About MQ

"Our strength as an ensemble is that we share a genuine friendship."

Why MADOC
Quartet?

The musicians of the Madoc Quartet come to the ensemble from careers on stages across Canada, in Europe, Asia and the USA. Commended for excellence in performance, MQ is praised by their peers for offering fresh interpretations of traditional repertoire without compromising the composer’s stated intentions. MQ is equally committed to taking on the challenges inherent in programming new music by living composers. Recent debuts premiering works by Jacques Marchand and Patricia Morehead earned accolades from both the composers themselves, their professional peers, and listeners excited to know they are experiencing music no audience has heard before. MQ shares with everyone the chamber music experience in all its diversity with care, passion, contagious enthusiasm. Founded in 2020, the Madoc Quartet takes its name from the rural Ontario community that embraced MQ as its own and chamber music as a local legacy. MQ operates from the shared belief that classical music belongs to everyone and that the string quartet is the best way to bring it to all. Violinist Sebastian Sallans sums it up: "The string quartet is a sonorous, versatile and stunningly beautiful instrument. Composers write their best music for it. It is also portable - we carry our own instruments, can fit in a F150 Super Crew, and are happy to drive just about anywhere to play.” MQ has been going everywhere, playing anywhere for everyone for half a decade now. Asked what makes MQ special, violist Sarah de Niverville didn’t miss a beat, saying: “Our strength as a quartet is that we share a genuine friendship.” Their’s is an enduring fellowship that goes beyond camaraderie, nurturing a sense of ensemble drawing the musicians, and all who have gathered to listen, together as one. When MQ plays chamber music for an intimate audience in a beloved community venue they are doing something that transcends playing the right notes in time and in tune. “Their ensemble, and their ability to play together in a way that includes the audience - I heard that here. It made me feel the music like a musician, and I’ve never played a note in my life,” so said a recent patron. Violinist Leslie Townsend says, “It’s about approachability,” with a nod towards MQ’s personable manner, on stage and off. Sebastian added the word “passion,” cellist JunKyu Park leaned into “dedication.” “Chamber Music is music made by friends for friends,” Leslie concludes. “Musician-friends practice and study, and then rehearse. Together. A lot. Because we want to do our best for the music and for each other, and for you.” Much can be expected from this ensemble as it matures. Discover more and follow their progress at madocquartet.com

Sebastian Sallans

Sebastian Sallans, VIOLIN As a soloist, Violinist Sebastian Sallans is known to audiences for a profoundly passionate engagement with the music that that engages and entrances every listener. His solo performance credits include appearances in the GTA, across the Quinte Region, and recitals in Salzburg, Austria. He brings that intensity to his ensemble work and is regularly engaged as concert master, associate concertmaster principal second and section-player by the Niagara Symphony, Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, the North Bay Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique régional Abitibi-Témiscamingue , the Peterborough Symphony, and other orchestras across the GTA, Ontario and Quebec. Versatile and innovative, Sallans is a founding member of The Madoc Quartet, Driveshaft Piano Trio, the 6ix Quartet and jazz hybrid, Das Trio. Collaborators include Canadian composers Patricia Moorehead, Andy Slade and Jacques Marchand. A scholarship student graduating from the University of Toronto's Violin Performance Bachelor of Music program, Sebastian studied under Mark Skazinetsky (TSO), Jonathan Crow (TSO) Karoli Sziladi (NACO), Michael Frischenschlager (Salzburg Mozarteum), Andrew Wan (OSM) and Victor Dernovski (l'Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse). The recipient of numerous awards and prizes, and remaining committed to excellence in his playing, Sebastian continues to pursue advanced instruction. He is also an accomplished old time fiddler, learning his tunes as a child at the knee of his grandfather, Bill Sallans. He soon caught the attention of Ottawa Valley legend, Bruce Wilson who delighted in Sebastian’s intensely passionate expression and ability to pick up tunes at once by ear. Artistic Director of the Quinte Society for Chamber Music, Sebastian promotes classical music culture across rural Ontario delighting his fiddle music fans every time he ends a waltz jig and reel set with a Bach Sonata or a Paganini Etude.

