PHILLIP ADDIS & EMILY HAMPER, ARTISTIC DIRECTORS

The Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy was co-founded in 2015 by Phillip Addis, Emily Hamper, Michael Schade, and John Miller, and launches its sixth season in 2021. Our internationally recognized faculty focuses on furthering our participants’ musicianship, language skills, and technique within a friendly, supportive and creative atmosphere. Ideally, applicants should be in or have recently completed a degree/training program with a university, conservatory or opera company, or be in the early years of a career. Singers with large or exceptional voices are encouraged to apply. We welcome applicants from all countries, but applicants from outside Canada are responsible for their own travel and document requirements, including all COVID-19 travel and quarantine regulations.

2021 General Information

This year we offer two sections; Opera and Oratorio (August 9 – 17), and Art Song (August 20 – 26). Space is limited to 6 singers per course, but applicants are welcome to apply to both courses if they wish. As usual, we do not charge an application fee. Classes and lessons are planned to take place in-person at Avondale Church, with some guest faculty joining us virtually. Participants are expected to be in attendance on every day of their course. All participants will have the option to record in the beautiful Avondale Sanctuary for future audition/application purposes. Additionally, a paid performance opportunity is available on Stratford Summer Music’s MusicBarge.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we are not able to offer billet accommodation this year. Participants may choose to commute daily if they live within a reasonable distance, but otherwise will be responsible for their own accommodation in Stratford. Thanks to our generous supporters, we are able to offer some tuition reduction in order to offset this additional expense. Applicants should indicate on their application form whether they would like to apply for this assistance.

STRATFORD SUMMER MUSIC RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ADJUST COURSE DATES AND CONTENT IF NECESSITATED BY THE PANDEMIC. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY OF ANY CHANGES. IN THE EVENT OF A COMPLETE COURSE CANCELLATION BY STRATFORD SUMMER MUSIC, PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE A FULL REFUND.

Testimonials:

“I can’t tell you the wonders your program did for my singing, outlook and most of all my confidence in pursuing this career.” -Sarah Schabas, 2017

“Thank you again for a wonderful experience – I would highly recommend the Vocal Academy to any young singer.” – Sarah Parkin, 2017

“I really appreciated working on oratorio arias at the Stratford VA as I have had the opportunity to be the soloist in various oratorios including Haydn’s Creation, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Gounod’s St Cecilia Mass and Handel’s Messiah.” – Anna Boyes, 2018

“Your program really stretched me and made me grow as a musician and as a person. I was able to quickly learn the scores based on the knowledge I gained while at the Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy. “ – Aude Urbancic (pianist), 2018

Opera/ Oratorio

(Vocal Academy 2019, Anastasia Pogorelova. Photographer Scott Wishart)

Dates: August 9 to 17, optional recording dates Aug 18 & 19

Faculty:

Johannes Debus, Conductor (Opera Masterclass); Howard Dyck, Conductor (Oratorio); Roger Honeywell, Tenor (Acting);                            Justin Werner, Founder and President, Stratagem Artists (Career Discussion); Phillip Addis, Baritone (Voice); Emily Hamper, Vocal coach (Coach and Music Director)

General Information:

Individual repertoire will be determined with each singer once attendance has been confirmed, and may include audition repertoire, operatic roles and scenes, and a survey or complete study of an oratorio. Instruction takes place in masterclasses and private/small-group sessions. All participants receive equal time with each faculty member. Arrival is Sunday August 8. Instruction will take place from Monday August 9 to Tuesday August 17 at Avondale United Church, Stratford. Participants should be prepared for several instructional opportunities on each day of the course (masterclass, private sessions, acting, etc). Finale Concert with all participants will be on Tuesday August 17 at 4pm. Concert repertoire will be chosen by the Directors in consultation with the participants.

Application Requirements and Information:

  • Completed Application Form
  • Current resumé
  • Current headshot
  • 2 – 3 Video Submissions: two contrasting opera arias. Optional: in addition, one aria from the Oratorio Repertoire. Selections must include at least two languages and should represent your current vocal and interpretive ability. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube, with the links e-mailed as part of your application. (Due to the pandemic, pre-recorded backing track is acceptable in lieu of live accompaniment, if necessary.)
  • Please e-mail all application information to vocalacademy@stratfordsummermusic.ca

Costs &  Acceptance: 

Tuition is $1200 CDN payable upon acceptance into the Academy. Closing date for applications is June 18, 2021.

A 30% non-refundable deposit is to be paid within one week of acceptance, (June 25 approx) with the balance to be paid no later than July 9, 2021.

