Mozart's "Requiem" Concert - April 1, 2007

Kasia was born in Wroclaw, Poland and immigrated with her immediate family to Canada in 1989.

Kasia graduated summa cum laude from the University of Ottawa, earning her Bachelor of Music degree, after being taught by Ingemar Korjus and Joanne Kolomyjec. She is now pursuing further studies in opera and vocal performance, through a Master's degree at the University of Toronto, studying voice with Darryl Edwards.

2005 was a busy year for Kasia when she won the National Association of Teacher's of Singing competition in her category and received the "Most Promising Singer Award".

She completed one year of appearances with Ottawa's Opéra Lyra Young Artist Training Program, and featured in their summer gala concert, alongside prominent Canadian singers Mariateresa Magisano and Gregory Dahl. With the Opéra Lyra Chorus she performed in Gounod's Romeo et Juliette, a National Arts Centre (NAC) main stage production and later performed the national anthem at the Governor General Awards, accompanied by the NAC orchestra.

Whilst with the Opéra Lyra Young Artists' Program in December she made her professional operatic debut as Hansel in Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.

With the University of Ottawa's Opera Workshop, she performed the roles of Donna Elvira in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, and the Second Lady in Mozart's Die Zauberflote.

In March 2006, Opera Canada Magazine, Spring issue, reported when she won the Vivian Asfar Memorial Award for Vocal Excellence, awarded each year to a promising member of the Opéra Lyra Young Artists Program.

July of 2006 saw Kasia attending the Academy of Nice in France, where she studied extensively with Dalton Baldwin and Lorraine Nubar. Other prominent artists she has done masterclasses and lessons with include: Christa Ludwig, Martin Isepp, Adrianne Pieczonka, Hakan Hagegard, Stuart Hamilton, Gaetan Laperriere, Lorne Richstone, Aaron St.Clair-Nicholson, and Elizabeth Turnbull.

Most recently, Kasia performed the mezzo solo in Stravinsky's Les Noces with University of Toronto's Macmillan Singers, and the role of Bianca in Britten's The Rape of Lucretia with U of T's Opera Division

Andrew is no stranger to the Northumberland Orchestra & Choir. He first joined us in 2004 for our "Christmas Around the World" Concert on December 12, in Cobourg.

Andrew's second appearance with us was as "Elijah" on April 9, 2006 in the grand performance at Port Hope United Church.

Andrew has an updated, rather lengthy Bio; since we don't have sufficient space here, you can open it as a 1-page PDF (188 Kb).

Olga Tylman, soprano, recently completed her Masters in Voice Performance and Literature at the University of Western Ontario, and holds a B.A. in Music from the University of British Columbia.

She was a recipient of the top performance scholarship at University of Western Ontario (UWO), where she studied with Theodore Baerg and performed the role of Fiordiligi (Cosi fan Tutte) with the UWO Opera.

Winner of the Ontario Provincal Music Festival, she represented the province at the 2005 National Music Festival in Kamloops, B.C.

Recent studies have included a workshop with tenor Ian Partridge in England, and the opportunity to perform the role of Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) with the Halifax Summer Opera Workshop.

Active as a church soloist and chorister, Miss Tylman has enjoyed positions at numerous churches in Vancouver, London, England and London, Ontario.

Currently living and working in Toronto, she continues to perform a variety of opera, art song, and sacred repertoire.

Recent engagements include soprano soloist in Mozart's Requiem with St. Paul's Cathedral Choir, London, Ontario, and upcoming, the role of Euridice in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice with Opera Nova Scotia in May 2007.

Michael Lombo, Tenor, hails from New Jersey, where he was trained as a Vocalist in Classical Music. He sang under the watchful eye of the Dr. Lourin Plant at Rowan University. While there, Michael also studied Dance and Theatre Arts.

Most recently, he was seen in The Northumberland Players' production of The Full Monty at the Capital Theatre, and will be appearing as Cinderella's Prince in the Victorian Operetta Society's production of Into the Woods at Victoria Hall, Cobourg.

Born in December 1994, Nathan Kong has been studying piano since the age of five and has received many awards and scholarships from competitions such as the Canadian Music Competitions, the Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival and the Markham Music Festival. Currently, he is studying piano with James Tweedie.

He was a recipient in 2001 of the Silver Medal at the Royal Conservatory of Music Piano Examinations. In 2005, Nathan played in a benefit concert for "Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of Canada". He was the first-place winner at the 2006 Canadian Music Competitions and he won the first prize at the First Toronto Sinfonietta Concerto Competition.

In 2006, he gave several performances at theatres such as the Glenn Gould Studio and the Isabel Bader Theatre. Recently, Nathan also performed with the Toronto Sinfonietta Orchestra and the Northumberland Orchestra.

In addition to his achievements in music, Nathan has been a winner in various national math competitions.