Soprano Maureen Batt hails from Fredericton, New Brunswick, and has since made her home in Halifax N.S. In this Episode, Maureen shares with us a little bit about her educational background, and how important she felt the aspects of Theory and Music History have been for her. If you are considering a Masters Program in Music, Maureen has a lot of insight here. From this, to her working relationship with Soprano Erin Bardua, we learn how Essential Opera was formed, and how this group has progressed!
Maureen has created some exciting projects over the last while, and there is more to come! We speak about her Recital Series, entitled "Crossing Borders" and her choice to pair Canadian Compositions with those of other countries' composers; from there, she explains her labour of love (and fierce determination!) to create her first Album, "Lady of the Lake", and what it was like to undertake such a complex project. She is a singer who often commissions new works!
Maureen has words of wisdom about Grant Writing ~ she is the QUEEN! And finally, tells us about her upcoming second Album, and 2 new Operas coming up with Essential Opera.
Maureen shares a beautiful recording with us which has not yet been released... she is featured on Iranian-Canadian composer Saman Shahi's upcoming Album "Breathing in the Shadows", and sings a piece entitled "The Girls are Still Laughing". This evocative poetry is by Nigerian-Canadian poet Titilope Sonuga, whose first collection of poems won the 2011 Emerging Writer Award of the Canadian Author's Association. Pianist Tara Scott accompanies Maureen.... you'll want to hear more, and you can! This Album will be released on September 25th!