Artists

Kimberly Hooper (soprano) is a 2007 graduate of the Bachelor of Music program (voice performance) at Queen’s University, where she studied with baritone Bruce Kelly.  During her four years at Queens she performed in both the Queen’s and Kingston communities, including recitals at St. George’s Cathedral and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, as well as performances with the Queen’s Student Opera Company. These opera performances with the QSOC included roles in Orfeo et Euridice (Gluck), L’Elisir d’amore (Donizetti), and Les Dialogues des Carmelites (Poulenc) in which Kimberly sang the role of Blanche de la Force. In September 2007, Kimberly will begin the Master’s of Music Literature and Performance program at the University of Western Ontario.

Joshua Lawson (baritone) has been singing since the age of four. A graduate of the Etobicoke School of the Arts in Toronto, Joshua recently completed the Bachelor of Music degree (2007) from Queen’s University where he studied voice under Dianne Baird and Bruce Kelly. While at Queen’s, Joshua also furthered his passion for composing, studying under renowned Canadian composers Alfred Fisher and Marjan Mozetich. Joshua has appeared in over twenty musical theatre and operatic productions in the last decade, including the role of Marius in Les Misérables, and more recently, Figaro in Rossini’s classic opera The Barber of Seville. Along with his lifelong passion for music, Joshua is keenly interested in American and Roman history, politics, and baseball. Joshua will continue his studies at Queen’s University next year in the Bachelor of Education program, as he plans to become a high school music and history teacher.

Ed Norman (production) is a widely experienced record producer who has recorded Canadian and international artists both as a freelance record producer and in his ten years as a producer for CBC Radio. A professional musician himself, Ed is currently Musical Director at St. George’s Cathedral in Kingston, Ontario, where these songs with lyrics by Opie were recorded in April 2007.

Laura Redekop (mezzo soprano) is a 2007 graduate of the Bachelor of Music program at Queen’s University, where she studied voice performance with Carol-Lynn Reifel.  Performance highlights at Queen’s include lead roles in the Queen’s Student Opera Company (QSOC) productions of Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, and Poulenc’s Les Dialogues des Carmelites, and her graduating recital in March 2007 in Sydenham St. Church. Laura actively participated in extra-curricular activities throughout her four years at Queen’s, including performances in master classes and competitions, premieres of student compositions, and as a member of Queen’s Chorale Ensemble. Laura has developed a special interest in Canadian composition, and is looking forward to continuing her voice studies and Canadian music studies.

Gordon E. Smith (piano) is professor of ethnomusicology and Canadian music studies at Queen’s University. His research includes fieldwork on music in the Mi’kmaq community of Eskasoni in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, as well as a forthcoming collaborative book on the Quebec folklorist, Marius Barbeau. Formerly director of the School of Music at Queen’s, he is currently associate dean in the Faculty of Arts and Science. Gordon was the instructor in several courses taken by Kim, Josh, and Laura during their studies at Queen’s.