Youth Summer Camps at Brentwood
Set on one kilometre of shoreline on the Pacific Ocean, in sheltered Mill Bay, the Brentwood College School campus is a perfect spot for summer camp experiences that explore arts, sports, academics, fitness, and culture. More than anything, it’s a great place to make new friends!
Stay tuned for our 2025 Summer Camps lineup coming soon!
Henry Shapard: Orchestral Director
Henry Shapard was appointed the Principal Cello of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 2020. In addition to concerto appearances with the VSO, Henry has led the North Shore Chamber Orchestra. For three years, he was assistant conductor of the Yale Symphony Orchestra. His work as Music Director with the Berkeley College Orchestra and the Saybrook College Orchestra, he won the university-wide Bach Society Prize and Sharp Prize. Henry is extremely enthusiastic about joining the WCAMS family this summer and looks forward to sharing a love for music-making, great repertoire, and growth with all the musicians who converge in July.
Geordie Roberts: Large Choir, Vocal Technique, Collaborative Singing
Geordie holds a B.Mus. from UBC and a Performing Arts Diploma from the Vancouver Academy of Music. Geordie is an instructor of choral and voice classes for the Diploma in Music Program at Capilano University. He sings with the Vancouver Chamber Choir, and he also directs choirs at Highlands United Church in North Vancouver.
Mike Keddy: Wind Ensemble Director, Percussion
Dr. Michael Keddy completed his PhD in Music Education/Conducting in Victoria, where he now teaches, and is Music Director of the Don Wright Symphonic Winds and The Greater Victoria Concert Band. At Parry Sound High School in Ontario, both concert and jazz ensembles under his direction were consistently praised for their musicality and energy, receiving numerous Gold standings at National and International Festivals. Mike has adjudicated and provided numerous clinics at many festivals throughout Canada. As a percussionist, Mike has performed in a variety of genres and venues, from solo performer at Buckingham Palace to the World Champion Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps.
Jack Whitney
Jack Whitney started climbing at the age of three in the middle school gym where his dad taught climbing. Jack grew up on the wall and at the age of 10 began to climb competitively; he has since represented Canada at Youth World Championships and at a men's World Cup event. Jack is currently enrolled at the University of Victoria. He also works at Boulders Climbing Gym, where he coaches a junior competitive team. Jack is a member of the Association of Canadian Mountain Guides, as Climbing Gym Instructor - Level 1. He spends most of his time training for world cup season.
Nick Szymanis
Nick Szymanis is the founder and lead director of Debate Camp, since 2002. He has been a career educator for 18 years, inclusive of academic leadership positions—most recently as Director of Academics at the Sterling Hall School in Toronto (2010-15). He has coached debating, hosted annual tournaments for the past 18 years, and is the current Vice President of the International Independent Schools Public Speaking League. Nick, his wife Oona, and two sons, Noah and Aaron, live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where he currently coaches debating at Armbrae Academy and King's Edgehill School.
Phil Newns
Phil is well known as a jazz pianist, vocalist, bandleader, and educator. He studied music at the University of Natal in South Africa and later through the University of Toronto. His jazz bands, choirs, and private students achieve top honours in festivals across Canada each year—including the annual Nationals, Music Fest Canada. Extensive professional career credits include Musical Director of more than 40 major theatrical productions; most recently, Mama Mia, Chicago, Spamalot, West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, and many more.
Amy Staples
Amy started her training at Joy’s Dance Factory in Lethbridge, Alberta. She joined Ballet Victoria in 2016 where she performed in eight mainstage productions in addition to touring across North America. She has also performed in five mainstage productions with Lamondance Contemporary Company in North Vancouver, and held faculty positions at Joy’s Dance, Steps Ahead, RNB Dance, and Ballet Victoria Conservatory. In recent years, she has been branching into choreography and is currently working on a neoclassical piece for a company in Melbourne, Australia.
Amy joined Brentwood College School as the Dance Program Lead and Musical Choreographer in 2020—and is thrilled to continue building these beloved programs.
