FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2014

“A GYPSY’S JOURNEY” – A STORY TOLD THROUGH SONG COMING TO ATLANTIC CANADA

HALIFAX, NS – A Gypsy’s Journey is both a compelling and emotion filled program performed by a stellar trio of Canadian musicians. Soprano Miriam Khalil, mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal and pianist Julien LeBlanc are astonishing artists in their own right, but together create a powerful, provocative and rich musical experience for audiences. This charismatic trio will be bringing this captivating recital presentation to Atlantic Canadian audiences starting on Friday, November 14th to Wednesday, November 19th and will perform four concerts across the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia regions.

A gypsy’s journey is one that can be filled with much love, passion and pain. The works chosen for this special program portray many aspects of this life – and while they are based mostly on the gypsy, they are universal in their telling of the hope, desire, joy and loss that can be experienced by all of humanity. Featured on the program are works by Gabriel Fauré, Antonín Dvořák, Pauline Garcia-Viardot, Manuel De Falla and more.

In addition to their Atlantic concerts, Miriam, Lauren and Julien will be working with music students from grade primary to the University undergraduate level and will also participate in a videoconference session hosted by Newfoundland’s Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI). This workshop will take place at 11:30AM AST on Tuesday, November 18 and will be broadcast live on the internet.

The CDLI session can be viewed live at: http://www.cdli.ca/backstage

Please see the enclosed list of tour dates and artist biographies and join Miriam, Lauren and Julien as they embark on this incredible musical exploration throughout New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
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One of the most respected music touring organizations in the country, Debut Atlantic’s first season in 1979 featured then-emerging and still-unknown artists, pianist Jon Kimura Parker, tenor Ben Heppner, and Canada’s Baroque orchestra Tafelmusik.

Full details on Debut Atlantic’s concert seasons and education programs can be found at www.debutatlantic.ca

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For further information, please contact:

Mhiran Faraday – Executive Director or
Erin Sparks – Program Officer
Debut Atlantic
902.429.6812
mdfaraday@debutatlantic.ca
erin@debutatlantic.ca

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Tour Schedule – A Gypsy’s Journey – November 2014

Moncton, New Brunswick
7:30pm, Friday November 14, 2014
Moncton Community Concert Association
First Church of the Nazarene
21 Fieldcrest Drive
506.852-4491
monctonconcerts.googlepages.com

Antigonish, Nova Scotia
8:00pm, Saturday November 15, 2014
Antigonish Performing Arts Series
Immaculata Hall, St.FX University
902.863.1639
http://people.stfx.ca/msteinit/schedule.htm

Truro, Nova Scotia
Marigold Cultural Centre
3:30pm, Sunday November 16, 2014
605 Prince Street
902.897.4004
www.marigoldcentre.ca

Liverpool, Nova Scotia
7:00pm, Wednesday November 19, 2014
The Astor Theatre
59 Gorham St
902.354.5250
www.astortheatre.ns.ca

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Biographies– A Gypsy’s Journey – November 2014

Miriam Khalil, soprano
Praised for her stage presence and her distinctive vocal tone, Lebanese-Canadian soprano Miriam Khalil is described as being “a lush lyric with spinto overtones” (Opera Canada) and “on the road to future greatness” (Classical 96.3 FM).

A former member of the prestigious Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, Ms. Khalil has performed in such roles as Leah in the world premiere of James Rolfe’s Swoon, Laura in Luisa Miller, the Confidante in Elektra, and Pamina in The Magic Flute. She is a graduate of The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, holding an Artist Diploma in Voice and a Bachelor’s Degree in vocal performance from the University of Ottawa. In 2007 she won First place in the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions for the Great Lakes Region. She is a recent member of both The Steans Institute for Young Artists at Ravinia and the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme.

Lauren Segal, mezzo-soprano
Mezzo-soprano Lauren Segal – the only Canadian chosen to participate in the inaugural Salzburg Festival Young Artist Project – is an alumna of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio. Her performances with the COC have included Mercedes in Bizet’s Carmen, Aljeja in Janáček’s From the House of the Dead, Siebel in Gounod’s Faust, and Popova in Walton’s The Bear, to name a few.

Equally at home on the concert stage, her past performances include Mendelssohn’s Elijah with Nezet-Seguin and the Orchestre Métropolitan du Montréal, Handel’s Messiah with the Vancouver Bach Choir and the Grand Philharmonic Choir, Opera Galas with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir and the National Arts Center in Ottawa and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Windsor Symphony and the Grand Philharmonic Choir. She has also been heard in recital with the Aldeburgh Connection both in Toronto and Bayfield, FestiVoix in Trois Rivières and at the Westben Festival in Schumann’s Frauenliebe und Leben.

Julien LeBlanc, piano
Acadian born, Montreal based pianist Julien LeBlanc is a well sought-after soloist, chamber player and accompanist. In 2002, he was awarded Emerging Artist of the Year by the New Brunswick Foundation for the Arts. Since his debut solo recital at the National Art Centre in 2003, he has toured for Debut Atlantic and Jeunesses Musicales du Canada with violinist Marc Djokic. Julien is co-artistic director of the summer concert series l’Été Musical de l’Église de Barachois. He has also recently appeared at music festivals including the Indian River Festival, the Elora Festival, Music and Beyond in Ottawa. Mr. LeBlanc has a passion for art-song and can frequently be heard in song recitals with Canadian singers including soprano Nathalie Paulin, baritone Peter McGillivray and soprano Miriam Khalil.

Julien holds a post-graduate Diploma in Accompaniment from the Royal Academy of Music (London, UK) where he studied with pianist Malcolm Martineau, a Doctorate in piano performance from Université de Montréal under Paul Stewart and Marc Durand as well as an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School (Toronto, ON).