Peggy Mahon is an actress, singer, teacher, director and producer. She began her professional career in Halifax, NS as a singer on a national CBC radio series for 6 years., and is featured on 2 London recordings, all with The Armdale Chorus, directed by Mary Dee Girroir. During this period, she also performed on the first season of the CBC television series, SINGALONG JUBILEE, with Pete Seeger, Bill Langstroth, and others in the folk field. For four of those years, she was also the singer for Don Warner’s Orchestra, and performed weekly with Dave Caldwell, the Vickery brothers and others in the band, as well as in jazz concerts.

She moved to Montreal to study at the National Theatre School of Canada (during the Powys Thomas years) and was awarded a Nova Scotia Talent Trust scholarship and 2 Canada Council grants before graduating. She also studied opera with Bernard Diamant for three years, and dance with Jeff Henry while in Montreal.

She has played in most of the major Canadian theatres, including Centaur Theatre in Montreal (Helen in ONE CRACK OUT); Citadel Theatre in Edmonton (Mrs Kopecka in SCHWEYK IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR, co-starring with Eric House and directed by John Neville; and Miss Evy in THE KOMAGATA MARU INCIDENT with Michael Ball and directed by Jim DeFelice); Bastion Theatre in Victoria (Mae in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF); Canadian Stage in Toronto (Sally Bowles in CABARET with Sylvia Lennick and Jan Rubes); Rainbow Stage in Winnipeg (Lalume in KISMET directed by Paddy Stone; Vera Charles in MAME; the Wicked Stepmother in CINDERELLA directed by Richard Ouzounian; Domina in A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM; and the Wicked Witch in Alan Lund’s THE WIZARD OF OZ for 2 consecutive seasons); The Charlottetown Festival (Adelaide in GUYS AND DOLLS and Mrs. Barry/Mrs Blewett in ANNE OF GREEN GABLES); and returning to Neptune Theatre in Halifax (Reno Sweeney in ANYTHING GOES directed by Linda Moore and, again, with David Renton in the cast as well as Glynnis Raney).

Recently, she played Mama Rose in GYPSY at Broadway North in Prince Albert, Sask., Fiona (for the third time) in HOW THE OTHER HALF LOVES in Erin, Ont., Lee in TALE OF THE ALERGIST’S WIFE in Winnipeg, and Hannah in the world premier of Joey Miller’s PLAYGROUND at TIFF in Molson Park. She also directed and produced Albee’s THREE TALL WOMEN in Toronto and played the role of “B”. And on TV she voiced all of the female characters on 5 seasons of ONCE UPON A HAMSTER, and played Iris Barlow for 4 seasons of WIND AT MY BACK with Shirley Douglas.

Pianist Danny McErlain has been a mainstay of the Toronto music scene for three decades. His busy schedule takes him from the local club scene to major concert venues such as ROY THOMSON HALL, the TORONTO CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, the ST. LAWRENCE CENTRE, and the MISSISSAUGA LIVING ARTS CENTRE. He is also in frequent demand as an arranger, conductor and musical director.

Credits include performances with numerous jazz artists such as JIM GALLOWAY, PETER APPLEYARD, GUIDO BASSO, the late HENRY CUESTA, GEORGE EVANS, DAVE YOUNG, Polish jazz sensation MAREK BALATA, and the renowned SPITFIRE BAND.

Danny can be found performing with clarinet soloist BOB DEANGELIS in the popular “TRIBUTE TO BENNY GOODMAN” symphony pops concerts being presented throughout Canada and the U.S., and can be heard on a recent recording of the Benny Goodman tribute, “Champagne Memories”, a forerunner to the 70th anniversary Goodman concert scheduled Jan. 2008 at CARNEGIE HALL, New York, under the direction of DeAngelis. Other recordings include vocalist Irene Atman’s self-titled “Irene Atman”, and crooner Carl Young’s “Simply Sentimental”, produced by Jack Lenz. A regular performer in the TORONTO DOWNTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL, Danny has also performed in the Orillia, Markham, Beaches and Prince Edward County jazz festivals, FESTIVAL OF THE SOUND (Parry Sound), and has graced the airwaves of CBC and JAZZ FM Radio.

coming soon...



www.emikohsuen.com

Ever since the age of five, when she first began singing opera at the dinner table, Francesca Blandizzi has been sharing her gift of music in song. She is at home in many genres: jazz, blues, musical theatre, folk, dance/pop (and even rap). She enjoys singing in English, Spanish and Italian. Ms. Blandizzi has sung as a guest and solo artist in a wide variety of  locations such as the Du Maurier Theatre, Le Select Bistro, Leah Posluns Theatre and Renaissance Café, to name a few. Some of her mentors and past teachers include Peggy Mahon, Danny McErlain, Louise Lambert. Ms. Blandizzi's background as a performer encompasses training in voice, acting, Latin dance, flamenco, tango, jazz dance, African dance, hand drumming.

Ms. Blandizzi is not only an accomplished singer, but she is also a prolific songwriter whose compositions have been described as having a “soothing, relaxing and rejuvenating” effect on her listeners. Others have acknowledged her work as being "raw, vibrant and alive". Without a doubt, the common element in all of her songs is that honest, gutsy, soulful quality that never fails to touch the listener. She has the gift of being able to draw from the wide spectrum of human experience and, using the medium of music, give voice to the tender matters of the heart.

