NEWSLETTER – FALL 2007
Dear Friends in music,
It seems like 6 lifetimes have passed since my last update from last May. Where has the summer gone?! Summer for me and Atelier S was a wild and wonderful ride with so many new developments. Where does one begin? First of all, I really want to thank everyone who came out and supported our inaugural recital series “The Art of Song”. As ambitious as it was, the response was great and such that we are compelled to present a second season. Other than that, I think I will just stop here and let you read on about all the different and new activities going on here at Atelier S and I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you all in our audience this season.
Wishing you all a most inspired season!
Most sincerely
Stuart Graham
416.927.9105
Atelier.s@sympatico.ca
http://atelier-s.blogspot.com
The News: - Partnership with Counterpoint Community Orchestra
- Atelier S goes international!
- The Art of Song: recital series (edition 2008)
- Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, a role study workshop (April/May 2008)
- Atelier S members doing it out there....
- Studio openings
PARTNERSHIPS: Atelier S in collaboration with Counterpoint Community Orchestra.
The operative terms from this summer are collaboration and partnerships, expanding the resources available to our artist membership. After several discussions with conductor Taras Kowalczuk, I am very pleased to announce our partnership with the Counterpoint Community Orchestra. This is a brilliant opportunity for the singers of the performance program of Atelier S, offering them several opportunities over the next few years to rehearse and perform major works of the vocal/orchestral repertoire. Our first outing with Counterpoint will be this March 1, 2008 singing arias and ensembles from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Puccini’s La Bohème, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Wagner’s Die Walküre. This event will feature the vocal talents of sopranos Hélène Ducharme, Dolores Tjart, mezzo-soprano Martha Spence, tenor Patrick Huang and baritone Stuart Graham. A short 11 days later on March 12, Counterpoint joins Atelier S in accompanying our solemn Easter concert of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Other major upcoming events with Counterpoint include, a concert presentation of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors for December 2008 and Rossini’s Stabat Mater in the spring of 2009. We are currently hearing auditions to cast these productions.
Atelier S goes international!....
Those of you in my inner circle may have already heard the ideas juggling in my head over the past 18 months. But, I am so very proud and excited to announce that Atelier S is going international with its new Summer Vocal Academy in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico. Mexico is renowned for its cultural richness, both in its indigenous and Spanish colonial history, consistently being a hotbed for emerging artists no matter their medium. Painters ranging from Velasco to Rivera and Kahlo, cinematic history and prowess that rivals Hollywood and a musical environment that brought us singers like Placido Domingo and many new artists that are currently making a remarkable splash on the international scene. I have long believed that travel and direct experience of world cultures are a non-negotiable to the soul and development of us musicians. How can one achieve the insight of the composers and librettists if one has not tasted first-hand the perspective of the cultures and their history of where their works of art were born? Study of language is such an important portal into that experience.
I can’t be happier with how this has come to fruition. Atelier S is now in full partnership with our host, the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro and its Faculties of Fine Arts, Philosophy and Linguistics. The UAQ is internationally renowned for its prowess in language programs as many European universities have set up partnerships sending their students to Querétaro for their Spanish immersion. Querétaro, as a city, is found in the centre of Mexico just a 3 hour drive north of Mexico City. Querétaro’s current incarnation goes back to the times of the early Spanish colonial period of the 16th century and has been a city of much influence in Mexico’s political history, most notably as the birthplace of the Mexican Revolution. Since that time, Querétaro has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Atelier S’s 6 week program is exclusive to Canadian Singers and Pianists (specializing in collaboration in the vocal recital/operatic repertoire). In this initial outing, we will be concentrating on two works of Giacomo Puccini, Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicci. The successful candidates will receive daily language class, vocal/piano coaching and masterclasses and ensemble coachings in preparation for the concert tour.
I am thrilled to have pianist, pedagogue, collaborative artist and internationally respected coach Mme. Claudette Denys joining me on faculty. Mme. Denys enjoys a most distinguished career as one of Canada’s most sought after pianists and vocal coaches. Originally from Québec City, she has been instrumental in the success and careers of many of Canada’s top international lyric artists by serving on faculty of McGill University, the Banff Centre of the Arts, Conservatoire de Musique de Québec de Montréal and l’Opéra de Montréal and its Atelier Lyrique. She has collaborated with some of the greatest lyrique talents of the 20th century, including: John Vickers, Louis Quilico, Virginia Zeani and Tatiana Troyanos. She is also the official pianist for the masterclasses of Pierre Bernac, Raoul Jobin, Heinz Rehfuss, Hans Hotter, Daniel Ferro, Rose Brampton, Martin Isepp, Diana Soviero and Phyllis Curtain and accompanies at the International Singing Competitions of Rio de Janeiro, Budapest, Toulouse, Genève, Sienne, and Montréal.
