Concerts

The Postmodern Camerata presents: Midwinter Mysteries


Doors open at 6pm and the show starts promptly at 7pm. Seating is unassigned so come early and enjoy refreshments, wine and charcuterie available for purchase. We look forward to seeing you there!


Performers:

Lynda Clarke, mezzo-soprano, completed her Bachelor of Music at the University of British Columbia School of Music.   While there, she was excited to sing with the University Singers under James Fankhauser and the University Chamber Singers under Cortland Hultberg.  Following university, Lynda studied with Selena James at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, and it was there that she performed opera and musical theatre, one of her favourite roles being Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro.  Lynda has also performed at Victoria’s Fringe Fest, Royal City Musicals, Applause! Musicals, Vancouver Cantata Singers and The Gallery Singers, and has done voice over work for various instructional DVDs.


Miriam Davidson is an accomplished singer and voice instructor. She was a principal alto singer in the Laudate Singers from 1996 to 2020, making her the longest serving member of the renowned choir. Since 2020, Miriam has been the manager of the Laudate Singers Society. She sang alto on all of the Laudate Singers’ CD releases Christmas Journey and Songs Of Heaven And EarthA Baroque ChristmasCeltic Journey, Voices Sax & Synand Voice of the Tangoas well as on the Elektra Women’s Choir’s CD A Child Of Grace. In 2009, she toured Chiba, Japan with the Laudate Singers and Sinfonia. During the Christmas season, she sings in and manages an a cappella vocal ensemble Cami nando Carolers, the Angelus Singers and her seasonal solo voice & piano act. She has collaborated with accomplished musicians such as pianists Joel de Stefano and Jocelyn Pritchard, flautist Tanya Kliefoth and clarinetist Ross Curran. Her latest project with singers Melissa Howell, Andrea Unrau and Lia Wolfe is a vocal quartet called Serenata and Postmodern Camerata. 


Barry Honda has had a longstanding interest in Renaissance and Baroque music, and feels fortunate to have worked with a number of distinguished vocal coaches over the years, including Nancy Argenta, Daniel Taylor, Ben Butterfield, Robert Holliston, Bruce Pullan, Joseph Shore and others.  Past highlights include appearances as a soloist (Bach cantatas, passions, Handel Oratorios and other repertoire, including a CBC broadcast performance), singing in the Opera Atelier chorus under David Fallis, solo and ensemble work as principal singer with Laudate and Paragon Singers under Lars Kaario, as well as 20+ years with award-winning Chor Leoni and Christ Church Cathedral choirs.  In recent years, he has also enjoyed expanding his vocal repertoire to include a variety of genres, from operatic roles (Handel, Britten, Puccini, Mozart) through to jazz and contemporary music.


Melissa Howell began her life as a vocalist singing show tunes in the Creston Valley Community Choir. Mentored at an early age by a wonderful singer and voice teacher, (and conductor of said choir) she went on to complete her classical vocal training at UBC and McGill University, where she completed a Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance. While living in Montreal, Melissa performed in modern and traditional opera, recital and oratorio. She also distinguished herself by busking in old Montreal singing operatic duets (and even a couple of show tunes) with a fellow McGill student!

Locally, Melissa has performed with Opera Breve, Applause! Musical Theatre, Opera Appassionata, the Opera Project and for various private functions. She is currently on the Executive of the Postmodern Camerata and has performed in all of their concerts as both ensemble member and soloist.

Recent performances include Dido in Dido and Aeneas with the Postmodern Camerata, and also a gala outreach concert of opera featuring four soloists, sponsored by Opera Bravissima, held in the downtown east side.

Melissa has broadened her repertoire to include well-loved jazz standards and has performed at several functions with tenor saxophonist Graham Howell. She currently performs with and manages her a cappella trio, Angelus Singers, who are in great demand over the holiday season.


Nicole Linaksita has performed solo and chamber concerts in Canada, USA and Europe. A participant in national and international competitions, she was awarded First Place, Audience and Teacher’s Prizes at the 2011 Seattle International Piano Competition and was the third prize winner in the 42nd Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition. She was featured on the CBC 2019 list of 30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30 for her first prize win at the 2019 CMC Stepping Stone Competition.

Nicole has frequently performed the works of contemporary composers and her interest in new music has also led her to work with a number of composers, including Dorothy Chang and Yota Kobayashi. 

Nicole has had the opportunity to debut with various orchestras such as the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nicole completed undergraduate studies in Piano Performance and Computer Science at the University of British Columbia in 2016, studying under Corey Hamm and Ryo Yanagitani, receiving the Director’s Graduation Prize for Outstanding Piano Performance. She recently graduated from her Masters of Music at the University of Texas in Austin under the tutelage of Professor Anton Nel.


