Darren Sigesmund
Program Coordinator
Darren Sigesmund is an award-winning trombonist and composer. He has released five recordings as bandleader featuring his compositions with his jazz ensembles. He has received a 2010 JUNO nomination and a Galaxie Rising Star award at the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Darren has toured nationally and overseas, and has written several classical commissions. He holds a doctorate from the University of Toronto in Jazz Performance. Darren has given dozens of workshops and has taught jazz and classical piano at the Humber College Community Music Program. With a strong belief in the importance of music education, Darren aspires to help provide meaningful opportunities for the youth at El Sistema Aeolian.
Lesley Andrew
Junior Choir Director
Known for her extraordinary vocal range and versatility in many genres of music, Ms. Andrew often “switches hats,” performing as the soprano soloist for one engagement and as the alto soloist for the next – from opera to show tunes, oratorio to jazz.
Immediately following the completion of her undergraduate degree, Ms. Andrew began an extended tenure with the Stratford Festival, performing in productions including The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance, Twelfth Night, Cyrano De Bergerac, Alice Through the Looking Glass, The Music Man and Patience. Other theatrical performances include Menotti’s The Telephone and Hopkin’s Three’s Company at the Guelph Spring Festival (featuring and directed by Ms. Andrew). Most recently, Ms. Andrew directed La Boheme (Southern Ontario Lyric Opera), receiving rave reviews as “SOLO’s best production yet!” for her creative direction and use of space.
Ms. Andrew has made special guest television appearances on The Tonight Show, Oprah Winfrey, To Tell the Truth, Donny & Marie, The Comedy Network, YTV, Regis & Kathy Lee and many more. A popular motivational speaker, Ms. Andrew is engaged across Canada by Educators, Universities, Corporations, Service Clubs and Student Organizations.
Bruce Hoadley
Winds and Brass Teacher/Conductor
Part of our teaching staff since 2017, Bruce Hoadley brings to El Sistema Aeolian a diverse wealth of musical experience. Bruce has been a professional trombonist with the Victoria Symphony and Hamilton Philharmonic, as well as a music educator with over thirty years of experience in all levels from K to 12. Through the years, Bruce has conducted numerous award winning concert bands & jazz ensembles, and has been a music conference clinician in both the USA & Canada. He has enjoyed playing and singing with the Pacific Opera in Victoria, and now sings with the Big Bandemic Big Band right here in London. Bruce’s primary teaching responsibilities for El Sistema Aeolian are the Winds & Brass students, but he also conducts and orchestrates music for our Full Symphonic Orchestra.
Maria Gonzalez-Iraheta
Violin/Viola Teacher/Conductor
Iraheta’s roots are firmly planted in the vibrant El Sistema in Venezuela. Since then, she has grown as a chamber musician with the President’s International String Quartet, a prestigious full Scholarship opportunity to pursue her Bachelor’s degree in music at Western Illinois University. As a viola instructor Gonzalez-Iraheta has taught in El Sistema, Venezuela; Tocar y Luchar Music Program in Bogotá, Colombia, worked with private students and recently taught in the community program of Whispering River Orchestra in Parry Sound, Ontario. Maria has participated in ensembles across the Americas including Orquesta Sinfonica de Falcon, Orquesta Filarmonica de Caracas, Bogota Chamber Orchestra, Miami Symphony Orchestra, Galesburg Symphony Orchestra among others. As a winner of the 2020 WIU Concerto Competition she performed the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto under the baton of Dr. Kenny Lee in spring 2021. She is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Viola Performance at Western University in London, Ontario.
Menelaos Menelaou
Violin Teacher/Conductor
Menelaos Menelaou was born in Cyprus, into a family of musicians. He took his first violin lessons from his father G. Menelaou, and at fourteen years old was accepted at the Central Music School of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he studied with K. Sementsov – Ogijevski and Z.Machtina. He continued his studies at the Moscow State Conservatory under G. Feigin and M. Fedotov, graduating in 1996 with Honors. In 2000, he completed the Post Graduate Course of the same Conservatory, in the class of Professor Z.Schichmurzaeva.
Menelaos has given numerous recitals in Czech Republic, Slovakia, Russia, Sweden, Greece, Cyprus, and USA, and has performed as a soloist with the Ostrava Symphony Orchestra at the prestigious BHS Festival in Bratislava, and with the Cyprus State Orchestra. From 2001 to 2021 he lived in Cyprus, where in addition to his diverse solo and chamber music performances, he devoted himself to teaching and to developing a violin school on the Island, He taught violin at G. Menelaou Music School, at the Program for the Development of New Talents of the Ministry of Education and Culture, and at the European University of Cyprus.
