Conference Schedule for AMSOV Toronto Conference
Theme: “Classical Music on the World Stage"​

WEDNESDAY, MAY 13th,  2026
3:30 – 8:00 p.m.  (Russell Sergiades liaison/welcoming guide- hotel lobby/AMSOV)

Pre-registration on second floor (Royal York Hotel, 100 Front St. W., Toronto)

 

DAY 1, THURSDAY, MAY  14th, 2026

Welcome to the AMSOV Conference.  Parking is on the east side of the Hotel; valet parking is available there.

Hotel registration on the main floor.

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9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

AMSOV Conference Registration Table is open on the second floor outside the meeting rooms

 

12:30 – 3:00 p.m.       Pre-conference tours

•  Manford Netzel lead a one-hour city walking tour

• Heather Oda (alternate for Distilleries tour)

• NOTL wineries – arrangements through hotel  (contact D.Walker/J.Rathbun if needed)

• Russell Sergiades has offered to drive to NOTL/wineries any day 14-17.

 

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

AMSOV  Board meeting No. 1.  AMSOV Board members only. (lunch provided;  location TSO offices, 145 Wellington St.W, 5th floor (In walking distance or by taxi from hotel/City map to be provided in gift bags)

 

4:00 – p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

• Welcome Reception – Royal York Hotel – Library Room (2nd floor)

  • Cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres

  • Debra Walker to introduce C. Bellman

  • Cindy Bellman, TSVC President – (welcome speech)

 

6:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. – Transportation to Roy Thomson Hall. (Pickup and return at hotel entrance, on Front Street)

• Stephanie Brown will arrange transportation to and from hotel

 

7:30 p.m. Toronto Symphony Orchestra Concert – Roy Thomson Hall. 

The Programme is:

• Gustavo Gimeno, conductor

• Abel Selaocoe, cello

• Jessie Montgomery: Cello Concerto TSO co-commission/Canadian premiere) 30’

• Intermission (Maestro’s Lounge, cocktails)

• Wagner: Overture to The Flying Dutchman 10’

• Wagner: The Ring without Words: selections from Gotterdammerung 28’

 

10:15 p.m. – 11:00 – Post Concert Reception

• “Meet and Greet” with Gustavo Gimeno in the Maestro’s Lounge with cocktails

 

11:15 p.m. transportation back to hotel (artists entrance by security - volunteers will assist you.

 

Day 2 - Friday, May 15th, 2026

7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.  AMSOV Conference Registration Table

 

7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

• Continental Breakfast and table topic discussions

• All breakfasts will be held in the York Room

There will be table topic discussions at breakfast.  Please select your breakfast then sit at the table with the sign identifying the topic you wish to discuss.   Each table will have a Facilitator.   Topics are:

• Membership (recruiting, training, expectations of members, cost of membership,

Benefits to members) - Judy Rathbun (Toronto);  Maggy Stehman -(Washington/NSO)

• Communications (web site, social media, online or print newsletters)-

Claire Catrino (Dallas)

• Leadership (recruiting new leaders, training leaders, leadership skills) –

Marena Gault,(Dallas)

• Technology (website development including alternative design formats, how to handle online payments, volunteer sign-up applications, etc.)-

Nancy Wagner (Cincinnati)

• Fundraising (menu of fundraising options, how to manage fundraising projects,

how to recruit volunteers for them, how to obtain sponsors)- (Venise Stuart, Dallas)

 

            Official opening of AMSOV CONFERENCE

9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.

• Canadian and American National Anthems

(Ken Lindsay, pianist)

• Land Acknowledgement (Debra Walker).  (D. Walker to introduce M. Williams)

• Welcoming remarks – Mark Williams, Beck Family Executive CEO of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra

• Welcome to and the Relationship between the Orchestra Musicians and Volunteers)

 

9:20 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Opening – (ASMOV Business Meeting No. 1. )

            All meetings to be held in the Library Room

• This is the biennial meeting of the AMSOV membership.  According to the AMSOV Bylaws, the group of volunteers from each city have one vote, so please sit according to your home city.  Your delegates will need to appoint a designated volte to cast your groups vote.  However, we do not anticipate any votes at this meeting.

Meeting chaired by Don Dagenais, AMSOV President.

 

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

• Conference Session No. 1

• Panel Discussion on Relationships with Government and the Arts (Canadian perspective)

Guest speaker: Matt McGeachy – TSO Manager of Government Relations.  Library Room

• Panelists: One from Provincial, one from Municipal.

