Bios
Michael Berec
Composer - Maestro - Producer
Award-winning Canadian conductor, composer, and multi instrumentalist, Michael Berec has devoted his life to creating beautiful music. Michael serves as the Music Director of the York Chamber Ensemble and the Associate Conductor of the Kindred Spirits Orchestra, where he takes pride in building audiences and providing transcendent musical experiences. Whether for the stage or screen, Michael is recognized for his deep understanding of the musical phrase, and sensitivity to pitch and rhythm.
He is an in-demand conductor and composer for various media, and has recently completed conducting and composing the score for the seventh season of the award winning Hallmark television series “Good Witch.” Michael has also been featured as an on-camera musician in such productions as the Oscar award-winning film The Shape of Water and the Emmy award-winning television series, The Handmaid’s Tale.
Aside from conducting orchestras throughout North America and Europe, Michael has had the opportunity to be a part the music teams for various special events from CNN’s 2021 “Fourth in America” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus and the New York Youth Symphony, to live-to-air broadcasts from the Metropolitan Opera, New York City.
Michael has been featured on Canada’s National Classical radio station 96.3 and has had the pleasure to perform and work with artists such as the late violinist Jacques Israelievitch, actors Kathleen Turner and Colm Feore, pianists André Laplante and Christina Petrowska-Quilico, Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith, and the Canadian Tenors.
Stephanie Berec
Writer - Artist - Producer
After completing her Fine Arts degree, Stephanie started her career in film and television as a special effects makeup artist, and puppet fabricator for stop motion animation.
With her appetite whetted, Stephanie delved further into the world of film and television production, but this time on the production management side. She worked on animated series, puppet shows, and lifestyle programs.
Stephanie then began work at Corus Entertainment, and specialized in production finance, regulatory, and funding. She worked for Movie Central/HBO Canada, managing their film development fund and original programming. She assessed scripts, screeners, and managed their Canadian film acquisitions, dealing with the top distributors and content creators in Canada.
Stephanie then worked at the CBC, managing their development slate and acquisitions for the senior executive team. Her understanding of what makes a script strong and a production stand out, proved to be an asset.
Stephanie is also a writer, and has written short films and feature length films. She has created and produced live action and animated videos. She also provides script reading services and assists other writers and producers in taking their projects to the next level.