UNews - Acacia Doktorchik

Vocal program draws talented singers

trevor.kenney — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:44:25 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Recital Hall is bursting with song this week as 43 talented young singers from across Western Canada take part in the 4th annual Southern Alberta Vocal Experience (SAVE), Aug. 12-18.

The SAVE vocal program offers talented young singers, aged 13 to 20, the opportunity to study and perform in close collaboration with established artists, teachers and vocal coaches. In addition to preparing musical excerpts, students participate in a daily regimen that includes choir, creative movement, private lessons and master classes, allowing them to develop vocal skills in a comprehensive program of studies.

Directed by Joanne Collier, the teaching staff includes U of L Faculty members Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, Dr. Sandra Stringer, Dr. Deanna Oye and Carolyn Herrington; U of L alumni McKade Hogg, Nicole Higginson-Swen, Acacia Doktorchik and Audrina Steciw; and guest artists David Shefsiek (managing director of Alberta Theatre Projects), Suzy Smith (Toronto-based vocal coach) and Winston Noren of Calgary's Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. They are joined by accompanists Gregory Knight, Elinor Lawson, Joel Goodfellow and Jesse Plessis and undergraduate student assistant Jana Holesworth.

The week of activity culminates in a pair of public performances, beginning with a Friday, Aug. 17 concert (7:30 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall) where SAVE singers will be presenting solos from the art song and concert repertoire, accompanied by piano. The program will open and close with a choral selection learned during the week. Admission for this performance is by donation at the door.

The final gala concert, One Enchanted Evening, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m., also in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall. Audience members will be treated to songs and tales from the lands of fairies and all things enchanting, including theatre classics from shows such as Brigadoon, Camelot and Cinderella, along with more recent selections from Into the Woods, The Secret Garden and Spamalot.

"All of the music has been chosen for its beautiful melodies, musical merit and ability to showcase each singer to the best of their ability," says artistic director Joanne Collier. "At the same time audiences will be treated to an array of musical maids and men, heroes, fools and villains."

Tickets are $10 each and available at the door.

Those interested in the SAVE program can contact the U of L Music Conservatory for more information: 403-329-2304.

U of L celebrates Fall 2011 Convocation

trevor.kenney — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:05:04 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Fall 2011 Convocation ceremony takes place Saturday, Oct. 15 in the 1st Choice Savings Centre for Sport and Wellness, beginning at 10 a.m.

Among the honoured guests at this ceremony are the 358 graduands eligible to convocate, along with Honorary Degree recipients George Gemer and Dr. John Kloppenburg and Alumnus of the Year Michael Miltenberger. Admission is free and the public is welcome to attend.

Convocation will be streamed live on the internet for those not able to attend the ceremony. View a live webcast of all convocation ceremonies by following this link to the Convocation website. The web link is live approximately 10 minutes prior to the ceremony.

Following are brief biographies of our special honourees.

Dr. George Gemer, Doctor of Laws, honoris causa

A well-known Lethbridge track and field and fencing coach, Gemer is also an author and survivor of Second World War prisoner of war camps who fled Hungary for Canada in 1956. Gemer has coached and officiated at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and other world-class sporting events while retaining close ties to the Hungarian community in Lethbridge and beyond.

Read George Gemer's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

Dr. John Kloppenborg, Doctor of Arts, honoris causa

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge graduate (BA '74), he is a professor and Chair at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Toronto's Department and Centre for the Study of Religion. Kloppenborg is well-known as a researcher of the origins and sources of early Christian texts such as the Q document, a lost book of the New Testament.

Read Dr Kloppenborg's full Honorary Degree citation at this website.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AWARDS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR HONOUR

Michael Miltenberger, (BA '75) Alumnus of the Year

J. Michael Miltenberger is the MLA for Thebacha, NWT, Deputy Premier and environmental advocate. He has been described as a northern visionary and a protector of northern values. His clear and thought-provoking approach has significantly impacted a variety of projects in areas ranging from health services to wildlife and endangered species.

Read Michael Miltenberger's complete Distinguished Alumnus of the Year citation at this website.

First MMus graduate -- Acacia Doktorchik (BMus '09 distinction, MMus '11)

The U of L will also welcome the first graduate of a Master of Music program. Acacia Doktorchik has performed as a soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and Bach's Magnificat with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, as well as being an accomplished pianist, cellist, and Celtic and Highland Dancer. She is currently teaching in Medicine Hat, Alta.

Read more about Acacia at this website.

Trailblazing master's graduate has music in her soul

trevor.kenney — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 18:48:24 +0000

Growing up in rural Alberta, opera singer Acacia Doktorchik (BMus '09 distinction, MMus '11), always sang to the tune of a different song.

