About APQ

As an esemble our goal is to use our gifts as musicians to engage our community in meaningful artistic experiences. To be true to ourselves, while respecting the artistic integrity of the music we perform

Noah Waters, violinist

Noah Waters is a violinist, violist and teacher. He completed his bachelors at The University of Michigan and is currently studying at the University of Ottawa with Yehonatan Berick. He is prolific freelance musician, performing with the Ottawa Symphony, Canto Sentimento, the University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Arbor Opera Theatre, The Amythyst Quartet, among many others. He studied under the baton of Kenneth Kiesler and his students including Oriol Sans and Elim Chan, the 2014 Donnatella Flick laureate. His passion is teaching and he maintains a studio of all ages including adults at Alcorn Music Studios in Ottawa.

Kathryn Cobbler, violist

Noted by mentors for her beautiful sound and sense of musicality, Kathryn Cobbler has been performing as a violist from 2009. Since her transition to “the dark side” from being a violinist, Ms. Cobbler has had a varied performance experience as a chamber and orchestral musician. Within her performance career Kathryn has appeared with Toronto Symphony’s Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the String Orchestra for vocal ensemble Il Divo, and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra and apart of the Western University Weldon Library Chamber Music Series. In her strong belief in music’s therapeutic abilities, Ms. Cobbler has been pursuing an independent study at the Perley Rideau Veteran’s Health Centre working with residents living with dementia. Kathryn Cobbler holds a Bachelor in viola performance from Western University. She currently resides in Ottawa, Ontario, completing a Master’s degree under the tutelage of Rennie Regehr at the University of Ottawa.

Fiona Armstrong, cellist

Fiona Armstrong is a BMus cello performance student, currently completing her 4th year of studies at the University of Ottawa with professor Paul Marleyn. Since beginning to study the piano at the age of 4, and cello at the age of 8 with Margaret Tobolowska, Fiona has welcomed many opportunities to perform in a variety of groups and ensembles, including solo and collaborative concerts at a variety of venues throughout the Ottawa-Gatineau region, such as the Chateau Laurier, Ottawa Convention Centre, Canadian Museum of History, and Ambassador’s residences of Hungary, Finland, Barbados, Sweden, and Italy. Last year, Fiona was the recipient of the Bhawani Anantaraman Memorial Foundation Scholarship through the University of Ottawa, and in 2013 received the Helen Nininger Scholarship in Music.

Risa Tonita, pianist

Risa Tonita is a first-year Master of Music student in Piano Performance at the University of Ottawa. A former student of Stéphane Lemelin, she is currently under the tutelage of Frédéric Lacroix. She has also had the opportunity of taking lessons with Jean-Paul Sévilla, Jacques Bernier, Corey Hamm, and Rosella Clini. Highlights of her past year were performing with the University of Ottawa Wind Ensemble, as well as the Parkdale Orchestra. In addition, she participated in Kim Mattice Wanat’s Opera Nuova in May and June 2014.

Risa takes great pleasure in collaborating with other musicians and singers, and is delighted to share her passion for music with every opportunity that presents itself as was recognized by her receiving the Mitchell Sharp Commemorative Bursary as well as the Gilles G. Patry Foundation for student involvement from the University of Ottawa. What inspires Risa the most in music is the joy that it brings to others and she hopes that her music will inspire her audiences to experience their own musical enjoyment.