About Us Staff & Board

Staff

Lawrence Cherney, Founding Artistic Director

Lawrence Cherney’s first professional engagement as oboist was under the baton of Igor Stravinsky with the CBC Symphony Orchestra. He then embarked on a career as an oboe soloist of international distinction, commissioning more than 150 works for his instrument, and recording and touring these works on three continents. Cherney became founding artistic director of Soundstreams in 1982, and in the intervening nearly 40 years, has been at the forefront of Canadian music, often referred to as Canada’s “Ambassador of New Music”. Under his leadership, Soundstream produces an eclectic annual series in Toronto featuring new music and music theatre/opera and has become one of the leading organizations of its kind in the world.

Beth Brown, Executive Director

Beth Brown comes to Soundstreams from Nightwood Theatre, Canada’s foremost feminist theatre, where she held the Managing Director role for over seven years and was able to grow the organization, ensuring financial stability in order to further its impact and reach. Beth graduated from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Music Degree, and went on to study Technical Theatre Production at the National Theatre School of Canada. Upon graduating, Beth worked as a Stage Manager and Production Manager on productions in Toronto and abroad for many years. In 2010, Beth became General Manager of Theatre Direct Canada where she contributed to the opening and managing of a new facility. Beth is a Board Member for the Toronto Alliance of Performing Arts (TAPA) where she chairs the Dora jury nomination committee. She is also a proud board member of the WeeFestival and Eldritch Theatre Company.

Kara Apostol, Archives and Research Coordinator

Kara Apostol is a South Texas native turned Toronto based musician. She joins the team at Soundstreams as our Archives and Research Coordinator, and hopes to use her experience as a performer and educator to inform her work and support our mission. Kara is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Percussion Performance at the University of Toronto, where she is pushing the boundaries of contemporary music by exploring the intersection of emotion, multi-media art, and instrumental performance.

Anna Kajtar, Director of Development

Anna Kajtar is the Director of Development at Soundstreams, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in Canada’s arts and cultural sector. She has held senior roles with organizations including the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Canadian Music Therapy Fund, Art of Time Ensemble, and Coleman Lemieux et Compagnie. She is currently also part-time Managing Director at the K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation. Anna is deeply committed to building meaningful relationships with donors, partners, and communities, and to supporting ambitious artistic work that reflect diverse voices and ideas. She is delighted to be supporting Soundstreams’ bold vision for new music and creation. 

Hoi Tong Keung, Recording and Rights Coordinator

Hoi Tong Keung is a Hong Kong-raised musician and arts administrator based in Toronto. She is the Recording and Rights Coordinator at Soundstreams and the Production and Operations Manager of The Happenstancers, a Toronto-based contemporary chamber ensemble. Her work bridges artistic vision with the practical work of producing and presenting music.

As a performer, Hoi Tong is a freelance percussionist and chorister, and performs on the sheng with the Toronto Chinese Orchestra. She co-founded KöNG Duo with Bevis Ng. The percussion duo explores contemporary life through thoughtfully curated programs and collaborations with emerging composers. They have performed across Canada, the United States, and Europe, and proudly endorses Marimba One instruments.

Hoi Tong is pursuing an MBA in Arts Innovation at the Global Leaders Institute. She also holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance from the University of Toronto. Her experience as both an arts administrator and performer informs her commitment to supporting artists and fostering a sustainable environment for contemporary music.

Kayla Milmine, Marketing and Audience Engagement Manager

Kayla Milmine joined the Soundstreams administrative team in November 2022. Kayla holds a BA in jazz performance from Concordia University in Montreal, where she lived before moving to Toronto in 2014. She has toured, recorded, and performed over the past 15 years as a soprano saxophonist involved in various musical projects. Her interest in arts administration, presenting concerts and performing, inspired her to co-found the Women from Space Festival in Toronto in 2019; a festival that celebrates the musical and artistic achievements of women in the fields of avant-garde music, improvisation and new music, during International Women’s Day week (March 8).

Amanda Sampaio, Artistic Producer

Amanda Sampaio is a dedicated production professional with a diverse background in theatre and live events. Originally from Brazil, she began her career as a Producer for the Festival de Teatro de Curitiba. After relocating to Toronto, she graduated from Humber College’s Theatre Production program and continued her work in the arts as a Production Manager for local companies. Amanda is thrilled to join Soundstreams and support the creation of new music.

Katie Saunoris, Publicist

Founder of KSPR, Katie is an Ontario-based publicist and communication strategist with nearly 20 years of experience in arts and culture public relations. She has worked for major Canadian institutions including the Stratford Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, Soulpepper Theatre Company, and the Luminato Festival. Clients of KSPR include Buddies in Bad Times, Capitol Theatre Port Hope, Necessary Angel Theatre Company, the Indigenous Voices Awards, and the Festival of Literary Diversity, as well as other notable independent theatre and music organisations across Toronto. She is also a classically trained flutist with a Hon. Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Western Ontario.

Board of Directors

Kate Applin, President

Although Kate Applin joined the board of Soundstreams in 2019, she joined the audience of the company in her childhood and is proud to continue supporting the organization in this new capacity. Kate works in business development at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. A lifelong lover and performer of music and the arts, she is a classically-trained singer and founder of MYOpera.

Coco Chen, Secretary

Coco Chen began playing the violin at the age of four. She studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music and earned her bachelor’s in music performance at the University of Toronto. A passionate performer of Canadian music, Coco has recorded works by Canadian composers including John Weinzweig and premiered works by contemporary composers during her undergrad days at U of T. Coco also holds a JD/MBA from U of T. She previously practiced corporate law at an international law firm and is currently an M&A underwriter at AIG Canada. 

Passionate about Canadian music and the performing arts, Coco is excited to combine her background in music performance and skills in her legal and business work to serve and further advance the vision and mandate of Soundstreams.

Lawrence Smith, Past President

Larry Smith is a Chartered Professional Accountant with over 40 years of experience with senior roles in many industries including retail, food services, cosmetics, entertainment, and home health care franchising in both financial and operational roles. Larry’s enthusiasm for franchising began when he co-founded a franchise system that specialized in gourmet cookies in 1993 and has never left the franchise world since then. After 15 years as Franchise Operations VP with a national home healthcare system, Larry opened a consulting business to help small businesses develop and launch their own franchise model. Larry has been involved as a member of the board for numerous non-profit organizations including his current position as Past President of Soundstreams.

Michael Low

Michael is a Senior Wealth Manager with Raymond James Ltd.  He is cross border licenced helping clients across North America and beyond.  He has held executive positions in banking, payroll, pension and benefits, audit and was a CFO at one of Canada’s largest institutions.  He is past Vice Chair of the Annex Residents’ Association and past Chair of the Parks and Trees Committee.  He is passionate about protecting the environment and is also an avid cyclist.  As a new Board Member, Michael is looking forward to helping Soundstreams accomplish its many missions and objectives.

Volunteer

If you have specific skills that you want to share, we would like to find opportunities at Soundstreams Canada for you. Enjoy volunteering in a creative, diverse and dynamic environment!

How Do I Become A Soundstreams Volunteer?