While most of her friends dedicated their time to stickhandling at the hockey rink or roping calves and barrel racing in the rodeo arena, Doktorchik spent countless hours perfecting her skills on the piano and developing her singing voice. Her passion for music, which led her to become the first student to graduate with a Master of Music from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, is soul-deep.

"I grew up in a very musical home, but when I thought about going into medicine after high school, I couldn't imagine music not being a part of my life," says Doktorchik, who hails from Drumheller. "My mom suggested that if I went into medicine, I could always teach voice or piano on the side if I wanted to. I thought about that for a few days, and it was just so depressing. I knew then that music would have to play a much bigger role in my life."

Acacia Doktorchik is the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's first Master of Music graduate.

With the support of her parents and the encouragement of her voice teacher, Calgary Opera singer Shelley Fullerton, Doktorchik enrolled in a Bachelor of Music program in vocal performance at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in 2005. She took full advantage of the musical opportunities at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for both her piano and vocal skills.

"I thought about doing a double major in voice and piano, but with the performance criteria I just didn't have time. I didn't want to lose my piano skills, however, so I played for a lot of auditions the first couple of years. Although I wasn't really much of a choir person, I started singing in Vox Musica during my first year. It was so fun and so rewarding; it really changed my view of choir," recalls Doktorchik, who later joined the Women's Chorus and U of L Singers.

"In my second year I became a member of the U of L Opera Workshop with Dr. Blaine Hendsbee. It was my first experience performing in an opera. It was fantastic and I became really interested in opera. It is so dramatic and challenging and filled with emotion. It is so real in the most human way. I want to continue singing and performing it as long as I can."

Before her graduation in 2009, Hendsbee approached Doktorchik and told her about the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's new Master of Music program, suggesting she apply.

"I was going to take a year off after my undergrad and I am so glad I didn't. I was the only person in the program that first year and the faculty were still working out exactly how it would run. They told me that they wanted me to write a thesis and I thought it was a fantastic idea. The U of L program has such a great balance between ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and performance, whereas most of the other programs I have heard about seem to focus on only one or the other," says Doktorchik. "Although it was busy and stressful at times, I was able to do so much and gained so much experience. I wrote my first thesis and had at least another 20- or 30-page paper due each semester. I performed in two operas and assisted with a third, had diction classes and language classes and was given the opportunity to teach and to conduct a choir. Being the first student to graduate from the program feels really wonderful. I was so lucky to work with such high calibre musicians and faculty and it is very rewarding to know that I had a part in shaping this program."

Throughout her master's studies, Doktorchik taught voice and piano through both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's and Medicine Hat College's Conservatories of Music. After completing her master's requirements this fall, she moved to Medicine Hat and began teaching voice, piano and theory full-time for the conservatory. Doktorchik returns to Lethbridge Oct. 15 to convocate at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ for the second time.

"I have been given the opportunity to sing Oh Canada at previous U of L convocations, but this year they have asked me to read the invocation. Looking at it now, I realize how important these words are. The invocation says everything I want to say," says Doktorchik. "I am truly grateful for the faculty and for my parents, friends and family that have supported me on my journey."

· Doktorchik has performed in five operas, including lead roles in Menotti's The Telephone (Lucy), Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites (Constance) and Von Suppe's Ten Belles With No Ring (Sidonia).

· She performed as a soprano soloist in Handel's Messiah and Bach's Magnificat with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra.

· She is also an accomplished pianist, cellist, and Celtic and Highland Dancer.

· She has trained with the Cowtown Opera Summer Academy and the Southern Alberta Vocal Academy.

· Among her opportunities to sing Oh Canada, she has opened Lethbridge Bulls games.

Campus Kudos - April

trevor.kenney — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:00:35 +0000

Alumna Chelsea Matisz (BSc '06, MSc '09) was recently named the winner of the Ashton Cuckler New Investigator Award. This award is handed out by the American Society of Parasitologists and is given to the top graduate student in the field, based upon the quality of research accomplished during a candidate's graduate studies. In the past, this award has gone to a recently-graduated PhD student, while Matisz is currently in a PhD program at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary. She will be honoured at the Society's annual meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, in June.

Soprano Acacia Doktorchik (MMus) presents her final Graduate Recital on Apr. 14 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall.

Mart Blicharz (MFA New Media) has an exhibition entitled, Breaking The Spell: Work in Progress, showing at the U of L Penny Building until Apr. 15.

Tasha Diamant (MEd student) was invited to present a Human Body Project event at the Union Theological Seminary, a graduate degree-granting seminary associated with New York's Columbia ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. Her presentation included a live Human Body Project performance followed by a discussion with faculty and students. The Human Body Project is the subject of Diamant's MEd research project, which mostly consists of a 53-minute documentary film, and is under the supervision of Dr. Erika Hasebe-Ludt and Dr. Leah Fowler.