"To me," said Ms. Blandizzi in a recent conversation with fellow-artist and colleague, Emiko Hsuen, "it's like calling on the divine. The music has to be linked to the divine in order for me to sing authentically. So, while the lyrics aren't necessarily spiritual, the delivery is definitely from a spiritual place."

Music is Ms. Blandizzi's vocation in life: she intends to continue sharing with her listeners the gift of healing through song, as well as develop new ways to support and encourage other artists in their individual journeys towards success.

www.allegriamusica.com/

Multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Hubert Razack started his musical journey at age 7. He developed an early and keen interest in music production and sound design, leading to an active portfolio of production, multimedia presentation, and sound engineering. After his move to London, Hubert was an active part of the busy British music scene. He produced and played bass and guitar for the London band "The Audio Journal", performing in all the major rock venues in London. Their work was regularly featured in the NME, computer music and Future music Magazine.

He released his first solo album in 2007 under the name "Re:mind", featuring a unique blend of electronic, rock, folk and world music. He also contributed materials for official tribute albums to multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield and to electronic band Depeche Mode. He is now working on various new projects, including his second solo album, an orchestral piece of music, and "Jadely", a collaboration with musician and singer Emiko Hsuen.

www.re-mind.com

Chantal Ferris began her dance training at the Barbara Treleaven School of Dancing in North Bay, Ontario at the age of four under the tutelage of Barbara Treleaven and Denise Cote. At 11, Chantal joined the studio’s amateur dance troupe The Performers and performed and competed in various locations in North America as well as 5 cities in the south of Spain.

Chantal achieved high results on her C.D.T.A (Canadian Dance Teachers Association) exams and participated in guest classes and workshops across North America.  The ambitious young dancer received numerous awards in competitions including a scholarship to the D.E.A (Dance Educators of America) Ballet Workshop and Competition in New York City in 1994.  Chantal trained in various dance disciplines including ballet, pointe, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop and lyrical jazz. 

Chantal furthered her dance education by earning a BFA in Dance from York University.  At York, Chantal explored the world of modern dance and took courses in dance kinesiology, pedagogy and choreography.  She continues to hone her dance and teaching skills by attending master classes and workshops

In June 2002, Chantal received a bursary to attend the Dance USA Roundtable Convention in Miami and had the opportunity to network with dance professionals from across North America.

In 2006 Chantal successfully completed a teaching exam with the Society of Russian Ballet in Canada and now holds her Associate designation.  In May of 2007, As Promised Productions won Chum Television’s Greenbelt Prize Competition for a dance piece co-choreographed by Chantal.

Chantal lives in mid-town Toronto, is entering her 9th year on faculty at the Woodbridge School of Dance and is the proud mom of one dancing daughter named Olivia.

Yuka Koreeda was born in Tokyo, Japan and began her study in classical piano at the age of four.

She proved her gift of music early on whlie studying in Maryland, USA, where she was a National Winner (Intermediate Class) at the National Piano Playing Auditions of American College of Musicians for two consecutive years.

She continued to develop her piano skills at the University of Western Ontario where she graduated with an Honors degree in Piano Performance.  While there, she was a winner of the London Scholarship Foundation Competition and two time recipient of the Rosie Robinow Award for most promising pianist.

Yuka has studied with accomplished piano instructors (A. Melecci and C. Rodert) as well as with celebrated pianist and professor R. Turini, who was a former student of Vladimir Horowitz.

Yuka works as an accompanist and pianist, and currently focuses her time as a well-respected private piano instructer.

Raised in a musical family with a singer, a flautist, a drummer and a bagpiper, Megan’s  musical interests are deeply rooted and diverse.  At an early age, she was recognized as having an exceptional ear and a strong technical facility at the piano.  In high school she placed consistently at the top in local and provincial music festivals and was later accepted with scholarship to the Bachelor of Music program at the University of Alberta where she completed her undergraduate degree with Stéphane Lemelin.  The recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, Megan was able to spend her summers at music schools across the country, including the Orford Arts Center, the Banff Center for the Arts and the Agassiz Summer Music Festival in Winnipeg.  She continued to compete and succeed in local, provincial and national competitions.  Megan went on to complete her Master of Music Degree in piano performance at the University of Montreal where she studied with Jean Saulnier.  She has performed across the country as a soloist, chamber music and accompanist, and currently resides in Toronto. 

A native of Vancouver, Alastair Smyth was introduced to singing through his membership in choirs such as the British Columbia Boys Choir and later the St. Andrews-Wesley Chancel Choir.  He studied in Vancouver with Richard Williams, and took part in UBC productions of HMS Pinafore (Bill Bobstay the bo’sun).  He now studies voice at the University of Toronto with JoAnne Bentley, and was invited this spring to take part in a Master Class with Lorna MacDonald (Lois Marshall Chair in Voice).  He also keeps himself busy singing at Lawrence Park United Church and with the U of T MacMillan Singers, who performed the Mozart Mass in B minor under the direction of Helmut Rilling last October.