In August 2021, Menelaos moved to London, Ontario to pursue a Doctor of Violin Performance Degree at the Western University, studying under Dr. Annette-Barbara Vogel. He completed his doctorate in June 2025. His main fields of interest are 20th century and Contemporary music, as well as violin pedagogy.
susan millar boldissar
Cello Teacher/Conductor
Susan Millar Boldissar holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where she was recipient of both the Dean’s Merit Award and the International Conservatory Student Award. She earned her Master of Music from Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, where she was recipient of the coveted Eva Heinitz Award, and served as Associate Instructor of Violoncello as well as Teaching Assistant to Professor Eric Kim. Susan received her pedagogical training for stringed instrument instruction through completion of the minor cognate string pedagogy program at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Ms. Boldissar was the founding director of the Mount Carmel Academy Chamber Orchestra and Instrumental Ensemble program, served as Instructor of Chamber Music for the Greater New Orleans Youth Orchestras, and director of the Homer Plessy strings program, serving kids who might not otherwise have had exposure to strings and classical music. Since moving back to London, Ontario, Susan has given back to the local music and education community in which she was raised. She has volunteered her time, teaching workshops and masterclasses at several local schools and organizations. Susan served as conductor, music arranger for Young Artists Pre-College Academy; was the founding conductor of Young Artists Orchestra, and graciously donated her time and talents as temporary co-director of YAPCA. Additionally, Susan has served as interim conductor for Forest City String School, donating her time and talents transcribing/arranging music for that organization as well.
She has held positions of Instructor of Violoncello with the Young Artist’s Academy, the Endangered Instrument Project in New Orleans, as well as Louisiana Academy of Performing Arts, all whilst maintaining a private teaching studio.
In addition to her classical foundation, Ms. Boldissar boasts a mastery of improvisational music, use of looping and effects pedals, performance on the Morin Khuur (Mongolian Cello), the stroh cello (a cello with a brass bell from 1915), use of extended and experimental techniques, and has used her ability to compose and arrange music fitting the unique specifics of instrumentation in her teaching.
Susan has performed across the U.S. and Canada as a soloist, chamber musician and with orchestras. Solo performances include The Jeffery Concerts in London Ontario, Bach Around the Clock festival in New Orleans, the faculty guest recital series at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, chamber music performances in the San Francisco Bay area, Instant Opus improvised music series with Lori Goldston (of Nirvana), in New Orleans.
Solo performances with orchestra include performances with the National Academy Orchestra, as Susan was the winner of the NAO concerto competition in 2008. Ms. Boldissar has performed in many orchestras including the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, and was principal cellist of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic during her tenure at Indiana University.
Vladyslav horbanovskyi
Cello/ Double Bass Teacher
My name is Vladyslav Horbanovskyi, and I am delighted to work at the music school, where I can share my passion for music with children. I was born in the beautiful city of Kharkiv, where my musical journey began.
My musical education started at the conservatory where I graduated in 2024. I had the honor of playing in the youth symphony orchestra “Slobozhansky,” as well as working at the Kharkiv Regional Philharmonic. My musical career also reached an international level, and I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Lviv Philharmonic in the INSO-Lviv (Lviv International Symphony Orchestra), touring in many European countries and performing in prominent concert halls.
My goal as a teacher is to inspire children with music and develop their skills and talents. I also believe it is important to instill in children a sense of politeness, discipline, and the value of teamwork. I am confident that my lessons will not only teach your children to play an instrument but also develop skills that will be useful to them in the future.
elizabeth zuwala
Senior Choir Teacher
Elizabeth Zuwala is a soprano and teacher living in London Ontario. She has her Bachelor of Education and Master of Music in Voice from the University of Western Ontario, and her Bachelor of Music with Honours from the University of Windsor. In her work as a singer, she has sung in operas such as Suor Angelica by Puccini at Western, The Child and the Spells by Ravel in Kitchener-Waterloo, and in Don Giovanni by Mozart in Lucca, Italy. You can also find her in the choir for The Tenors’ PBS concert film “Under One Sky.”
In her work as an educator, Elizabeth has worked as a music director for children and teens in London, in shows like Newsies Jr., Beauty and the Beast, and Little Shop of Horrors. She specialized in Early Childhood Education at Western’s Faculty of Education, and loves to teach all subjects using her love of music.
