UNews - drama professor

Parkinson discovers a mentor, launches a career

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:18:01 +0000

Thinking back, Emma Parkinson (BMus '08), up-and-coming mezzo-soprano with Opera de Montréal, remembers growing up in a household filled with music.

"My dad (Brian Parkinson) is a drama professor at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and my mom is an elementary school teacher. My older sister and I grew up playing piano, taking dance lessons and putting on little plays for our family. I loved it, the performing, the singing, the dancing, all of it really," recalls Parkinson. "My parents always had music of all different genres going on in the house, but I actually hated opera when I was growing up. It was the one type of music that would make me run out of the room."

Emma Parkinson followed her father, drama professor Brian Parkinson, to the U of L.

Parkinson spent her high school years singing with the LCI Chamber and Jazz choirs. During her last year of school, the choir went to Europe, singing its way through the south of France, Italy and Austria, an experience she describes as fantastic. After graduation, she enrolled in music at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge, but remained unsure if she would enjoy studying solo voice until a summer workshop at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of British Columbia turned her aversion of opera into a passion.

"It was a one week workshop filled with people of all ages, many of whom were more advanced singers. My eyes were opened seeing all these different pieces of opera coming to life. It was at that point that I realized opera was such a perfect combination of theatre and music," she says. "It just sort of came together for me and I remember thinking, 'wow, I really want to do that. I need to do that'!"

With this newfound passion, Parkinson continued her musical journey as a voice student at the U of L, working under the direction of well-known tenor and music professor Blaine Hendsbee. Hendsbee turned out to be the perfect mentor for Parkinson, balancing high expectations with great support.

"I had taken a couple of voice lessons with Blaine before I auditioned for studio at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, so when I found out that he selected me for studio I was really happy. He is my mentor forever and always. He is so passionate about opera; he really inspired me to stretch and grow, and he helped me come out of my shell and find my voice as a soloist. He has a professional quality and is very encouraging but still firm. He demands a very high standard, which is exactly what you need when you are pursuing any sort of art form," says Parkinson, who made the most of her time as an undergrad, participating in several music and drama co-productions and singing with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Singers.

"Because the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has a smaller program in terms of numbers, I was able to grow and blossom as an individual. I received opportunities that a larger school wouldn't provide, which put me at an advantage when I started my graduate studies. I got my first role in the U of L's production of Mikado. My dad was the director; I felt very privileged to work with him. He was very professional and it was nice to watch him work," says Parkinson. "I remember the first time performing Mikado on stage; I was ecstatic because we had these incredible costumes and an orchestra and I loved the overdramatic, evil-witch character I got to play. We had worked so hard to get to opening night that I wanted to go out there to have fun and entertain. I felt over the moon when the curtain dropped!"

Parkinson, singing Carmen in La Tragedie de Carmen from the Banff Centre Opera as Theatre Program in 2009. Photo by Donald Lee

It is a feeling that has stayed with her throughout her busy musical career. Parkinson graduated from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ with a BMus in 2008. She earned her master's of music in opera performance in 2010 from McGill ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, during which time she starred in multiple operas and oratorio concerts. After her master's she auditioned for a two-year young artist training program, Atelier Lyrique of Opera de Montréal, one of only four such training programs available in Canada. She will complete the program with them in June. This summer she is excited to fulfill her first international professional contract in Berlin, where she will spend two months playing Mercedes in a new production of Carmen.

"The marriage of music and theatre is like nothing else and I really love it. I feel so lucky to spend my day working on beautiful music, singing beautiful music and performing it. At the end of the day, I can't imagine working on anything else."

GET THE FACTS

Parkinson has performed as a soloist or character role in more than 25 productions

In December 2011, she participated in a 14-day concert tour of China, singing with the Montreal Youth Symphony Orchestra

In 2011, she was awarded the Prix Jeune Espoir Lyrique Canadien, as well as the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques Laureate honours

This year, she is preparing for roles as a soloist in Rossini et Ses Muses (with Atelier Lyrique), and Siebel in Faust (with Opera de Montréal)

This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Parkinson discovers a mentor, launches a career

trevor.kenney — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 21:53:15 +0000

Thinking back, Emma Parkinson (BMus '08), up-and-coming mezzo-soprano with Opera de Montréal, remembers growing up in a household filled with music.

