We have detected that you are using an adblocking plugin in your browser.

The revenue we earn by the advertisements is used to manage this website. Please whitelist our website in your adblocking plugin.

PREVIEW | The Centre for Opera Studies & Appreciation (COSA) Presents A Pop Up Concert February 9

By Anya Wassenberg on February 4, 2025

Singers on stage by Edgar Degas (1834–1917), Art Institute of Chicago (public domain)
Singers on stage by Edgar Degas (1834–1917), Art Institute of Chicago (public domain)

Dr. Darryl Edwards: Professor of Voice Studies, University of Toronto will be the host of a pop up concert titled Looking Ahead — WE SING! It takes place February 9, featuring four different choirs, three soloists, and four conductors.

The program offers a kaleidoscopic sampling of choral and vocal repertoire, including works by Canadian composers Alice Ping Yee Ho and Kelly-Marie Murphy, and a world premiere by by Yuhan Zhou.

Dr. Darryl Edwards

Dr. Darryl Edwards holds a B.Mus., B.Ed., M.Mus. from the University of Western Ontario, and a D.M.A. from the University of Michigan. He is the Artistic Director of the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy and COSA Canada (Centre for Opera Studies & Appreciation).

Both organizations are devoted to helping emerging opera artists develop their skills and potential.

As an in demand educator, he is regularly invited to teach master classes and give lectures around the world, including at the Royal College of Music in London, the Beijing Conservatory, and Charles University in Prague, among many others.

His students appear on stages across North America and internationally, including The Metropolitan Opera, Royal Opera Covent Garden, Bayerische Staatsoper, Chicago Lyric Opera, and Toronto’s own Canadian Opera Company.

Edwards is also an acclaimed tenor whose performances have included operas, recitals, and oratorios across Canada and the US, and in Europe.

The Program

To open the concert, Joseph Amato, composer and music director of the PEN Education Centre, will conduct the PEN Academy Wind Ensemble in Waiting, one of his own compositions.

The Music

Sofia Radenko & Kyeongok Kim

  • Four Seasons (1. Spring) by Alice Ping Yee Ho
  • Leaning on time by Jin Choi

University of Toronto Tenor-Bass Chorus
Thomas Burton, Conductor & Narek Ebrahimi, Collaborative Pianist

  • El Aire Lloro by Francisco Nunez
  • Until We Meet Again (World Premiere) by Yuhan Zhou
  • TaReKiTa by Reena Esmail
  • Darest, O Soul (with the MacMillan Singers Tenors & Basses) by Mari Esabel Valverde

Yiting (Adriana) Da & Dr. Helen Becqué

  • 七月的草原 Prairies in July by 尚德义 Deyi Shang

Enquan (Frank) Yu & Dr. Helen Becqué

  • 关雎 Crying Ospreys by 赵季平 Jiping Zhao

University of Toronto Allegro Student Choir
Enquan (Frank) Yu, Conductor
Bingbing Li, Collaborative Pianist
Jiayi (Jeffery) Guo, Collaborative Pianist

  • 春花秋月何时了 Autumn Moon and Spring Blooms, When’ll You Stop by 王龙 Long Wang, arr. 张益 Yi Zhang
  • May It Be by Enya, arr. Mark Brymer
  • 如果明天就是下一生 If Tomorrow Were the Next Life by 石青如 Qingru Shi

Dayie Chung & Dr. Helen Becqué

  • Vissi d’arte (from Tosca) Giacomo Puccini
  • 나 하나 꽃피어 (Na hana ggot-pee-uh When I Bloom Alone) by Hak Joon Yoon

NeoVoce Philharmonic Choir
Leo Li, Artistic Director & Conductor
Luyao Xu, Collaborative Pianist
Yan Huang, Vocal Coach

  • Jin Se锦瑟 (Soprano-Alto arrangement) arr. Zhang Yi
  • Moon in the Mountains山中月 by Shi-Chao Zhang
  • Mo-Ni Mountai莫尼山 arr. Jin Wei

Zyion Stephens & Dr. Helen Becqué

  • Turandot by Giacomo Puccini (Signore ascolta! & Tu che di gel sei cinta)

University of Toronto MacMillan Singers
Dr. Jamie Hillman, Assoc. Prof., Head: Choral Studies, Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting
Jayden Browne, Assistant Conductor
Dr. Joy Lee, Collaborative Pianist
Minjoo Kim, Composer in Residence

  • Swing Hosanna by Minjoo Kim
  • Sure On This Shining Night by Morten Lauridsen
  • We Shall Overcome arr. Shelton Ridge Love
  • Arirang (Nathaniel Kulin, Théa Nappert: duet) arr. Hyo-Won Woo

Find out more, and get tickets, [HERE].

Are you looking to promote an event? Have a news tip? Need to know the best events happening this weekend? Send us a note.

#LUDWIGVAN

Get the daily arts news straight to your inbox.

Sign up for the Ludwig Van Toronto e-Blast! — local classical music and opera news straight to your inbox HERE.

Follow me
Share this article
lv_toronto_banner_high_590x300
comments powered by Disqus

FREE ARTS NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX, EVERY MONDAY BY 6 AM

company logo

Part of

Terms of Service & Privacy Policy
© 2025 | Executive Producer Moses Znaimer