Nicholas Louma (BFA '08) had artwork in the exhibition, Mind the Gap, at the Art Gallery of Swift Current in March.

Anna VanderHeide (BMus/BEd) sang in a Tribute to Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin organized by the newly formed Lethbridge Jazz Society in April.

Mike Pinder (Operations Co-ordinator, Sport and Recreation Services, BSc '04) was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award for coaching excellence. Pinder is an assistant swim coach with the LA Swim Club, and in addition to coaching Youth Olympic medalist Rachel Nicol, is highly respected by athletes and parents for his dedication and commitment to the sport of swimming.

Ken Allan's (Art) article, Barnett Newman's The Wild: Painting as Spatial Intervention, has been accepted for publication by the American journal October, published by MIT Press.

Taras Polataiko (Art) had work displayed in the group exhibition, Delinear, at the Barbara Edwards Contemporary in Toronto.

Knud Petersen, a longtime supporter of Pronghorns Athletics through the Horns Booster Club, Operation Red Nose, Pronghorn Dinner & Auction, Casino Chair and Adopt-A-Horn programs, was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award for Spirit in Sport.

Collin Zipp (MFA Art) is participating in a residency, culminating in an exhibition, at Daimon Video in Gatineau, Que.

Soprano Rachel Sinnott (MMus) presented a Masters Recital on Apr. 7 in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall.

Pronghorns thrower Heather Steacy was given a Lethbridge Sport Council Achievement Award as Senior Female Athlete of the Year in 2010. Steacy, who took a year off of Canada West competition, devoted her time to the Canadian National Track and Field team, winning a gold medal at the North America, Central America, and Caribbean Championships (NACAC) where she threw a personal best of 67.20 m in the hammer throw.

Billy McCarroll (Professor Emeritus), on bass, and Dale Ketcheson (Music), on guitar, perform at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) at a Happy Hour performance sponsored by the Lethbridge Jazz Society on Apr. 15 from 5-8 p.m. McCarroll's artwork is presently on display at SAAG.

Jazlyn Dow (BFA '10) has just been accepted into the Master of Arts in Visual Culture: Costume Studies program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development at New York ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

International Management students Kayley Fulton and Aamna Zia have each been awarded a $3,000 Export Development Canada (EDC) International Business Scholarship. Fulton completed a work exchange in Spain in 2010 while Zia, an Edmonton Campus student, is currently on work exchange in France.

Darcy Best (Mathematics and Computer Science) bettered his score from last year to set a new school record for his performance in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematics Competition. Best joined nearly 4,296 North American students in a six-hour, 12-problem contest, earning an overall ranking score of 527.5, leaving him one point out of the top 500.

For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Grad Studies celebrating 25 years

trevor.kenney — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:21:32 +0000

It's been 25 years since the debut of graduate studies at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and while the programming has expanded to touch all areas of campus, the basic tenets of graduate education have remained the same.

As the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) celebrates its silver anniversary with the slogan, A Sterling Past, A Golden Future, it offers the opportunity to delve into the school's beginnings and see how they are reflected in an unfolding future.

A total of 12 students were admitted into the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's first-ever grad studies program, offered in 1984 through the Faculty of Education.

Paul Hawryluk and Irwin Warkenten were the first two graduates from the SGS. They were promised a program focused on professional development, the foundations of education and research. With elective courses designed to allow students to customize their programs to suit individual goals and interests, flexibility was a major draw.

"I taught for 15 years before going back to school, and the program really validated my experiences and my own expertise," Hawryluk says. "I never intended to go on to do a PhD, but I did, directly as a result of the great experience I had at the U of L."

Warkenten looked to the SGS as an opportunity to invigorate his career.

"The grad program gave me the tools to take my career to another level," he says. "The courses energized me. They re-instilled my belief in teaching. If I hadn't taken the program, I'm not sure I would have stayed in the profession."

It is 25 years later and the SGS has stuck to its roots, striving to maintain a very interactive educational experience.

"We are a school on a personal scale: whatever program you choose, we offer close interaction between faculty and graduate students," says Dean, School of Graduate Studies, Dr. Jo-Anne Fiske. "We recruit faculty and students from around the world, enhancing learning experiences through cultural diversity and intellectual breadth."

That is what drew Mandy Espezel to the U of L. A graduate of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, Espezel is among the first class of students pursuing the new Master of Fine Arts degree.

"The Faculty of Fine Arts is staffed with excellent professors, there are fantastic facilities and technical support, and there is an extremely active and well supported contemporary art community here," she says. "Having these resources for my professional development is wonderful."

