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Soprano Maghan Stewart has been acclaimed for her versatility in all areas of classical singing from oratorio, to art song, opera and contemporary. The quality of her voice has been described as “brilliant but [with] warm lyricism”. Maghan has just returned from Europe where she performed a concert in Vienna, Austria and performed in the Lyon International Competition for Voice and Piano with colleague Valerie Dueck. Recent awards include a Canada Council for the Arts Grant, the Academie International d'ete de Nice competition, the Canadian Music Competition, the Brian Law Competition and a semi-finalist in the International Dutch Competition ‘s-Hertogenbosch.
Maghan had a wonderful musical upbringing in Timmins. She worked with local teacher Rosanne Simunovic and was an enthusiastic member of the Timmins Youth Singers. . Under Ms. Simunovic’s direction, Maghan obtained the Porcupine Music Festival’s Rosebowl and twice the Vocal Plaque. She studied piano and obtained her grade 10 RCM under Helene Maisonneuve’s direction, and took theory with the late Mrs. Mary Baderski. Maghan made her opera debut with the Timmins Symphony Orchestra as Pamina,in Mozart’s The Magic Flute under the direction of the late Geoff Lee, who then composed two pieces for her to premiere at her first solo recital. She later performed Pamina at the University of Ottawa.
Her repertoire of roles demonstrates her finely honed acting skills from serious to silly characters including: Puck, Nananina, Nanetta, Susanna, Cherubino, Donna Elvira. As an apprentice with Opera Lyra Ottawa, she has appeared on the stage of the National Arts Centre — as La Contessa Ceprano in Verdi's Rigoletto, as the Slave in Strauss' Salome, and as the First Lady in Mozart's Magic Flute — and created the role of Nananina in Zeus and the Pamplemousse, a one-act opera for children by Michael Cavanagh and Jeffrey McCune.
Maghan Stewart graduated with honours from the University of Toronto Voice Performance program, and received the Douglas Bodle graduation scholarship for $1800.00. She also received full scholarship for her final year's tuition.(The Lois Marshall and the Greta Kraus scholarships).
This young soprano has been featured in many art song recitals, most notably for the CBC Classical Encounters series at the National Gallery of Canada and an all-Hugo Wolf recital at the International Hugo Wolf Celebration. Other recital appearances include Classique 97.1 FM, Toronto's Aldeburgh Connection Young Artists Recital series under artistic directors Steven Ralls and Bruce Ubukata. She is a versatile oratorio singer. Her growing repertoire includes such works as Zelenca’s Magnificat and Dixit Dominus, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem and Vesparae Solemnes de Confessore, Schubert’s Mass in G, Faure’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Elijah, Rutter’s Magnificat and Mass for the Children, and MacMillan’s Celtic Mass for the Sea.
Additionally, Maghan was featured at the faculty of music "Vocal Showcase" concert each year after receiving the highest mark on her first and second year juries and third year recital. She was also featured in Toronto's Aldeburgh Connection "Young Artist Series" with Stephen Ralls and Bruce Ubukata.
Maghan was privileged to be apart of the prestigious Oberlin at Casalmaggiore program in Italy for three summers while studying with the late Gaelyne Gabora and Lorraine Manz. She played Cherubino(1998)and Susanna (2000) in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro and Nanetta (1999) in Verdi's Falstaff.
Maghan made her debut with the Vermont International Opera Festival in 2005, where she played Violetta, Zerlina and Donna Elvira. With Opera Lyra Ottawa’s Young Artists Programme, she has appeared on the stage of the National Arts Centre — as La Contessa Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto, as the Slave in Strauss’ Salome, and as the First Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute — and premiered the role of Nananina in Zeus and the Pamplemousse, a one-act opera for children by Michael Cavanagh and Jeffrey McCune.
Maghan has been featured in many art song recitals, most notably for the CBC Classical Encounters series at the National Gallery of Canada and in an Hugo Wolf recital at the University of Ottawa. Other recital appearances include Classique 97.1 FM and Toronto’s Aldeburgh Connection Young Artists Recital series under artistic directors Steven Ralls and Bruce Ubukata.
