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Summer school to sing for the community

A series of recitals will be open to the public during the week the annual Summer School for the Solo Voice is underway in North Battleford.
By Jayne Foster Staff Reporter
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The founder of the Summer School for the Solo Voice, can picture the Battlefords becoming a hub for summer music programs. Hornung, named one of the University of Saskatchewan's Arts and Science Alumni of Influence and an international acclaimed singer, says the area is well known for its talent, its support of the music community and for its great instruction. She points to the faculty of her summer school as an example. SSSV has attracted talent from the local area and from other parts of Saskatchewan, as well as Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, and this year, from England. The high calibre faculty, in turn, attracts singers, directors and accompanists from across Canada She can see this trend expanding, making the Battlefords "the" centre for music programs. Her own school used to include a second component of musical theatre instruction and, as her household gets nearer to "empty nest" status, is due to re-expand to that format either next year or the year after. It's a natural spinoff from SSSV, says Hornung, It would run for the week following SSSV, with a smaller staff. There is extensive interest in musical theatre, says Hornung, and she can see it being very well attended. These kinds of programs not only benefit the students who attend them, says Hornung, but the community as well. They provide the opportunity to see all that talent in action through student and staff recitals and performances, in many cases at no charge. The level of these performances would often mean costly admission in other venues. Being able to offer exceptional learning opportunities to youth and adults who want to further their musical education is a passion for Hornung and her colleagues. "It's an enormous amount of work, but it's very gratifying on so many levels," she says. That's what keeps SSSV faculty members returning year after year and new ones signing on. Hornung has downsized her international career in favour of more time with her family and, while she still performs, the coaching, directing and adjudicating side of her career now satiates the "hunger" her international career used to fill. "Teaching is a vocation," says Hornung. She looks to her husband, high school teacher John Chipak, as an example of someone who doesn't "just teach" but "is a teacher." His love of teaching inspires her own, she says. He also supports her in all her efforts, even to cooking for the entire staff and student body of the summer school when necessary, she laughs. This year's SSSV runs from July 6 to 13. For recital times and dates, see the accompanying story.

A series of recitals will be open to the public during the week the annual Summer School for the Solo Voice is underway in North Battleford.

Eight-five singers and accompanists, from youth to adults, are expected to be attending the school that has earned national and international attention for its unique character, and the admission free recitals will feature students and staff of the school.

The school and the recitals will be held at Third Avenue United Church in North Battleford. The first recital will be at 7 p.m. Monday, July 8 featuring tenor Spencer McKnight, who is the recent winner of numerous awards at the provincial music festival and who will be going on to the national level. He will be accompanied by pianist Mark Turner of Saskatoon, who is among the faculty members for this year's summer school.

Tuesday, July 9 at 7 p.m. there will be a recital by the staff of the school.

Advanced singer and advanced accompanist recitals will be held Thursday and Friday the July 11 and 12, at 11:10 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

The final recital will take place Saturday, July 13 at 1:30 p.m.

The former director of the Vienna Boys Choir is among the faculty returning to the annual summer school. New to the faculty will be Geoffrey Pratley, one of Britain's best known accompanists. Pratley and the founder of the Summer School for the Solo Voice, mezzo soprano Lisa Hornung, will be in concert together Friday, July 12 at 7 p.m.

Pratley has had a long and illustrious career as one of Britain's best known accompanists. After studying at the Royal Academy of Music he went on to accompany many world famous singers and instrumentalists in concerts worldwide. He has also broadcast widely on radio and television. His trip to Canada to join Hornung's summer school faculty came about through an email correspondence and resultant friendship that began with Hornung's search for certain pieces of music.

Hornung is excited about performing with Pratley, as well as his joining the faculty of instructors who have helped make the school for singers, accompanists, teachers and choral conductors successful over the last 14 years. The school accommodates a wide range of ages and abilities, including beginners, by offering up to six classes simultaneously.

