Fatima Allibhai [soprano]
Diana Boland [alto 1]
I'm thrilled to be part
of Capital Vox, which is home to many very talented musicians. My background
includes classical training, musical theatre, choirs, small vocal groups and
solo jazz gigs in Ottawa and the area. With
Capital Vox, I am enjoying
singing with a
large ensemble, unique and challenging jazz arrangements, and the pleasure of
showcasing new works.
Brett Capiau [tenor]
Sandra Clarke [soprano]
Sandra Clarke has been a professional violinist with the Central Band's Canadian
Force String Ensemble since 1985. She enjoys singing in the ensemble
occasionally, as well as solo for special occasions such as for the Senators
game on Canadian Forces Day. She loves many musical styles, although her
favourite is jazz.
Valerie Clements [alto 1]
In addition to Capital Vox, Valerie
performs as
a member of the popular Lemmon Sisters swing/jazz group based in
Marjorie Cooper
[alto 2]
Marjorie sang
classical music in choirs for a number of years. She has traveled to Europe to
sing in classical music festivals in the Czech Republic, and in some very small,
very old churches in Germany, Poland and Austria. She has also sung Gospel in
Jamaica and Cuba accompanied by local bands. However when she joined Capital Vox
it was a girlhood dream come true – she always wanted to be a jazz singer!
Now
that she is retired (from life as a computer systems analyst), when she’s not
practicing or singing, she spends her free time golfing, hiking and gardening in
summer, and skiing in the winter months. Life is so sweet!
Eric David [tenor]
Eric David is an Ottawa-based blues singer. Since 2002 he has fronted the
Ottawa blues band Shakedown Groove. His love of music also extends to
writing and co-arranging all of Shakedown's original material. Capital Vox is
Eric's first foray into jazz vocals and, in joining the choir, has discovered
another passion.
York Davis [bass]
York has performed lead and chorus roles in several musical productions;
including La Boheme, Queen of Spades and
Faust, Desert Song, Kismet, My Fair Lady and others. He
has been involved in the production and direction of the musical Babies, Ottawa
Men's Chorus and
various cabaret groups including his own group, Capital Cabaret. He has sung as
a church tenor soloist and in various choirs. After academic training in
Political Theory and International Affairs, York's career has included time
working in Engineering Drafting, Immigration, and Foreign Affairs. Since
retiring, he enjoys being a tour guide. York's many interests include music,
fine arts, travel, eBay, reading, biking, and yoga.
Kathy Eagan [alto 2]
Richard Fujarczuk [tenor] [assistant
director]
Richard began his formal musical training in 1961. He has studied voice, piano,
organ and classical guitar as well as theory, harmony and
counterpoint. His early focus was on Renaissance, Baroque and classical music
and he has performed with choirs and other musical ensembles in venues as
diverse as the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, the Palacio de Bellas Artes in
Mexico City, The Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music
in Rome, St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, and the Thomaskirche (where Bach was
organist and choirmaster) in Leipzig. Richard has also
experimented with progressive rock and other musical forms, but has come to jazz
rather recently, both as an instrumentalist and singer, and finds it a wonderful
musical journey.
Helen Glover [alto 1]
Helen studied voice in her native New Zealand, and has sung in many
musical genres, including The Everglades, (a professional folk music
trio); choral; dance band; voice recitals, opera chorus and musical theatre, (Rare
Vintage); spirituals and Jazz. After a considerable hiatus, Helen returned
to live performance to explore her passion for Jazz and has experience in many
variations of large and small group format. She performs music from the 1900’s
to the present time, with a special interest in the golden age of the North
American Songbook. A
special aspect of Helen’s musical journey is teaching the Music Together
program to very young children, from birth to five years. The combination of
voice, movement and rhythm instruments and a great deal of fun and silliness
provide the opportunity for children and their parents to share in exploring
musical sounds and in particular, the pleasure and joy of singing.
Penelope Goranson [soprano]
Born in Sherbrooke Que singer/composer Penelope Goranson nee Doheny is a
self-taught musician. With musical influences including Big Bill Brunzy and
Mississippi John Hurt, Penelope is an accomplished blues guitarist. She also
plays blues harmonica. Penelope feels fortunate to have had the opportunity to
sing with music greats such as Oscar Peterson, Long John Baldry, and Oliver
Jones. She is thrilled to have joined Capital Vox. Everyone is so welcoming and
encouraging.