For the program and its details, please refer to the information directly following this section in this communiqué.
Atеlίεя S Summer Vocal Academy and Spanish Language Immersion 2008
Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
*Exclusive to Canadian Singers and Pianists*
Session: June 30 – August 16, 2008
Venues: Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Museo de la Ciudad, Museo Regional, Teatro Rosalío Solano
Faculty: Stuart Graham (voice)
Claudette Denys (piano)
Professors Ewald Hekking Sloof & François Vaucher (Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro - language course co-ordinators)
Collaborators: Mæstro Jorge Martínez-Marin, Director of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro
Mæstro Vicente Lopéz Velarde Fonsecu, Director of Dept. Of Music, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro
Repertoire: Giacomo Puccini: Il Tabarro (to be sung in Italian)
Giacomo Puccini: Gianni Schicci (to be sung in Italian)
Pianists and singers are invited to bring their own solo recital repertoire as this will be compiled and presented in conjunction with the two operas
Structure: - 4 weeks of Spanish language intensive (43 hours of class – mornings Mon-Fri.). University diploma will be offered upon completion.
- Daily vocal/piano coachings/masterclasses and opera preparation with Stuart Graham and Claudette Denys.
- Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicci roles will be double cast.
- Singers are required to arrive to the course with their assigned roles learned, memorized and ready to perform. This will allow for a more profound exploration of roles and music through the rehearsal process.
- Pianists will be assigned to individual singers to collaborate on recital repertoire.
- Pianists will be assigned to learn EITHER Il Tabarro or Gianni Schicci and performance opportunities will be on a rotation basis depending on the cast they have been assigned to.
- Noontime and evening recitals in weeks 3 & 4 to be presented in various venues in Querétaro. (program to be compiled of various singers/pianists and their proposed solo repertoire.)
- 2 weeks of concert tour. Cities and venues including: Teatro de la Republica (Querétaro), International Chamber Music Festival (San Miguel d’Allende), Guanajuato (host city of Festival Cervantino), Catedral de Ecatapec, Sala Manuel M. Ponce – Palacio Bellas Artes (Mexico City), Castillo Chapultapec (Mexico City).
Application and Audition Deadline: February 1, 2008
- Admission only to Singers and Pianists that are Canadian Citizens or hold Landed Immigrant Status.
- To apply, please send (either by email or regular post): resumé, bio, photo (publicity headshot) along with two letters of reference/recommendation from noted professionals in the field (teachers, coaches, conductors, directors) to: Atelier S, 40 Alexander St. Suite 1510, Toronto, ON M4Y 1B5 OR email to atelier.s@sympatico.ca .
- Live auditions may be arranged in either Toronto or Montreal.
- Demo CDs are admitted if accompanied with application package (note: demo CDs must have been recorded within the past 12 months without supplementary engineering)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Art of Song: recital series (edition 2008)
The artists and programming have been selected and we are thrilled to announce the upcoming The Art of Song: recital series (edition 2008). The format has shifted a bit from last season’s experience as this year we are presenting only three solo recitals and bringing in larger ensemble efforts with our Easter concert of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater (March 12, 2008) and finishing the year with 4 performances (May 23, 25, 28, 30, 2008) of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (concert format). Our 2008 season begins on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 with the luscious talents of coloratura soprano Jennifer Rasor. Ms. Rasor is an alumnist of L’Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier Lyrique and has graced many operatic stages with acclaim in Canada and Europe. Highlights in her program include song of Jean Coulthard, Edvard Grieg and Aaron Copland’s Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson. Our second solo program takes place on Wednesday, April 5, 2008 presenting myself, baritone Stuart Graham, along with pianist Dr. Christopher Foley and the Atelier S chorus, presenting Ravel’s Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs and Act II, sc ii of Wagner’s Die Walküre. Our third solo offering presents the most promising talent of mezzo-soprano Liliana Piazza on April 30, 2008. Currently in her first year of study of a Master’s in Vocal Performance at Montreal’s McGill University she is no stranger to the Toronto stages and has sung to critical acclaim most notably with Toronto’s Opera in Concert. Highlights in her program include songs of Sergei Rachmaninoff, Brahms and Barber. Please check out our blog at http://atelier-s.blogspot.com for any updates and full biographic and programming information.