Described by ReviewVancouver as a “mellifluous tenor”, Brent MacKenzie is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, holding a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Music.  In 2022, Brent appeared in City Opera Vancouver’s world premiere of Chinatown as The Policeman, and lent his talents to the original cast recording.  Brent has sung in the chorus for Vancouver Opera since 2023, first appearing in The Flying Dutchman.  Brent is very excited to be making his debut with the Postmodern Camerata!


Mezzo-soprano Kim Steger has been performing with The Postmodern Camerata since 2015. She studied classical singing at UBC, then followed her love of the complementary arts of drama and dance to Boston, where she earned a Master’s degree in Musical Theatre at The Boston Conservatory. After performing in Boston, New York, New Jersey, and Toronto, Kim returned to Vancouver where she has enjoyed acting and singing in a variety of local productions, most recently Wrenched: the Musical at the Vancouver Fringe Festival, Amélie at the Firehall Arts Centre, and A Prayer for Owen Meany at Pacific Theatre. 

The Postmodern Camerata presents: Christmas Journey


Doors open at 6pm and the show starts promptly at 7pm. Seating is unassigned so come early and enjoy refreshments, wine and charcuterie available for purchase. We look forward to seeing you there!


Performers:

Soprano Kim Steger has been performing with The Postmodern Camerata since 2015. She studied classical singing at UBC, then followed her love of the complementary arts of drama and dance to Boston, where she earned a Master’s degree in Musical Theatre at The Boston Conservatory. After performing in Boston, New York, New Jersey, and Toronto, Kim returned to Vancouver where she has enjoyed acting and singing in a variety of local productions, most recently Amélie at the Firehall Arts Centre and A Prayer for Owen Meany at Pacific Theatre. 


Miriam Davidson is an accomplished singer and voice instructor. She was a principal alto singer in the Laudate Singers from 1996 to 2020, making her the longest serving member of the renowned choir. Since 2020, Miriam has been the manager of the Laudate Singers Society. She sang alto on all of the Laudate Singers’ CD releases Christmas Journey and Songs Of Heaven And EarthA Baroque ChristmasCeltic Journey, Voices Sax & Synand Voice of the Tangoas well as on the Elektra Women’s Choir’s CD A Child Of Grace. In 2009, she toured Chiba, Japan with the Laudate Singers and Sinfonia. During the Christmas season, she sings in and manages an a cappella vocal ensemble Cami nando Carolers, the Angelus Singers and her seasonal solo voice & piano act. She has collaborated with accomplished musicians such as pianists Joel de Stefano and Jocelyn Pritchard, flautist Tanya Kliefoth and clarinetist Ross Curran. Her latest project with singers Melissa Howell, Andrea Unrau and Lia Wolfe is a vocal quartet called Serenata and Postmodern Camerata. 


Willy Miles-Grenzberg (Baritone) has performed with the top opera companies, orchestras and choirs across Canada, as well as in churches, cafes, etc. as  singer/song-writer/guitarist. He appears regularly with Vancouver Opera in both chorus and solo roles. He has performed as soloist in many of the great oratorios with Vancouver Bach Choir, The Handel Society, The Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra and The New Westminster Symphony. He has also performed with the Canadian Opera Co., Tapestry New Opera Works, The Elmer Iseler Singers, The Hamilton Bach-Elgar Choir, The Scarborough Symphony and the Amadeus Choir, among others.  

Willy is an avid guitarist and song-writer, with a vast repertoire of folk, pop and jazz standards, along with a catalogue of over seventy original songs. He has also toured extensively in Canada and the U.S. as vocalist and bass-guitarist with Silk Road Music, a Vancouver-based Chinese “world music” ensemble, and is a featured vocalist on their c.d. “Village Tales”.


Nicole Linaksita has performed solo and chamber concerts in Canada, USA and Europe. A participant in national and international competitions, she was awarded First Place, Audience and Teacher’s Prizes at the 2011 Seattle International Piano Competition and was the third prize winner in the 42nd Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition. She was featured on the CBC 2019 list of 30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30 for her first prize win at the 2019 CMC Stepping Stone Competition.

Nicole has frequently performed the works of contemporary composers and her interest in new music has also led her to work with a number of composers, including Dorothy Chang and Yota Kobayashi. 

Nicole has had the opportunity to debut with various orchestras such as the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nicole completed undergraduate studies in Piano Performance and Computer Science at the University of British Columbia in 2016, studying under Corey Hamm and Ryo Yanagitani, receiving the Director’s Graduation Prize for Outstanding Piano Performance. She recently graduated from her Masters of Music at the University of Texas in Austin under the tutelage of Professor Anton Nel.

