Friday, February 2, 2007

Atelier S in Perforamance:"The Art of Song" Recital Series: Feb. 28-May 30, 2007


Atеlίεя S

Stuart Graham, Founder/Artistic Director

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:




Atеlίεя S

Presents

“The Art of Song” Recital Series
February 28- May 30, 2007
College St. United Church
454 College St. W, Toronto, ON (corner of College/Bathurst)
tickets: $12.50 - $25.00
Full Series Subscription: $115.00 ($60 savings off of full ticket price)
À la carte: 6 concerts of your pick

(check individual listings for the “À la carte” price)


At the “doorstep” of Toronto’s Little Italy, Atelier S is very pleased to announce its upcoming inaugural 8-part recital series “Art of Song”, featuring member artists of Atelier S. Since September of 2006, Atelier S continues to enjoy its tenancy at College St. United Church (corner of College/Bathurst) as it has enabled much growth in its member artists and in the mandate of Atelier S. “As worthy talent presents itself, I am compelled to create an occasion for that voice to exercise and be heard”, says Stuart Graham (founder and artistic director of Atelier S). Such is the case here. Beginning Wednesday, February 28, 2007 at 7:30pm, coloratura-soprano, Hélèn Ducharme brings up the curtain with a thrilling program singing Mozart’s “Exultate Jubilate”, Debussy’s “Prose Lyriques” and Erich Korngold’s rarely performed “Einfache Lieder”. Other featured artists of this series include: Jan Vaculik (baritone), Partick Huang (tenor) with Joenne Dumitrascu (violin), Stuart Graham (baritone), Martha Spence (mezzo-soprano) and soprano Dolores Tjart.

Other than the rich and diverse programming of these individual solo recitals, Atelier S brings to the season two feature ensemble concerts. April 4, 2007 will hear, in benefit of College St. United Church, a chamber version of Mozart’s Requiem, excerpts of Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Schubert’s Piano Trio in E flat. Closing this inaugural season, we will find the full studio cast celebrating the tradition of “bel canto” presenting in concert solo and ensemble excerpts from Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia”, Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale”, Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera” and rounding off the program with the famous quartet from Verdi’s “Rigoletto” and Donizetti’s sextet from “Lucía di Lammermoor”.

Please read on for more programming details and artist information of the “Art of Song” series.

Stuart Graham
Founder & Artistic Director of Atеlίεя S
416.927.9105
atelier.s@sympatico.ca
http://atelier-s.blogspot.com


The Art of Song:
Recital Series

Featured artists of Atelier S


February 28, 2007 7:30pm
Hélène Ducharme, soprano

Mozart: Exultate Jubilate
Debussy: Prose Lyrique
Korngold: Einfache Lieder
Single Ticket: $20.00
À la carte: $17.50

March 7, 2007 7:30pm
Jan Vaculik, baritone

Works of Brahms, Strauss & Dvořák
Single Ticket: $20.00
À la carte: $17.50

March 21, 2007 7:30pm
Patrick Huang, tenor

With special guest
Joenne Dumitrascu, violin
Works of Bach, Handel & Fauré
Single Ticket: $20.00
À la carte: $17.50

April 4, 2007 7:30pm
Mozart Requiem

Dolores Tjart, soprano
Martha Spence, alto
Patrick Huang, tenor
Jan Vaculik, baritone
*in benfit of College St. United Church
Single Ticket: $25.00
À la carte: $20.00

April 11, 2007 7:30pm
Stuart Graham, baritone

Ravel: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée
Wagner: Die Walküre
(Act II, sc. 2)
Single Ticket: $25.00
À la carte: $20.00

May 2, 2007 7:30pm
Martha Spence, mezzo-soprano

Mahler: assorted songs
Berlioz: La Morte de Cléopâtre
Single Ticket: $20.00
À la carte: $17.50

May 16, 2007 7:30pm
Dolores Tjart, soprano
Bellini: Sei Ariette
De Falla: Siete Canciones Populares Españolas
Single Ticket: $20.00
À la carte: $17.50

May 30, 2007 7:30pm
Opera Excerpts:
Celebrating the Bel Canto Repertoire
Rossini: Il Barbiere di Siviglia
Donizetti: Don Pasquale
Verdi: Un Ballo in Maschera
Verdi: Rigoletto
Donizetti: Lucia di Lammermoor
Single Ticket: $25.00
À la carte: $20.00

SPACE IS VERY LIMITED, SO ORDER EARLY!!!!

