PAMELA BIRRELL, A.R.C.T., B.A.S. (Hon.) - Monday, Dec. 14
Pamela was born and bred in Peterborough, the youngest in a family where five older brothers towered over her. High school at PCVS was followed by a scholarship to Trent University, where Pam studied business and did very well at it. But though she was top of the class and on the Dean's List, assisting profs in their marking and tutorials, her academic interest was elsewhere, The Royal Conservatory of Music to be precise, where she was taking singing lessons. Travelling this scholarly road led to an Honours degree from Trent, with several offers from prestigious firms to pursue a career in business, and a first class honours Performers Associateship Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto. Guess which one she chose. Oh, along the way, she married her music theory teacher and accompanist, one Syd Birrell, presently writing this.

So instead of enriching the bottom line of clients and companies, Pamela has made a career of enriching the hearts of listeners, for it is not possible to hear Pam sing without being touched deeply by the beauty of her voice. The ongoing marvel is that her gift of song has not been stifled by her own fight as a young mother with breast cancer, nor by the staggering loss of her young son James to cancer, but has emerged even more beautiful, powerful, compelling, and comforting. Pamela's deep understanding of both the technique and the emotion of singing, along with her extraordinary skills as a communicator, helped establish her reputation as a gifted vocal teacher.

Pam's world does not stop at music. She has become friend and mentor to many women facing breast cancer, and is an active advocate for families facing childhood cancer. She has worked hard to help bring about a ban on cosmetic pesticides in Peterborough, and is deeply involved in the James Fund and in its quest for a cure for the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. Pamela was recently inducted into the Peterborough Walkway of Fame in recognition of her many contributions to the City of Peterborough.

 

VICKI ST. PIERRE - Monday, December 14 & Tuesday, December 15

Recently, Vicki gave her opera début at Festival Vancouver in the Early Music Vancouver production of Monteverdi's L'Incoronazione di Poppea, followed by Toronto Philharmonia's production of Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Cleveland Opera's L'Incoronazione di Poppea. Highlights of her oratorio engagements have included Handel's Messiah and Bach's Christmas Oratorio (national CBC Broadcast) with Tafelmusik, and with the London Symphonic Chorus. Vicki also performed with the Toronto Philharmonia's Last Night of the Proms, Respighi's Il Tromonto with the Talisker Players, and a Pops program in her debut with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.

In 2004-2005, Vicki made her debut appearances with both the Edmonton Symphony and the Calgary Philharmonic orchestras, and she returned to sing a program of French song with the Talisker Players in Toronto and to perform Handel's Messiah with the International Symphony. In early 2005, Vicki joined Opera Atelier in the title role of Charpentier's Acteon. She also toured a series of solo recitals in Canada and France with acclaimed pianist James Bourne.

Highlights of past seasons include Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Menno Singers, Raminsh's Magnificat with the Woodstock Singers, Handel's Messiah in Oregon, Handel's Judas Maccabbeaus with Chorus Niagara, Bach's Mass in B Minor in London, Handel's Coronation Anthem with the Aradia Ensemble and the Bell 'Arte Singers in Toronto, Honegger's King David, the Stanford Requiem, and a program of Bach Cantatas with the Toronto Chamber Choir.

A versatile artist, St. Pierre's recent opera roles include Urbain in Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots, Malcom in Rossini's La Donna Del Lago, Isabella in Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri, Arnalta and Nutrice in L'Incoronazione di Poppea, and Third Lady in Mozart's Magic Flute.

Vicki St. Pierre was featured in the Canadian première of Ned Rorem's Evidence of Things Not Seen in Toronto, and she recently gave the world première of Galbraith's "Let Evening Come" with the Talisker Players.
Ms. St. Pierre holds a Master Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Western Ontario.

