneuve. 

Through his primary passion of teaching, Hudson strives to foster a supportive learning environment where students feel encouraged to develop their ability and unique artistic voice. He teaches violin, viola, and beginning piano to students of all ages. Outside Sistema Kingston and his personal studio, Hudson maintains studios as a Certified Academy Teacher at Canada Music Academy and Montreal Academy of Music.

Hudson received his Master of Music under André Roy at McGill University and his Bachelor of Music from Indiana University Bloomington under Stephen Wyrczynski. Outside of music, Hudson loves coffee, history, and reading.

Grace began her musical studies at the age of 4, at the Yamaha Music School in Toronto. She graduated from Queen’s University with a Concurrent Education degree in Music and Education and holds an ARCT in Intermediate Piano Pedagogy through the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Grace has been actively teaching in the Kingston community for over 15 years, and currently maintains a busy studio instructing piano, music theory and history to students of all ages and levels. She is an active member of ORMTA, teaches the Suzuki Method and Yamaha Music Education curriculum. She served as a piano and group music instructor at Queen’s Community Music and also works with special needs students in the Limestone District School Board.

In addition to teaching piano privately and in group settings, Grace spent a two-year stint in London, England teaching Music and English Literature in the classroom working with inner city children where she was able to gain vast experiences in working with many types of learners.

When she is not busy practicing or teaching, Grace sings first soprano in an all women’s choir, She Sings! In addition to occasionally serving as a collaborative pianist and assistant conductor.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
I believe music is a gift everyone should be able to to enjoy. I centre my teaching on differentiated learned as I believe every student learns in their own unique way; and to be successful, my lessons are student-centred. I love sharing my passion for music with my students, engaging them in the wonderful world of music; and encouraging a growth mindset to empower them to be enthusiastic learners and musicians who can enjoy making music for a lifetime.

Tristan VanRaay-Vesnaver is a Kingston local with a lifelong interest in music and education. He enjoys making music in his own time and values the role that inclusive, accessible arts education can play in supporting young people and communities.

With a background in interactive multimedia design and a recently completed Master of Science for Teachers in Childhood Education from SUNY Potsdam, Tristan’s path into education reflects a shift toward people-centred, community-based work. He has supported students in a range of educational contexts, including as a student teacher, substitute teacher, and outdoor educator.

As a Student Support Assistant with Sistema Kingston, Tristan brings his diverse background, local connection, and passion for learning and music to a welcoming and supportive program environment.

Originally from Mississauga, Ariel Zaichick has over 20 years in classical voice training, and currently teaches privately at her home studio, Music By Ariel. After graduating from Queen’s University with her B.Mus in Voice, Ariel has made Kingston her home, teaching classes and vocal directing with Bottle Tree Productions and singing with the Melos Choir & Period Instruments Ensemble and Isabel Voices. This is Ariel’s 7th year with Sistema Kingston!

Splitting her time between teaching and performing, stage highlights for Ariel include Olympia in “Les contes d’Hoffman” (Midwest Institute of Opera), Maria in “West Side Story in Concert” (Queen’s University Orchestra) as well as intensives such as The Russian Opera Workshop (Philadelphia), Druid City Opera Workshop (Alabama), Franco-American Vocal Academy (Périgueux, France) and the Acting Opera Intensive (NYC).