Sarah de Niverville

Sarah de Niverville, VIOLA Canadian-American Violist Sarah de Niverville, founding member of the Madoc Quartet, is much in demand as an orchestral violist. A core member of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra since 2018, Sarah’s freelance roster includes a season contract with Symphony New Brunswick and appearances with the Southern Ontario Lyric Opera (Principal Viola), the Ontario Pops Orchestra (Principal Viola) the Esprit Orchestra, Sinfonia Toronto, the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, the TO Live Orchestra, London Symphonia, the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Casa Loma Symphony, the Ontario Philharmonic, the Toronto Sinfonietta, the Kingston Symphony Orchestra, the Peterborough Symphony Orchestra, the Timmins Symphony Orchestra, the North Bay Symphony Orchestra, the Sudbury Symphony Orchestra, the Scarborough Philharmonic, the Guelph Symphony Orchestra, and the Galiano Ensemble of Victoria. A four-time member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Sarah rose to the position of Co-Principal Viola for three seasons. Sarah’s career has taken her to the United States, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, China and Italy. A versatile cross-genre musician, she has shared the stage with Michael Bublé, Josh Groban and Sarah Slean, and collaborated on OKAN’s Juno Award-winning album, Okantomi. Versatility is integral to her nature: you can see her appearing as a featured guest musician in the CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries. Graduating with a Masters of Music Performance degree from the University of Victoria, Sarah studied under Joanna Hood (Lafayette String Quartet). She earned her Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Université de Moncton, studying with Nadia Francavilla and Isabelle Fournier.

Leslie Townsend

Leslie Townsend, VIOLIN Violinist Leslie Townsend earned his B. Mus. Hons from Trinity Laban in the UK, his M. Mus from the Vienna Privat Universität, and a Violin Certificate from St. Petersburg, Russia. Originally from London, UK, Leslie is classically trained in violin and piano. His performing career has taken him on tour in Africa, Europe, Canada and Asia. Leslie began his training when he was 8, at 14 played as soloist in Vivaldi’s ‘Winter’ and was described by Yehudi Menuhin as “a player of passion and interest”. He studied in Russia, following in the footsteps of his great grandmother, a pianist. Returning to England, his string quartet won prizes at Trinity Laban and other national competitions. He then toured France and Switzerland. In Vienna he acquired the precision and grace of the Viennese style, then launched his professional performance career. Highlights include performing Music Theatre tours in Holland and Belgium, and working for the BBC. In Canada he is much in demand as an orchestral violinist performing with orchestras and ensembles across Ontario and Quebec. A gifted educator, Leslie maintains a full teaching studio.

JunKyu Park

JunKyu Park, CELLO His sound is described by critics as “deep and sonorous” (Kumkin Daily, Korea), his technical execution and interpretive integrity are consistently lauded by his peers. Korean born JunKyu Park immigrated to Canada to extend his musical training and develop his career. Accolades and prestigious awards soon followed, winning first prize in the Canadian Music Centre Competition and a score of others including the CBS National Music Competition and the Felix Galimir Award for Excellence in Chamber Music. Appearing as a soloist with renowned orchestras including Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and Kindred Spirits Orchestra, JunKyu is consistently praised for his vibrant tone and charismatic presentation. JunKyu is a consummate chamber musician; MQ signed him on to complete the quartet in 2024. Earning his Master of Music degree from the University of Toronto on full scholarship, JunKyu also holds an Artist diploma from the Hartt School. While here as a scholarship student he was chosen to take part in their prestigious 20/20 ensemble program. His undergraduate degree was completed under scholarship at McGill University. Highlights of JunKyu Park’s professional career include serving as principal, assistant principal and section leader in the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Banff Festival Orchestra, Hartt Symphony Orchestra, University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Kindred Spirits Orchestra, Tongyoung Music Festival, and Bucheon Youth Orchestra. In demand as a clinician and chamber musician, JunKyu Park gives master classes at the University of Toronto and is a regular invited artist at Chamber Musical Festivals in the Banff Music Festival in Canada and the Nice Music Festiva, France.