The Art of Song
Recital Series (2008 edition)
TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 – 7:30pm
College Street United Church
Jennifer Rasor, coloratura soprano
- Aaron Copland: Twelve poems of Emily Dickinson
- Songs of Edvard Grieg
- Songs of Jean Coulthard
Tickets: advance/$20, door/$25, music student/$10 at the door.
Wednesday March 12, 2008 – 7:30pm
St. Francis of Assissi Church
Artists and Orchestra of Atelier S perform
Stabat Mater by Giambattista Pergolesi
Featuring Dolores Tjart (soprano) and Martha Spence (mezzo-soprano)
Tickets: advance/$30, door/$35, music student/$15 at the door
Proceeds in Benefit of Social Outreach of St. Francis of Assissi Parish and Scholarship Fund for Atelier S Summer Vocal Academy, Querétaro, Mexico
Saturday April 5, 2008 – 7:30pm
College Street United Church
Stuart Graham (baritone) with Christopher Foley (piano)
- Maurice Ravel: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée
- Ralph Vaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs (with chorus)
- Richard Wagner: Die Walküre, Act II, sc ii
Tickets: advance/$30, door/$35, music student/$15 at the door.
Wednesday April 30, 2008 – 7:30pm
College Street United Church
Liliana Piazza, mezzo-soprano
- Repertoire TBA
Tickets: advance/$20, door/$25, music student/$10 at the door.
In Concert: Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera
Featuring artists of Atelier S under the artistic direction of Stuart Graham and musical collaboration of Dr. Christopher Foley
May 21 (7:30pm), 23 (7:30pm), 25 (3:30pm), 28 (7:30pm) 2008
College St. United Church
Tickets: advance/$30, door/$35, music student/$15 at the door.
Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, a role study workshop (April/May 2008)... audition call for all roles (second cast)
These have been good times in the studio of Atelier S. I consider myself most fortunate to have such a rich pool of talent to create with. As has always been my affliction “As talent presents itself, I am compelled to create an event to allow it the opportunity to express...”. Thus, this concert outing of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera is born. That said, we have decided to open up the experience and hear auditions to develop a second cast for alternating performances. The workshop will begin March 31, 2008 and culminate in 4 performances at the end of May, 2008. Successful candidates will be required to come to the program with their roles well learned in order to make the best of this opportunity. For more information, or to set up an appointment for audition, please contact me directly.
_______________________________________________________________
Atelier S members doing it out there....
- Oct. 28, 2008 Patricia Haldane & Friends present “Sehnsucht” at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church, Toronto, ON
- Nov. 1-15, 2008 Stuart Graham: masterclass and recital with pianist, Vicente Fonsecu at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro, México.
- Dec. 16, 2008 Hélène Ducharme in recital at Mackenzie Hall, Windsor, ON.
Atelier S is currently accepting new students for this 2007-2008 performance season. Please contact us for further information and audition booking.
___________________________________________________________
Atеlίεя S and its mandate:
Atеlίεя S, is very pleased 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.
Stuart Graham, baritone, pedagogue, founder/artistic director Atеlίεя S
Saskatchewan born baritone Stuart Graham, received his formal education at the Faculty of Music of McGill University in Montréal, Canada, with the renowned Canadian baritone Mr. Bernard Turgeon. In 1998, he continued his studies with Diane Forlano at the Koninklijk Conservatorium, Den Haag, Nederlands, and since January of 2000, Mr. Graham enjoys the mentorship of Diana Soviero (Metropolitan Opera of New York) and Stuart Hamilton (Toronto). Since 1992 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) and the Oakville Symphony Orchestra. 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’Opéra de Montréal) and narrated by operalogue Stuart Hamilton at CBC Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio (see photo above). 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, Diana Soviero, Mæstro Edoardo Mϋller and Anna Barovà.
As a pedagogue, Mr. Graham, now in his 13th year as a pedagogue, enjoys a solid reputation as a strong advocate and teacher of the lyric arts. A relative new comer to the Toronto scene (formerly of Montréal – affiliated with the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec á 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 répetiteur for the class of Anna Barová in the International Masterclasses at the Janáček Academy (Brno, Czech Rep.), and is regularly called upon to adjudicate graduate level recitals for the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto).
