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Voice at Western

The Don Wright Faculty of Music offers voice students diverse courses and performance opportunities including solo and studio recitals, up to six yearly choral events held among four choir ensembles, and weekly faculty-led masterclasses. Opera at Western typically performs two full productions with orchestra, as well as an opera gala event each year. Competitions and awards including the Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition and the London Music Scholarship Fundation Endowment Award are also available.

Western Music also offers learning opportunities and masterclasses with international artists of renown.

Led by the Don Wright Faculty of Music's Voice Division, Voice Fridays is a weekly symposium by singers, for singers, including masterclasses, lectures, performances and seminars.

The Music Building and Talbot College house over 100 practice rooms, studios, and large and small rehearsal spaces, plus three modern performance venues with state-of-the-art recording capabilities.

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In the Spotlight

April 2024
Campus Conversations: President Alan Shepard sat down with a group of voice students to learn more about their student experience at Western and what the future holds for opera

January 2024
Congratulations to the winners of the 2023-24 Maritsa Brookes Concerto Competition

May 2023
Five singers, one collaborative pianist selected for COC Summer Opera Intensive

April 2023
BMus student Sophia Daunt, soprano, earns First Place at London Kiwanis Music Festival Rose Bowl

November 2022
Master's student Seokho Park earns Young Artist of the Year at 15th annual Korea Opera Awards

In Performance

Opera at Western

Suor Angelica, Angelica/Principessa duet, G. Puccini
Michael Cavanagh, director; Simone Luti, conductor
Suor Angelica: Nicole Katerberg
La Principessa: Camila Montefusco
Recorded on March 12, 2021

Chorale

“Mangisondele Nkosi Yam”, Traditional isiZulu/Arr. Michael Barrett
Guest conductor, Janet Loo
Recorded in 2019

Les Choristes

“Here on these Branches”, Sarah Quartel
Guest conductor, Patrick Murray
Recorded on March 12, 2021

St. Cecilia Singers

“A Brighter Garden”, Paul Halley
Conductor, Gloria Gassi
Recorded in 2019

Western University Singers

"When Dawn Shines", Mishaal Surti, B. Sc. Honours and B. Ed. (2007)
Mark Ramsay, conductor
Recorded in December 2020

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Summer Programs

AEDO

The Accademia Europea Dell’Opera, is a uniquely focused European opera experience that takes place in Lucca, Italy and was created in collaboration between Western University Canada, Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini, is centered on the preparation, creation, and performance of full operatic roles. The international program brings together selected singers from around the globe to work with pianists, conductors and directors from some of the world’s most celebrated opera institutions, during an intense period of musical and dramaturgic study and rehearsal followed by a series of public European performances.

COAA

The Canadian Operatic Arts Academy is an elite international program that provides singers, pianists and directors with the skills to obtain, realize, and sustain a prolific and rewarding career in the operatic profession. An internationally-recognized faculty from celebrated institutions provides the participants with invaluable insight into the multifaceted world of opera—its preparation, performance and business through a variety of forums.

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Alumni of Note

Alumna Simona Genga, mezzo-soprano, was recognized as Grand Prize winner and Audience Choice Prize winner of the Toronto City Opera’s first annual Giuseppe Macina Operatic Voices Competition, which took place in May 2024. 

Colin Ainsworth, BMus'99 - Listen to Colin's episode of This Is My Music with Tom Allen, aired December 9, 2023

Rebecca Cuddy, BMus'15
Named among CBC Music's "Top 30 Under 30", August 2021

Lucia Cervoni, BMus’02

Darryl Edwards, BMus’83, BEd’84, MMus’93

Laura Nielsen, BMus'15, Artist Diploma'16
Featured as OperaCanada's Artist of the Week for March 20, 2024. 

Adrianne Pieczonka, OC, BMus'85
Performs on leading opera and concert stages throughout Europe, North America and Asia under the direction of such conductors as James Levine, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, Sir Neville Marriner, Claudio Abbado, Richard Bradshaw, and Lorin Maazel. Inducted into the Don Wright Faculty of Music Wall of Fame in 2008.

Michael Schade, BMus'88
Mozart tenor of choice on international stages in Europe and North America, he is equally at home in New York, Vienna, Paris, Los Angeles, Toronto, Salzburg, Dresden, Tokyo and London. Inducted into the Don Wright Faculty of Music Wall of Fame in 2008.

John Tessier, MMus'96