Opera singer Stephanie Nakagawa is coming home – and she’s bringing a friend.
The Shuswap Music Festival Society and the Salmon Arm Rotary Daybreak Club present soprano Nakagawa and pianist Joni Chan at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 11 at the SAGA Public Art Gallery.
Join these two acclaimed, young artists for an evening of song, piano works by Chopin, arias by Puccini and more.
Salmon Arm Secondary grad Nakagawa is currently pursuing her doctorate of music in voice at Indiana University, studying with Prof. Costanza Cuccaro, who enjoyed an international career in major opera houses around the world.
Nakagawa also completed her master’s degree at Indiana University, having received her bachelor of music degree in opera from the University of British Columbia, where she was awarded the UBC Medal.
Last summer, Nakagawa was a young artist with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. At university, she has performed Amy in Little Women, Yvette in La Rondine, and sang as a soloist in Paul Chihara’s Amatsu Kaze with the IU New Music Ensemble and Mozart’s Requiem with the IU Chamber Orchestra.
Her other stage credits include Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, Musetta in La Bohème, Adele in Die Fledermaus, Zerlina in Don Giovanni with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Westcoast Symphony Orchestra, Oberlin in Italy, Prince George Symphony, and the North Bohemian Philharmonic in the Czech Republic.
Nakagawa has also sung second Gossip in The Ghosts of Versailles and was a soloist in Ginastera’s Cantata para América Mágica with percussion orchestra at the Aspen Music Festival.
Earlier this month, the young opera singer performed the role of Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring and was delighted her parents Lloyd and Itsako were able to travel to Indiana University to watch her perform.
Nakagawa has won the Western Canada District Metropolitan Opera National Council and the British Columbia Provincial Festival of the Performing Arts. She holds Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Canada performance diplomas in both piano and voice (gold medalist).
As well, the talented soprano was awarded the Canada Millennium Award, Wesbrook Scholar, Johann Strauss Foundation Scholarship, BC Arts Council Award, Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Laureate, and the BMO National Scholarship.
Nakagawa calls her friend Chan a versatile pianist who plays beautifully on her own and as a collaborative pianist.
“She’s amazing, and she’s the sweetest person ever,” says Nakagawa. “I’m very excited – it’s going to be so much fun doing this tour.”
An active solo performer and sought-after accompanist, Chan has given concerts in Hong Kong and throughout the United States.
Chan has won many awards and prizes, including a performer’s certificate from the University of Indiana – a rare honour given by the piano faculty.
She has also been the recipient of first prize in the university’s Mozart Concerto Competition and The National Society of Arts and Letters Competition (Bloomington Chapter).
The talented pianist was also selected to perform in an international music camp in Rome.
Chan currently serves on the faculty of Vincennes University, Indiana’s oldest public institution of higher learning.
As well, she is a doctoral candidate in piano performance at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, where she earned her bachelor and masters in music with high honours.
Nakagawa and Chan’s tour begins March 8 in Burnaby’s Nikkei Centre, where the young performers will feature Japanese songs.
The women will also perform in Enderby before presenting their talents in voice and piano to Salmon Arm March 11.
“Being on stage is a lot of fun, I’m doing what I love,” says Nakagawa, noting she hopes to continue to perform and work at a university as a professor. “And I would love to come home (to Canada); it’s not until you leave that you realize how special it is and how you really do miss it.”
The tour is sponsored by Daybreak Rotary and proceeds from by-donation admission to the concert at the SAGA Public Art Gallery will go to the Shuswap Music Festival.
This is a festival Nakagawa holds dear, and one in which she won many awards in both voice and piano.
“It was definitely great motivation and a preparation tool,” says the talented opera singer who won best in festival for voice “a few years in a row,” along with her other awards. “It’s nice to have that kind of supportive atmosphere for students.”
Nakagawa also holds dear the support she has always received from her parents.
“They’re the best,” she laughs, recalling her music festival years. “I remember my mother sitting outside because she was too nervous.”