Dear Friends in music,
It seems like 6 lifetimes have passed since my last update from last May. Where has the summer gone?! Summer for me and Atelier S was a wild and wonderful ride with so many new developments. Where does one begin? First of all, I really want to thank everyone who came out and supported our inaugural recital series “The Art of Song”. As ambitious as it was, the response was great and such that we are compelled to present a second season. Other than that, I think I will just stop here and let you read on about all the different and new activities going on here at Atelier S and I hope to have the pleasure of seeing you all in our audience this season.
Wishing you all a most inspired season!
Most sincerely
Stuart Graham
416.927.9105
Atelier.s@sympatico.ca
http://atelier-s.blogspot.com
The News: - Partnership with Counterpoint Community Orchestra
- Atelier S goes international!
- The Art of Song: recital series (edition 2008)
- Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, a role study workshop (April/May 2008)
- Atelier S members doing it out there....
- Studio openings
PARTNERSHIPS: Atelier S in collaboration with Counterpoint Community Orchestra.
The operative terms from this summer are collaboration and partnerships, expanding the resources available to our artist membership. After several discussions with conductor Taras Kowalczuk, I am very pleased to announce our partnership with the Counterpoint Community Orchestra. This is a brilliant opportunity for the singers of the performance program of Atelier S, offering them several opportunities over the next few years to rehearse and perform major works of the vocal/orchestral repertoire. Our first outing with Counterpoint will be this March 1, 2008 singing arias and ensembles from Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Puccini’s La Bohème, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Wagner’s Die Walküre. This event will feature the vocal talents of sopranos Hélène Ducharme, Dolores Tjart, mezzo-soprano Martha Spence, tenor Patrick Huang and baritone Stuart Graham. A short 11 days later on March 12, Counterpoint joins Atelier S in accompanying our solemn Easter concert of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Other major upcoming events with Counterpoint include, a concert presentation of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors for December 2008 and Rossini’s Stabat Mater in the spring of 2009. We are currently hearing auditions to cast these productions.
Atelier S goes international!....
Those of you in my inner circle may have already heard the ideas juggling in my head over the past 18 months. But, I am so very proud and excited to announce that Atelier S is going international with its new Summer Vocal Academy in Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico. Mexico is renowned for its cultural richness, both in its indigenous and Spanish colonial history, consistently being a hotbed for emerging artists no matter their medium. Painters ranging from Velasco to Rivera and Kahlo, cinematic history and prowess that rivals Hollywood and a musical environment that brought us singers like Placido Domingo and many new artists that are currently making a remarkable splash on the international scene. I have long believed that travel and direct experience of world cultures are a non-negotiable to the soul and development of us musicians. How can one achieve the insight of the composers and librettists if one has not tasted first-hand the perspective of the cultures and their history of where their works of art were born? Study of language is such an important portal into that experience.
I can’t be happier with how this has come to fruition. Atelier S is now in full partnership with our host, the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro and its Faculties of Fine Arts, Philosophy and Linguistics. The UAQ is internationally renowned for its prowess in language programs as many European universities have set up partnerships sending their students to Querétaro for their Spanish immersion. Querétaro, as a city, is found in the centre of Mexico just a 3 hour drive north of Mexico City. Querétaro’s current incarnation goes back to the times of the early Spanish colonial period of the 16th century and has been a city of much influence in Mexico’s political history, most notably as the birthplace of the Mexican Revolution. Since that time, Querétaro has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Atelier S’s 6 week program is exclusive to Canadian Singers and Pianists (specializing in collaboration in the vocal recital/operatic repertoire). In this initial outing, we will be concentrating on two works of Giacomo Puccini, Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicci. The successful candidates will receive daily language class, vocal/piano coaching and masterclasses and ensemble coachings in preparation for the concert tour.
I am thrilled to have pianist, pedagogue, collaborative artist and internationally respected coach Mme. Claudette Denys joining me on faculty. Mme. Denys enjoys a most distinguished career as one of Canada’s most sought after pianists and vocal coaches. Originally from Québec City, she has been instrumental in the success and careers of many of Canada’s top international lyric artists by serving on faculty of McGill University, the Banff Centre of the Arts, Conservatoire de Musique de Québec de Montréal and l’Opéra de Montréal and its Atelier Lyrique. She has collaborated with some of the greatest lyrique talents of the 20th century, including: John Vickers, Louis Quilico, Virginia Zeani and Tatiana Troyanos. She is also the official pianist for the masterclasses of Pierre Bernac, Raoul Jobin, Heinz Rehfuss, Hans Hotter, Daniel Ferro, Rose Brampton, Martin Isepp, Diana Soviero and Phyllis Curtain and accompanies at the International Singing Competitions of Rio de Janeiro, Budapest, Toulouse, Genève, Sienne, and Montréal.
