Whitbourn’s Annelies A musical evocation of the diary of Anne Frank Date Sunday, March 6, 2022 Time 3:00pm Location St. Francois d'Assise, 20 Fairmont Ave., Ottawa Event Details James Whitbourn’s Annelies brings to life an adaptation of the diary of Anne Frank through a large-scale choral work. The Diary of Anne (Annelies) Frank is a significant historical document, read by millions throughout the world. Written between 1942 and 1944, the diary tells of Anne’s experience as a young Jewish girl, hiding from the Nazis with her family in the back of an Amsterdam warehouse. Anne dies tragically at the age of 16, leaving behind the diary in which she recorded her ordeal. From the bleak confinement of her family’s hiding place, she composed a moving account of her struggle to live, as well as an affirmation of the essential beauty of existence. How the human spirit can prevail in the worst of isolation strikes a compelling chord in our covid-weary times. An exquisitely layered masterpiece in which Whitbourn uses his instrumental and vocal forces to superb effect. “… woundingly beautiful …” (The Daily Telegraph) JAMES WHITBOURN music | musique MELANIE CHALLENGER lyrics | paroles Introit — Prelude | Introït — Prélude | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur The capture foretold | L’annonce de l’arrestation | chorus | chœur The plan to go into hiding | Le projet de se cacher soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur The last night at home and arrival at the Annexe | La dernière nuit chez nous et l’arrivée à l’Annexe | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur Life in hiding | La vie dans la clandestinité soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur Courage | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur Fear of capture and the second break-in | La peur de l’arrestation et le second cambriolage chorus | chœur Kyrie — Sinfonia chorus | chœur The dream | Le rêve | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur Devastation of the outside world | La devastation du monde extérieur | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur Passing of time | On passe le temps | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur The hope of liberation and a spring awakening | L’espoir de la libération et le réveil du printemps | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur The capture and the concentration camp | L’arrestation et le camp de concentration | chorus | chœur Anne’s meditation | La méditation d’Anne | soprano and chorus | soprano et chœur Full Program Featured Artists Sarah Dufresne soprano Raised in Niagara Falls and based in Montreal, Sarah Dufresne is a Canadian soprano known for her clarity of tone, rapid coloratura, and diverse repertoire. Sarah’s recent and upcoming engagements include Vaughn Williams’ Riders to the Sea (Opéra de Montréal), Handel’s Messiah (Chorus Niagara), and as a concert sololist with l’Orchestre de L’Agora and FILMHarmonique. She has also performed with various operatic companies and symphonic orchestras, including Against the Grain, Waterloo Chamber Players, and the Grand Philharmonic Choir of Kitchener Waterloo. In past seasons, Sarah completed a residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, an internship at the Lachine International Vocal Academy, and sessions at the Stratford Summer Music Program. In 2019, Sarah was an award winner at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the 2019 Talent Gala at the Opéra de Montréal, and earned the prestigious Jacqueline Desmarais Grant for Young Canadian Opera Singers. Read More Sarah Dufresne soprano Read More Ross Edwards clarinet Ross Edwards is the Principal Clarinetist with the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony. He is a veteran of the Canadian orchestral scene, having held several Principal Clarinet positions since winning his first professional audition at age 19. Ross began his studies in his native Montreal and later continued in Chicago, Paris and Berlin. He has been a featured performer at several Chamber Music festivals throughout Canada and has also taught clarinet at Wilfrid Laurier University for the past 18 years. Ross is celebrating his 25th season with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and has been a soloist with the orchestra on previous occasions in works by Mozart, Copland and Weber. Read More Ross Edwards clarinet Read More Andrew Hon Associate Music Director Andrew Hon is in demand as a conductor and clinician for choirs in North America, England and Hong Kong. His recent conducting appearances include concerts at the Théâtre Maisonneuve (Montreal), Alice Tully Hall (New York), St. James’s Church Piccadilly (London), Trinity College Chapel (Cambridge, U.K.), Harvard University, and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. He has prepared choruses for Aik Khai Pung, William Weinert, Paul Phoenix, and Stephen Coker, and studied with world-renowned conductors including Helmuth Rilling, Rolf Beck, Masaaki Suzuki, David Hill, Markus Utz, Grete Pedersen, and Stefan Parkman. Mr. Hon holds master’s degrees in choral conducting from the University of Cincinnati and from the Yale School of Music, where he served as conductor of the Yale Glee Club Chamber Singers and Principal Assistant Conductor of the Yale Camerata. He was Director of the McGill University Chorus from 2019 to 2021. Currently, Mr. Hon is Viva Choir conductor of the Ottawa Children’s Choir, Guest Conductor of the Choir of the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul (Montreal), and a doctoral candidate in choral conducting and FRQSC research fellow at McGill University. Read More Andrew Hon Associate Music Director Read More Marjolaine Lambert violin Marjolaine Lambert holds a doctorate from McGill University and a Master’s degree from Yale. Her teachers include Denise Lupien, Ani Kavafian and Johanne Arel. She performs frequently with Les Violons du Roy, I Musici, and the McGill Chamber Orchestra. In the fall of 2016, Marjolaine became a member of the National Arts Centre Orchestra. In her free time, she enjoys touring with Céline Dion. Read More Marjolaine Lambert violin Read More Timothy McCoy cello Timothy McCoy began his life in music as a Suzuki cello student and boy chorister. He cut his professional teeth as a Sunday brunch salon music artist and avid teenage busker. A graduate of Indiana University, Mr. McCoy studied cello with Gary Hoffman and Janos Starker, and chamber repertoire with Menahem Pressler, James Buswell, and George Janzer. From a deep classical background including an eclectic freelance experience in Toronto, a tenure with the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, touring Spain and Morocco with Bernard Labadie and Les Violons du Roy, performing with the Emperor and Fox Quartets, and wide-ranging chamber music appearances, including with eminent pianists Anton Kuerti and Angela Hewitt, Timothy has collaborated in musical ventures in the genres of contemporary, jazz, blues, musical theatre, commercial, folk, and traditional music. Timothy was recruited to the National Arts Centre Orchestra and confirmed by Pinchas Zukerman in 2003. Read More Timothy McCoy cello Read More Andrew Tunis piano Andrew Tunis has led a distinguished career as soloist, chamber musician, and university professor over the past four decades. He has given concerts in Canada, the USA, Europe, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Asia, and has collaborated in chamber music with many renowned musicians, including violinists Pinchas Zukerman and Martin Beaver, cellists Desmond Hoebig and Steven Isserlis, as well as the Philharmonia Quartet of Berlin and the St. Lawrence String Quartet. In 1984, along with cellist Desmond Hoebig, he won first prize in the Munich (ARD) International Competition. In 1989 their recording of music for cello and piano by Beethoven received a Juno nomination. Other recordings include chamber music by Schubert with the Chamber Players of Canada, named one of the top five recordings of 2005 by La Presse. More recently he has released an acclaimed recording of piano works by Brahms on the CanSona label. Read More Andrew Tunis piano Read More