One of the faculty members returning this year is Jaya Hoy who, with Hornung, presents Music for the Soul, an annual series of concerts featuring both local and visiting musicians. Hoy, who has enjoyed an international career, now resides in North Battleford where she is active as a teacher, coach, accompanist and organist.

Gary Gaunsauge will, as always, be at the piano. Gansauge is well known in the Battlefords and area as an accompanist, organist and keyboard player. He has spent many years accompanying vocal and band students in local and provincial music festivals as well as community events and recitals, is the accompanist for Hornung's Children's Youth Choir.

Returning for his second year is the former conductor of the Vienna Boys' Choir, Laurence Ewashko. Currently associate professor of choral studies at the University of Ottawa, Ewashko conducts the University of Ottawa School of Music's two choirs and has held the position of chorus master for Opera Lyra Ottawa for the past 24 years. Ewashko has been invited to lecture at the University of Lviv, Ukraine as a guest professor.

Also returning this year is Chris Kelly, a sessional lecturer in the University of Saskatchewan's Department of Music, teaching voice and musicianship and serving as an accompanist. He has been on the faculty of the summer school since its inception. Kelly also maintains a private voice and piano studio and performs regularly in recital, opera, and oratorio. In addition to teaching and performing, he accompanies, coaches, adjudicates and is a church organist and choir director.

Joy McFarlane-Burton is an active and enthusiastic teacher with 35 years of experience working with developing singers, in many genres including musical theatre, choral, as well as the standard vocal repertoire. She has been an instructor at the summer school for more than a decade.

A member of the Saskatoon Registered Music Teachers' Association, returning faculty member Bernadette Fanner maintains an active teaching studio and accompanying career. She completed her associate, licentiate and fellowship diplomas at Trinity College of London and earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance with Great Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan .

Long time faculty member, Dr. Gore-Hickman is a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the University of Saskatchewan. His lectures include an in-depth look at the physiology of the voice, video-laryngoscopies of different techniques in singing and speaking as well as video-laryngoscopies and discussions concerning vocal health and care of the voice,

Another faculty alumnus, Heather Macnab of Maple Creek, is active as a singer, singing teacher, director, accompanist and adjudicator. In addition to numerous musical theatre galas, Macnab has directed many full length musical productions.

Paul Suchan, who has also been on the summer school faculty several times and is a former North Battleford Comprehensive High School teacher, is an emerging Canadian composer of instrumental and vocal music. He is also in demand as a conductor and clinician. He is a co-founder and current co-artistic director of the Sask. New Music Festival, an annual three-day festival that features prairie composers. He is originally from Saskatoon, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Saskatchewan. He furthered his studies at the Université de Montréal with a Master of Music in Composition. He is currently based in Montreal where he lives with his wife Naomi, who is also returning to the summer school faculty.

Naomi Piggott Suchan graduated with honours from McGill University's Master of Accompanying and is currently working as an accompanist for McGill University's Voice Department where she coaches singers in languages, singing diction, musical style and ensemble. She received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Saskatchewan, where she graduated at the top of her class with the University Medal in Fine Arts.

Returning for her second year is Karen Charlton, whose operatic experience has allowed her to play opposite some of Canada's most exciting emerging and established leading men. She has been featured on CBC radio and has appeared as a soprano soloist with the Saskatoon Symphony many times.

Dr. Laura Lowen of the University of Manitoba's faculty of music holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying/Coaching from the University of Minnesota and has appeared in concerts throughout North America and in Europe, Asia and Â鶹´«Ã½AV America. Lowen was on the faculty last summer and was also in North Battleford last winter for a series of master classes.

Antoinette Erasmus of Provost, Alta., will be on faculty as well, working with students interested in speech arts.

Holly Voetz will be there as well, leading a yoga class at the end of the each afternoon. Voetz has been practicing and studying yoga for seventeen years.

In addition to the summer school faculty, a host of volunteers, including kitchen staff, help behind the scenes.

The school begins on July 6 with an extra day for advanced singers, and on July 7 for the full student body. It concludes on July 13.

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