We鈥檙e excited to see women taking the lead on the podium听and in the director鈥檚 chair. With that in mind, we鈥檝e asked some of our graduate students in conducting and directing a听few questions about who听they are, and what they do.听听
Join us over the next few weeks and get to know these formidable talents as they build their careers and shape our musical landscape.听听
Hailing from Ottawa, ON,鈥�狈颈濒补听搁补箩补驳辞辫补濒听(MMus'21) 鈥痟as quickly established herself as a promising choral conductor. She 鈥痠s currently enrolled in the听Master鈥檚 program in Choral Conducting at the Schulich School of Music听under the tutelage of Dr. Jean-S茅bastien听Vall茅e听and previously studied voice and music education at the University of Toronto.听
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Nila鈥檚听collaborative spirit has granted her听conductor听positions with organizations such as the听St. Lawrence Choir,听the听Oakville Choir for Children and Youth,听the听Toronto Children鈥檚 Chorus听and听the听Mississauga Summer Chorale. Increasingly recognized for her promising musical excellence,听Nila听was the recipient of the 2016 Doreen Rao Choral Award, the 2019听Iwan听Edwards Award and the 2019 Ken Fleet Choral Conducting Scholarship.听Nila听also maintains an active career as a听freelance听choral soprano.听Widely known for her accuracy and tone,听she听has performed with the听Ottawa Bach Choir,听Pax Christi Chorale, the Toronto Festival Singers, the St. Basil鈥檚 Catholic Parish Schola Cantorum and the Choir of Grace Church on-the-Hill. Nila was also selected to perform in highly regarded honour choirs such as the Ontario Youth Choir, the National Youth Choir of Canada听and the World Youth Choir.听听
Committed to the future of choral music in Canada,听Nila听is also听Office Coordinator听at Choral Canada, Canada鈥檚 National Arts Service Organization for choral music, where she takes a key part in planning essential choral programs such as听the听Podium听conference & festival, the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs, and the National Youth Choir of Canada.听
Nila's master鈥檚 recital will be webcast live on Friday, April 9 at 7:00 pm
Is there a moment that brought you to now 鈥� one that changed your course or confirmed it?鈥�
There were so many moments.听But the turning point for me was when听I听sang with the National Youth Choir of Canada听with Michael听Zaugg听in 2016.听Up until that point, I thought I would become a听solo听singer, but after spending weeks rehearsing,听touring, and making music at an incredibly high level听with the听ensemble,听I knew choir was my home. That鈥檚 when听I realized I wanted to be a choral conductor.听I had always听thought I loved choir because I loved singing,听when听in fact I loved singing because I loved choir.听听
What do you see as the role and responsibility of a conductor/director?听听听
I think every conductor sees their role in a unique way. To me, it鈥檚 about inspiring the singers. If I can get them to love singing and to love the music we are doing, that鈥檚 the most important thing.听Then, we can make beautiful music together.听听
What鈥檚 the toughest thing about conducting? What鈥檚 the easiest or most fun?听听
Although my degree has helped improve my confidence, I still often find myself听dealing with imposter syndrome. When I stand on the podium and look at the听singers in front of me,听I听still听ask myself why I deserve to be leading all these musicians.听Some days I find the answer and others I don鈥檛, but what I do know is听I am really grateful to have this opportunity.听
I am a people person, so the social aspect of choir is very enjoyable for me.听As a child, I briefly studied piano and it never really spoke to me because everything about it was so lonely: practicing alone, performing solos on stage鈥� But听when I conduct a choir, I get to meet so many wonderful people and feel each individual鈥檚 energy and personality in the room, and that brings me so much joy.听
What advice would you give to your starting-at-university self?听听听
Sometimes, less is more.听I tend to take on听way听too听much听and as a result I am spread too thin and don鈥檛 perform as well as I want. If you can do a bit less, but give it your all,听you will gain so much more in the end.听
What was the most surprising thing you learned during your degree?听听听
When I started my degree,听I was constantly questioning myself about whether I was doing the right thing听on the podium. Working听with so many incredible professors and colleagues, I started to realize that听most听of听the听time, there听is no听right or wrong way听and听that听conducting is more about passion, creativity, and artistic vision.听This new way of thinking has really helped me grow as a conductor.听
Tell me a little about your upcoming Master鈥檚听recital.鈥�
My graduating recital,听Delivrans, will take place on April 9,听at听7pm and听will be听available to watch online听().听The concert is named after听a specific听piece in my program that inspired the theme:听Delivrans听by Sydney Guillaume. The Haitian Creole word 鈥淒elivrans鈥� translates to 鈥渄eliverance,鈥� and so my program revolves around the theme of freedom: searching for freedom, finding freedom, etc.听I听look forward听to performing听music I love听and听sharing the stage with an incredible group of musicians.听听
If you had a mantra/philosophy/phrase that sums up where you are now, what would it be?听听听
鈥淣othing worth having comes easy.鈥� 听We often get听discouraged when things get听difficult, but it also makes听us听realize what is worth fighting for.听
Dream piece to conduct/direct?听听听
There are so many!听But I would have to say it鈥檚 a tie between the Brahms Requiem and Mendelssohn鈥檚 Elijah.听
Conductor(s)/leaders you admire?听听
I know you might be expecting me to name celebrities here, but the people I admire the most are mentors and teachers who personally impacted my life. To name a few: Hilary听Apfelstadt, Jean-S茅bastien听Vall茅e, Robert听Filion, Elise Bradley, Michael听Zaugg鈥� They made me who I am听today听and I am eternally grateful.听听
What do you want to see/hear more of in your field?听听
As a woman of听colour,听I鈥檝e always been听frustrated听by the听lack of representation听in my field.听We need听to see more female-identifying, transgender, genderqueer,听non-binary,听queer, and听BIPOC artists in leadership positions in the arts.听
On a less serious note, I find classical music to be extremely elitist and I would love to see more classical musicians enjoying other styles of music. I personally love听pop, indie-folk and Disney songs, and I don鈥檛 think that makes me any worse at classical music! :-)
Discover more and stay up to date with Nila's projects on her website:听听
Nila's master鈥檚 recital will be webcast live on Friday, April 9 at 7:00 pm
Check out the program here
All articles from the Leading the Way series:
Read Leading the Way: Part 1 of 5 鈥� Kelly Lin here
Read Leading the Way: Part 2听of 5 鈥� Angela Hemingway here
Read Leading the Way: Part 3 of 5 鈥� Sawyer Craig here
Read Leading the Way: Part 4听of 5 鈥� Melissa Tardif听here
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