Opera/Oratorio applicants can seek funding from the Canada Council for the Arts for this course www.canadacouncil.ca

 

Art Song

(Vocal Academy 2019, L to R Mark Fewer, Emily Hamper, Sydney Baedke, Ben Bolt-Martin. Photographer Scott Wishart)

Dates: August 20 – 26, optional recording dates arranged individually

Faculty:

Nathalie Paulin, Soprano (Voice, French diction); Steven Philcox and Lawrence Wiliford, Co-Artistic Directors, Canadian Art Song Project         (Panel Discussion – Programming and Pitching your Recital) ; Phillip Addis, Baritone (Voice, text study); Emily Hamper, Vocal coach (Coach and Music Director)

General information:

With the assistance of the faculty, participants will create a sample Art Song recital programme, which will form their basis of study in the course. This program must include at least one French mélodie. Instruction takes place in masterclasses and private/small-group sessions. All participants receive equal time with each faculty member. Arrival is Thursday August 19. Participants should be prepared for several instructional opportunities in each day of the course (masterclass, private sessions, text work, etc). Finale Concert with all participants will be Thursday August 26 at 4pm. Concert repertoire will be chosen by the Directors in consultation with the participants.

Application Requirements and Information:

  • Completed Application Form
  • Current resumé
  • Current headshot
  • 2 Video Submissions: two contrasting pieces from the Art Song repertoire. Selections must include two languages, one of which must be French, and should represent your current vocal and interpretive ability. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube, with the links e-mailed as part of your application. (Due to the pandemic, pre-recorded backing track is acceptable in lieu of live accompaniment, if necessary.)
  • Please e-mail all application information to vocalacademy@stratfordsummermusic.ca

Costs & Acceptance:                                                                                           

Tuition is $800 CDN payable upon acceptance into the Academy. Closing date for applications is June 25, 2021

A 30% non-refundable deposit is to be paid within one week of acceptance (July 5 approx) with the balance to be paid no later than July 16, 2021.

Art Song applicants can seek funding from the Art Song Foundation of Canada for this course www.artsongfoundation.ca

Program Sponsors

Jim MacDougall, in memory of Connie MacDougall

The Neil F. Crory Endowment Fund

Barbara Steed Young

  • A Message from Our Co-Directors

    “Welcome! After cancelling the 2020 Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are pleased to resume the program in-person in August 2021. All operations will take place under strict safety measures, including rotating room use, the use of masks and plastic screens while indoors, rapid testing, and outdoor performance venues. (Please see separate statement on COVID-19 safety measures.) Most learning activities will happen in-person, with the inclusion of some remote content.

    This past year has taught all of us the importance of flexibility and creativity when making our performances available to the public, including the adoption of new media and their required skills. The 2021 Vocal Academy will include discussions and practical suggestions about using the technology and communications which are now part of our lives. Our mandate continues to be the development of high-level performance skills, the individual artistry of all our participants, and building important connections in the classical voice profession.”

    – Emily Hamper and Phillip Addis

  • Safety and Protocols

    The Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy is committed to ensuring a comfortable and safe environment for all participants, staff, and faculty. Physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional harassment or abuse of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes racist, sexist, or gender-intolerant speech and messaging. Anyone engaging in such behaviour, whether against those involved with Stratford Summer Music and the Vocal Academy or in the broader community while in Stratford, will be ejected from the program.

    2021 COVID 19 – Protocols

About Our Directors

Phillip Addis and Emily Hamper are the resident faculty and Co-Directors of the program. Together they have logged a cumulative 44 years in the classical voice profession at home and internationally; together as recitalists, and separately as operatic baritone and collaborative pianist/music director.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced performing artists around the world to find alternative ways to connect with audiences and supporters. Both Phillip and Emily were involved in groundbreaking projects, made necessary by the sudden disappearance of live performance opportunities. Not only did they have to suddenly become experts in broadcasting performances from their home, but they became quickly involved with the digital productions of other organizations. These include a fully digital Don Giovanni (Brott Opera), one of the first of such productions in Canada, a livestreamed performance of the new opera As One (Montreal Chamber Orchestra) and filmed versions of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande (Teatro Regio Parma) and Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites (Wilfrid Laurier University).

Phillip and Emily are fully committed to keeping classical voice performance and training viable and accessible, whatever the circumstances, believing that the foundation of vocal performance in any medium is a sound, reliable technique, excellent linguistic and interpretive skills, and the full development of every singer’s individual artistry.