About Us

The Northumberland Orchestra and Choir is a not-for-profit organization that is the county’s first and foremost purveyor of beautiful orchestral and choral music.

Our Musical Team

John Kraus

John is an alumnus of the Western University, where he studied Music Education. He studied clarinet with Jerome Summers, Robert Riesling and Robert She­eld and conducting with Jerome Summers, Morihiro Okabe and William Gordon. As the founding director of the Durham Chamber Orchestra, the Lakeridge Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and the former Music Director of the Clarington Concert Band and the current music director and conductor of the Northumberland Orchestra & Choir, John has worked in many different genres and with many local and international talents, including Mary Elizabeth Brown, Anastasia Rizikov, and the Sultans of String. As a clarinetist, John has performed with the Lavender Chamber Ensemble. He has dedicated more than 30 years as an educator working with high school students from around the world, sharing his passion for Music. John has regularly conducted honour high school ensembles as part of the annual Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival (CISMF), held annually each spring at Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto. He continues to work with students, professionals, and amateur adult musicians who may have entered the arena for the first time or who have returned to something that they began as youngsters, working as a volunteer with the Liftlock New Horizons organization, Peterborough and as an instructor at the Lakefield Summer Music Camp, Lakeeld, Ontario. John is a member of the Ontario Music Educators Association and has led workshops on ‘best practices’, creativity and composition, and technology in the Music classroom and a coach with the woodwind section and sectional conductor of the La Jeunesse Youth Orchestra, Port Hope. He regularly works with ensembles preparing for festivals and is an adjudicator with the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators Association.

Victoria Yeh

Victoria Yeh is a Canadian violinist who has performed across the country from coast-to-coast-to-coast, and has been lauded by music critics internationally. Classically trained, Victoria has served as Concertmaster for various orchestras, in addition to her active performance career as a contemporary electric violinist. Today, her unique style combines classical purity with the edginess of prog fusion, heavily influenced by the likes of Jean-Luc Ponty and Joe Satriani.

When not on stage, Victoria can be found recording on countless film, television and music projects in genres ranging from atmospheric avant-garde to hip-hop and electronica; folk and fiddle to ethno-world and rock. As a devoted teacher, Victoria also works extensively with adults who are either returning to their instruments after a long absence, or advanced players seeking to improve their technical foundations and/or explore contemporary music and improv. Victoria has been recognized with the 2021 Platinum and 2022 Gold Awards for Best Music Lessons in Grey County.

New to Peterborough, Victoria is honoured to be serving as the new Concertmaster for the NOC.

Board Members

2022-2023

Executive

Board Members

Ex-Officio

Operations