For the program and its details, please refer to the information directly following this section in this communiqué.
Atеlίεя S Summer Vocal Academy and Spanish Language Immersion 2008
Santiago de Querétaro, Mexico
*Exclusive to Canadian Singers and Pianists*
Session: June 30 – August 16, 2008
Venues: Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Museo de la Ciudad, Museo Regional, Teatro Rosalío Solano
Faculty: Stuart Graham (voice)
Claudette Denys (piano)
Professors Ewald Hekking Sloof & François Vaucher (Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro - language course co-ordinators)
Collaborators: Mæstro Jorge Martínez-Marin, Director of the Faculty of Fine Arts, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro
Mæstro Vicente Lopéz Velarde Fonsecu, Director of Dept. Of Music, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro
Repertoire: Giacomo Puccini: Il Tabarro (to be sung in Italian)
Giacomo Puccini: Gianni Schicci (to be sung in Italian)
Pianists and singers are invited to bring their own solo recital repertoire as this will be compiled and presented in conjunction with the two operas
Structure: - 4 weeks of Spanish language intensive (43 hours of class – mornings Mon-Fri.). University diploma will be offered upon completion.
- Daily vocal/piano coachings/masterclasses and opera preparation with Stuart Graham and Claudette Denys.
- Il Tabarro and Gianni Schicci roles will be double cast.
- Singers are required to arrive to the course with their assigned roles learned, memorized and ready to perform. This will allow for a more profound exploration of roles and music through the rehearsal process.
- Pianists will be assigned to individual singers to collaborate on recital repertoire.
- Pianists will be assigned to learn EITHER Il Tabarro or Gianni Schicci and performance opportunities will be on a rotation basis depending on the cast they have been assigned to.
- Noontime and evening recitals in weeks 3 & 4 to be presented in various venues in Querétaro. (program to be compiled of various singers/pianists and their proposed solo repertoire.)
- 2 weeks of concert tour. Cities and venues including: Teatro de la Republica (Querétaro), International Chamber Music Festival (San Miguel d’Allende), Guanajuato (host city of Festival Cervantino), Catedral de Ecatapec, Sala Manuel M. Ponce – Palacio Bellas Artes (Mexico City), Castillo Chapultapec (Mexico City).
Application and Audition Deadline: February 1, 2008
- Admission only to Singers and Pianists that are Canadian Citizens or hold Landed Immigrant Status.
- To apply, please send (either by email or regular post): resumé, bio, photo (publicity headshot) along with two letters of reference/recommendation from noted professionals in the field (teachers, coaches, conductors, directors) to: Atelier S, 40 Alexander St. Suite 1510, Toronto, ON M4Y 1B5 OR email to atelier.s@sympatico.ca .
- Live auditions may be arranged in either Toronto or Montreal.
- Demo CDs are admitted if accompanied with application package (note: demo CDs must have been recorded within the past 12 months without supplementary engineering)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
The Art of Song: recital series (edition 2008)
The artists and programming have been selected and we are thrilled to announce the upcoming The Art of Song: recital series (edition 2008). The format has shifted a bit from last season’s experience as this year we are presenting only three solo recitals and bringing in larger ensemble efforts with our Easter concert of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater (March 12, 2008) and finishing the year with 4 performances (May 23, 25, 28, 30, 2008) of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera (concert format). Our 2008 season begins on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 with the luscious talents of coloratura soprano Jennifer Rasor. Ms. Rasor is an alumnist of L’Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier Lyrique and has graced many operatic stages with acclaim in Canada and Europe. Highlights in her program include song of Jean Coulthard, Edvard Grieg and Aaron Copland’s Twelve Poems of Emily Dickinson. Our second solo program takes place on Wednesday, April 5, 2008 presenting myself, baritone Stuart Graham, along with pianist Dr. Christopher Foley and the Atelier S chorus, presenting Ravel’s Don Quichotte à Dulcinée, Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs and Act II, sc ii of Wagner’s Die Walküre. Our third solo offering presents the most promising talent of mezzo-soprano Liliana Piazza on April 30, 2008. Currently in her first year of study of a Master’s in Vocal Performance at Montreal’s McGill University she is no stranger to the Toronto stages and has sung to critical acclaim most notably with Toronto’s Opera in Concert. Highlights in her program include songs of Sergei Rachmaninoff, Brahms and Barber. Please check out our blog at http://atelier-s.blogspot.com for any updates and full biographic and programming information.
