Dr. Vanessa Mio-Quiring – Principal Investigator:  Dr. Vanessa Mio-Quiring is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor within the Faculty of Education and the Music Education (Continuing Education) departments at the University of Windsor. Vanessa completed a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Studies degree (with a focus on violin pedagogy) from the University of Windsor. Vanessa also earned a Master of Music, a Bachelor of Music, and a Performance Diploma in Violin Performance from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where she studied violin with Mimi Zweig, Kathleen Winkler, Baroque violin with Stanley Ritchie, and string pedagogy with Mimi Zweig and Dr. Brenda Brenner. Vanessa’s passion for teaching was sparked at Indiana University where she was appointed as an Associate Instructor with the Indiana University String Academy from 2005-2008.

   As a performer, pedagogue, and scholar, Vanessa is passionate about teacher training and string education research. She was awarded a prestigious Insight Development Grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) for her current research investigating how young violin students engage in a specialized string curriculum to determine cognitive and physiological reactions, and various social and emotional developments within a group context. She was also awarded a SSRCH Doctoral Scholarship where she investigated the remedial strategies of postsecondary violin instructors. She has presented her research at provincial and international conferences (including the International Society for Music Education, the American String Teachers’ Association, the Indiana Music Education Association, the Ontario Music Educators’ Association, and the Canadian Society for the Study of Education). Vanessa has recently published articles in the Canadian Music Educator Journal, American String Teacher Journal, The Recorder (Quarterly Journal of the Ontario Music Educators’ Association), International Journal of Music Education, and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education. Through her current research interests, Vanessa hopes to contribute significantly to the field of string pedagogy as the scope of her research expands.

   Informed by her research and teaching activities, Vanessa developed the first string pedagogy course offered to music performance and education majors in Canada at both Western University (graduate and undergraduate) and Wilfrid Laurier University (undergraduate), and developed a new violin/viola group string instruction course for undergraduate music education students at Western. Vanessa has also recently developed three innovative Instrumental (Strings) Additional Qualification courses (offered through the Ontario College of Teachers) for elementary and secondary music educators across Ontario.

   Vanessa has pursued a variety of professional development opportunities and has become a sought-after clinician, teacher, and adjudicator. Vanessa is the String Discipline Specialist and String Examiner for The Royal Conservatory of Music, College of Examiners, and has traveled extensively throughout North America as an Ambassador for the Certificate Program. She has also adjudicated many festivals across Canada, including the upper string division of the Ontario Music Festivals Association Provincial Competition in May of 2017. Vanessa has taught at the Nova Scotia Suzuki Violin Institute in Halifax, NS, attended the Starling-DeLay Symposium for Violin Studies at The Juilliard School, participated in a workshop led by Brian Lewis at the Southwestern Ontario Suzuki Institute, and attended a Retreat for Violin and Viola Teachers at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. 

   Vanessa has spent summers touring with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada; participating in the Casalmaggiore International Festival in Italy; teaching in Tuscany for a Professional Teachers Workshop alongside Mimi Zweig; and studying at the Banff Centre for the Arts with the Très Chic Piano Trio (Chamber Music Residency for Pre-Formed Ensembles). Vanessa is a violinist in the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, and has also recently performed with the Penderecki String Quartet and the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra.

   Vanessa is a member of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada (AFM), Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association (CMFAA), Ontario Music Educators’ Association (OMEA), Canadian Music Educators’ Association (CMEA), American String Teachers Association (ASTA), and the International Society for Music Education (ISME).

Dr. Sally Bick – Research Collaborator: Dr. Sally Bick is professor of music at the School of Creative Arts.  She received her performance training in cello under the auspices of Janos Starker at Indiana University, Jacobs School of Music (Master of Music), later receiving a PhD in musicology at Yale University.  She has performed professionally with numerous professional organizations including the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, The Canadian Opera Company, The National Ballet of Canada, Esprit Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, and has concertized throughout the United States and Canada prior to her Musicological work.

Dr. Jonathan Bayley – Research Collaborator:  Dr. Bayley is a graduate of McGill University, the University of Alberta, University of Rochester (Eastman School of Music), and The Ohio State University. He is presently Professor Emeritus at the University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He has been the Acting Director of the Joint PhD Program, Director of the School of Music (University of Windsor), and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Research, and Continuing Education (Faculty of Education).

  He has taught at the secondary school level (Junior and senior high school), adjudicated numerous music festivals throughout Canada and was a flute instructor at Alberta College Conservatory of Music for 15 years. He has also taught at the University of Alberta, The Ohio State University, University of Regina, University of Windsor, and Beijing Foreign Studies University. Dr. Bayley has written and published several arrangements and original works (ALRY Publication) as well as academic papers. Two of his recordings, Music for Flute and Guitar and Between the Silence, have received international airplay. He has premiered numerous works for flute and most recently commissioned and premiered a Sonata for Flute and Organ by the American composer Matt Doran.

  Dr. Bayley has presented at international conferences and published numerous scholarly articles in various research design formats including historical, self-report survey research, case study, and reflective pedagogical practices (Alberta History, Canadian Winds, Canadian Musical Educator, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Journal of Comparative and International Education, Journal of Peer Learning, and the International Journal of Music Education).

Dr. Adam Iannetta – Research Assistant: Originally from Windsor, Ontario, Dr. Adam Iannetta successfully completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts from Western University in 2019 and is quickly gaining notoriety as a versatile, up-and-coming performer.

Growing up in an Italian family, Adam has learned two very important things: you have to speak up if you ever want to be heard, and there is no such thing as a moment’s peace. You might say that his extroverted career is the result of his upbringing. Furthermore, Adam subscribes to these values as part of his way of living and always finds a way to keep himself busy. If he is not on stage, you will probably find him in his office.

Having started his musical career at the University of Windsor, Adam continues to be a featured soloist with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, and is now working as General Manager for the Windsor Classic Chorale, Windsor’s premier chamber choir. In addition, Adam was a recurring member of Western University’s Opera Workshop, performing works including L’heure espagnole, Ravel; La bohème, Puccini; Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck; The Pirates of Penzance, Gilbert & Sullivan.

Although classically trained, Adam is no stranger to contemporary and popular music. From opera and oratorio to musical theatre and jazz, Adam has never been one to turn down an opportunity to learn new music. Just as well, his versatility and charming sense of humour are made easily apparent both on and off the stage. During his time at Western, Adam worked alongside directors including Tom Diamond, Michael Cavanagh, and Allison Grant as head of administration and stage management for the school’s Opera Workshop.

From his doctoral studies, Adam hopes to cultivate his performance practice and musicianship to advocate all genres of music (classical and contemporary) as being more accessible to all groups and communities.