Meet the Contra Teaching Team
These extremely skilled musicians take teaching very seriously. They’re committed to using realistic, evidence-based approaches to learning that are tailored specifically to what works best for each student. All of our teachers are active and passionate professionals or qualified with Master’s and/or Doctoral-level education in music.
Unlike many private teachers out there, teaching with Contra is NOT a casual side gig for any of them. They’re all in and you can count on their attention, focus, and expertise.
Paul Çelebi
Paul was born in Turkey, and moved to the USA as a child. He studied with Alvin Chow at Oberlin Conservatory, before finishing his graduate studies with Kyoko Hashimoto at McGill University.
He won First Prize and all prizes at the New England Piano Teacher’s Association, and a grant from the foundation Foundation Amis de Royaumount in France.
He has worked with the world’s leading composers as a pianist, including Philippe Leroux, Philippe Hurel, and Stephen Hartke, which include performances broadcast on Radio France. He is one of the founders of Ensemble Éclat, a contemporary music ensemble based in Montréal.
Dr. Mária Budáčová
Born in Slovakia, Mária attended the Conservatory in Bratislava, then The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague with Pavel Černý (sneaking in an exchange year with Pier Damiano Peretti in Vienna). She finished her doctorate and masters at McGill University with Hans-Ola Ericsson.
Mária’s noteworthy achievements include winner of the Lynnwood Farnam Organ Competition, second-place at the Arthur Poister Scholarship Competition, and a finalist — twice — at the Canadian International Organ Competition. She’s a regular with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra (OSM), the Orchestre Métropolitain, and the Festival Bach Montreal.
She currently holds the position of Director of Music at the Mission Saint-Irénée-de-Lyon in Montréal.
Frank O’Sullivan
Frank O’Sullivan is a Canadian composer and guitarist who graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, in jazz performance with Tomo Fujita, Tim Miller, and Sheryl Bailey.
As an instrumentalist, he has recorded and toured the world with Malika Tirolien, Dominique Fils-Aimé, Planet GZA, Busty and The Bass, and Kallitechnis, among others.
Frank has three full length albums and two EPs of original music, and co-wrote the song “Gifted” by Kallitechnis, nominated for Best Contemporary RnB Recording at the 2022 Junos, and has recently opened for Al Di Meola at the Montréal International Jazz Festival.
Adrian Ross
Adrian Ross is an organist and conductor currently pursuing doctoral studies in performance at the University of Toronto. He is especially passionate about plainchant-based music, the music of Bach, and improvisation. His past studies in Toronto and at the Université de Montréal include piano and harpsichord performance, counterpoint, composition, and historical musicology (especially of the Middle Ages).
Adrian appears regularly as a recitalist and conductor. As an organist, recent solo appearances include the Festival des couleurs de l’orgue français (Montréal), L’orgue en mai (Montréal), and at Église Immaculée-Conception (Montréal). As a conductor, founded and directed Ensemble ex nihilo, a group of young artists devoted to a cappella sacred music in Toronto.
Presently, Adrian serves as the Assistant Organist for St Basil’s Catholic Parish at St Michael’s College in the University of Toronto.
Dr. James Renwick
James is a music theorist, guitarist, and composer who is completing a PhD in Music Theory at McGill University . His dissertation focuses on fugal theories in the nineteenth century, with a particular focus on the work of Anton Reicha and Ebenezer Prout. In addition to history of theory, James is invested in a number of other areas of music theory including tuning theory, fretboard theory, and late-Romantic harmony.
James also has a DMA in Classical Guitar from the University of Toronto, where he analyzed the performances of Julian Bream and Peter Pears. Recent musical projects include an album of Walton, Tippett, and Britten, as well as composing and learning a new set of 24 preludes and fugues for guitar.
Kelsey Kussier
Kelsey Lussier is completing her PhD in Music Theory at McGill University. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, she earned her Bachelor of Music Degree from Queen’s University in flute performance. There, she was also an active orchestral and chamber ensemble director and discovered her love for music theory. She then completed her Master of Arts in Music Theory at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver in 2021.
Kelsey has over 6 years of experience teaching music in private, small group, and large classroom settings. She has experience designing classes and works with kids as young as 2 and adults aged 50 years and above. She plays the flute and the organ.
James also has a DMA in Classical Guitar from the University of Toronto, where he analyzed the performances of Julian Bream and Peter Pears. Recent musical projects include an album of Walton, Tippett, and Britten, as well as composing and learning a new set of 24 preludes and fugues for guitar.
Dr. Philippe Macnab-Séguin
Philippe is a composer of instrumental, electroacoustic and mixed music who aims to create a new musical language at the crossroads of popular musics and contemporary classical music.
His in-depth study of Aural Sonology, the frequent presentations and workshops he gives on the subject, and his contact with Lasse Thoresen helps ground his artistic research in clear perceptual principles.
He has received over 20 scholarships and awards for his work, including the Prix d’Europe, a BMI award, four SOCAN young composer awards, and funding from the SSHRC and FRQSC. He has a Doctorate in music composition at McGill University under the supervision of Jean Lesage.