ADAM BISHOP - Monday, December 14 & Tuesday, December 15
An avid performer since the age of four, Adam has entertained audiences throughout Ontario, Nova Scotia, and Austria. Adam is a graduate of Lakefield College School. While a student there, he studied instrumental music under the direction of John Kraus and vocal music under the direction of Arlene Gray and Fr. Paul Massel. During his high school years, Adam was a member of The Peterborough Singers. Recently, his highlights have included the roles of Count Almaviva in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Nemorino in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore. In addition, Adam has participated in numerous concerts and recitals, both in choirs and as a guest soloist. Adam has been a featured performer and a backup performer on a number of CD recordings. In the summers of 2007 and 2008, Adam worked with Canadian Tenor Richard Margison.

Most recently, Adam performed the role of Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte at the Glenn Gould School, under Maestro Mario Bernardi. According to music critic Joseph So, Adam sang the part “with a sweet lyric sound, ideal in the lighter Mozart roles. His ‘Un’aura amorosa’ was well sung ... he also acted very well --- arguably the funniest guy onstage!”

Adam has just finished the first year of the two-year Artists Diploma program at The Glenn Gould School in Toronto. There, he is studying with renowned soprano Monica Whicher and coaching with Steven Philcox. Former teachers include Carol-Lynn Reifel at Queen’s University and Fr. Paul Massel. Adam is a resident of Bancroft, ON, a graduate of Lakefield College School, and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music (Performance) from Queen’s University, Kingston. Handel's Messiah is one of Adam's favourites to perform and he is thrilled to be returning to perform with The Peterborough Singers.

ANDREW TEES - Monday, December 14
Now an alumnus of the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio, baritone Andrew Tees has caught the attention of opera impresarios in both the USA and Canada. In Europe, he made his debut in Holland with the Dutch Radio Orchestra in Venus und Adonis, a work by Henze that he first performed with the COC. He was engaged as the Pirate King in Cleveland Opera's production of The Pirates of Penzance and starred as Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro for Opera Ontario. The swaggering toreador Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen was his debut role for Manitoba Opera in Winnipeg. For the Toronto Symphony, he was featured in a Halloween 'Pops' concert conducted by Eric Kunzel and starred in the staged premiere of R. Murray Shafer's Zoroaster for Soundstreams Canada. In Thunder Bay, he was engaged for an Italian Opera Evening conducted by Geoffrey Moull.

During the 2002-2003 season, the busy baritone was featured by the Edmonton Opera as Silvio in Pagliacci and reprised his role as Figaro for Pacific Opera Victoria in Le Nozze di Figaro. He sang the role of Danilo in Lehar's Merry Widow for Orchestra London. Also on his schedule were concerts devoted to the music of Richard Rodgers with the Hamilton Philharmonic, Carmina Burana with the Amadeus Choir, and the local premiere of Christos Hatzis's Kyrie in a return engagement with Soundstreams. Composer Ian McAndrew cast Mr. Tees in the premiere of his new opera, Cassandra, heard in Hamilton and Toronto. This coming season he will be in Vancouver for Sonora in La Fanciulla del West as well as Rossini's Figaro in Opera York's Barber of Seville.

For the Canadian Opera, he was featured in mainstage productions of Otello, Billy Budd, and La Fanciulla del West. Heard also as Hercules/Orestes in Giasone, he appeared as soloist in the Altamira Festival and starred as Tarquinius in the Ensemble production of Britten's The Rape of Lucretia, repeating his interpretation of the Etruscan general later in Amsterdam. Additional mainstage assignments include the Marquis in La Traviata, and he covered the roles of Marcello in La Boheme, Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, and Belcore in L'Elisir d'Amore. As a concert artist, he appeared with Susan Haig and the Windsor Symphony in an evening of opera highlights and with the Esprit Orchestra in the premiere of Londonsong. Further concerts included a Robbie Burns evening for the Aldeburgh Connection and Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass for Robert Cooper and Chorus Niagara.

