Stage Door News
Stage Door News
The Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals, welcomes three new artists for the 2017/2018 season: baritone Samuel Chan, intern pianist Rachael Kerr and mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh. The three artists join the Ensemble Studio in August 2017 and become part of an illustrious program that, since its inception in 1980, has launched the careers of over 220 Canadian singers, opera coaches, mainstage directors and conductors.
McIntosh and Chan were top prize winners this past November at the COC’s sixth annual Ensemble Studio Competition, a vocal showcase of young artists vying for a spot in the program. McIntosh was awarded First Prize and Chan won Second Prize.
“It’s a very exciting and intelligent group of artists we’ve assembled for next season,” says Nina Draganić, Director of the COC’s Ensemble Studio and Orchestra Academy. “Last year the intake of new members was quite significant so there was more time spent getting everyone acclimatized. This fall, we have a large core group returning who will be ready to go and take their training to the next level along with a bit of fresh blood. It’s a nice mix.”
Graduating from the Ensemble Studio in May 2017 are tenors Aaron Sheppard and Charles Sy, and intern pianist Hyejin Kwon.
Members of the Ensemble Studio receive a blend of advanced study and practical experience through an individually tailored, multi-year program, involving understudying and performing mainstage roles, intensive vocal coaching, language and acting studies, and career skills development, as well as participation in masterclasses with internationally renowned opera professionals. In addition, they appear in a showcase performance on the COC’s mainstage, give several concert performances and perform in the COC’s annual school tour.
The new and returning artists of the Ensemble Studio open the 17/18 season of the Free Concert Series in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre with Meet the Young Artists in September 2017. Next fall, they’ll also participate in the COC’s annual Ensemble Studio School Tour, providing school-aged audiences throughout Ontario with an introduction to the world of opera. Then on May 25, 2018, the young artists have their moment to shine on the mainstage of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, performing an evening of operatic scenes with COC Music Director Johannes Debus leading the celebrated COC Orchestra.
ABOUT THE NEW MEMBERS
Samuel Chan – A native of Calgary, baritone Samuel Chan received his bachelor of music from the University of Cincinnati College–Conservatory of Music (CCM). In 2015, he was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions–Western Canada District. His operatic credits include Donkey in The Bremen Town Musicians and Jacob Grimm in The Brothers Grimm (Highlands Opera Studio); Bob in The Old Maid and the Thief (Fear No Opera); Ruggiero in Alcina and Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro (Opera D’Arte at CCM); Page in Amahl and the Night Visitors (Clermont Philharmonic Orchestra); Pastore II/Apollo in L’Orfeo (Cincinnati Chamber Opera); and Don Asdrubale in Lo sposo deluso (City Opera Vancouver). He recently performed Gomatz in Zaïde and Calandrino in L’oca del Cairo with City Opera Vancouver.
Rachael Kerr – Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, pianist Rachael Kerr frequently appears as a soloist, collaborator, coach and chamber musician. She obtained double bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and piano performance at Johns Hopkins University and Peabody Conservatory, where she was the recipient of the Abrams Double Degree scholarship, and has received fellowships to both the Tanglewood Music Center and the Aspen Music Festival. Most recently, she has collaborated with the Chicago Chamber Musicians Ensemble on their First Mondays concert series. She has also been featured in several world premieres of composer David Sampson’s chamber works. Kerr is currently a substitute pianist for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and the Amadeus Choir of Toronto, in addition to working as an accompanist at The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Simone McIntosh – Vancouver-born mezzo-soprano Simone McIntosh is currently earning her master of music from the Schulich School of Music at McGill University, and received her bachelor’s degree in opera from the University of British Columbia (UBC). Her credits include Waitress in Speed Dating Tonight! and Meg in Little Women (Opera McGill); Donna in Crush (Banff Centre); Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict (MY Opera); the Fox in The Cunning Little Vixen, Giulietta in The Tales of Hoffmann and Harry in Albert Herring (UBC Opera Ensemble); Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro (Burnaby Lyric Opera); Cis in Albert Herring (Vancouver Opera). Earlier this season with Opera McGill, she sang the roles of Ruggiero in Alcina and Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, and will sing Judith in Bluebeard's Castle this spring.
Photo: Samuel Chan, Rachael Kerr and Simone McIntosh.
2017-01-12
Toronto: Three young artists to join the COC Ensemble Studio in the 2017/18 season