Atelier S and its mandate:

Atelier S, is very please to announce that it has a new creative home and since September 1, 2006 all lessons, performance/master classes and student recitals are held in the sanctuary of College St. United Church. This move has opened up fantastic possibilities in support of the technical and artistic growth of the student members of Atelier S. We no longer offer just voice lessons/performance coaching, but have now created a fully structured performance program specialized for the transitioning artist who is working to bridge from the student career to the lyric profession. This new program includes a weekly lesson*, bi-weekly performance/master class series, ensemble performance (opera and concert/oratorio repertoire), solo or shared recital and preferred status in performance classes featuring guest master teachers (ie: Claudette Denys – Conservatoire de Montréal/l’Opéra de Montréal, and others TBA). Roles and solo assignments will be awarded only to members of the performance program. That said, a more relaxed program is always available for that passionate amateur who wishes to explore and enrich their technical and interpretive relationship with their music.

Artists’ Biographies:

Soprano, Hélène Ducharme has never shied away from expressing herself on stage. Always ready to experience new things she has evolved as an exciting performer to watch. Some of her past adventures include: A recent appearance with Atelier S’s production of Suor Angelica and as Chlorinda in a scene from Cenerentola, the Hysteria Festival where she created and performed “Paint My Number” with artist Suzanne MacRury. Re: Paint My Number “Helene Ducharme sang four classical numbers with style and sensitivity...” NOW Magazine. She has collaborated many times with Troy Yorke in his Cabaret Vulgare, “Coloratura Soprano Helene Ducharme soars through her scenes: she is the picture of regal dignity in her opening song from Carmen...” XTRA! Magazine. Always excited to try new things on stage, Helene has explored working with her voice and acting roles in the “Avant Guard”, film and in theatre. Some highlights include: Shaw Festival (play music) Gina Lori Riley (modern dance) Uncut (Feature movie singing appearance) Demolish (dark/cabaret performance) Thrill of a Lifetime (TV. appearance). Helene is happy and excited to be working with her teacher Stuart Graham and is looking forward to her recital in the spring of 2007.

18-year-old violinist Joenne Dumitrascu was born in Romania but raised in Windsor, ON, Canada. She first picked up the violin at the age of six, and is currently a freshman at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, studying with renowned violinist Felicia Moye. Dumitrascu has performed regularly in master classes for Moshe Hammer, Arnold Steinhardt, Aaron Rosand, Scott St. John, the Guarneri String Quartet, the Kneisel Trio, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet among many others. She has competed extensively in past years, both at the national and international levels. She has won the Kiwanis Music Festival “Top Violinist” Award, and competed at three CMC Nationals. At 15, Dumitrascu tied the record as the youngest competitor at the prestigious Stulberg International Competition in the United States. In the past, Dumitrascu has been seen regularly in concert with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra, the Windsor Symphony Youth Orchestra and the WCCA Orchestra. Dumitrascu has also studied piano through the ARCT level. She has competed in equestrian competitions up to the national circuit and is hoping to pursue it later on after her violin studies. When she was younger, Dumitrascu played soccer but gave it up after she started high school at an all-performing arts academy, where she studied violin, piano and music theatre.

After graduating from the University of Toronto with an undergraduate degree in Music Performance, tenor Patrick Huang went on to London to study at the Royal Academy of Music under Ian Partridge. During his time in the UK he has performed with numerous regional orchestras in oratorio concerts, including works such as Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Easter Oratorio and St. Matthew’s Passion, Handel’s Messiah, as well as other cantatas and recently composed works. He has recorded with various choral ensembles, both in Canada and the UK, and has toured within Canada, the US and Germany.

Mezzo-soprano and actor Martha Spence is a native of Toronto where she has performed with several opera companies and workshops. On stage Ms. Spence has appeared as Jo in Mark Adamo’s Little Women with TrypTych productions. Prior to that she also sang the roles of Dame Quickly in Falstaff, Marie and Margarita(Pasquale) in The Most Happy Fella and Nicklausse in Tales of Hoffmann, also with TrypTych. Some of her favourite roles include: Jane in Happy End, Gianetta in L’Elisir D’Amore and Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro. Her ensemble credits include Carmen with Opera Mississauga and several productions with Toronto Operetta Theatre, The Pirates of Penzance among them. She currently studies with Stuart Graham and Thomas Schilling.

Soprano, Dolores Tjart is well known on the Toronto music scene having been heard as featured artist with Opera York (Die Zauberflöte, La Bohème, Carmen), Tryptych Productions (Der Corregidor, Falstaff) and Toronto Opera Repertoire (Die Fledermaus, La Forza del Destino, Carmen, La Traviata) as well as ensemble member with Opera Mississauga. Dolores brings to her performance a rich and thrilling soprano that commands her audience.