Fruitcake Weather: A Christmas Cabaret


Doors open at 6pm and the show starts promptly at 7pm. Seating is unassigned so come early and enjoy refreshments, wine and charcuterie available for purchase. We look forward to seeing you there!


Performers:

Soprano Kim Steger has been performing with The Postmodern Camerata since 2015. She studied classical singing at UBC, then followed her love of the complementary arts of drama and dance to Boston, where she earned a Master’s degree in Musical Theatre at The Boston Conservatory. After performing in Boston, New York, New Jersey, and Toronto, Kim returned to Vancouver where she has enjoyed acting and singing in a variety of local productions, most recently Amélie at the Firehall Arts Centre and A Prayer for Owen Meany at Pacific Theatre. 


Miriam Davidson is an accomplished singer and voice instructor. She was a principal alto singer in the Laudate Singers from 1996 to 2020, making her the longest serving member of the renowned choir. Since 2020, Miriam has been the manager of the Laudate Singers Society. She sang alto on all of the Laudate Singers’ CD releases Christmas Journey and Songs Of Heaven And EarthA Baroque ChristmasCeltic Journey, Voices Sax & Synand Voice of the Tangoas well as on the Elektra Women’s Choir’s CD A Child Of Grace. In 2009, she toured Chiba, Japan with the Laudate Singers and Sinfonia. During the Christmas season, she sings in and manages an a cappella vocal ensemble Cami nando Carolers, the Angelus Singers and her seasonal solo voice & piano act. She has collaborated with accomplished musicians such as pianists Joel de Stefano and Jocelyn Pritchard, flautist Tanya Kliefoth and clarinetist Ross Curran. Her latest project with singers Melissa Howell, Andrea Unrau and Lia Wolfe is a vocal quartet called Serenata and Postmodern Camerata. 


Willy Miles-Grenzberg (Baritone) has performed with the top opera companies, orchestras and choirs across Canada, as well as in churches, cafes, etc. as  singer/song-writer/guitarist. He appears regularly with Vancouver Opera in both chorus and solo roles. He has performed as soloist in many of the great oratorios with Vancouver Bach Choir, The Handel Society, The Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra and The New Westminster Symphony. He has also performed with the Canadian Opera Co., Tapestry New Opera Works, The Elmer Iseler Singers, The Hamilton Bach-Elgar Choir, The Scarborough Symphony and the Amadeus Choir, among others.  

Willy is an avid guitarist and song-writer, with a vast repertoire of folk, pop and jazz standards, along with a catalogue of over seventy original songs. He has also toured extensively in Canada and the U.S. as vocalist and bass-guitarist with Silk Road Music, a Vancouver-based Chinese “world music” ensemble, and is a featured vocalist on their c.d. “Village Tales”.


Nicole Linaksita has performed solo and chamber concerts in Canada, USA and Europe. A participant in national and international competitions, she was awarded First Place, Audience and Teacher’s Prizes at the 2011 Seattle International Piano Competition and was the third prize winner in the 42nd Eckhardt-Gramatté Competition. She was featured on the CBC 2019 list of 30 hot Canadian classical musicians under 30 for her first prize win at the 2019 CMC Stepping Stone Competition.

Nicole has frequently performed the works of contemporary composers and her interest in new music has also led her to work with a number of composers, including Dorothy Chang and Yota Kobayashi. 

Nicole has had the opportunity to debut with various orchestras such as the Vancouver Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vancouver Academy of Music Orchestra, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra.

Nicole completed undergraduate studies in Piano Performance and Computer Science at the University of British Columbia in 2016, studying under Corey Hamm and Ryo Yanagitani, receiving the Director’s Graduation Prize for Outstanding Piano Performance. She recently graduated from her Masters of Music at the University of Texas in Austin under the tutelage of Professor Anton Nel.

Dear March, Come In!: A Tribute to Women’s Voices


The Postmodern Camerata presents a tribute to women’s voices featuring five women performing works by Nadia Boulanger and Clara Schumann.

The matinee concert will take place on Sunday March 5, 2023at 3:00 p.m. at the Annex Theatre, 823 Seymour St., and features the talents of vocalists Miriam Davidson, Melissa Howell, Heather Molloy, and Szu-Wen Wang, and pianist Nicole Linaksita. The Postmodern Camerata is very grateful for a donation from the City of Vancouver which helped to make this concert possible.

At this event, the Postmodern Camerata will be collecting donations in support of Dress for Success Vancouver, a not-for-profit organization empowering women into the workforce by providing them with professional attire, career services, and skills development programs. Audience members are encouraged to bring their new or gently loved coats, cardigans and hand bags for the Dress for Success Vancouver boutique. We will not be accepting any other items. 