She has been a guest soloist with the Mad River Valley Chorale, the Centennial Choir, the University of Ottawa Choir, the University of Ottawa Orchestra, the Carleton University Choir, the National Youth Choir, the Ontario Youth Choir, the University of Toronto’s Macmillan Singers, the Timmins Youth Singers and the Timmins Symphony Orchestra. A graduate of the University of Toronto, Maghan Stewart recently obtained her Master’s degree from the University of Ottawa under the direction of Ingemar Korjus. She continues her studies with Lorraine Nubar and Cynthia Sanner of the Julliard School in New York.
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Melanie Boisvert's Official Site
Residing since 1998 in Bonn, Germany, Timmins-native Mélanie studied piano with Hélène Maisonneuve from the age of 7 until she left to undertake the Artist Diploma in Piano Performance at the Royal Conservatory of Toronto, from which she graduated in 1995. Mélanie Boisvert took up the study of singing in 1996 under Tina Torlone at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. At the same time she studied singing with Tina Torlone, who remained her teacher for many years.
While residing in Timmins Melanie was an active and deicated member of the Timmins Youth Singers under the direction of Rosanne Simunovic. During her final year with the TYS, Rosanne Simunovic awarded Melanie the TYS Conductor's Award for her outstanding musical achievement and leadership skills during her tenure with the TYS. She is featured as a chorus member on the "I Remember December" CD as well as Scenes From A Dream CD.
In 1998 Mélanie left for Germany to pursue her studies in singing, where she obtained a bachelor diploma and a Master’s in vocal performance from the Hochschule für Musik of Cologne.There she made her operatic debut in 2000 in the role of Amor (Gluck: Orfeo ed Euridice) at the Stadttheater Solingen.
Her opera career accelerated when she was awarded the 4th prize at the Concours International de Montréal des Jeunesses Musicales 2002 , after which she was hired to sing “Olympia” in The Tales of Hoffmann at the Opéra national du Rhin, Strasbourg, France.
Further engagements in Europe followed, such as Cunegonde (Candide) and Miss Ellen (Lakmé) for the Opéra de Rennes and the Grand Théatre de Reims, Oriana (Haendel : Amadigi) for the Neue Opernbühne Berlin, Donna Fulvia (Rossini : La pietra del Paragone) for Opéra de Fribourg, Switzerland. She has also been invited to perform as a soloist at the Festival de Musique Sacrée de Nice 2003 and 2004, and made her Canadian debut in 2004 with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra in a solo operetta program. In 2005 she sang “Olympia” for both the Ottawa Opera Lyra and the Opéra de Québec.
Mélanie gave her debut as “Queen of the Night” in Mozart’s Magic Flute in 2005 in Vienna
at the Wiener Volksoper, a role she will perform also in 2006 at the opera in Genua, Italy. Upcoming performances in 2006-2007 in Liege, Strasbourg, Avignon, Montpellier, Genua, Rouen. Her career as a high soprano leads her to work in Germany, France, Belgium, Italy and Austria as well as in Canada.
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JP's last concert with the TYS was One Starry Night with Michael Burgess. From
there he toured with both the 1995 & 1996 Ontario Youth Choirs conducted by
Victoria Meredith and the amazing Elmer Iseler. The summer of 1997 took him
to Nova Scotia where he toured with Iwan Edwards and the National Youth
Choir. By now, J.P. was into his second year at McMaster University and perfoming as
Robert in Steven Sondheim's, "Company" and "Mickey" in Willy Russel's "Blood
Brothers", not to metion many large scale dramatic productions and directing
the Kander & Ebb musical "Cabaret".
A change came in 1998 when JP decided to transfer to Brock University to
complete his major in theatre. There he found a great appreciation for Drama in Education - a focus for his years at Brock - and began working in the Residence Department as an RA. In Fall of 2000, JP was cast as Joseph
in the Webber/Rice musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" with the St.Catharines based production company "Garden Ciy Productions". During the run of "Joseph" he was approached by two talent agencies,
"Talenthouse" a large toronto based agency and "Lancaster Talent Management"
a small Hamilton based agency.