Acacia Doktorchik is studying in the new Master of Music program and sees the addition of grad studies in the Faculty of Fine Arts as a benefit to both students and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ as a whole.

"This is just another opportunity where people can come and study with some of the best musicians in Canada," she says. "There are many opportunities for performance here, and at the same time the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ are still very important. This is an aspect that I really like because it will give me the performance experience I need as well as the academic knowledge behind it."

The School of Graduate Studies continues to evolve but always with a keen eye to its beginnings.

Celebrating an anniversary

trevor.kenney — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 18:21:49 +0000

A total of 12 students were admitted into the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's first-ever grad studies program, offered in 1984 through the Faculty of Education.

Warkenten looked to the SGS as an opportunity to invigorate his career.

It is 25 years later and the SGS has stuck to its roots, striving to maintain a very interactive educational experience.

That is what drew Mandy Espezel to the U of L. A graduate of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta, Espezel is among the first class of students pursuing the new Master of Fine Arts degree.

The School of Graduate Studies continues to evolve but always with a keen eye to its beginnings.

Spring concert lineup promises to appeal to any ear

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:42:38 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has long been known for producing an outstanding collection of musical concerts. One of the greatest strengths of the U of L is that its concerts appeal to a wide-range of tastes, pleasing audiences young and old alike. Following are a selection of concerts that promise to please any ear.

Mar. 14 | P.A.S. Day of Percussion
As the name suggests, this is a whole day of percussion clinics, workshops and concerts featuring Dr. John Wooton, DCI world champion snare drummer and steel drum artist; Tyler Hornby a set drummer from Calgary and Adam Mason with the U of L Global Drums. The day, organized by Mason, also includes the High School Percussion Ensemble Festival and is open to students and adults alike. For more information call Mason at 403-329-2695.

Mar. 23 | Stars to Love
The Lethbridge Symphony, Vox Musica,
U of L Opera Workshop, and guest soloists combine to present a spectacular evening of well-loved opera choruses, arias and overtures.

The Lethbridge Symphony consists of more than 60 student, professional, and community musicians and the 100-voice strong Vox Musica includes a mix of students and community singers. Special guests on the program are mezzo-soprano Dr. Sandra Stringer, tenor Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, and baritone John Conlon.

"We are also pleased to feature several of the voice majors at the U of L: Krysta Mellon, Acacia Doktorchik, Rachel Sinnott, Audrina Poepping and Joseph Bulman," says LSO conductor Glenn Klassen. "The U of L Opera Workshop, under the direction of Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, is also participating."

Tickets for the Lethbridge Symphony concert on Mar. 23 at 8 p.m. in Southminster United Church are available from the Ticket Centre by calling 403-329-7328.

April 3 | U of L Wind Orchestra
The U of L wind Orchestra, conducted by Glenn Klassen, presents its end of the semester concert on April 3 at 8 p.m. in Southminster United Church. The featured guest is Trudi Mason on trumpet, playing the Arutiunian trumpet concerto. The program also includes Copland's El Salon Mexico, The Sword and the Crown by Edward Gregson and Symphony No. 3 by Vittorio Giannini.

March 28 | Into the Light
The U of L Singers, conducted by Dr. Janet Youngdahl, invite audiences "Into the Light' with an evening of song on Mar. 28, 8 p.m. in Southminster Church.

"The concert takes its title from Eric Whitacre's extraordinary Lux Arumque, which we are excited about performing," says Youndahl.

The into the light theme continues with several Easter related works, including passion motets by Renaissance masters Orlando Di Lasso and Carlo Gesualdo, and the performance of Bach Cantata #4 Christ lag in Todesbanden, with organist Chellan Hoffman as special guest.

The concert also includes the premiere of a brand new work written in 2009 by
U of L music major Jesse Plessis entitled The Bend in the Road, which features guest percussionists. Estonian composer Arvo Pärt is represented by his 1989 Magnificat and the concert concludes with spring songs by William Byrd and Robert Burns and several spirituals arranged by William Dawson, including Every Time I feel the Spirit and Ain'-a That Good News.

April 8 | Time Being
Great Jazz by Herbie Hancock, Bob Marley, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra is the focus of the U of L Jazz Ensemble concert Time Being, Apr. 8 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre.

"Our featured guest is drummer Tyler Hornby from Calgary," says director David Renter. "Tyler is a versatile drummer with a great melodic sense combined with taste, control and rhythmic finesse. It's a great opportunity for our students to perform with Tyler and our audience will enjoy the experience, too."

Tickets
Concert tickets for the U of L Singers, U of L Wind Orchestra, and U of L Jazz
Ensemble are $15 regular and $10 student/senior and are available at the U of L Box Office by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are also available at the door for concerts in Southminster United Church.

UNews - Acacia Doktorchik

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