Cyndi Kennedy [alto 2]
With her acting debut at 16 as a host of "You Can't Do That on
Television", performing has always been Cyndi's favourite pastime. She vividly
recalls feeling the passion of Jazz and Blues at age 8 - and knowing it was in
her blood. Cyndi has since sung all manner of genres including bluegrass, blues,
jazz, rock and classical. Despite no formal training, she has
played several different instruments and written original songs. For her, it has
always been about feel for the history, culture and passion of the music. Aside
from Capital Vox, she currently sings lead vocals withclassic rock/funk band Tempus Fugitives
www.tempusfugitives.ca
and jazz/blues band Upside
Blue
www.upsideblue.ca
Tim Lash [bass]
Sabrina Mazepa [soprano]
Sue McGowan [alto 1]
Sue has always loved singing - and at 4 she entertained the whole "Smitty's
Pancake Restaurant" in Banff, standing on a table singing "Puff The Magic
Dragon". A promising first gig. She loves singing with choirs &
vocal groups, loves tight harmony, and loves jazz music. Capital Vox seems like
a perfect fit! (She promises to stay off table tops.)
Vanessa Mercier [alto 2]
Rebecca Noelle [soprano]
Having begun her musical journey as a pianist, Rebecca soon decided that her
voice was her instrument of choice and has been wooing crowds with her powerful,
soul-filled vocals for the better part of her adult life. While perhaps best
known for her jazz performances, Rebecca frequently branches out into other
genres, including rock and blues. This multi-award winning twenty-something has
entertained audiences in shows with some of the world's most prominent acts
including B.B. King, Johnny Winter, and ZZ Top. Having
experienced performance from many different perspectives - instrumentalist,
chorister and soloist - she has sung everything from classical choral works at
the National Arts Center accompanying actor Christopher Plummer, to playing
intimate jazz lounges with legendary
Canadian jazz pianist John Noubarian. Her recent touring engagements include
singing as the back-up vocalist for Canadian Blues Icon, David Gogo; and
has been making her own rounds of eastern and southern Ontario as a solo jazz vocalist.
Rebecca currently has a jazz album in the works.
JoAnn O'Connor [soprano]
JoAnn's first choir experience came in 2004 when she and her
youngest son joined the Homeschooling Choir in Ottawa. She enjoyed singing
so much that she also joined Big Soul Project, a non-auditioned gospel choir. It
took a few years for JoAnn to gather her courage and sign up for weekly singing
lessons and she hasn't looked back since. She was thrilled to audition for
Capital Vox and finds it both challenging and rewarding to explore this musical
style with such a fine group of
singers. In addition to singing, JoAnn enjoys gardening and working with clay.
Though she has never stood on a table to sing, she has swung from a flying
trapeze while working for a travelling circus school.
Mary-Ellen Pitts [alto 2]
Marc Routhier [bass]
Jerry Sociedade [tenor]
Mike Steinberg [bass]
Mazie Thompson [alto 2]
Since retiring from the Ottawa Hospital, Department of Medicine, as a medical
secretary, Mazie has been pursuing music. She has classical voice training, and
has participated in competitions such as NATS and Kiwanis. She
is also a member of her church choir. Her desire to learn jazz led her to Alcorn
Music Studios where she studies with Elise Letourneau. Her interests include the
arts, travelling, and some sports. She is a graduate of the University of Ottawa
with a B.A. in Psychology.
Mark Alcorn [bass guitar]
Mark majored in music at York University in Toronto and with the Jazz Studies
program at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia. He has performed jazz,
pop, R&B, blues, gospel, rock and in theatre pit bands. Mark has a comprehensive
knowledge of jazz and classical theory. Mark performs on electric and acoustic
guitar and electric bass in the local blues band
Shakedown Groove
and the Alcorn Bedner Townsend Trio as well as performing freelance on both
instruments.
Tim Bedner [guitar]
A member of the music faculties of both Carleton University and Alcorn Music
Studios, Tim performs regularly throughout Ottawa. He is on the advisory board
of Pittsburgh's Guitar Society of Fine Arts, and prior to moving to Ottawa was
on the music faculty of Duquesne University and St. Vincent College.
A multiple-year honoree in
Who's Who Among American Teachers, Tim compiled and edited A Common Sense
Approach to Improvisation with Pittsburgh jazz guitar legend Joe Negri, In
addition to creating guitar instructional material of his own. Tim has shared a
stage with artists as diverse as national fingerstyle champion Pat Donohue,
Broadway diva Bernadette Peters, flamenco guitarist Marija Temo, bluesman Ernie
Hawkins, fusion band Spyrogyra, members of The Fringe and the New York Voices,
and others. He received his Master of Music Degree in jazz performance on a full
graduate assistantship at Duquesne University, and graduated with highest honors
from Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he received his undergraduate
training.
Marilee Townsend [drums]
Marilee holds a Bachelor of Music degree and a Diploma in Jazz Studies from St.
Francis Xavier University. She specialized in percussion and drumset and minored
in piano. Marilee continues to study drumset with Jim Blackley. She has
performed in jazz, R&B, blues, gospel, theater pit bands, dixie, country groups,
percussion ensembles and symphonic bands. Marilee currently performs regularly
with Shakedown Groove, and the Alcorn Bedner Townsend Trio.