France-Canada Academy of Vocal Arts

What are we up to in Tours? Conferences on Ronsard, masterclasses, community concerts, amazing lunches, and hanging out with friends, to name just a few things! And preparing for the Young Artist’s Concert THIS SATURDAY. Did you know there’s a FREE livestream? Check it out, along with our other live-streamed events, at https://www.music.utoronto.ca/concerts-events.php

Aaaaand we’re off! Bright smiles from our participants as we kick off the 2024 Académie Francis Poulenc in Tours, France: the inaugural Academy held in collaboration with FCAVA! Want to tag along? Follow on Instagram and -Canada Academy of Vocal Arts on Facebook for updates on 🎶 *live streamed concerts and masterclasses* 🎶, and keep an eye on our stories for behind-the-scenes sneak peeks from our participants.

À tout à l’heure!

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

Classes for the Académie Francis Poulenc start tomorrow, but we got a head start today with a visit to Le Prieuré Saint-Cosmé, Ronsard’s home! Want to see what else we got up to today? Check out Susannah Zou's takeover on our stories! Stay tuned for tomorrow morning, when we kick off the festival!

Only FOUR MORE DAYS until the start of the 2024 Académie Francis Poulenc in Tours, France! We're packing our bags, but with what? We'll show you! Want to join us for the journey? Give us a follow at on Instagram and -Canada Academy of Vocal Arts on Facebook to get updates on concert livestreams, sneak peeks at events, and behind-the-scenes adventures shared by our participants! Allons-y!

This summer's Académie Françis Poulenc emphasizes songs setting poetry by Pierre de Ronsard. Who is Ronsard? We have the details! And we also have a great recording of Poulenc's "Poèmes de Ronsard" to recommend, featuring the AFP's own François Le Roux! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/xkjMTXAVgOs?si=jjfznDihN-tcfBkI

FCAVA is proudly partnered with the Académie Francis Poulenc (AFP). But what exactly is AFP? Read our quick primer, and then check it out for yourself at melodiefrancaise.com!

Bienvenue à notre prochain duo, Rayleigh Becker (baritone) and Susannah Zou (piano)!

Rayleigh Becker is a Canadian baritone. He recently completed his Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance (with a minor in Mathematics) at the University of Toronto, where he studied under the tutelage of Professor Wendy Nielsen, vocal coach Hyejin Kwon, and his current teacher, Dr. Steven Leigh. As an experienced ballet dancer, competitive judo athlete, and jazz musician, Rayleigh is a multi-disciplinary artist who is known for his dramatic sound and passion. Recent performance highlights with UofT Opera include the roles of Les Surintendant des Plaisirs in Jules Massenet’s Cendrillon, and The Spy in Arthur Benjamin’s A Tale of Two Cities. Rayleigh is an accomplished church cantor and organist, and is currently exploring the realm of heavy operatic tenor repertoire.

Canadian musician Susannah Zou is an active solo and chamber performing pianist. She began her musical journey at the age of six and became a regular competitor in festivals and competitions, winning numerous awards. Susannah has held solo recitals across Canada, as well as internationally in Italy, and the Netherlands. She was a national finalist in the Canadian Music Competition of 2023. In 2017, she made her solo debut in the Crescendo International Music Competition where she claimed the first prize and had the opportunity to perform at the Weill Concert Hall. In 2017, Susannah was a finalist in the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra Concerto Competition, earning her the chance to perform alongside conductor Jin Zhang and the orchestra. Susannah has attended the Casalmaggiore International Music Festival, Tuckamore Music Festival, Orford Musique, the Amalfi Coast Music Festival, and the Holland International Music Sessions. She also enjoys collaborating with instrumentalists, and is the co-founding pianist of Trio Hiraeth and Duo Avenoir.
Susannah Zou has recently graduated from the University of Toronto and has completed her Bachelor’s degree in piano performance under the tutelage of Lydia Wong. She is the recipient of the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto Centennial Scholarship for 2023.

Check back next week, when we introduce our composer!

of Toronto Faculty of Music

Bonjour to our duo, Jordana Goddard (soprano) and Joel Goodfellow (piano)!

Canadian American Soprano Jordana Solstice Goddard is an award-winning artist whose musical passion has led her to critically acclaimed performances across Canada and Europe. Ms. Goddard has graduated from the University of Toronto while studying with Dr. Darryl Edwards, and is continuing her studies in a Master’s degree in Opera Performance.

Highlights of her undergraduate degree include performing several world premieres, and performing her first lead roles in operas with the university, and performing as a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. She has been invited to the VSO again this spring to perform Mysteries of the Macabre by Ligeti and Akrostichon-Wortspiel by Unsuk Chin with conductor, Naomi Woo.

Joel Goodfellow, from Vernon, British Columbia, has been working as a collaborative musician for over a decade and has his Bachelor of Music in piano performance from the University of Lethbridge. He has performed as a soloist with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra, Kamloops Symphony Orchestra, and Youth Symphony of the Okanagan, with critics praising his musical sensitivity and fresh interpretation. With the release of his debut percussion and piano duo album, Detours, Joel was added to the PARMA recording artists roster under the Big Round Records label. Since the summer of 2022, he has been part of the faculty of AIMS in Graz, Austria as a repetiteur. Joel has just finished a Master of Music in collaborative piano at the University of Toronto under Steven Philcox, where he was the 2021 winner of the Kodolfsky Prize.

Check back next week for our final duo!

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

Say hello to our duo of the week, Nicole Percifield (mezzo-soprano) and Leah Lee (piano)!

