Mary Ashton Violin Mary Ashton is a classically trained violinist residing in the London area and a graduate of the University of Western Ontario's Faculty of Music and Faculty of Education. As a performer, she has continued to explore the various languages of music, discovering an innate love of traditional music, be it Celtic, Greek, or Arabic, and a deep passion for improvisation. Mary teaches private and group lessons at the London Waldorf School. At UWO, during her studies with Dr. Robert Skelton and Gwen Thompson , she was a member of Orchestra London and various string ensembles. Attending classes at the Goderich Celtic College opened a whole new world of music for Mary, in which she has continued to immerse herself, playing weekly at the local Morrissey House Session in London. One snowy December evening, a loose collective of like-minded tune fiends, dubbed Traddicted, arose from this tune addiction! Currently, Mary can be seen performing a kaleidoscope of musical genres as a soloist or member of a variety of musical groups ranging from Classical, Folk, and Celtic, to Near and Middle Eastern ensembles. One of these groups, The Light of East Ensemble based in London, Ontario, performs music of the Near and Middle East. With the Light of East Ensemble, Mary has enjoyed playing a wide variety of venues and events, as well as participating as a guest lecturer at the University of Western Ontario and the University of Windsor and performing in numerous educational concerts at the elementary and high school levels. With the Light of East Ensemble, Mary has been able to combine her two musical passions: improvisation and traditional music.