The "Back to BACH" Project
Students for the Arts!
Estella Roberts
Member Since March 2019
Estella Roberts began studying cello at the age of three, and piano at age four.
She is currently studying with Yuri Hooker and has been formerly taught by Allison Warrian and David Liam Roberts. Estella has also had various lessons and masterclasses with Ariel Barnes, Yegor Dyachkov, and Paul Marleyn through the Rosamunde Music Academy. During the 2018/19 Season, Estella had the honor of being both Principal Cellist of the Youth Strings Orchestra as well as participating in the Youth Concert Orchestra. She was the recipient of the Julie Banton Award, given to individuals who have shown leadership in an orchestral setting. In addition to playing cello and piano, Estella also enjoys singing. Some recent highlights include singing in a Trophy Class in the Winnipeg Music Festival, and singing in Cantemus, an award-winning choir that is apart of the Pembina Trails Voices. In her free time, Estella enjoys reading, being outside, and spending time with her family and her cat, Caspian.
Estella is thrilled to be sharing her love of music with children of all ages! She has been a part of Back to BACH since March of 2019.
River Sawchyn
Member Since May 2020
River Sawchyn was born in Winnipeg in 2003 and started playing the violin at the age of 5. River is a student of WSO concertmaster Gwen Hoebig and is a 5 time trophy winner at the Winnipeg Music Festival. River enjoys playing in the Winnipeg Youth Symphony Orchestra, where he currently holds the position of concertmaster, and also plays in multiple chamber groups, coached by WSO principal Cellist, Yuri Hooker. River enjoys performing various styles of music, playing in multiple folk groups in Winnipeg, as well as busking regularly around Winnipeg.
Emily Rekrut-Pressey
Member Since March 2020
Emily Rekrut-Pressey is currently studying viola performance at McGill University with André Roy. At age six she started violin lessons in Winnipeg, MB and began the viola when she was ten. In 2018 Emily won the McGill Classical Concerto Competition and performed the Mozart Sinfonia Concertantewith the McGill Symphony Orchestra alongside violinist, Aaron Chan. With her quartet from McGill, the Lafontaine Quartet, they won the McGill Chamber Music and were semi-finalists in The 2019 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. Previously, she has been principal viola of National Youth Orchestra of Canada and University of Toronto Symphony. During the summer of 2019 Emily participated in the Kneisel Hall Summer Music Program and with the LaFontaine Quartet in the McGill International String Quartet Academy. In previous summers she played with The National Youth Orchestra of Canada and l’Orchestre de la Francophonie in Montreal. In April 2020 Emily will play as a soloist with the McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble.