Ottawa Chamber Music Society

Artist Bios

Maria Knapik – soprano

Maria Knapik, recipient in 2005 of A Rising Star of Opera award from the American Institute of Polish Culture, has won praise as recitalist and as soloist with orchestras and choirs, performing repertoire ranging from Haydn, Mozart and Schubert to Brahms, Bruckner, Rossini and Richard Strauss. She recently performed in Poulenc’s Gloria at the Kennedy Center with the Washington Chorus under Maestro Shafer, and in her native Krakow (Poland) in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 under Maestro Maksymiuk. She performed the leading role in Joan of Arc at Carnegie Hall, Nedda (Pagliacci) and Desdemona (Othello) in Ukraine, and toured Germany and Switzerland in Verdi’s Falstaff. Upcoming engagements include operas at the New York Grand Opera, a Beethoven, Gorecki and Koprowski recital at Carnegie Hall, and a concert with the National Philharmonic in Warsaw. In 2004, she was featured soloist at the annual Puccini Foundation Concert in Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall. Maria Knapik has received the Golden Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland.

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James Parker – piano

One of Canada's most sought-after musicians, James Parker enjoys performing solo repertoire, concertos, vocal repertoire and chamber music. He has appeared to critical acclaim in Canada, the United States and Europe. He has performed with every major Canadian orchestra and has given solo recitals across North America and command performances at Canada House in London and the French Embassy in Ottawa. A frequent guest on radio and television, he is heard regularly on CBC broadcasts and recordings and also in the United States. He is a founding member of the Gryphon Trio with which he performs worldwide. He has won top prizes at major competitions including the 1984 Eckhardt Gramatte National Music Competition and Juilliard Concerto Competition, and received the 1988 Virginia P. Moore Prize as most promising young Canadian classical artist. His recordings include two 2004 Juno Award-winning CDs with the Gryphon Trio and with soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian. A graduate of the Juilliard School, he teaches at the University of Toronto.

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Aradia Ensemble

In legend, Aradia is the twin sister of Apollo, sent by the gods to teach mankind to order the music of the natural world into song. Formed in 1996 as an instrumental and vocal ensemble, the Aradia Ensemble has achieved extraordinary success. They have recorded over 30 CDs, made two music videos and a film soundtrack, collaborated with Isadora Duncan Dancers, Baroque Dancers, Balinese Gamelan, and have co-produced opera projects. They have toured in the United States, and to the New Zealand International Chamber Music Festival and the Musica nel Chiostro festival in Tuscany. The Gramophone and BBC magazines have featured major profiles of the Ensemble and the group has won Gramophone Editor's Choice Awards for recordings of Boyce symphonies and Handel's Watermusic and Music for The Royal Fireworks.

First Nations mezzo-soprano Marion Newman, featured at the 2006 OICM Festival, has won acclaim in opera and in concert. At the 2002 Royal Golden Jubilee Gala in Roy Thomson Hall, she sang the National Anthem with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Mendelssohn Choir before Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She recorded Handel’s Rinaldo with the Aradia Ensemble.

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Claudel-Canimex String Quartet

Founded in 1989 by violinists Élaine Marcil and Marie-Josée Arpin, violist Annie Parent and cellist Jeanne de Chantal Marcil, the Claudel-Canimex String Quartet has garnered acclaim from audiences and critics. Named for the French sculptor Camille Claudel, in honour of her creative contribution and leading role among women artists, the Quartet aims to include in each program at least one work by a woman composer and have programmed works by Kelly-Marie Murphy, Linda Bouchard and Joanna Bruzdowicz, among others. Since 2005, thanks to a loan from the Canimex Foundation, the musicians have been playing instruments created by noted French violinmaker Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798-1875). Commanding a repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary works, the Quartet presents a chamber music series in Montreal and has performed nationally and internationally, also at many prestigious festivals such as the Festival internationale de Lanaudière, Festival of the Sound and Scotia Festival. Their concerts in Canada and the United States have been broadcast on radio. The musicians are also first desks of the Sinfonia Lanaudière. The Quartet's discography includes Prokoviev's string quartet cycle.

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Timothy Hutchins – flute

Timothy Hutchins, internationally acclaimed as concerto soloist, duo recitalist with pianist Janet Creaser Hutchins, his wife, and as chamber musician, has been principal flute of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal since 1978 and is heard on more than 70 recordings with the Orchestra and Maestro Dutoit. He has also performed as principal flute and recorded with many major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony and NHK Symphony (Japan). He appeared as principal flute with the World Philharmonic and Lorin Maazel in Rio de Janeiro, with the Super World Orchestra and Bernard Haitink in Tokyo, and with the World Orchestra for Peace and Valery Gergiev on tour in Europe and China. He has performed as soloist throughout North and South America, Europe and Asia. He made his Carnegie Hall debut with the Ibert Flute Concerto which he also recorded with the OSM and Charles Dutoit. Other acclaimed recordings include Flûte à la française with Janet Creaser Hutchins. He teaches at McGill University.

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Janet Creaser Hutchins – piano

Janet Creaser Hutchins completed a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance at the University of British Columbia following studies at Dalhousie University, the University of Western Ontario, and the Royal College of Music in London, England. She has given numerous solo and chamber music concerts throughout North America, Japan and England. Since 1975, she has performed and recorded as a duo with her husband, flutist Timothy Hutchins. She has been an orchestral pianist with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal since 1983.