The Art of Song
Recital Series (2008 edition)
TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 – 7:30pm
College Street United Church
Jennifer Rasor, coloratura soprano
- Aaron Copland: Twelve poems of Emily Dickinson
- Songs of Edvard Grieg
- Songs of Jean Coulthard
Tickets: advance/$20, door/$25, music student/$10 at the door.
Wednesday March 12, 2008 – 7:30pm
St. Francis of Assissi Church
Artists and Orchestra of Atelier S perform
Stabat Mater by Giambattista Pergolesi
Featuring Dolores Tjart (soprano) and Martha Spence (mezzo-soprano)
Tickets: advance/$30, door/$35, music student/$15 at the door
Proceeds in Benefit of Social Outreach of St. Francis of Assissi Parish and Scholarship Fund for Atelier S Summer Vocal Academy, Querétaro, Mexico
Saturday April 5, 2008 – 7:30pm
College Street United Church
Stuart Graham (baritone) with Christopher Foley (piano)
- Maurice Ravel: Don Quichotte à Dulcinée
- Ralph Vaughan Williams: Five Mystical Songs (with chorus)
- Richard Wagner: Die Walküre, Act II, sc ii
Tickets: advance/$30, door/$35, music student/$15 at the door.
Wednesday April 30, 2008 – 7:30pm
College Street United Church
Liliana Piazza, mezzo-soprano
- Repertoire TBA
Tickets: advance/$20, door/$25, music student/$10 at the door.
In Concert: Giuseppe Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera
Featuring artists of Atelier S under the artistic direction of Stuart Graham and musical collaboration of Dr. Christopher Foley
May 21 (7:30pm), 23 (7:30pm), 25 (3:30pm), 28 (7:30pm) 2008
College St. United Church
Tickets: advance/$30, door/$35, music student/$15 at the door.
Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera, a role study workshop (April/May 2008)... audition call for all roles (second cast)
These have been good times in the studio of Atelier S. I consider myself most fortunate to have such a rich pool of talent to create with. As has always been my affliction “As talent presents itself, I am compelled to create an event to allow it the opportunity to express...”. Thus, this concert outing of Verdi’s Un Ballo in Maschera is born. That said, we have decided to open up the experience and hear auditions to develop a second cast for alternating performances. The workshop will begin March 31, 2008 and culminate in 4 performances at the end of May, 2008. Successful candidates will be required to come to the program with their roles well learned in order to make the best of this opportunity. For more information, or to set up an appointment for audition, please contact me directly.
_______________________________________________________________
Atelier S members doing it out there....
- Oct. 28, 2008 Patricia Haldane & Friends present “Sehnsucht” at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church, Toronto, ON
- Nov. 1-15, 2008 Stuart Graham: masterclass and recital with pianist, Vicente Fonsecu at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Santiago de Querétaro, México.
- Dec. 16, 2008 Hélène Ducharme in recital at Mackenzie Hall, Windsor, ON.
Atelier S is currently accepting new students for this 2007-2008 performance season. Please contact us for further information and audition booking.
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Atеlίεя S and its mandate:
Atеlίεя S, is very pleased 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.
Stuart Graham, baritone, pedagogue, founder/artistic director Atеlίεя S
Saskatchewan born baritone Stuart Graham, received his formal education at the Faculty of Music of McGill University in Montréal, Canada, with the renowned Canadian baritone Mr. Bernard Turgeon. In 1998, he continued his studies with Diane Forlano at the Koninklijk Conservatorium, Den Haag, Nederlands, and since January of 2000, Mr. Graham enjoys the mentorship of Diana Soviero (Metropolitan Opera of New York) and Stuart Hamilton (Toronto). Since 1992 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) and the Oakville Symphony Orchestra. 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’Opéra de Montréal) and narrated by operalogue Stuart Hamilton at CBC Toronto’s Glenn Gould Studio (see photo above). 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, Diana Soviero, Mæstro Edoardo Mϋller and Anna Barovà.
As a pedagogue, Mr. Graham, now in his 13th year as a pedagogue, enjoys a solid reputation as a strong advocate and teacher of the lyric arts. A relative new comer to the Toronto scene (formerly of Montréal – affiliated with the Conservatoire de Musique de Québec á 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 répetiteur for the class of Anna Barová in the International Masterclasses at the Janáček Academy (Brno, Czech Rep.), and is regularly called upon to adjudicate graduate level recitals for the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto).
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