 Matt McGeachy is the Manager of Government Relations at Toronto Symphony Orchestra and was previously Company Dramaturge at Factory Theatre, where he led the new work development program.  He has worked with such theatres as the Guthrie Theater, The Playwrights Center, and Workhaus Collective (Minneapolis, MN); Canadian Stage, York University, Summer Works (Toronto); and from 2011-2014 was assistant director of the Kennedy Center’s New Play Dramaturgy Intensive under Mark Bly (Washington, D.C.).

He has taught and led workshops on new play writing and dramaturgy at the University of Toronto, Humber College, Brock University, and Theatre Ontario. He is a member of the Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas (LMDA) and Treasurer of LMDA Canada.

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10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Coffee Break.  York Room     Coffee, tea and water

 

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Library Room

Guest Speaker:  The Hon. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Previous Lieut. Governor of Ontario, is a Canadian civil servant who served as the 29th lieutenant governor of Ontario from 2014 to 2023.[3] As lieutenant governor, Dowdeswell was the viceregal representative of the Crown in Right of Ontario. A champion of civil society, environmental protection, inclusive growth and liberal democracy, she is also the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Ontario's history.  She is a Canadian civil servant who served as the 29th lieutenant governor of Ontario.   As lieutenant governor, Dowdeswell was the viceregal representative of the Crown in Right of Ontario. A champion of civil society, environmental protection, inclusive growth and liberal democracy, she is also the longest-serving lieutenant governor in Ontario's history. Dowdeswell declared in her installation address that she would not immediately espouse a particular area of focus during her time as lieutenant governor. Instead, she said she would engage the people of Ontario, listening to their concerns and ideas. She has since adopted "sustainability" and "Ontario in the world" as personal themes. In addition, Dowdeswell has called herself Ontario's unofficial "Storyteller-in-Chief".   According to annual reports published on her office's website, Dowdeswell has conducted, on average, more than 700 public engagements yearly as lieutenant governor, as well as numerous visits abroad to the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Denmark. 

     

11:50 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• Conference Session No. 2  (AMSOV Business Meeting No. 2)

• Presentations of Standing and Innovation Awards (25 min)

1. Sheri Gill  (Los Angles) – Standing Award

2. Mike Minor (Kansas City) – Standing Award

3. Tracey Hawkins (Kansas City) – Standing Award

4. Patty Wagner (Cincinnati) – Standing Award

5. Linda Weisbruch (Charlotte) – Standing Award

Claire Catrino,-  Dallas Sym.  Innovator Award – ‘Savor the Symphony’

• Moderator: Don Dagenais

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12:30 – 1:45 p.m.  Lunch        York Room. (Networking lunch)

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2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

• Conference Session No. 3

 

Moderator: The Hon. Christopher Alexander. (The Honourable Chris Alexander PC is a former Canadian diplomat and Conservative politician who served as Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2013–2015) and MP for Ajax-Pickering. A former ambassador to Afghanistan (2003–2005) and UN official, he is an expert on international security, authoring The Long Way Back: Afghanistan's Quest for Peace. Expanding the number of international students coming to Canada and sustaining the then highest levels of immigration in Canadian history. In 2016-17, he ran for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada to promote a ‘New Canada’ driven by entrepreneurship, innovation, inclusion, investment, a larger international footprint and increased trade with markets in Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. He now provides international macro political insights to corporate clients and is a member of a number of company boards. Chris Alexander is married to social entrepreneur Hedvig Alexander, a Dane by birth, with whom he has two daughters and a son.  He is one of Canada’s Best Forty Under Forty. He has contributed recently to Maclean’s, The Globe & Mail and The Literary Review of Canada. He was also awarded the Birchall Leadership Award by the Royal Military Colleges Foundation and is a Grand Officer (1st Class) of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity.

Diplomatic Career: Served 18 years in the foreign service, including postings in Moscow and as the first resident Canadian Ambassador to Afghanistan.

• Political Career: Served as Parliamentary Secretary for National Defence and Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (2013–2015).

• Post-Politics: Contributes to discussions on foreign policy, including work with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute and the Canadian International Council.

• Awards: Named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum

TOPIC: “Importance of Government Funding with the Arts”

 

Guest speakers/Panelists: Barry Shiffman, Violinist and violist.

