Meet Our Team

Carlos Bastidas

Music Director and Conductor

​​Carlos Bastidas
Conductor 
www.carlosmusic.com
Starting an orchestra from the ground up is a challenge, but founder of the Ontario Pops Orchestra Maestro Carlos Bastidas has always been an advocate of the importance of music in the community. In large part this is thanks to the influence of his conducting professor Maestro Rodolfo Saglimbeni, a founding member of “El Sistema”, Venezuela’s monumental music education program, under whom Carlos trained at England’s Sherborne School of Music.
Originally from Colombia, Carlos came to Canada in 1990. He started his musical studies on the bassoon at age 11 at Bogota’s Conservatory of Music and has performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Kamloops Symphony, Abbotsford Symphony, and Ottawa Symphony, and the Hull Chamber Orchestra. Today, Maestro Bastidas does double duty as Conductor of the Ontario Pops and the Durham Chamber Orchestra in Ajax.
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"Carlos is a leader on and off the podium. Not only does he program and conduct multiple orchestras, but creatively, he pushes the performance envelope with a vision of how to cultivate the next generation of classical music lovers.”
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- Leanne Wright, VP Communications, The New Classical FM/ZoomerMedia Limited

Dorothy Russel

Membership Coordinator

After a 37-year career in computer systems and business consulting, Dorothy retired and started practicing her flute again. She joined the Ontario Pops Orchestra as Second Flute in September 2017.

Leona Thomas
Arts Administrator

Ann Nguyen
Graphic Designer

Social Media Coordination
Web Designer

Ann Nguyen is a graphic designer and digital artist from Mississauga. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Media from York University and has since worked on advertisements for the Ontario Pops and other local Toronto festivals. Ann has been with the Ontario Pops Orchestra since 2016, and plays piano in her spare time. 

Kristina Amador

Personnel Manager and Music Librarian

​Kristina Amador is a Toronto-based clarinetist and arts administrator. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Queen’s University, and is currently continuing her clarinet studies in Toronto with Joseph Orlowski. Her musical dedication and passion for learning have earned her the opportunity to study at intensive summer programs such as the Lift Clarinet Academy and the Buffet Crampon USA Summer Clarinet Academy. Kristina has held the position of principal clarinetist in the Ontario Pops Orchestra since 2016, and enjoys having the opportunity to contribute to the orchestra in many different ways as a musician and member of the administrative team. 

Zeena Zaiyouna

​Assistant Conductor for 2019-2020 season

Zeena Zaiyouna has performed with orchestras including Harthouse Orchestra, Counterpoint Orchestra, Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra, Kindred Spirits Orchestra, Kingston Symphony Orchestra and the York Chamber Ensemble. Zeena Zaiyouna is a Toronto and Ontario Arts Council recording artist recipient and she most recently featured as a conductor with the Canadian Independent School Music Festival performance at Roy Thomson Hall. 

She has completed a performance degree on oboe from Queen's University and studied under the guidance of Barbara Bolte and principal oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Hansjörg Schellenberger. Her orchestral conducting background and experience includes private studies with Maestro Andre Presser from Holland and Maestro Harold Faberman at Bard College in New York state. Zeena Zaiyouna has completed university studies in Denmark, Spain, and Canada and has had a unique opportunity to design and implement transdisciplinary arts-based teacher training and curriculum on four continents. Currently, Zeena Zaiyouna teaches instrumental music at Kingsway College School and she concurrently works as a private studio oboe and piano teacher for young aspiring musicians.

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Music Director, Carlos Bastidas
Arts Administrator : Leona Thomas
Membership Coordinator, Dorothy Russel
Personnel Manager & Music Librarian, Kristina Amador
Assistant Conductor, Zeena Zaiyouna
Marketing, open
​Development and PR, open
Graphic Design and Website Design, Ann Nguyen
Volunteers, Laura Ayerdis