The tall Opera McGill alumnus sang Escamillo for Toronto's Summer Opera Lyric Theatre, and he was chillingly convincing as King Conachar in Opera in Concert's revival of Healey Willan's Deirdre. Mr. Tees was in Humbach, Germany where his roles were Monterone in Rigoletto, Sacristan in Tosca, and Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, later repeating Fiorello for the Canadian Opera Company. Three times a Canadian Champion rower, Mr. Tees has summers at Chautauqua. Among his credits and his music theatre roles include Sky Masterson (Guys and Dolls), Carl Magnus (A Little Night Music), Pooh Bah (The Mikado) and Lun Tha (The King and I). On screen, Mr. Tees has been seen as John Smithson in England's Film Four production of True Blue.

LESLIE FAGAN - Tuesday, December 15
Leslie Fagan's exceptional artistry and talent continue to garner much attention. Having performed under the batons of such noted conductors as Hans Graf, Sir David Wilcocks, Jukke Pekke Saraste, and Daniel Lipton, Ms. Fagan has delighted audiences and critics alike at Royal Albert Hall, Bordeaux Opera House, Roy Thomson Hall, and Massey Hall.
The 2007-2008 season marked Ms. Fagan's official Carnegie Hall debut and her Lincoln Center debut. She was invited by both the Oratorio Society of New York under the direction of Kent Tritle and Music Sacra under the baton of Richard Westenburg to sing their performances of Handel's Messiah at Carnegie Hall in December. Her Christmas season is rounded out with two other Messiah performances under the direction of her father Gerald Fagan with the London Fanshawe Symphonic Chorus and the Gerald Fagan Singers in her hometown of London, Ontario. Leslie made her Lincoln Center Debut in May singing Carmina Burana with Musica Sacra and the world premier of Alessandro Cadario's Cantata for Revival conducted by the composer.

Highlights of Ms. Fagan's past engagements include a solo concert of music of Stravinsky and Debussy with the Bordeaux Aquitaine Symphonie Nationale, France; Bach's Weinachts Oratorium in Stuttgart, Germany; Mendelssohn's A Midsummer Night's Dream with the National Symphony at Wolftrap; Handel's Messiah with Sir David Willcocks at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England and with Tafelmusik Orchestra and Choir in Toronto, Ontario; and guest soloist at the International Choral Festival in Gouda, Netherlands. Ms. Fagan has been fortunate enough to share the stage with many great artists including Victor Borge and Maureen Forrester.

On the opera stage, Ms. Fagan has sung the title role in Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix, Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflote, Sophie in Massenet's Werther, Musetta in Verdi's La Boheme and Nanetta in Verdi's Falstaff. At the Aldeburgh Festival in England, Ms. Fagan performed the roles of Tytania in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni.

Ms. Fagan can be heard frequently on CBC radio and has appeared on CBC television and both BBC radio and television. Leslie Fagan's recordings include her debut solo album "Le miroir de mon amour" and "A Song for all Seasons" with The Toronto Children's Chorus.

Leslie Fagan is a graduate of the University of Toronto where she studied with Madame Irene Jessner and Lois Marshall. Prior to entering university, Ms. Fagan studied privately with Catherine Robbin and Greta Kraus. In 2001, Ms. Fagan was the recipient of a Chalmers Grant, which enabled her to study with the great Romanian soprano, Ileana Cotrubas in France. This past summer, Ms. Fagan travelled to Italy to study with Martin Isepp at the Centre for Operatic Studies Sulmona Italy, which led to an invitation to work with this master of Mozart privately in London, England. This Italian study period was made possible by the generous support of the Canada Council.

Ottawa born Leslie Fagan now resides in Hamilton. In between her busy performing schedule, Leslie collects antique furniture, and designs and makes many of her performance gowns.