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Mélisande Corriveau - recorder

Having brilliantly completed an under graduate degree in recorder in the Faculty of Music at the University of Montreal, in the class of Francis Colpron, Mélisande Corriveau is now establishing a solid reputation on the viola da gamba, an instrument she plays with as much intelligence as virtuosity. She also studied modern cello with Denis Brott (Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal), plays baroque cello, and recently obtained a Masters degree in viola da gamba with Margaret Little at UdeM. Originally from the Montérégie region of Québec, she has performed locally and internationally with well-know groups such as Les Voix Humaines (of which she is a regular member of the viol consort), The Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal, Les Idées Heureuses, Les Boréades, Les Voix Baroques and Capriccio Stravagante (Paris), as well as being a regular member of Masques Ensemble. She performed for the 2003 and 2004 editions of Festival Montréal Baroque, can be heard on Radio-Canada/CBC, and has recorded several CDs with ATMA and Analekta.

An alert and sensitive musician, Mélisande Corriveau plays with intelligence and enthusiasm, sharing her passion of music with her appreciative audience.

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Jens Lindemann – trumpet

Trumpeter Jens Lindemann is hailed as one of the most celebrated soloists in his instrument's history. Jens has played in every major concert venue in the world; from the Philharmonics of New York, Los Angeles, London, Manchester, Munich, Hamburg, Lucerne and Berlin to Tokyo's Suntory Hall and even the Great Wall of China. His career has ranged from appearing internationally as an orchestral soloist, recording with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, being heralded as an official trumpeter for the N.H.L. Stanley Cup finals to playing lead trumpet with the renowned Canadian Brass. Jens has also won major awards ranging from Grammy and Juno nominations to winning the prestigious Echo Klassik in Germany as well as receiving an honorary doctorate. He has won first prizes in the most important classical trumpet competitions in the world, made numerous television and film appearances and performed at London's 'Last Night of the Proms' for over 40,000 people. In addition to his concertizing, Jens has also performed in football and baseball stadiums in the United States for over 70,000 fans!

Classically trained at the renowned Juilliard School in New York, Jens' proven ability to perform as a diverse artist places him at the front of a new generation of musicians. He has performed as soloist and recording artist with classical stars such as Sir Neville Marriner, Sir Angel Romero, Doc Severinsen, Charles Dutoit, Gerard Schwarz, Eiji Oue, Bramwell Tovey, Mario Bernardi and Jukka Pekka Saraste. Having recorded with BMG, EMI, CBC and the BBC, Jens is helping to redefine the idea of the concert artist by transcending stylistic genres and the very stereotype of his instrument by performing with "impeccable attacks, agility, and amazing smoothness" (The Clarin, Buenos Aires).

A prodigious talent, Jens Lindemann performed as a soloist with orchestras and won accolades at numerous jazz festivals while still in his teens. A prizewinner at numerous competitions including the prestigious ARD in Munich, Jens also placed first, by unanimous juries, at both the Prague and Ellsworth Smith (Florida) International Trumpet Competitions in 1992. Since then, he continues to perform with orchestras including, the London Symphony, Philadelphia, Beijing, Auckland, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Buenos Aires Chamber, Atlanta, Washington, Seattle, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Montreal, Toronto, National Arts Centre, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Warsaw, Welsh Chamber, I Musici de Montreal, I Virtuosi di Roma, St. Louis, and Mostly Mozart at Lincoln Center.

Heralded internationally as an outstanding artist, critics have stated; "one of the most memorable recitals in ITG history" (International Trumpet Guild '03), "performed brilliantly in the North American premiere of Bernd Alois Zimmermann's Concerto with the Toronto Symphony (Toronto Star), "gave the virtuoso highlight of the evening on piccolo trumpet with the Montreal Symphony (Montreal Gazette), and "was absolutely riveting" in Los Angeles (LA Variety).

As one of the world's most exciting young trumpet soloists, the Los Angeles based Lindemann is internationally endorsed by the Yamaha Corporation and performs exclusively on 24K gold plated trumpets.

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Olga Gross – piano

Olga Gross, pianist for the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, has toured with the OSM in South America, Japan and the Canary Islands, and participated in the 1996 recording of Carmina Burana under Charles Dutoit. As soloist, she has performed with the OSM and Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Recipient of fellowships to the Tanglewood Music Center, International Musicians' Seminar in Prussia Cove, England, and the Banff Centre for the Arts, she won numerous awards and competitions including the CIBC Canadian Competition, Concours de l'Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and received grants from the Canada Council and Quebec's Fonds FCAR. She has appeared with violinist Chantal Juillet at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center International Chamber Music Festival, and with violinist Lorand Fenyves at the Bard Music Festival. Heard frequently on CBC Radio and Radio-Canada, her performances have been broadcast in Germany and Japan. She is also a professional harpist and can be heard on the Cirque du Soleil's CD, Alegria.

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Albert Millaire – narrator

Albert Millaire, one of Quebec's greatest actors and directors, pursues a remarkable career in classical and contemporary theatre that also extends to Radio-Canada's television drama. His leading roles on stage range from Molière and Shakespeare to Bertol Brecht, Paul Claudel and Peter Shaffer. Most recently, he played Faust in Goethe's Urfaust in Montreal, Ottawa, France and Germany. Equally wide-ranging as director, his credits include playwrights from Molière and Shakespeare to Arthur Miller, Anne Hébert, Roch Carrier and Claude Confortès. His television series include D'Iberville, Laurier and L'héritière de Grande Ourse. In English theatre, he has acted at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, directed in Toronto and North Carolina, and was for six years guest actor and director at the Stratford Festival of Canada. Artistic director of a series of theatre companies, he was also president of the Canada Council on the Status of the Artist. Albert Millaire has been named a Companion of the Order of Canada and Chevalier de l'ordre national du Québec.

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