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Sheila Jaffé

violinist and violist

Bio

Sheila Jaffé was born into a family of musicians and was fascinated by classical music from a young age. Born in Montreal and raised in South Florida, she returned to her native Quebec at the age of thirteen to live and study with her second cousin Catherine Dallaire, concertmaster of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec and professor of violin at the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec. After completing high school as part of the arts intensive program at l'École Secondaire Pierre-Laporte in Montreal, Sheila completed her Bachelor's degree in violin performance at the Université de Montréal. Over the course of her years in Montreal, it became clear that chamber music and orchestral playing were at the core of her musical passions. She co-founded the Alaya String Quartet, performed in numerous chamber music concerts in the city, and kept herself impossibly busy with every kind of ensemble she could put together. In the summers, she participated in orchestral, chamber music and masterclass festivals such as Schleswig-Holstein Orchester, Domaine Forget, International Musicians Seminar and Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove, Orford Arts Centre, Aurora Music in Sweden, and several others. Sheila continued her studies in Berlin, Germany with a Master's program at the Hanns Eisler Hochschüle für Musik, during which she also was accepted into the Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Akademie for a one-year position. During this time she also co-founded the Alondra String Quartet, who were invited to the International Musicians Seminar Prussia Cove as well as the Toronto Summer Music festival. The members of this quartet are now in leading orchestras around the world. In 2013, at the Rosebud Chamber Music Festival in Alberta, Canada, she co-founded the Rosebud String Quartet (RSQ), with whom she currently performs regularly. Sheila is also the violinist and violist of the Array Ensemble, specializing in new music. In 2015, Sheila joined the Canadian Opera Company as a violist while continuing to nurture her love of chamber music on the violin with her string quartet as well as other chamber ensembles and various solo performances. She has also recently been appointed as principal viola of the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra. Her first album, featuring works by Franck, Elgar and Britten in collaboration with Welsh pianist Huw Watkins, is due to come out in 2022. 
Sheila Jaffé plays on a Francesco Gobetti (1710-15) violin and Raymond Schryer (2001) viola on generous loan from Canimex.

The Rosebud String Quartet

Performances

2019-2020

You can always find me in the pit at the Four Seasons Centre during the Canadian Opera Company and National Ballet of Canada season. Come to the opera and ballet and say hello!
You can also find a list of other appearances below.

October 2nd, 2019
Art of Time Salon

E. Korngold - Garden Scene
R. Schumann - Piano Quartet op. 47 mvt 3

Sheila Jaffé, violin
Andrew Burashko, piano
Barry Shiffman, viola
Thomas Wiebe, cello

October 6th, 2019
Off-Centre Music Salon -  Schubertiad: A Day With Schubert

F. Schubert - "Trout" Quintet

Sheila Jaffé, violin
Catherine Gray, viola
Richard Narroway, cello
Travis Harrison, bass
Boris Zarankin, piano

October 6th, 2019
Esprit Ochestra - I Hit My Head And Everything Changed

Works by Thomas Adès, Brian Harman, Alexina Louie, and Hans Abrahamsen

You can find me in the viola section!

October 7th, 2020

Stereo Live Presents: Rosebud String Quartet with Steven Dann

J. Haydn - String Quartet in B-flat major, opus 76 no. 4, "Sunrise"
E. Schulhoff - Five Pieces for String Quartet
G. Puccini - I Crisantemi for String Quartet
B. Britten - String Quartet No. 1 in D major

Sheila Jaffé, violin
Aaron Schwebel, violin
Steven Dann, viola
Leana Rutt, cello

November 23rd, 2019
Array Ensemble - Udo Kasemets @ 100

U. Kasemets - Sonaat in E, Viiulile ja Klaverile op.10

J. Cage - Nocturne for violin and piano

U. Kasemets - OP                                  
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                         RENGA
                            S
                            CT

Sheila Jaffé, violin

Stephen Clarke, piano

Michele Verheul, clarinet

Lydia Munchinsky, cello

December 1st, 2019
Esprit Orchestra - Sustain

Works by Andrew Norman, José Evangelista, and a World Premiere by Adam Scime

You can find me in the viola section!

