mississauga children's choir

Rebecca Strutt, Artistic Director, Conductor Senior Choir, Conductor Training Choir

Rebecca Strutt is currently a student in the Doctorate of Music Education program at Liberty University (DME) and a graduate of both Boston University (MMus) and Gordon College (BMus), where she specialized in secondary choral music and the performing arts. Having taught at the middle school and high school levels and as an adjunct college professor, Rebecca has significant experience conducting and educating choirs of all ages. Before moving to Ontario in 2019, Rebecca was the Choral Music director and K-12 Unified Arts department leader in Harvard, MA. Rebecca currently owns an online music school (Rebecca Strutt Music School), where she teaches private voice and piano lessons globally. She is also on staff as the music theatre voice teacher at IADA Secondary performing arts high school in Oakville, ON. 

An avid performer, Rebecca has portrayed numerous musical theatre, opera, and operetta roles onstage. Her most recent roles include Mother ("Ragtime"), for which she earned a DASH nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, The Baker's Wife ("Into the Woods"), and Fantine ("Les Misérables"). Rebecca has performed with several opera companies throughout New England as a lyric coloratura soprano portraying roles such as Mabel ("The Pirates of Penzance"), Queen of the Night ("The Magic Flute"), and Frasquita ("Carmen"). She has also been a featured soprano soloist for several of the great oratorio works, Handel's "Messiah" being her favorite.

Emily Daquano, Conductor, Junior Choir 

Ms. Emily Daquano holds a Master of Arts degree in Community Music from Wilfrid Laurier University, a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Toronto, and a Bachelor of Music Education in Voice from Wilfrid Laurier University. Emily is the founder of Glee Social Club (Formerly Port Credit Glee), and is a teacher at an independent school. She has directed, choreographed and stage managed many children's theatre shows, as well as taught private voice lessons from her home studio. Emily is also an avid performer with various community theatre groups. Please visit www.emilydaquanomusic.com for more information.

Eveli Korre, Conductor, Cantiamo

Eveli is a graduate of Tallinn Pedagogical College, Estonia where she specialized in Early Childhood and Primary School Music Education. When she came to Toronto, she pursued her career and furthered her music education by completing her Kodaly and Orff Specialist Certification at the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto. Eveli has taught music and movement to children aged 2 - 13 in various schools and studios over two decades. She has performed with several choirs throughout Europe and the Americas attending international choir competitions and festivals. Eveli has performed professionally in different musicals and operettas as a singer and dancer. She is currently teaching music to children aged 3 -11 in Music Community School at Humber College. Eveli believes in freeing the spirit and imagination of children and letting them fly. She nourishes creativity and expression through singing, drama, movement, and simple percussion activities. Eveli is committed to working with students step-by-step to help them reach the next level in the musical development and build the confidence they need to achieve their individual performance goals.

Katya Khatsko, Collaborative Pianist, Training Choir and Senior Choir

Katya Khatsko has completed a Master of Music Degree (May 2014) in piano performance at University of Toronto. Born in Belarus, Katya graduated from Minsk Musical College in 2006. In 2008 she continued her studies at The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto where she has had master classes with distinguished pianists and pedagogues.  She has actively explored and presented chamber repertoire with many instrumentalists and groups. She is currently the Music Director at Dixie Presbyterian Church and a Piano teacher at the Kingsway Conservatory of Music. 

Valentina Sadovski, Collaborative Pianist, Junior Choir

A native of Minsk, Belarus, Valentina Sadovski is an active soloist and collaborative musician. Valentina holds both Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the University of Toronto, as well as an Artist Diploma from the Belarusian Music College. She is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, including the Women's Art Association Luella McCleary Award, the Ontario Graduate Scholarship, and the Fairways Concert Scholarship. Valentina has participated in local and national competitions, including the Kiwanis and Canadian Music Competition, winning several top awards, and has performed at various venues such as the Arts and Letters Club, the Toronto Centre for the Arts, as well as the Canadian Opera Company's Richard Bradshaw Theatre. She has collaborated and performed alongside Soundstreams, the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, Toronto Operetta Theatre and Syrinx Concerts. Valentina is currently the music director at the Church of the Nativity Malvern and a faculty member at the Kingsway Conservatory of Music.

Camille Labonte, Conductor's Assistant, Senior Choir

Camille Labonte is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Music Degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, and is a graduate of the Etobicoke School of the Arts Musical Theatre program. A former member of the Mississauga Children’s Choir, she is thrilled to be working with MCC! She is an active performer as both a soloist and choral singer, and has sung with numerous ensembles, including the Ontario Youth Choir, the University of Toronto Schola Cantorum and the UofT Women's Chamber Choir. She has Level 8 RCM in both violin and piano, and received honourable mentions for grades 9, 10, and ARCT level RCM voice at the Ontario Music Festivals Association Provincial Finals.

Elizabeth Gilerovitch, Conductor's Assistant, Training Choir and Junior Choir

Elizabeth Gilerovitch has been studying piano and voice since age 5. Through these last 12 years she has took part in many music festivals, competitions, charity and fundraiser concerts and recitals, performing solo, duets, trios and as part of small and big choirs. Elizabeth is currently in her last year at The Phil and Eli Taylor Performance Academy for Young Artists, Senior Voice program. She completed her RCM ARCT in piano performance. Elizabeth is a grade 12 student at Etobicoke school of the Arts, Music Theatre program. Her dream is to become an Opera performer.

Manishya Jayasundera, Conductor's Assistant, Cantiamo 3

Manishya Jayasundera is a fourth-year Classical Voice Music Education student at the University of Toronto (UofT). Her first experience learning music at a young age was through piano lessons. She completed her ARCT diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM). Manishya is also an MCC alum. She fell in love with singing and choral music when she joined the choir at age 12. She continued her studies in vocal music during high school through RCM and the Regional Arts Program at St. Roch C.S.S. Through her studies at UofT, she has become very passionate about choral music education and conducting. Manishya was the most recent apprentice conductor with the Exultate Chamber Singers at their October 2022 concert. You can find her singing in choirs such as Pax Christi Chorale and UofT’s Macmillan Singers. Manishya is excited to work with MCC and Cantiamo.

Caroline Suri, Executive Director 

Caroline Suri has held leadership positions in arts management for over 15 years. Her experience includes being Managing Director of the Toronto Children's Chorus, Executive Director of newchoir (an adult choir), and a senior management position with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. She works extensively on choral and orchestral projects with many organizations including Cineplex, and dozens of well known Canadian artists. Caroline has led ensembles on tours around the world and is thrilled to be leading the Mississauga Children's Choir on tour to Florida next season!

Gerri Peresin, Accounting Manager                                         

Gerri Peresin has been involved with MCC since 2011, first as a parent of a chorister, then as member of the board and now as the accounting manager. Gerri is a chartered professional accountant and has over 20 years experience working in public and private companies. Currently she provides accounting services to clients in the GTA.