Upon completing his Bachelor of Arts degree from Brock University, JP began
perfoming nightly at the Oh Canada Eh?! Dinner Show in Niagara Falls. The show is a musical celebration of Canada, where all the
songs are written or made famous by Canadians. Written 8 years ago by a Niagara Falls, Julliard trained artist, it highlights songs from the 30's
right up until the early 80's.
In the Spring of 2002, JP moved to Banff, Alberta to be a part of the newest and second part of the dinner show, Oh Canada Eh?! in Canmore. In Banff, JP played the leading role in the show. Additionally, in January 2004, J.P.appeared in Sweeney Todd with Calgary Opera, along with musical theatre star, Louise Pitre, as well as equally esteemed singing artists Jon Fanning, Jean Stillwell, Michel Corbet and John McMaster.
Although J.P. still believes the future will hold a star on Hollywood Boulevard, it takes one step at a time to get there...and paying bills along the way to make it!
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Maria studied both piano (Soeur Maria Courteau and Helene Maisonneuve) and voice(Rosanne Simunovic) while a student in Timmins and her love of music encouraged her to become a member of the Timmins Youth Singers. The Youth Singers afforded her the opportunity to perform as a soloist and/or chorus member with the TYS and, eventually, her vocal talent was recognized provincially when she performed as a member of the Ontario Youth Choir for two seasons.
In 1994, her post secondary school education combined with her love for pediatric nursing led her to the esteemed Bachelor Of Science Nursing Program at Queen’s University in Kingston Ontario. She secured many honours while at Queen’s University, including the Dean’s Special Award and the A.J. Baumgart Award for outstanding academic and professional achievements.
Upon graduation from Queen’s University in 1998, Maria was employed as a full time Registered Nurse with the University Health Network-Toronto General Division: Internal Medicine. Following this she secured a full -time position with the Hospital For Sick Children in Toronto, specializing in Paediatric Medicine, Respiratory Medicine and Infectious Diseases. During her employment with the HSC, Maria’s role was multi-faceted and included the implementation and development of a nursing plan of care in collaboration with children/ families and the multidisciplinary health care team.
However, after three years with the HSC, Maria returned to her roots and moved back to another wonderful opportunity in her hometown of Timmins securing a full time Public Health Nursing
position with the Porcupine Health Unit. As a health care professional within the Family Health Services division, she specializes and oversees projects for Early Child Development.
In addition to her employment with the Porcupine Health Unit, Maria is working toward her Masters in Nursing through the University of Victoria, with a concentration on Advanced Practice Leadership.
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Watch a 15 year old Brittany perform "All I Ask Of You".
From a young age, audiences have commended Brittany for her talent, natural stage presence and ongoing passion for the arts through her singing and dancing. Brittany obtained studio training in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern, Hip Hop, Lyrical and Musical Theatre. She began studying voice with Rosanne Simunovic in Timmins at the age of 11 until she moved to North Bay in 2001. Brittany has obtained numerous first place awards in Music Festivals and has performed vocal solos at various functions.
In recognition of her outstanding dedication and leadership in the field of vocal arts, Rosanne Simunovic recognized her achievements by awarding Brittany the prestigious Greg Bond Musical Theatre Scholarship in 2002.
In 2003, Brittany, then 15 years of age, was asked to perform the Lead Role (Cossette) in Les Miserables and was additionally invited as a special guest to sing with the North Bay Symphony Orchestra. She performed in several musical theatre productions including the role of Lead Dancer in the musical production, Swing. Brittany was a cast member of and performed vocal solos in the musical Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. The cast also showcased their performance at the International Thespian Festival in Lincoln, Nebraska.
She looks forward to applying her love of music and performing abilities on a professional level. Brittany plans on either attending university in Voice Performance or Sheridan College in the Musical Theatre Program.
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