January 25th, 2020
Array Ensemble - Four New Works

Germain Liu - New Work

Sheila Jaffé, violin
Rick Sacks, percussion
David Schotzko, percussion
Lydia Munchinsky, cello

February 13th, 2020
New Music Concerts - Serious Smile

G. Ligeti - Chamber Concerto

New Music Ensemble - viola

February 22nd and 23rd, 2020

Echo Chamber Toronto - Zingara

Read the Review: Click Here

J. Corigliano - Red Violin Caprices
Z. Kodaly - Serenade
G. Enescu - Octet

Sheila Jaffé, violin and viola

Aaron Schwebel, violin

Catherine Gray, viola

Jamie Kruspe, violin

Emily Kruspe, violin

Csaba Koczó, violin

Leana Rutt, cello

Carmen Bruno, cello

Choreographers

Hanna Kiel

Brendan Saye

Dancers

Naoya Ebe

Hannah Galway

Donald Thom

Kelly Shaw

Ryan Lee

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REVIEW

March 3rd, 2020

Toronto Summer Music - Season Launch Concert

J. Haydn - String Quartet op. 76 no. 5 mvt 1
L. Beethoven - String Quartet op. 59 no. 3 mvt 4

Rosebud String Quartet with Catherine Gray

March 22nd, 2020

Esprit Orchestra - Taiko Returns

Postponed due to COVID-19 considerations

Music and performances by Barbara Croall, Christopher Goddard, Eugene Astapov, Maki Ishii, Shannon Mercer, and Nagata Shachu

You can find me in the viola section!

April 2nd-4th, 2020
Art of Time - S'Wonderful

Songs by George & Ira Gershwin, including:
Someone to Watch Over Me
Lorelei
He Loves, She Loves
Music from Porgy and Bess
Instrumental works by George Gershwin

Jackie Richardson, singer
John Southworth, singer
Sarah Slean, singer
Billy Newton-Davis, singer
Gregory Hoskins, singer
Andrew Burashko, piano
Andrew Downing, double bass
Sheila Jaffé, violin
Rob Piltch, guitar
Amy Laing, cello
Peter Lutek, woodwinds

April 14th, 2020

COC Free Concert Series: The Musical Offering

J. S. Bach - The Musical Offering, arranged for traverso, string trio, and harpsichord

The Lark Ensemble
Les Allt, traverso
Aaron Schwebel, violin
Sheila Jaffé, viola
Roberta Janzen, cello
Christofer Bagan, harpsichord

April 17th, 2020

Pocket Concerts - Happy Birthday, Beethoven!

Sold Out

L. Beethoven - String Quartet in C Major, Opus 59 No. 3
E. Schulhoff - 5 Pieces for String Quartet

Sheila Jaffé, violin
Aaron Schwebel, violin
Rory McLeod, viola
Leana Rutt, cello

April 19th, 2020

Off-Centre Music Salon: - Beethoven, After All

L. Beethoven - String Quartet in C Major, Opus 59 No. 3

Sheila Jaffé, violin
Aaron Schwebel, violin
Rory McLeod, viola
Leana Rutt, cello

May 4th, 2020
Rosebud String Quartet House Concert

Works by Beethoven and Haydn

Rosebud String Quartet
Sheila Jaffé and Aaron Schwebel, violins
Keith Hamm, viola
Leana Rutt, cello

May 6th, 2020
COC Free Concert Series: Haydn and Beethoven

Works by Beethoven and Haydn

Rosebud String Quartet
Sheila Jaffé and Aaron Schwebel, violins
Keith Hamm, viola
Leana Rutt, cello

May 22nd and 23rd, 2020

TSO: Beethoven 5

Richard Dubugnon - Caprice IV Es muss sein!
Dvořák - Violin Concerto
Beethoven - Symphony No. 5

Fabien Gabel, conductor
Augustin Hadelich, violin
You can find my in the sea of violins!

May 30th, 2020
String Quartet Concert

Details Coming Soon


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Contact

Want to learn more about Sheila Jaffé, her music, and her performances? Don’t hesitate to get in touch.

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