GILES TOMKINS – Tuesday, December 15
Canadian-British bass-baritone Giles Tomkins is fast becoming one of Canada's leading young artists, widely recognized for his vocal virtuosity and lyricism. His voice has been described as “sweet but manly” complete with “lovely phrasing and beautiful placement” (Paula Citron, Opera Canada Magazine). In Canada, he has performed with the Canadian Opera Company, the Aldeburgh Connection, Opera In Concert, Chorus Niagara, Queen of Puddings, Tapestry New Opera Works, Toronto Masque Theatre, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, and the Canadian Brass. His performances in the United Kingdom include numerous concerts at the Aldeburgh Festival, including Purcell’s King Arthur conducted by Laurence Cummings, a touring production of Puccini’s La Bohème (Colline) with Scottish Opera, and, in 2006, the European première of The Midnight Court at the Linbury Theatre of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Since graduating from the University of Toronto’s Opera Division in 2005, Mr. Tomkins’s operatic roles have included Don Alfonso in Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte, conducted by Maestro James Levine (Tanglewood Music Centre); Don Basilio in Rossini’s Il Barbière di Siviglia (Scottish Opera), directed by Sir Thomas Allen; Pistola in Verdi’s Falstaff (Scottish Opera); and Superintendent Budd in Britten’s Albert Herring (Britten Festival, Aldeburgh). Other engagements include Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera Lyra Ottawa Silver Cast), Pish-Tush in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado (Toronto Operetta Theatre), Colline in Puccini’s La Bohème (Saskatoon Opera), and Somnus in Handel’s Semele (Opera In Concert). He also sang Pedro in the world première of James Rolfe’s fado-inspired opera Inês (Queen of Puddings), which was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award and subsequently broadcast on CBC Radio’s Saturday Afternoon At The Opera.

Concert work includes several Bach Cantatas, conducted by Helmuth Rilling as part of the University of Toronto’s Bach Festival; Pilatus in Bach’s St. John Passion, with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir conducted by Noel Edison; and Handel’s Messiah, with Chorus Niagara conducted by Robert Cooper. Giles Tomkins has appeared on five international Naxos recordings with the Aradia Ensemble, including major roles in Rameau’s Castor et Pollux, Handel’s Rinaldo, and Griselda by Vivaldi. He has frequently been featured on CBC Radio, Classical 96 FM, Bravo! Television, and BBC Radio 3 in the UK.

He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Distinguished Graduate Award from the University of Toronto's Opera Division and the John Scott Award for career development from Scottish Opera, and he was a finalist in the International Vocal Competition in Marmande, France.

Upcoming engagements for 2009-10 include Dr. Grenvil in Verdi’s La Traviata for Pacific Opera Victoria, where he will also be a member of their Resident Artist Programme, and the world première of Dean Burry’s The Mummer’s Masque with Toronto Masque Theatre.

On the concert stage, highlights include Handel’s Messiah with the Peterborough Singers, Mozart’s Mass In C Minor with Fanshawe Chorus London, and Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle with the Cellar Singers of Orillia. He will also perform in the Aldeburgh Connection’s Blessed Cecilia programme, featuring the music of Purcell and Britten.

IAN SADLER – Monday, December 14 & Tuesday, December 15
Ian Sadler is a Canadian concert organist and choral director. Since taking first Prize in the USA's International Organ Playing Competition in Syracuse in 1986, Ian has devoted himself to the concert platform with organ recitals in Britain (Westminster Abbey, King's College Chapel, Cambridge), France (Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris), USA, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary, and Denmark. In Canada, he has performed in inaugural series on new concert hall organs, including in Toronto's Roy Thomson Hall, Calgary's Jack Singer Hall, and the Winspeare Centre in Edmonton. As a regular performer in the North American International Liszt Festival, Ian has performed the complete organ works of Liszt, Mendelssohn, Schumann, and Reubke. In 1999, he represented Canada as the first Canadian member of the International Jury for the Liszt Organ Playing Competition in Budapest, Hungary.