Baritone, Jan Vaculik is an up-and-coming talent in the music industry. At the young age of 25 Jan has recently became a member of Canadian Opera Company and performed in the special production of Wangner’s ring cycle in the role of a chorus member. He has also toured throughout Germany with the Festival Ensemble Stuttgart performing Bach’s B minor Mass under the baton of world-renowned conductor Helmuth Rilling. In the year 2001, Jan also gave the North American premiere of the Croatian opera Nikola Subic Zrinjsky with the Royal Opera Canada. His other opera credits include roles of Colline (La Boheme), Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), Sarastro (The Magic Flute), Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro). Mr. Vaculik is currently finishing his bachelor degree at The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music. Jan plans to continue studying at an International school Masters program.


Stuart Graham, baritone, pedagogue, founder/artistic director
Saskatchewan born baritone, Stuart Graham enjoys a solid reputation and growing renown as a strong advocate and teacher of the lyric arts. Still maintaining a vocal studio in Montreal, he is a relative new comer to the Toronto scene (formerly of Montréal—affiliated with the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec a Montréal), Mr. Graham’s studio has quickly taken root and the artists under his tutelage have enjoyed much success, both at a student level and in the professional arena locally and points abroad. Other pedagogical credits include: being studio repetiteur for the class of Anna Barová in the International Masterclasses at the Janáček Academy, Brno, Czech Republic (engaged for his expertise in the French and Bel Canto repertoire), and is regularly called upon to adjudicate graduate level recitals and exams at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto). In performance, Stuart Graham has been heard in recital, oratorio and in opera in Canada, the United States and in Europe, enjoying successes accompanied by orchestras and ensembles, such as: l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal, I Musici de Montréal, the Saskatoon Symphony, Silesian State Opera, Slovak State Philharmonic (Košice), the Oakville Symphony Orchestra, Toronto’s Opera in Concert and Toronto Operetta Theatre. His performance in the world premier of Edifice by Arlan Schultz was broadcast by CBC, the BBC, Radio-France and the Bavarian Radio. In 1993, Mr. Graham made his New York debut as invited artist in recital as part of the Riverside Chamber Music Series (Riverside Church, New York, NY.). His recent endeavours have taken him to further success with his recent solo recitals titled “Le Chasseur Perdu”, accompanied by Claudette Denys (l’Opera de Montreal) and narrated by operalogue Stuart Hamilton at CBC Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio. As well as “Fate” accompanied by pianist José Hernández, with songs of Rachmaninoff, Poulenc and Mahler’s “Kindertotenlieder”. As well as the roles of Massakroff in Straus’ The Chocolate Soldier, as Horace Tabor in Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe, as Raphael and Adam in concert of Haydn’s The Creation, as Pimienta in the Canadian premier production of Roig’s Cecilia Valdes and as Prinz Tschang in The Land of Smiles of Franz Lehar. Other highlights include: Don Fernando in Beethoven’s Fidelio, Masetto, Don Giovanni and Count Almaviva in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Le Nozze di Figaro, as Gaveston of Boieldieu’s La Dame Blanche, as Prince Danilo in Lehar’s The Merry Widow, and as the four villains in Les Contes d’Hoffmann of Offenbach. One could also hear him in solo recitals Toronto, Montreal, Festival International de l’Art Vocale (Trois-Rivières), Holland, Belgium, Spain and throughout Central Europe under the auspices of the Janáček Academy in Brno (Košice Slovakia, Brno, Chateau Austerlitz, Polička, Krnov, Czech Republic) and while participating in major international singing competitions in Belgium (Concours International de Musique Reine Elisabeth [l’Opéra de Monnaie, Brussels]—semi-finalist), France (Concours l’Opéra National de Paris—finalist) and Spain (Concurso Internacional de Canto de Bilbao` [Teatro Arriaga, Bilbao]—finalist, Concurso Internacional de Canto Francisco Viñas [Opera Liceu, Barcelona]—finalist) where he received much personal encouragement from such renowned artists as Dame Joan Sutherland, José Van Dam, Stuart Burrows, Sena Jurinac, Fiorenza Cossotto, Teresa Berganza, Katia Ricciarelli, Mæstro Edoardo Mϋller and Anna Barovà.

1 comment:

Thom P. said...

Congratulations Stuart and artists of Atelier S.

Attended "Requiem" recital on April 4 2007 at College Street United...a wonderful experience.

This recital was very appropriate, timely and thoughtful, a perfect prelude and companion to our reflection during this time of passing and rebirth, Easter and lest we forget our fallen saints of Vimy.

Stuart and Atelier S, transporting us through sombre songs of Requiem, humbly emphasize, echo and remind us, at this time, that the forces of life and love conquer death over and over again.

Stuart, your ambition, creativity and professionalism continue to impress, astound and inspire and it contagiously resonates in the huge talent of and performance by your students.

Well done. Looking forward to the next recital.

Thom P.