To commemorate the choir's 25th anniversary in 1989 the choir founded the John and Mary Sidgwick Scholarship Programme. Each year four young vocalists, often from the performance programme at the University of Toronto, join the choir as Sidgwick Scholars. They act as section leaders, receive a financial stipend and tutelage from the choir's Artistic Director, and have the opportunity to perform as soloists in the season's concerts. Past Scholars inlude James Westman, baritone; Michael Colvin, tenor; Patricia O'Callaghan, soprano; Karen Wierzba, soprano, and a number of others who have gone on to solo careers.
The 2007 - 2008 Sidgwick Scholars
Meghan Fleet, soprano
Soprano Meghan Fleet graduated from the studio of Jean MacPhail at the University of Toronto, with a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance. Meghan then went on to receive an Artist Diploma in Voice from the Glenn Gould School in Toronto.
Most recently, Meghan played Papagena in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with the Guelph Symphony Orchestra. Last summer she played the roles of Madame Herz in Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor, and Ninetta in Offenbach’s La Perichole with Opera Nuova. Other Performances include Titania in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Nora in Riders to the Sea by Vaughan Williams with the Glenn Gould School. Meghan also played the role of Jenny Lind in the Canadian premiere of The Nightingale.
During the summer 2005, after accepting an invitation from Elly Ameling, she traveled to Austria to participate in ‘The Poetry and Performance of German lied’ at the Franz Schubert Institute. Meghan also returned to Germany for her second year in the Festival Ensemble Stuttgart to perform Bach’s Mass in B Minor under the direction of Helmuth Rilling. Meghan currently performs the role of Allegra in a children’s rendition of Shoestring Opera’s Allegra’s Magic Flute.
Wallis Giunta, mezzo-soprano
At age 21, mezzo Wallis Giunta has already begun what promises to be a successful operatic career with performances in eight operas to date, including the roles of Il Fuso in the Canadian premiere of Respighi’s La Bella Dormente nel Bosco (2007), Hermia in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2006), Susanna in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro (2005) and The Queen of the Night in his Die Zauberflöte (2004). This past summer, she performed in a new Canadian production, John Estacio’s Frobisher, at the Banff Centre in Alberta. In November of 2006, she performed in Mozart’s The Magic Flute with Opera Atelier of Toronto. She has also sung in La Boheme (2002), The Black and White Opera (2001, 2003) and Madama Butterfly (2004) with Opera Lyra Ottawa. Wallis has performed in Carmina Burana, The Messiah, Berlioz’s Requiem, Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Maestro Pinchas Zuckerman, and Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Berlioz’s Te Deum with Maestro David Currie.
Miss Giunta performed her debut solo recital for the Ottawa Chamber Music Festival this past July, to rave reviews. Critics hailed her as a “talented and artistically mature” performer with a voice of “satin purity” that is “strong, supple and…utterly beautiful”.
Miss Giunta has toured extensively throughout England, Italy, Japan, and Wales as soloist with the Central Chamber Choir of Ottawa, as well as performing across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver. She continues to compete frequently in local and national competitions, most recently winning the National Capital Kiwanis Music Festival competition for singers 21 and over (April 2007). She also placed 1st in the province at the Ontario Music Festivals Competition (June, 2006). Wallis won the National Association of Teachers of Singing Competition for the senior group and was awarded the Most Outstanding Performance Award (February, 2005).
Wallis received her Bachelor of Music degree at The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music this past April, studying with Jean MacPhail and Steven Philcox, and will be returning next year for the Artist Diploma program. She plans to complete a Masters Degree and pursue a career as an opera singer and recitalist.
Cian Horrobin, tenor
Cian Horrobin is a native of Saint John, NB and currently a student of Jean
MacPhail here in Toronto. In September Cian will be entering his 4th year at
the University of Toronto in the Voice Program at the Faculty of Music. He
has been a soloist for Symphony NB several times and was Spoletta in
OperaNB's Tosca. His next appearances will be with Chorus Niagara, as
soloist in the Mozart Requiem at the end of May, as Ferrando in Cosi Fan
Tutte for the SOLT Summer Program in July and as Gastone in La Traviata, for
Opera NB.
Michael Ciufo, tenor
Winner of the “Most Promising Junior Singer Award” at the NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) competitions in 2005, Michael Ciufo is enjoying success as a promising young tenor. In early 2007, Michael completed a nine show tour across Canada, where he was the featured performer in Bravo Honours our Best of 2006, a series of Gala events sponsored by the Bank of Montreal. In March of this year, Michael was featured in the Amazing Canadian Magazine; the issue was the first to be distributed across Canada at Chapters, Indigo, and select newsstands.
Most recently, Michael’s performing credits include Goro in Madame Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini with Opera Lirica Italiana. He has also performed the title role in the premier of Hamlet, a new opera written by Toronto-born composer Mark Richards, and Il Buffone in the Canadian premier of La Belle dormente nel bosco (Sleeping Beauty) by Ottorino Respighi with the Glenn Gould School. In addition, Michael had the privilege of performing as an ensemble member with Opera Atelier in their 2006/2007 production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Michael has also performed the roles of Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat; (A.L. Webber), and Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie; (M. Stewart, L. Adams, C. Strouse).
In May of 2006 Michael released his first classical recording. Vieni sul mar – A Collection of Italian Songs, containing the music of some of Italy’s most prominent song composers, including F.P. Tosti, Stefano Donaudy, and Eduardo di Capua.
Michael consistently performs abroad. During the past two years, Michael has been featured and performed alongside Canadian vocal group The Nylons, Michael Burgess, The Mississauga Symphony, Jackie Richardson, and Bob Egan from Blue Rodeo. In May of 2003, Michael was honoured to have been given a surprise opportunity to perform at the Pantheon in Rome, Italy; a performance which was truly inspiring for the young artist.
A student of Donna Sherman, Michael continues to enjoy his studies at The Glenn Gould School. He is entering his fourth year of undergraduate studies and is planning on completing a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance.
Vasil Garvanliev, baritone
Baritone Vasil Garvanliev began performing professionally at the age of 7 as a child pop star in his home country, Macedonia. As a soloist for the Chicago Children’s Choir, he performed at many famous venues and for many people such as: Ravinia Festival, Carnegie Hall, Chicago Theater, President Clinton, Samuel Ramey, Celine Dion, Heather Hedley and many more. Mr. Garvanliev also studied in Italy at the Accademia Lirica Italiana.
Two and a half years ago he came to Toronto and now studies at the Glenn Gould School with Roxolana Roslak. In that time Mr. Garvanliev has been honored to be a part of the Opera in Concert and Opera Atelier ensembles, was a soloist at the Stratford Summer Music Festival and has undertaken numerous solo performances as well as sung in oratorios throughout Toronto.
Mr. Garvanliev was recently a finalist in the Macedonian Eurovision Festival with an original composition. He will take part in the Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute this coming June and will spend August in England as Masetto in Don Giovanni, and soloist for the Strauss-Mahler program part of the Britten PearsYoung Artist Program.
Mr. Garvanliev looks forward to another amazing year as a Sidgwick Scholar with the Orpheus Choir’s 2007-2008 Season!
David Roth, baritone
Toronto born baritone David Roth is currently in his fourth year of voice performance at the University of Toronto. He is studying in the studio of Patricia Kern and has been named the recipient of the Edward Arthur Edsell Scholarship, the Greta Kraus Scholarship, the Fairways Concert Scholarship, and the Fiorenza Drew Fellowship for 2007. Mr. Roth has an extensive background in choral, chamber, and solo music and has performed with various groups including The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, the Exultate Chamber Singers, and The Toronto Masque Theatre.