Ian has performed concertos with The Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, The Hamilton Philharmonic, and The Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra and with the Timmins and North Bay Symphony Orchestras. Ian's discography is extensive with a series of CD's on major organs in Toronto (Thomson Hall, Yorkminster Park Baptist Church, and St. James' Cathedral), a CD from Stratford of organ recital favourites entitled 'The Sadler Selection' and a CD devoted to the music of Mozart for the 250th Anniversary Celebrations. In 1999, Ian won a Juno Award. He has further recorded many programmes for the CBC and was featured last year on BBC's Radio 2 performing the organ music of Vaughan Williams. Ian's CD “Romantic Music for Organ Vol. I,” which was recorded at St. James' Cathedral in Toronto, was released in February 2008. In March, he recorded a further CD on the fine historic Casavant organ of St. John's Cathedral, Newfoundland.

Plans for 2009–2010 include 2 further solo CDs --- one dedicated to the music of Mendelssohn for his 200th anniversary --- a recital tour in Australia and New Zealand, and further concerts in Denmark and Sweden and in the USA in New York, San Francisco, and Hawaii.

Born in England, Ian began his musical training as a boy chorister for five years at St. Paul's Cathedral, London. He attended The King's School, Canterbury from where he won the Organ Scholarship to Bristol University. During postgraduate study at London University, Ian was Organ Scholar at St. Paul's Cathedral for two years. Before moving to Canada, his final engagement in the UK was to play the organ in the movie Chariots of Fire. In 1980, Ian moved to Canada following his appointment as Director of Music at Toronto's Grace Church on-the-Hill and Choral Director at Upper Canada College.

Ian is Artistic Director of the Stratford Concert Choir, founder and conductor of the Stratford Children's Concert Choir, and Director of the Cathedral Singers of Ontario.
For his dedication to promoting the organ and Canadian music, both at home and abroad, The Royal Canadian College of Organists honoured Ian in 2007 with their highest award, “Fellow of The Royal Canadian College of Organists.”

PAUL OTWAY - Monday, December 14 & Tuesday, December 15

Paul pursued musical studies at the University of Western Ontario where he earned an Honours Bachelor of Music in Performance (1994) and a Masters in Music Performance and Literature (1996). He has toured North America with the musicals South Pacific and Chicago, The Musical, and he toured the United States with Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet.

Paul has held the position of Principal Trumpet with the Oshawa-Durham Symphony, Sudbury Symphony, the Royal Conservatory of Music Orchestra (Toronto), the Scarborough Philharmonic, the University of Western Ontario Symphony Orchestra, and the London Youth Symphony. Paul has also been a member of Brass Rings (a brass quintet), the Intrada Brass Band, and Brassroots, a ten-piece brass ensemble.

Freelance playing has allowed Paul the opportunity to perform with other groups, which include the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic, Windsor Symphony, Canadian Opera Company, Shaw Festival, Hannaford Street Silver Band, Niagara Symphony, North York Symphony, North Bay Symphony, Peterborough Symphony, National Academy Orchestra, Toronto Lyric Sinfonietta, Etobicoke Symphony, Toronto Wind Ensemble, and the Trillium Brass Quintet. He has also performed in chamber music settings and in numerous musicals, including Annie get your Gun, Cabaret, Guys and Dolls, Camelot, West Side Story, the Wizard of Oz, the Music Man, productions of Wonderful Town and "Follies - in Concert" at the Shaw Festival, and the Mirvish productions of Wicked, Les Miserables, Nicholas Nickleby and The Phantom of the Opera.

As a soloist, Paul has performed with the Oshawa-Durham Symphony, Brampton Symphony, Etobicoke Centennial Choir, Brass Rings Brass Quintet, Windsor Symphony Brass Quintet, Bells of Bowmanville, Durham Youth Orchestra, London Youth Symphony, Caledon Concert Band, at charity events, and in recitals. He currently freelances and teaches privately in South Central Ontario and also finds time to compose and arrange a variety of music.

Paul's playing has been recorded on CD and broadcast on CBC Radio with a variety of different ensembles, and he can be seen in the movie, "Fever Pitch" (look for the trumpet player!). He has performed for live audiences in 36 states and 7 provinces.