Dr. Vitale rocking the four-string

Dr. John Vitale, associate professor in the Schulich School of Education, knows how to perform in front of a crowd, as evidenced by the many students he teaches each week, as well as the multitudes of fans he entertains on stage when he trades his chalk in for a bass guitar.

Recently, Dr. Vitale got the opportunity to perform to a sold out crowd with Juno Award winner and Canadian Idol Judge, Sass Jordan, Juno winner Robert Michaels, with the Greater Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra at the Markham Theatre.

Jordan was awarded a Juno award for Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year in 1989, and was nominated for Best Female Vocalist in 1990, 1993, and 1995. She also performed a duet with Joe Cocker for The Bodyguard motion picture soundtrack in 2003. She became a judge on Canadian Idol in 2003, and remained so for the show's entire run through the end of the 2008 season.

Robert Michaels is a platinum-selling recording artist who won a Juno in 2003 for Instrumental Album of the Year. He was also a Juno nominee in 1998 for Instrumental Artist of the Year and in 2000 for Instrumental Album of the Year.

Dr. Vitale has played regularly with Robert Michaels, on a number of albums and tours across Canada, the United States and in the Caribbean.  He counts Nipissing University honorary degree recipient, the esteemed Geddy Lee, as his bass hero.