Launching PMC’s New Season

You haven’t heard from the PMC for a while, but that’s because we’ve been working in the background, recruiting Board members, developing our strategic plan, planning our next season, it’s all in the works. And we’re so excited to share it with you! Hang tight. The details of our Christmas Cabaret (which so many loved last year) is about to be released!

To support our Christmas Cabaret and also our future seasons, we’ve launched a fundraising campaign. Our goal is to raise $7,500 to support our 2018-2019 season.

I invite you to join with us to make a donation towards our campaign: http://bit.ly/PMCGoFundMe2018.

Postmodern Camerata Board of Governors Posting

Do complex rhythms transport you to another place? Do you have a knack for setting goals and then achieving them? If you are artistic and administrative, consider joining our Board of Governors!

We are the Postmodern Camerata (PMC) and we are seeking 1-2 forward thinking individuals to join our Board of Governors. This is your opportunity to be part of a larger movement of change in the coalescence of exceptional musical talent found right here in Vancouver.

How can you help? We are seeking board members that aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeve and perform the day to day tasks that will help us grow and thrive. We offer flexibility in terms of the length of commitment. Positions will require a minimum of one to a maximum of three year terms. We’re anticipating a 7 – 10 hour monthly commitment. We’re recruiting for the following skills and qualifications:

  • Financial planning, accounting, and experience with government filings
    • (a CPA designation is highly valued)
  • Legal expertise, particularly for insurance and music rental policies

PMC is a non-profit music organization starting its 4th successful season. We’ve performed at a variety of venues including Dunbar Heights United Church, the Canadian Music Centre’s Murray Adaskin Salon and the Orpheum Annex. We’re recognized for our unique ensemble structure (having both instruments and singers) and in recent years, have received support from the SOCAN Foundation and the Vancouver Civic Theatres. We provide opportunities for Canadian composers, and as our name suggests, we play chamber music repertoire that is both traditional and modern. Compared to other ensembles in Vancouver, our musician’s time commitments are more flexible and our repertoire selections feature a wider variety of genres. Most importantly we have an educational outreach mandate to mentor young performers and to encourage youngsters to attend our performances.

We are looking for team players that will assume the duties of the current board. This means the board’s early function will be operational in nature as opposed to assuming a governance role. We are keen to meet the following objectives over the next few years:

  1. Expand our member base to include new, non-traditional audience members
  2. Increase our funding sources
  3. Expand our network of supporters

It is not mandatory that you are a musician or a classic music buff, but experience in this area would certainly be beneficial. In addition, we value:

  • Strong interpersonal skills, communication skills (written & verbal) and emotional intelligence
  • Ability to lead, listen and learn
  • Commitment to the arts and a love of music
  • Understanding and support of PMC’s mission, artistic policy and programs
  • Reliability and punctuality
  • Willingness to compromise and play devil’s advocate (in a respectful manner)
  • Interest in community involvement
  • Ability to commit to the hours and term stated above
  • Forward thinking, humble and kind
  • Ability to accept responsibility and delegate tasks only when necessary
  • Absence of conflict of interest
  • Diversity of gender, race and age

If you would like to become part of this exciting ground floor opportunity please send your CV, resume or letter of interest to info@postmoderncamerata.com by February 28, 2018.

For general information about PMC, feel free to visit us on Facebook and our website: http://www.postmoderncamerata.com.

Thank you for your interest and we look forward to hearing from you!

Christmas Cabaret

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Christmas cabaret idea 2-1

Join the Postmodern Camerata on December 15th and 16th at the Annex on Seymour St., as they celebrate the holiday season with a relaxed, intimate evening of cabaret inspired Christmas classics. Featuring three of PMC’s long standing members, the Heliotrope Trio showcases SSA arrangements for some of these holiday favourites. Come and celebrate the holiday season with one of Vancouver’s most versatile chamber music ensembles and treat yourself to a live musical performance in a state of the art venue!

Made possible by the Vancouver Civic Theatres

Interview with Rita Ueda

Canadian composer Rita Ueda sits down with us to talk about her career as a composer and about her latest work, a cantata entitled ‘Debris’ based on the documentary with the same name by John Bolton. The documentary is about Tofino based park ranger and “inter-tidal” artist Pete Clarkson, and his memorial entitled “Swept Away” which honours the victims of the 2011 tsunami in Japan. Rita’s new work, with libretto by Rod Robertson, receives its world premier on May 27th and 28th at the Vancouver Civic Theatres Annex in Vancouver Canada. We would like to extend a big thank you to the Vancouver Civic Theatres and the SOCAN Foundation for their generous support. www.postmoderncamerata.com/tickets