(Toronto’s Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) has named Canadian violinist and violist Barry Shiffman as the dean designate of RCM’s post-secondary performance training school, the Glenn Gould School (GGS), effective immediately. He is succeeding James Anagnoson, who was in the role since 2007. Anagnoson will step back from his duties as dean this summer, when Shiffman will officially take on the role. Anagnoson will refocus his efforts on teaching as the new director of the GGS’s piano department and will continue as a member of the school’s piano faculty. When he leaves his position as dean, he will become dean emeritus. 

Shiffman was previously associate dean of the school, as well as its head of chamber music. He will continue to lead the RCM’s pre-college programme, the Taylor Academy, therefore becoming dean of both the academy and GGS as of 20 July. 

Alexander Brose, CEO of the RCM, said of the appointment: ’Barry Shiffman’s appointment represents a natural and exciting continuation of James Anagnoson’s legacy. His deep connection to the entire RCM community across Canada, in addition to his internationally renowned artistic and academic vision steeped in innovation, makes him the perfect choice to guide GGS into the future. I look forward to continuing to work with both Jim and Barry in the years to come.’

Shiffman is a violinist and violist with a career as a performer, recording artist, teacher, and administrator. He co-founded the St Lawrence String Quartet in 1989, and recorded extensively with the ensemble during his 17 years in it.

As an administrator, Shiffman is director of the Banff International String Quartet Competition and Festival and is artistic director of Rockport Music, directing the summer chamber music festival and other classical programming at the Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, Massachusetts.   

He is a sought-after competition juror, having served on the jury of the Tchaikovsky and Montreal Violin Competitions, as well as London’s Wigmore Hall, Geneva, Banff, and Lyon String Quartet Competitions.   

He is the recipient of the Nadia Boulanger Prize for Excellence in the Art of Teaching and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Calgary. He studied at the RCM, University of Toronto, Utrecht Conservatory, Hartt School of Music, Juilliard School and Yale University. 

            Dawn Cattapan, Vice president & General Manager, TSO Orchestra Operations

Was with Beyond James, an independent media outlet that provides critical reviews of and written work about live performing arts in the Hamilton area. Working in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University, as well as Cochrane Canada, supporting and providing organizational and logistical facilitation for the 2020 Cochrane Colloquium and 20 Guidelines International Network (GIN) Conference.  Due to Covid -19 the Colloquium as cancelled and the IN conference postponed to 2022. 

As Associate Director, Government and Community Relations with Canadian Stage, Dawn worked with the evolving leadership team to maintain levels of government and foundation funding as well as explore new granting options to support strategic organizational priorities.

She graduated from the University of Toronto,  with an Honors B.A., Arts Management, Musicology

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3:30 – 5:00 p.m.  Free Time

 

6:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.   Dinner – Biagio’s Ristorante (155 King Street East) (transportation provided,

meet at front lobby of hotel, Front Street) Stephanie Brown to arrange transportation to and from hotel/rest./hotel)

 

Day 3 – SATURDAY, MAY 16th, 2026

 

7:00 – 4:00 p.m. 

• AMSOSV Conference Registration Table  (2nd floor)

 

7:30 – 8:30 a.m.

• Continental Breakfast and Table Discussion

Topics for consideration:

• Membership (recruiting, new ideas, expectations of members, cost of memberships, benefits of membership) Judy Rathbun (Toronto) ;Maggie Stehman (Washington)

• Communications (website, social media, online or print newsletters) – Clare Catrino (Dallas)

• Technology (website development including alternative design formats, how to handle online payments, volunteer sign-up applications, etc.) – Nancy Wagner (Cincinnati)

• Leadership (recruiting new leaders, graining leaders and skills)- Marena Gault, Past President (Dallas)

• Fundraising (different fundraising options, how to manage fundraising projects)-Venise Stuart, Advisor (Dallas)

 

9:00 a.m. – 10:15 p.m.

Conference Session No. 3

Panel discussion on Education  Library Room

Moderator:  Cindy Bellman, Toronto

Panelists: Nicole Balm, TSO Sr. Dir. of Education & Community Engagement.

Pierre Rivard, Family & School Programs Manager.

Michelle Frensch, Chair, Education– MTSO with High School Students & TSO rehearsals

 

Cindy Bellman, is the TSVC President and a retired school principal.  She joined our organization in 20215 and has served as chair of education and Vice President before taking on her role of President in 2026.   

