Light in the Winter Night

Linda Kash is a celebrated Canadian actor, director, writer, and educator whose career spans television, film, theatre, radio, and comedy. She began her professional career with The Second City and became widely recognized through regular roles on shows including The Comedy Mill, Rick Mercer Report, The Ron James Show, and Fargo alongside Ewan McGregor.

 Her television appearances also include guest roles on Seinfeld, Third Rock from the Sun, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Ellen. Film audiences know her from acclaimed productions such as Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, and Cinderella Man.

 Beyond performing, Kash has directed for theatre and television, co-created several TV productions, and taught sketch writing and improvisation. In 2007, she founded the Peterborough Academy of Performing Arts with her late husband, actor Paul O'Sullivan. She remains especially beloved across Canada for her long-running role as the Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese Angel, one of the country’s most successful advertising campaigns.

Music Director Michael Newnham is best known for his intense and inspiring conducting style, based on a deep knowledge of the score and informed by a strong interest in languages, cultures and history. A born communicator, his open and direct contact with musicians and audiences creates performances full of expression and energy.

Along with his duties at the PSO, he is also presently (since 2018) Music Director of Orchestra Toronto. During his tenure as Music Director of Symphony New Brunswick (2009-2018), Newnham was instrumental in bringing that orchestra to new artistic heights and raising its profile on the national level.

In addition to his performances in his native Canada, Newnham has also appeared at the helm of many orchestras and opera companies throughout Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Italy, and South Korea.

Endowed with a special passion and gift for working with young musicians, Michael was the founding conductor of the Kawartha Youth Orchestra and has been a faculty member at Music at Port Milford for several years. His involvement in educating young musicians is not limited to Canada; he spent two years as a guest professor and orchestra conductor at Taegu-Hyosung University in South Korea.

Originally from Hamilton, Newnham is a graduate of the conducting class of prof. Bogusław Madey at the Chopin Academy of Music in Warsaw, Poland. He also studied at the Indiana University School of Music and at the University of Toronto.

He is a recipient of several awards, including the “Order of Merit” from the Republic of Poland, the “Best Conductor” Award from the East Slovakian State Opera, and the Turzanski Award for his services in promoting Polish music and culture in Canada.

Before taking up the baton, Newnham began his musical career as a trombonist, playing with the Toronto and Kitchener-Waterloo Symphonies, as well as a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. He currently lives in Peterborough with his wife, cellist Zuzanna. He is an avid reader, proud father to two daughters and a passionate home barista.