2000/01 – Debut Atlantic

Michael McMahon

Debut Atlantic — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 03:19:36 +0000

Pianist Michael McMahon is the preferred partner to many of Canada’s finest singers. He has performed regularly throughout Canada, in Europe, Japan and the USA with singers such as Catherine Robbin, Karina Gauvin, Measha Brueggergosman, Marianne Fiset, Lyne Fortin, Dominique Labelle, Wendy Nielsen, Maureen Forester, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Annamaria Popescu, Joseph Kaiser, Nathan Berg, Brett Polegato, Benjamin Butterfield, Daniel Taylor, Michael Schade, Russell Braun and Richard Margison.

Following his studies at McGill University in Montreal, he completed his musical education in Vienna at the Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst and the Franz Schubert Institute, and in Salzburg at the Mozarteum. During this time, he studied with such legendary artists as Erik Werba, Hans Hotter, Elly Ameling, Jörg Demus, and Kim Borg.

In addition to his active performing schedule, Michael McMahon is a Professor at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal. He has had long associations with “l’Atelier lyrique de L’Opéra de Montréal”, Opera Nuova, the Orford Arts Centre and the Banff Centre for the Arts, where he has worked regularly as a vocal coach. He is also often asked to give Masterclasses for singers and pianists, and is a resident artist at the Franz Schubert Institute in Austria and the C.O.S.I. Summer Opera program in Italy.

He has made numerous broadcast recordings for the English and French networks of the CBC, as well as for the BBC, RBTF, Radio Suisse Romande, and Radio France. His recordings on the Marquis, CBC , Atma, and Analekta labels have met with critical acclaim, including Juno nominations and the “Prix Opus”. Michael McMahon was also a judge and vocal coach for the award winning television series “Bathroom Divas”.

Le pianiste Michael McMahon est le partenaire préféré de plusieurs des meilleurs chanteurs canadiens. Il se produit régulièrement au Canada, en Europe, au Japon et aux États Unis avec de nombreux chanteurs et chanteuses de renom, dont Catherine Robbin, Karina Gauvin, Measha Brueggergosman, Marianne Fiset, Lyne Fortin, Dominique Labelle, Wendy Nielsen, Maureen Forester, Marie Nicole Lemieux, Annamaria Popescu, Joseph Kaiser, Nathan Berg, Brett Polegato, Benjamin Butterfield, Daniel Taylor, Michael Schade, Russell Braun et Richard Margison.

Après ses études à l’Université McGill de Montréal, il a poursuit ses études en musique à la Hochschule für Musik und darstellende Kunst à Vienne et à l’Institut Franz Schubert, ainsi qu’au Mozarteum à Salzbourg. Il a étudié avec des artistes légendaires, dont Erik Werba, Hans Hotter, Elly Ameling, Jörg Demus et Kim Borg.

En plus des nombreux concerts à son horaire, Michael McMahon est professeur à la « Schulich School of Music » de l’Université McGill à Montréal. En qualité de coach vocal, il travaille régulièrement avec l’Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal, Opera Nuova, le Centre d’arts Orford et le Centre d’arts de Banff. On lui demande aussi d’offrir des classes de maître aux chanteurs et aux pianistes. Il est actuellement artiste en résidence à l’Institut Franz Schubert en Autriche et au festival d’opéra C.O.S.I. en Italie.

Michael McMahon a fait de nombreux enregistrements radiodiffusés aux réseaux français et anglais de CBC ainsi qu’à BBC, RBTF, Radio Suisse Romande et Radio France. Ses enregistrements sur étiquette Marquis, CBC, Atma et Analekta ont reçu les éloges du public et lui ont mérité une nomination aux Prix Junos ainsi qu’un Prix Opus. Il a aussi été membre du jury et coach vocal dans le cadre de la série télévisée « Bathroom Divas ».

Alexander Tselyakov

Debut Atlantic — Wed, 10 Jan 2001 01:33:07 +0000

Christina Tannous

Debut Atlantic — Wed, 10 Jan 2001 01:21:51 +0000

“I remember having a wonderful time discovering the Maritimes, as it was my first time in that part of Canada. I had never taken so many planes in such a small chunk of time! I remember the beautiful sceneries, tasting cod tongue and cheeks, eating the best fish and chips in Newfoundland, marveling at the red earth and roads in PEI and the stunning views of St-John’s, driving by the beautiful coasts of Nova Scotia… I remember eating out at a restaurant in Antigonish (to was in Annapolis Royal?), we ordered scallops. It took a while so the waiter came to apologize for the delay. They had just received their shipping straight for the sea! I never thought scallops could taste this way 🙂

But most of all, I remember meeting wonderful and warm people! And of course, making music with my precious colleagues Michael McMahon and Stephen Ham. Seven concerts, seven moments of grace for us.

I was also asked to give a master class during that tour, I was 25 years old. I couldn’t believe I was giving master classes to young voice students who were not much younger than me! A wonderful experience it was to share knowledge with other young enthusiastic singers.

I would go tour the Maritimes with Debut Atlantic again in a heartbeat!”

– Christina Tannous (August 15, 2014)

Stephen Ham

Debut Atlantic — Mon, 08 Jan 2001 00:38:41 +0000

Erika Raum

Debut Atlantic — Mon, 10 Jan 2000 00:46:12 +0000

Patricia O’Callaghan

Debut Atlantic — Sun, 09 Jan 2000 01:34:13 +0000

Andy Morris

Debut Atlantic — Sun, 09 Jan 2000 01:27:04 +0000

Norm Foster

Debut Atlantic — Fri, 07 Jan 2000 23:53:16 +0000

“When I did the Debut Atlantic tour it was with violinist James Ehnes. I would read from my plays for half the show and James would perform solo on the violin for the other half. We rented a car and toured to eight different locations as I recall in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. James, who was a wunderkind with the violin, a virtuoso, was a very down to earth young man. He was in his twenties at the time and I was in my forties. We got along very well as it turned out and we discovered that we had many likes in common including sports. The odd thing about the tour, from my perspective anyway, was the instrument that James was traveling with. It was a Stradivarius on loan from a collector in Seattle and was worth 4 million dollars. I was so nervous having that violin in the rental car. I was worried that one morning I might get in the car and spill my Tim Horton’s coffee all over it. Or I might be putting my seat back to accommodate my long legs and inadvertently crush it as it sat on the floor in the back seat. I recall James and I going into a Harvey’s restaurant to get some take out burgers one day. There we were standing in line and James has got the violin case in his hand with the 4 million dollar fiddle inside and I whispered to him, “Aren’t you worried about carrying that thing around like that? What if somebody steals it?” James said the key was not to draw attention to it. If he just carried it around like it was from some high school band room, he said, then nobody would care about it. A good point, but that didn’t lessen my worry about traveling with it.”

-Norm Foster (July 12,2014)

Mark Fewer

Debut Atlantic — Fri, 07 Jan 2000 23:46:27 +0000

Walter Delahunt Haley

Debut Atlantic — Sun, 02 Jan 2000 20:31:25 +0000