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.

Originally from Toronto, Charles Fung started to play the cello at the age of three. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree, as well as his Bachelor of Education at Queen’s University. In September of 2022, Charles joined the Kingston Symphony as a section cellist. While not teaching or performing, Charles enjoys watching hockey, comedic movies, eating ice cream, and reading novels.

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.

Daphne is a graduate of Queen's University where she studied cello under the guidance of Wolf Tormann and acquired a Bachelor of Music in 2016. Her Sistema Kingston connection began in the very first year of the program 2015-2016 where she taught as a Lower Strings Teaching Artist. With her Sistema students' autographs covering her cello case, she then moved to England where she spent five years continuing her cello studies and teaching music to youth across the UK. Solo cello performance highlights include performing at St. Martin-In-The-Fields at Trafalgar Square for the 150th Canada Day celebrations in 2017 to feature Canadian female composers.

Her experiences using music education as a vehicle for building self confidence in adolescence at the Red Balloon Learner Centre in Cambridge reinforced her belief in the power of music and the importance of community. Upon her return to Canada, Daphne resumed her work with Sistema Kingston as a Lower Strings Teaching Artist during the pandemic and joined Kingston Community Strings as the sectional lead. She has been a guest cellist with Kingston's Melos Choir & Period Instruments and is featured on their Voces Feminarum recording.

Today, Daphne is a third year carpenter's apprentice while actively maintaining her passion for music performance and education in the Kingston area. She looks forward to another year with the Sistema Kingston program! 

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

Graham McVeety began their musical journey as a child through piano lessons, choral singing, and musical theatre. Since taking up the flute at age 11, he has developed a passion for building community and self-expression through music-making. As an Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT), Graham is dedicated to excellence in both education and performance, frequently collaborating as a chamber musician (UPM, Local 518) and performing as a substitute flute and piccolo player with the Kingston Symphony.

A two-time finalist in the National Arts Centre Orchestra Bursary Competition, he has received numerous awards, including the University of Ottawa’s Calixa Lavellée Scholarship, Nipissing University’s Schulich Education Scholarship, and currently holds an Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Pursuing a Master of Education at Queen’s University, specializing in music education, Graham is driven by an equity-focused desire to make rich, meaningful musical experiences accessible to all children.

I am Dianne Melanson-Howe. I speak English and French. I am a seasoned teacher and have taught French and Music in two different school boards, including le Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario and Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic District School Board. I also taught piano, singing and theory lessons. I have a position on the administrative board with the “Centre culturel Frontenac de Kingston”. I co-chair the Fall Women's Retreat and am the venue coordinator of the Kingston Kiwanis Music Festival.

I am a proud mother of three adult children. I love musical shows, concerts, theatre, movies, exercising, knitting and travelling. I sing with the “She Sings” choir. This is my second year with Sistema Kingston. I am looking forward collaborating with the community and making music with the St. Thomas More students again!

Sonja is a graduate of Wilfrid Laurier University, where she studied violin performance and music therapy, and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Therapy in 2021. Sonja is a board-certified Music Therapist (MTA), and is currently pursuing her Suzuki teaching certifications. Sonja has performed locally at various venues in Kingston including the Isabel Bader Centre, as well as across Canada and internationally.

Most recently, Sonja has performed the Schindler's List violin solo accompanied by the Kingston Community String ensemble (KCS), and played backup violin for Michael Buble’s tour stop in Halifax, NS. Sonja is currently the Principle Second violinist with the KCS.

When not teaching, Sonja enjoys spending time with her cats, knitting, and baking.She loves spending time outside, especially swimming, canoeing, and hiking. Sonja is looking forward to starting her first year with Sistema Kingston as a Strings Teaching Artist!

Yessica Rivera Belsham / Ocelopacihuatl is an Indigenous Interdisciplinary Artist from the tail of Turtle Island, México. Grounded in her heritage, Yessica’s love of life and her passion for world rhythms, colour, movement, and healing arts come together as she celebrates visual arts, dancing, drumming and singing while walking gently with Mother Earth.

Yessica has worked with diverse populations within México and Canada. She promotes growth within individuals, families, and communities in a compassionate and embracing manner through workshops and events that foster inclusion, diversity, and equity within the province of Ontario as Ollin.ca. Yessica is also the Life Long Care Program Co-ordinator and Care Support Worker for the Kingston Native Centre and Language Nest.

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).