The 2025 Collingwood Music Festival takes place from July 9 to 18, but there’s a chance to begin the experience much sooner. The Festival’s spring fundraiser concert event, A Dazzling Night of Music, Fine Dining, and Giving, featuring Quartetto Gelato, takes place May 9.
Along with the music, the event includes gourmet catering by Peasemarsh Farm, known for its farm-to-table approach to cuisine.
“Quartetto Gelato is a group like no other — their passion, versatility, and electrifying performances bring an exhilarating energy to every stage they grace. We are thrilled to welcome them to Collingwood for this special evening, where music, fine dining, and generosity come together to make a lasting impact on our festival’s future. We invite you to join us for a night filled with laughter, artistry, community, and celebration!” says Collingwood Artistic Director Daniel Vnukowski in a statement.
- All funds go directly to supporting the Festival. You can find more details and reserve a seat at the May 9 event at the Craigleith Ski Club [HERE].
The Performers: Quartetto Gelato
The four members of Quartetto Gelato bring a wealth of experience to the stage. The ensemble is known not only for virtuosic performances of classical music, but also Romani tunes, ballads and other genres of music, delivered with theatrical flair.
Konstantin Popović, Violinist
Konstantin’s began his violin studies at the age of five in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, and his talent was recognized early. He also excelled as a vocalist, and at age seven, was a vocal soloist in a youth choir. By the time he graduated from MS Mokranjac, a music high school in Belgrade, he’d won several awards as a violinist at the national level.
After graduating, he immigrated to Canada, where he continued to study at the University of Toronto. After graduating, he performed with the National Academy Orchestra and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, touring across Canada and in Europe and Asia with the latter. He later completed his doctoral degree at the University of Toronto.
Konstantin became the Assistant Concertmaster of the Windsor Symphony Orchestra in 2000, and also became part of Sinfonia Toronto that same year. He has performed as a soloist on several recordings.
Colin Maier, Oboe
A native of Calgary, Colin Maier earned a degree in oboe performance from the University of Calgary. He has been the oboist for Quartetto Gelato since 2009.
He began studying music age age three with a Suzuki violin course, switching to the oboe at 12. He studied fiddling along with dance, singing, and acting in high school with a view to pursuing musical theatre studies. Because he’d missed the deadline to apply, however, he went on to study the oboe instead. After graduation, along with his musical performances, he has also worked as an actor, dancer, and acrobat.
Colin has also performed with The Calgary Philharmonic, The Hamilton Philharmonic, National Ballet of Canada Orchestra, Symphony of the Kootenays, Soundstreams, Toronto Concert Orchestra, Scarborough Philharmonic, and Niagara International Chamber Music Festival, as well as in a variety of jazz ensembles.
In addition to the oboe, Colin also plays the English horn, clarinet, saxophone, flute, bassoon, violin, 5-string banjo, banyan, acoustic/electric bass, piano, guitar, mandolin and musical saw.
He was the oboe instructor at Brock University from 2015 until 2018.
Matti Pulkki, Accordion
Matti began his music studies on his first accordion at the age of six in the small town of Joutseno in eastern Finland. Growing up in Joutseno, he was surrounded by traditional Finnish music, and at home, classical music. He began performing at an early age.
Later, Matti studied with noted Finnish accordionist Matti Rantanen, supplemented by seminars and masterclasses with international artists. It piqued his interest in international study, and Rantanen first came to Canada in 2014 to study with Joseph Macerollo for a year.
After several more visits to perform, Matti returned to Canada in 2019. After earning a Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in accordion performance from the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki, Matti is currently pursuing a doctorate at the University of Toronto while he continues to pursue an active international performing career.
Dobrochna Zubek, Cello
Polish-Canadian cellist Dr. Dobrochna Zubek holds DMA from University of Toronto. She has performed as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral cellist across Europe, Asia, and North America. She has collaborated with a long list of prominent artists, including Peter Gabriel, José Carreras, Shauna Rolston and Gioconda Barbuto.
She performed with the Orquesta Sinfonica del Estado de Mexico from 2009 until 2012, and as a soloist, at many music festivals, including the Geneé International Ballet Competition (2019), Banff Center for Arts and Creativity (2019) and Ottawa Chamberfest (2016). She was principal cellist of Sudbury Symphony Orchestra from 2017 until 2023, and in 2024, was invited by Symphony New Brunswick to be their principal cellist and a quartet cellist in residence.
She has performed in experimental theatre, and as a recording artist, on the JUNO-nominated album Hymns of Heavens and Earth, composed by Peter-Anthony Togni among others.
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