•  Nicol Balm is the Senior Director, Education & Community Engagement since 2022.

As a member of the TSO’s Senior Management Team, she oversees the development and implementation of the organization’s educational and community engagement strategy.  Nicole manages a team that is responsible for the TSO’s School Concerts, Young People’s Concerts, Relaxed Performances, Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, and a host of community initiatives that focus on health and well-being, youth in music, and reaching all of Toronto, including through a variety of partnerships and programs such as the TSOUND Connections and the Art of Healing programs.

The TSYO is one of Canada’s leading youth orchestras comprised of 85 young musicians aged 22 and under. As Manager, I led the development and execution of the TSYO program producing rehearsals, concerts, auditions, workshops, and an annual Camp Weekend. As Education Assistant, I built relationships with community youth organizations to market and launch the TSO’s first ever Relaxed Performance for neurodiverse audiences. She  also piloted and implemented the TSO’s TSOUND CONNECTIONS program, which connects seniors in care with TSO and TSYO musicians over Zoom for a conversation and music with the goal of reducing social isolation.

 

10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.  Coffee Break Coffee, tea, and water

 

10:45 a.m. – 12:00  p.m.

Guest Speaker: Alex Sarian, Author  (Edmonton, Alberta)

• “The Audacity of Relevance: Critical Conversations on the Future of Arts and Culture.”  (Book signing if requested during lunch)

Alex Sarian is a bestselling author and global authority on institutional relevance. He is President & CEO of Werklund Centre, one of Canada’s most dynamic arts centres, where he leads the largest cultural infrastructure project in Canadian history. He recently oversaw the transformation from Arts Commons to Werklund Centre, following a landmark $75 million gift—the largest private donation to the performing arts in Canadian history. He also established the Werklund Centre Foundation to steward philanthropic capital and ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Appointed in 2020 at age 36, Alex became the youngest CEO of a major performing arts centre in North America. Before returning to Canada, he spent nearly two decades in New York City in senior roles at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. There, he led international consulting efforts across 15 countries, advising governments, foundations, and creative institutions on civic engagement and public value.

 

His acclaimed book, The Audacity of Relevance (2024), was hailed by Forbes as “a manifesto for the arts in times of crisis,” and is now required reading in arts leadership programs worldwide.

Q & A

 

12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.​  (networking lunch)

 

2:30 p.m.  – 3:30 p.m.

• Closing AMSOV Business Meeting No. 3.  

• Meeting chaired by D. Dagenais, AMSOV President)

• Election of AMSOV Officers and Directors for the 2026-2028 term.

• Presentation on next biennial conference to be held in the spring of 2028

 

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

• Conference Session No. 4

• Guest speaker Tracey Hawkins, Kansas City (Standing Ovation Winner 2024)

AI Cybersecurity in Arts Organizations

With over 30 years of experience in safety and security training, Tracey breaks down the real risks, dispels myths, and offers practical guidance for entrepreneurs and educators alike. Whether you’re managing a team, protecting your family, or just trying to understand how AI tools are changing the game, this episode is your cybersecurity wake-up call.

 

4:30  p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

            Free time

6:00 p.m.

• Gala Dinner -  Royal York Hotel, 100 front Street          

  • D. Walker – speaker

  • Welcome Award winners (Standing and Innovator Awards)

  • Recognize past winners of 2024.  (Thank you all participants.)

 

DAY 4 – SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2026

9:00 a.m.

• AMSOV Board of Director’s Member Breakfast (AMSOV Board members only)

• Breakfast for outgoing and incoming members of the Board of Directors

of AMSOV in the Library Room.

 

• 12:30 – 2:00 Post Conference Tours

• If you have signed up for any post conference tours, all tour groups will meet at the AMSOV conference Registration Table at 12:30.  A volunteer will be there to direct and assist you.

 

End of Conference

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Hotel Rates / room information :

• Guest rooms confirmed for luxury room at $439.00 (double occupancy only)

• Guestroom rate options:

• (King, queen or double) luxury                       $439.00

• Luxury signature suite                                     $529.00

Room size 250 sq. ft.

Rates are quoted in Canadian funds and reflect the European Plan (EP) that includes accommodation only.  All room rates are subject to 13% + 6% MAT plus tax.

 

You can call the hotel or book using the link below:

https://book.passkey.com/go/AMSOV26                              Tel. No. +1 416-368-2511