September 3, 2010

The Medicine Hat College Conservatory of Music and Dance is pleased to announce the arrival of two new instructors; voice instructor, Justine Butkovich, and viola/violin instructor, Benjamin Thacher.

Justine Butkovich recently graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and a Masters of Music in Voice Performance Specializing in Vocal Pedagogy.  In 2005, Butkovich received her Diploma in Music Performance from Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, where she studied voice for three years. Before moving to Medicine Hat, Butkovich taught privately and was teaching at the Merriam School of Music in Mississauga, Ontario, and Arcadia Academy of Music in Woodbridge, Ontario. Not only is Butkovich passionate about performing but she is also an enthusiastic voice teacher. She is thrilled to join the faculty at the Medicine Hat Conservatory of Music as a full-time Voice Instructor.

Benjamin Thacher has performed an extensive amount of solo, chamber, and orchestral music around the globe and has been praised by critics in performances with his "innate lyricism", and "technical skill and aplomb".  Born and raised in Massachusetts, he earned his bachelor’s degree in violin performance at the New England Conservatory of Music. He continued his studies as an artist chamber music diploma student at the San Francisco Conservatory.  Thacher is highly in demand as a violin and viola instructor, having presented master-classes, and adjudicating young artists competitions in the United States. He served as the conductor of the Nashoba Youth Orchestra in Westford, Massachusetts and has been recognized for his contributions by helping to raise the overall musical quality of the organization. Thacher is excited to begin his new appointment with the violin/viola faculty at Medicine Hat College.

Butkovich and Thacher look forward to working with new and returning music students. For complete bios, registration details, or more information about MHC’s Conservatory, visit www.mhc.ab.ca/conservatory.