Meet the Madoc Quartet!
The next leg of the 2025 ALL TERRAIN TOUR is coming up soon! Catch the Madoc Quartet at the MADOC FAIR, Saturday, Sept 13 in the arena for the TAILGATE PARTY, and also at 555 BREWERING CO. for on Sunday, Sept 14 for BORODIN AT THE BREWERY. Details at https://qscmusic.com/events/
Read on to learn more about the talented musicians that are the Madoc Quartet!
As a soloist, Violinist Sebastian Sallans is known to audiences for a profoundly passionate engagement with the music that that engages and entrances every listener. His solo performance credits include appearances in the GTA, across the Quinte Region, and recitals in Salzburg, Austria.
He brings that intensity to his ensemble work and is regularly engaged as concert master, associate concertmaster principal second and section-player by the Niagara Symphony, Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, the North Bay Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique régional Abitibi-Témiscamingue, the Peterborough Symphony, and other orchestras across the GTA, Ontario and Quebec. Versatile and innovative, Sallans is a founding member of The Madoc Quartet, Driveshaft Piano Trio, the 6ix Quartet and jazz hybrid, Das Trio. Collaborators include Canadian composers Patricia Moorehead, Andy Slade and Jacques Marchand. A scholarship student graduating from the University of Toronto’s Violin Performance Bachelor of Music program, Sebastian studied under Mark Skazinetsky (TSO), Jonathan Crow (TSO) Karoli Sziladi (NACO), Michael Frischenschlager (Salzburg Mozarteum), Andrew Wan (OSM) and Victor Dernovski (l’Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse). The recipient of numerous awards and prizes, and remaining committed to excellence in his playing, Sebastian continues to pursue advanced instruction. He is also an accomplished old time fiddler, learning his tunes as a child at the knee of his grandfather, Bill Sallans. He soon caught the attention of Ottawa Valley legend, Bruce Wilson who delighted in Sebastian’s intensely passionate expression and ability to pick up tunes at once by ear. Artistic Director of the Quinte Society for Chamber Music, Sebastian promotes classical music culture across rural Ontario delighting his fiddle music fans every time he ends a waltz jig and reel set with a Bach Sonata or a Paganini Etude.
Violinist Leslie Townsend earned his B. Mus. Hons from Trinity Laban in the UK, his M. Mus from the Vienna Privat Universität, and a Violin Certificate from St. Petersburg, Russia. Originally from London, UK, Leslie is classically trained in violin and piano. His performing career has taken him on tour in Africa, Europe, Canada and Asia.
Leslie began his training when he was 8, at 14 played as soloist in Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’ and was described by Yehudi Menuhin as “a player of passion and interest”. He studied in Russia, following in the footsteps of his great grandmother, a pianist. Returning to England, his string quartet won prizes at Trinity Laban and other national competitions. He then toured France and Switzerland. In Vienna he acquired the precision and grace of the Viennese style, then launched his professional performance career. Highlights include performing Music Theatre tours in Holland and Belgium, and working for the BBC. In Canada he is much in demand as an orchestral violinist performing with orchestras and ensembles across Ontario and Quebec. A gifted educator, Leslie maintains a full teaching studio.
Canadian-American Violist Sarah de Niverville, founding member of the Madoc Quartet, is much in demand as an orchestral violist. A core member of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra since 2018, Sarah’s freelance roster includes a season contract with Symphony New Brunswick and appearances with the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (Principal Viola), the Ontario Pops Orchestra (Principal Viola) the Esprit Orchestra, Sinfonia Toronto, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the TO Live Orchestra, London Symphonia, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Casa Loma Symphony, the Ontario Philharmonic, the Toronto Sinfonietta, the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, the North Bay Symphony Orchestra, the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, the Scarborough Philharmonic, the Guelph Symphony Orchestra, and the Galiano Ensemble of Victoria.
A four-time member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Sarah rose to the position of Co-Principal Viola for three seasons. Sarah’s career has taken her to the United States, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, China and Italy. A versatile cross-genre musician, she has shared the stage with Michael Bublé, Josh Groban and Sarah Slean, and collaborated on OKAN’s Juno Award-winning album, Okantomi. Versatility is integral to her nature: you can see her appearing as a featured guest musician in the CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries. Graduating with a Masters of Music Performance degree from the University of Victoria, Sarah studied under Joanna Hood (Lafayette String Quartet). She earned her Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Université de Moncton, studying with Nadia Francavilla and Isabelle Fournier.
His sound is described by critics as “deep and sonorous” (Kumkin Daily, Korea), his technical execution and interpretive integrity are consistently lauded by his peers. Korean born Cellist JunKyu Park immigrated to Canada to extend his musical training and develop his career. Accolades and prestigious awards soon followed, winning first prize in the Canadian Music Centre Competition and a score of others including the CBS National Music Competition and the Felix Galimir Award for Excellence in Chamber Music.
Appearing as a soloist with renowned orchestras including Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Kindred Spirits Orchestra, JunKyu is consistently praised for his vibrant tone and charismatic presentation. JunKyu is a consummate chamber musician; MQ signed him on to complete the quartet in 2024. Earning his Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto on full scholarship, JunKyu also holds an Artist diploma from the Hartt School. While here as a scholarship student he was chosen to take part in their prestigious 20/20 ensemble program. His undergraduate degree was completed under scholarship at McGill University. Highlights of JunKyu Park’s professional career include serving as principal, assistant principal and section leader in the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Banff Festival Orchestra, Hartt Symphony Orchestra, University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Kindred Spirits Orchestra, Tongyoung Music Festival, and Bucheon Youth Orchestra. In demand as a clinician and chamber musician, JunKyu Park gives master classes at the University of Toronto and is a regular invited artist at Chamber Musical Festivals in the Banff Music Festival in Canada and the Nice Music Festival, France.
See the Madoc Quartet live during the 2025 ALL TERRAIN TOUR!
