Ron Bennie, accompanist for Cantando, has been an active musician in Calgary for 10 years and is well known for his superb technique and the artistry he expresses in his playing. Originally from Union Bay, B.C., he received his early musical training at the Victoria Conservatory with pianist Robin Wood. He also attended the University of Western Ontario and the University of Victoria earning a Bachelor of Music Degree. He has always been active as an accompanist from a young age and has worked as an opera repeitteur for many companies including Courtenay Youth Music Centre, Pacific Opera, Debut Opera and Calgary Opera. Ron appears in Calgary with the Vad Ensemble and is a collaborator with the Vocal Studies Program at Mount Royal College.


Pamela Fast, BMus, BEd, accompanist for Cantiga, earned a Bachelor of Church Music degree with a major in piano performance from the Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg, Manitoba, under the guidance of Jean Broadfoot. She continued her studies at the University of Manitoba
where she completed both a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Education degree.
In Winnipeg, Ms Fast taught elementary school music and accompanied several community children's choirs. As a singer, she has performed with many choirs including the CMBC Singers, University on Manitoba Singers, the Mennonite Oratoria Chorus and ECCO.
She offers private lessons in piano, flute and theory.
This season, Ms Fast is also serving as a workshop clinician for our choirs.


Sandra Lindsay, accompanist for Cantaré, brings extensive experience as a solo pianist and collaborative artist. As a student of Marilyn Engle, she earned a BMus and MMus (piano performance) from the University of Calgary. She was
a winner of the national finals of the Canadian Music Competition, and was a semifinalist in the Eckhardt-Grammatté Competition which showcases twentieth-century Canadian music. Ms. Lindsay studied vocal accompanying at the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton New Jersey where she earned a Master's degree in Accompanying and Coaching. In 2001, she joined the staff of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto as an apprentice coach and rehearsal pianist. Relocating to Calgary in 2003, she
is active as an accompanist within the community.