VAM Vocal Theatre and Voice Department

VAM Voice program Department Head Robyn Driedger-Klassen sings Con qué la lavare?, from Cuatro madrigales amatorios, by J. Rodrigo.

Fireside Performance - Robyn Driedger-Klassen (voice, piano) performs "¿Con qué la lavare?", from Cuatro madrigales amatorios, by J. Rodrigo. Thank you to Jennifer Cote for the support!
Link to video: https://youtu.be/FLfnyfUNTJQ

We did it again ! (Oops)

Tonight’s performance of Dido and Aeneas is still on! 7pm 🎶

Join us tonight and tomorrow at 7pm to see this gorgeous set in person!

Last, but certainly not least, is our music director:

Robyn Driedger-Klassen has done lots of performing in lots of places. She loves the costumes and grandeur of opera and adores the personal and intimate side of recitals. Several years ago, Robyn was hired by the Turning Point Ensemble to do a work for voice and ensemble by R Murray Schafer entitled Arcana. Faced with singing Egyptian hieroglyphs, Robyn found herself first at a complete loss, but soon fully enjoyed unravelling the mysteries found on the page. Schafer witnessed her successful performance and since then, Robyn has thrown herself whole-heartedly into performance of contemporary vocal repertoire.

She has performed and premiered many fascinating works of living composers: R Murray Schafer, Kaija Saariaho, Jocelyn Morlock, Jeffrey Ryan, Ana Sokolovic, David McIntyre, Larry Nickel, Brian Current, Jake Heggie, Libby Larsen and Leslie Uyeda just to name a few. This is an exciting time to be working with North American composers and Robyn is thrilled to make their songs come alive.

Recent performances include The Lost Operas of Mozart with City Opera, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Jeffrey Ryan’s Timepieces, Rachmaninov’s The Bells, and a short film about Murray Adaskin featuring his song for soprano and string quartet, A Wedding Toast. Robyn is on the core faculty of the Vancouver International Song Institute, and is also very pleased to find herself Head of Voice at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

Robyn loves books, geraniums, hikes, canoes, cups of tea and a clean house. She lives with her husband and two vocal critics under the age of five. She can bake a wicked loaf of bread and in recent times, has learned a considerable amount about monster trucks, dinosaurs and how to avoid Lego underfoot.

Next up we have the man with the plan, our director Alan Corbishley:

Baritone Alan Corbishley has sung throughout North America and Europe performing and studying with some of the world’s most prestigious companies and artists.

As a Stage Director, Alan has directed well over 30 productions including: The Lost Operas of Mozart with City Opera Vancouver where he will return to direct Nigredo Hotel in 2018, the critically acclaimed adaptation of Handel’s Acis and Galatea with Sound the Alarm: Music/Theatre & re:Naissance Opera which will be remounted in Finland in 2018, all the productions at the Vancouver Academy of Music since the fall of 2015, his original “silent play” Silent Chap within Western Canada Theatre’s 2013/14 main stage season, as well as multiple other musical theatre productions and his own original creations.

As a producer, he has worked on multiple TED Conferences around the globe as an event producer, as well as over 200 events for his own arts organization BC Living Arts (Sound the Alarm: Music/Theatre) of which he is the Artistic Director.

In 2006, Thompson Rivers University awarded Alan a Distinguished Alumni Award for his accomplishments in Arts and Culture. In 2012, Alan was the sole recipient of the Kamloops Mayors Award for the Arts for his innovations in the arts.

Today's artist is our amazing collaborative pianist:

Nina Horvath is a Vancouver-based pianist, vocalist and arts administrator who was raised in Rossland, BC. She completed her Teacher’s ARCT before going on to further studies at the University of Victoria, University of Denver and University of British Columbia. These days she divides her time between serving as Executive Director for the Vancouver Bach Choir, singing with the Vancouver Cantata Singers, and playing and coaching for as many local singers and instrumentalists as she can

Jennie Yang is our Spirit who works with the witches, as well as the upbeat sailor!

Jennie Yang graduated from Capilano University’s Music Diploma program major in Voice in year 2010, and Capilano University’s Certificate program in Music Conducting in year 2011. Besides owning the two credentials from Capilano University she also has RCM Teacher’s Piano A.R.C.T Certificate. Jennie also won the gold medalist award winner of RCM’s grade 10 Voice examination in B.C province and Yukon in year 2018.
After graduation, Jennie started to teach Piano, Voice and Theory at different music studios in the lower main land. Jennie opened her own music school Faith Hope Love School of Music in year 2015.
Jennie currently studies as a college student at Vancouver Academy of Music with tenor, Frederik Robert. Her goal of study is to pursue her dream of continuing her music education and to become a better singer and music teacher.
Aside from work and school, Jennie plays piano, drum and sings in Richmond local churches’ worship teams.