Emma Parkinson followed her father, drama professor Brian Parkinson, to the U of L.

Parkinson, singing Carmen in La Tragedie de Carmen from the Banff Centre Opera as Theatre Program in 2009. Photo by Donald Lee

GET THE FACTS

This story first appeared in the March 2012 issue of the Legend. For a look at the full issue in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Smith and SAAG give boost to community arts

trevor.kenney — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 20:58:25 +0000

Growing up in Whitehorse, Marilyn Smith, executive director for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG), was surrounded by some of the most beautiful artwork that nature could provide – but it was the artwork created by humanity that truly captured her heart.

"The arts have always interested me. The Yukon is an adventurous, creative place and I'm attracted to that same spirit in the arts; a place where people aren't afraid to push boundaries," says Smith, winner of the 2011 Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management.

Drawn by its size and reputation for Native American and education programs, Smith became a student at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge in the mid-1970s.

"I originally thought about going into art education. I started taking art classes and art history. I realized that was the area I was most interested in, and that I didn't want to teach in a formal school system. Simultaneously, I got a job working at SAAG as part of the gallery's first extension program led by Victoria Baster (now an instructor in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Faculty of Fine Arts). It was this experience that shifted my concentration to the administrative side of the arts," says Smith.

SAAG executive director Marilyn Smith, middle, is flanked by fellow U of L alumni and SAAG employees Tyler Stewart (far left), David Farstad, Jenn Prosser, Christina Cuthbertson and Ryan Doherty.

After her third year at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Smith went home for the summer where she stayed until 1995 as co-owner and producer of a musical theatre company: Frantic Follies Vaudeville Revue. Ready for a change, she returned to Lethbridge to complete the final year of her multi-disciplinary bachelor's degree in Fine Arts.

"In my first go-round, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was so small; it was almost like a large high school. Art classes were in the dark, dank basement of the physical education building. When I returned in 1995, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ was much bigger, more sophisticated. There was a wider range of opportunities and a state of the art Fine Arts building. It was quite a big change," says Smith, who is quick to point out that the constant over the years was the quality of the professors and the educational experience.

"The professors are top-notch. My drama professor, David Spinks, was inspirational to me in my first experience at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. He created opportunities to go into local and First Nations communities to perform that really expanded my understanding of this area and the different people who live here. Jeffrey Spalding, the director of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's Art Gallery, was amazing. He made the collection accessible on so many levels; he had such an inspiring, boundless vision," remembers Smith. "The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ introduced me to contemporary art through their exhibitions, speaker series, visiting lectures and art history classes. I have brought that knowledge with me in my career."

In 1996, Smith graduated with distinction and began her career at the SAAG as an education co-ordinator and curator until 1999 when she was promoted to her current position. During her tenure, gallery proceeds have increased 200 per cent.

Recently, Smith oversaw renovations at the SAAG that included an addition of 6,000 square feet of space with a library and new instructional area. Since re-opening in 2010, the gallery has tripled its membership, while programming and sponsorship has increased.

"The focus of SAAG, from the founding board until now, has always been that the gallery would bring the kind of quality programming to Lethbridge that is available in larger centres. It is my privilege to work with amazing colleagues, board and community members. It has been a group effort that brought us to the point where we have an excellent reputation locally, nationally and internationally," says Smith. "I am honoured to have been a part of that."

Smith also believes that the gallery's success is greatly supported by the close connection it has with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.

"The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and the SAAG have had a symbiotic relationship over the years. We exhibit artists who teach at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ; many of our artists speak at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ's lecture series and we are actively involved in student internships from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ," says Smith. "Currently all our staff are ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ graduates; there is a shared understanding and experience because of that. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has made a huge difference in our quality of life and the fact that we have such a tremendously well-educated group of people to draw upon to fill the expertise needed to run the gallery has significantly influenced the growth of our institution."

This story first appeared in the November issue of the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

UNews - drama professor

Parkinson discovers a mentor, launches a career

Related Topics

Parkinson discovers a mentor, launches a career

Related Topics

Smith and SAAG give boost to community arts

Related Topics