Scott McGill
West Coast born and raised, Scott McGill obtained his bachelor's degree in Jazz Guitar/Voice through Vancouver Island University. His professional career in music started with the Vancouver-based Urban/Pop group F-Jam (later known as or-gan-ik). The group released two studio albums, a number of EPs, one live album, toured extensively, and was nominated for Album of the Year at the West Coast Music Awards in 1999. After F-Jam, Scott was chosen to be a cast/contestant member of Global TV’s Season 2 Popstars and spent some time living in Toronto. He has played in many bands, in Canada and other parts of the world. In 2005, Scott started teaching music, privately and at the high school level. He has spent the last 18 years at Brentwood College School. Today, Scott is an active live performer and recording artist. He can be found performing solo, with his duo Rae&Scott, in community/high school/college theatre orchestra pits, and with the eight-piece Pop/Show Band The Phonix YYJ. His solo works can be found on all streaming platforms along with his latest release with Rae&Scott, ‘Still Like Falling in Love (with you)’.
Avi Sharabi
Prior to completing her kinesiology degree with a minor in psychology at the University of Victoria, Avi was an accomplished, high-level tri-sport athlete at Brentwood College School. While at UVic, she competed on the Varsity Women’s Rugby Team and became passionate about helping other young athletes achieve their goals. Currently, Avi continues to pursue her career in Strength and Conditioning by working with developmental, varsity, and professional athletes in various sports. She is also a practicing Kinesiologist at Back to Back Chiropractic Clinic and has been accepted to a Master of Exercise Science Strength and Conditioning Program at Edith Cowan University.
Jacob Lakirovich
Mr. Lakirovich is the founding director of the JVL Summer School for Performing Arts “Music in the Summer” Festival—bringing together some of the leading performers and teachers from North America and Europe. Mr. Lakirovich served as Head of the String Department at the New Conservatory of Music in Toronto (1997 to 2013) and currently teaches privately in his studio in Maple, Ontario. He is also the past President of Rotary Club of North Scarborough, Canada, and was named a Paul Harris Fellow—the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Award—for his contribution to the community and significant assistance given for the furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations among people of the world.
David Lakirovich
David completed his undergraduate degree at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in 2013, with Shmuel Ashkenasi and Vadim Gluzman, and his master’s at the Cleveland Institute of Music in 2015, with William Preucil. He previously served as the Associate Concertmaster of the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra in Columbus, Ohio, for three seasons, and played three seasons with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (two years as Tutti 1st Violin, and one year as the Assistant Concertmaster). David was also invited to perform as Guest Associate Concertmaster with the Jalisco Philharmonic during the entire summer of 2015 in Guadalajara, Mexico, as well as Guest Concertmaster of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra in April and November of 2019. David joined the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as the new Assistant Concertmaster at the beginning of the 2018/19 season and is currently the Orchestra’s Acting Associate Concertmaster.
Art Hobbs
Art enjoys playing and teaching tennis! Art has competed and coached at national and international levels, was Junior ITF and Davis Cup Coach for Malaysia, and played doubles for Singapore's 1993 Davis Cup Team. Art has helped develop tennis communities throughout Asia and most recently in the Cowichan Valley—along with being a tennis coach at Brentwood College School. He is passionate about tennis and thrives passing on his love for the game to others.
Conrad Alscher
Conrad was a national-level tennis player as a junior and still plays competitively in tournaments. He coaches alongside Art to build up the tennis community in the Cowichan Valley and is also a tennis coach at Brentwood College School. Conrad is dedicated to ensuring tennis players have the best tennis experience possible by improving their skills and providing an enjoyable learning process.
Wesley Barrett
Wesley has spent over a decade coaching soccer, and is the co-founder of an organization called EPIC Sport Management Society. He completed his degree in Recreation and Health from UVic, and has held roles of Head Coach of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Northern Academy and Assistant Coach with the UNBC Timberwolves men's and women's programs. He continues to run and facilitate EPIC while serving as Head of Soccer at Brentwood College School.