Mezzo-Soprano Nicole Percifield has featured in concert performances with New Haven Symphony (Messiah), Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (D. Scarlatti’s Salve Regina and Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater), UTSO (Beethoven’s Mass in C) and Minnesota Orchestra. Recently, Percifield performed Elgar’s Sea Pictures with North Bay Symphony under conductor Joshua Wood. A skilled interpreter of art song, Percifield received the 2024 Norcop Prize in Song, was a 2024 Fellow with Toronto Summer Music, performed Debussy’s Chansons Baudelaire at Carnegie Hall, and featured on CBC’s Tapestry program, presenting composer Gavin Fraser’s new work, Shared Isolation.

A graduate of Yale Opera, Percifield has worked with Minnesota Opera (Salome, Faust), Santa Fe Opera (Le Nozze di Figaro, Rigoletto), Central City Opera (Werther, Cendrillon), the Banff Centre (Die Zauberflöte), and Opera Theatre of St. Louis (Ghosts of Versailles), and was a finalist at the Metropolitan Opera New England Regionals. She is currently pursuing her doctorate at the University of Toronto with Wendy Nielsen, where she is a recipient of the Joseph-Armand CGS Doctoral Scholarship. She can be heard singing the role of Cathleen (Riders to the Sea), recorded live at the Beethoven Festival in Warsaw, Poland. International Classical Music Awards nominated the recording for Best Opera Album, 2017.

Canadian artist Leah Lee is known for her sensitivity and refined sound. Her playing is described as “well-crafted and full of spirit." She is a current student at the University of Toronto, where she is pursuing a Master of Music degree in Applied Music and Health. Leah’s deep admiration for French music, particularly the works of Poulenc, Fauré, and Chaminade, fuels her artistic inspiration. Her deep interest in the synergistic relationship between music and the brain led her to pursue a Master’s degree in neurologic music therapy at the University of Toronto. Set to graduate in June 2024, Leah aims to continue her passion for performing and collaborative music-making while pursuing a career as a neurologic music therapist. Leah’s journey is driven by her belief in the transformative power of music, both as a performer and therapist, highlighting its potential to heal, connect, and inspire.

Check back next Wednesday, when we introduce another duo!

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

Introducing our next duo, Maeve Palmer (soprano) and Sabina Rzazade (piano)!

Dora award winning soprano Maeve Palmer has been described in review as a "virtuoso singer" (WholeNote), and "triple threat ... talented coloratura" (OperaCanada). She holds the 2021 Norcop Prize in Song for singer with the most promise, and is a prize winner of the Eckhart Grammatté National Music Competition. She has performed with Tapestry Opera, Opera Atelier, Highlands Opera, and New Music Concerts, among other companies. Maeve recently recieved her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto where she held the Sidney Pulley Graduate Fellowship, resided as Junior Fellow at Massey College and served as president of the UofT Student Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing.

Sabina Rzazade has experience performing both nationally and internationally. She has competed in a number of international competitions before coming to Canada for her studies. Some of these include the 2014 “Future Stars” in Azerbaijan, the 2015 Frederic Chopin Competition in Estonia, and the 2016 Konstantin Igumnov International Competition in Russia. Between 2014 and 2017, she performed multiple times as a soloist with the Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra and the Symphonic Orchestra of Azerbaijan.

Upon moving to Canada in 2017, Sabina participated in and won prizes at numerous competitions and festivals at the provincial and national levels. In 2018 she auditioned and was chosen to play at the opening of Lara St. John and Matt Herskowitz’s concert as part of the Virtuosi Concert Series. Sabina was the winner of the 2018 Western Financial Group Tudor Bowl and Encore Competition, as well as the winner of the 2019 Encore Competition for the Brandon Festival of the Arts. In November 2019, Sabina auditioned and was chosen to perform with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra. In 2019, she successfully represented the province of Manitoba at the Canadian National Music competition in two divisions: solo piano and collaborative piano. Sabina is currently in her first year of Master’s degree majoring in collaborative piano.

Check back next Wednesday, when we introduce our next duo! 🎶🇫🇷🎶

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

Get to know our FCAVA 2024 participants! Our first duo is William Salinas-Crosby (tenor) and Minira Najafzade (pianist).

Tenor William Salinas-Crosby is a dynamic vocalist based in Toronto, Ontario where he continues his studies in Voice Performance at the University of Toronto under baritone Mark Daboll. Praised for his musical sensitivity and shimmering timber, William is an in-demand performer who enjoys an expansive range of choral and solo vocal repertoire, exploring many cultures and languages.

Minira Najafzade, an Azerbaijani pianist, adeptly navigates solo and collaborative music. Having earned master's degrees in Piano Solo Performance from the Baku Academy of Music and Collaborative Piano from the University of Toronto, she is currently refining her artistry. Minira's talent has been recognized internationally, with laureate titles from competitions across Europe and the USA, and performances at esteemed venues like Carnegie Hall, Walter Hall, Baku Philarmonic Hall, Mediterranean Conference Centre and Teatro Comunale Rossini. She has also delighted audiences with solo recitals in Azerbaijan and Malta. Inspired by mentors like Pavel Gililov and Dmitri Bashkirov, Minira continues to hone her craft with humility. Honored in her homeland's 'Golden Book' of Young Talents and recipient of a Presidential Scholarship, Minira Najafzade shares her musical passion, leaving a profound impact worldwide.

Check back next Wednesday, when we introduce our next duo!

University of Toronto Faculty of Music

More common spaces at the Hameau St-Michel

A glimpse of the accommodations at the Hameau St-Michel, in Tours