Meet Our 2026 Team!
Photo by Matt Duboff
VIC PANKRATZ
Conductor
Vic Pankratz's love of singing, conducting and teaching led to a long career at Westgate
Mennonite Collegiate, and on stages and concert halls across Western Canada. Vic was artistic
co-director of the Winnipeg Singers for five seasons and artistic director of Prairie Voices for five seasons. He has on numerous occasions conducted the Westman, Eastman and Central
Manitoba Youth Choirs, the Manitoba Provincial Senior Honour Choir and the Louis Riel Senior Divisional Choir. He currently works with Dead of Winter as a member of the artistic team, leading and directing the WinterSing concert. In the fall of 2024 he received the Manitoba Choral Association’s Award of Distinction - Award for Artistic Excellence. Besides a life filled with music making, Vic enjoys riding his bike year round and hanging out with his grandchildren,
family, and friends.
MARLA FONTAINE
Conductor
Marla Fontaine is a proud graduate of Brandon University, where she earned a
Bachelor of Music Specialist degree (Choral, Instrumental and General), a
Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Performance in Choral Conducting.
Throughout her career, she has taught music and choir to students of all ages,
both in Winnipeg and Brandon. Currently, Marla is the choral specialist at École secondaire Neelin High School, where she leads a concert choir, chamber choir, and vocal jazz ensemble, and teaches drama and musical theatre.
One of Marla’s biggest passions is working with people to create community and
beauty through music. In her spare time, she co-conducts and sings in the adult
choir, “Konektis," and directs Great Plains Voices Thrive, formerly known as the
Brandon Conservatory Chorale Chamber Choir. She enjoys making music with
her friends, through small group gigging and musical theatre productions. Marla
has had many exciting opportunities as a guest conductor and has particularly
enjoyed working with the Western, Eastern and Central Manitoba Youth Choirs
as well as the Provincial Honour Choir (now MB Sings). She values music
advocacy and professional development and is a past president of the Manitoba
Music Educators’ Association. Marla is a proud mom to Miles and Gracie. In her
spare time, she enjoys running, skiing, swimming, camping and traveling. Marla
is honoured and excited to join the 2026 Westman Youth Choir team!
DANIELLE GUINA
Collaborative Pianist
Danielle Guina is a Canadian collaborative pianist, singer, and educator, based in Brandon, MB. She has performed internationally from Los Angeles to Italy, and is passionate about being a well-rounded musician and staying true to her roots. Since completing her masters in Piano Accompanying and Chamber Music at the Eastman School of Music (Rochester, NY) under the direction of Jean Barr, Danielle is now a sessional instructor and staff pianist at Brandon University, teacher of piano, voice, theory, and history at the Eckhardt-Gramatté Conservatory of Music, and a freelance pianist in the Westman community. Danielle is thrilled to have been a part of WMYC since 2022, and is delighted to continue to be part of this amazing experience for youth in the Westman area!
