ABOUT THE DIRECTORS

Katrina began as the director/conductor at CCSO in 2022 after Anne Scott retired from her role. Katrina believes firmly in the power of musical study to positively transform individuals, communities, and society. Her approach has been shaped by the international El Sistema movement, which exposes at-risk youth to intense musical study on an instrument as a means to create positive social change within a community. To that end, she has been a part of instructing Philadelphia’s “Play On Philly” program, as well as Calgary’s Multicultural Youth Orchestra.

As a musician, Ms. Greenbow worked as an orchestral cellist in British Columbia’s Symphony of the Kootenays before moving back to her hometown of Calgary to teach music in public schools. 

Katrina has been teaching at The Centre for Performing and Visual Arts at Central Memorial High School in Calgary for the past 8 years. At Central, she directs the Orchestra and Beginner Strings programs, and co-teaches the PVA music classes. She serves on the board for the Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education, and is the Educational Advisor to the board for Chamber Fest West.

Katrina holds a Bachelor of Music Education specializing in Secondary Education from The University of Calgary, and a Bachelor of Education from St. Thomas University in Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Anne’s cello studies began in Edmonton, Alberta and continued at the U of A, Mount Royal College, Banff School of Fine Arts & the Stanford Summer String Institute. Her teachers & mentors include Claude Kenneson, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Harvey Shapiro and John Kadz.

Anne’s music career has included teaching, coaching, adjudicating, conducting and performing as both a soloist and in ensembles large and small across Canada and into the United States.

Anne is presently the principal cellist of both the Calgary Civic Symphony and the Symphony of the Kootenays, and also performs with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Red Deer symphony and her own String Quartet ‘Black Dress’. She is a busy freelance musician who enjoys the wide variety of music styles that freelancing offers.

Over the years, Anne’s teaching studio has included students from 3 years old to adults. Her teaching career has its roots in the Suzuki method, which is how she began her own studies. Now her teaching style also encompasses more traditional approaches for younger students as well as an increased involvement in adult education which has included teaching and coaching at the West Coast Amateur Musicians Association (WCAMS) summer camp.

In 2009, Anne co-founded the Calgary Community String Orchestra for beginner to intermediate adult string players. A cup of coffee with violinist Brigit Knecht in the spring of 2009 was all it took propel the idea into a reality. With Brigit as conductor, rehearsals began in September 2009 at Hillhurst United church with a small but dedicated group of 18 musicians. 

In the Fall of 2010 Brigit relocated to Ottawa, Ontario and Anne moved to the podium with violinist Diane Valentine on board as associate director and violin coach. In 2013 CCSO expanded to include an Adult String Orchestra retreat at the Valhalla Summer school of Music and in 2015 a Chamber Music coaching series for adult amateurs in Calgary.