Meet The Players

A transistor radio used to hang on my headboard and I used batteries like crazy, but music was so central to my life even as a kid. My childhood home was a musical one: my Irish parents always had music going on the radio or record player, and I’ll never forget singing with my brother and sister for the relatives when we visited Ireland in 1975  A strong ear for melody seemed to come with the genes. Insert a few years of piano lessons while in grade school, followed by playing in a ukulele ensemble and a really cool trip to Halifax for a music conference in grade eight. High school witnessed some really great moments in instrumental music, jamming on clarinet in stage band and gaining a glimpse of soloing as a performer. Oh, yes, and there was that theatre production where I was tricked into the second male lead in a 1920s American musical called Good News, which turned out to be a blast, and my singing voice gained some recognition. Fast forward through the university years and d.j.-ing in a bar, squeezing the nickels ‘til the month ran out before the money for a change. I was always singing along to the radio or the records I played, learning harmony and bass lines and vocal technique the hard way. It wasn’t until 2001, when I joined Lyrica Choir that the vocal muse really beckoned. The variety of vocal opportunities afforded to me by this choir has been amazing, as have the roles sung in Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita , and The Fantastiks, topped by performing with superior soloists in the Barrie Choralfest production of Bizet’s Carmen. And here I am today with my good friend Hawkins, with whom I’m honoured to sing on his latest record.

When Hawkins asked me to sing on “Autumn Highway”, I jumped at the chance. I’d always wanted to be part of a recording project, and this one was simply superlative. Ray knew exactly how to get the sound he and Hawkins needed, and the North Anne Street Quartet gelled so well around that one sacred mic, you’d almost think we’d done it before. There’s nothing quite like hearing the voices in the headphones, and the heart rate jumps for a moment while you adjust to the thrill. Thanks, Hawkins, for the chance to back you up on some great songs and gain a little insight into the recording process. Priceless!”

I have been in many live performances over the years in my singing career but have had fewer opportunities to be involved in recordings, so this was a pleasurable experience. A bit about myself, I have my Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts from York University and have been involved in music as much as I can be ever since. I currently sing as a soprano for the Lyrica Chamber Choir of Barrie and work as a soloist in other musical endeavours wherever possible. In April 2016 I was blessed to have the role of Frasquitta in Barrie’s Choralefest performance of Bizet’s Carmen.

As my background is in classical and opera performance, it was very interesting to hear Hawkins Johnston’s music and be involved in the making of this album. Hawkins  was able to paint an expressive picture of exactly what he envisioned when writing, so it was clear to see what each song was about. His imagery of the music suggested a very organic process took place when he was creating and performing his tracks. It was captivating to hear how he focused on certain aspects, such as a farmer completing the harvest, when he was composing. It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to contribute to Hawkin’s work.”

Graemme Brown mastered the album.  The mastering process was a little mysterious to me and so Graemme’s company name, Zen Mastering, I thought appropriate.  What he gave to the project was a balance of the various sonic forces on the album, both voice and instruments from song to song.  In short, he made it sound like one cohesive album.  I will always picture him somewhere on a west coast beach in lotus position with a huge pair of headphones over his head meditating while listening to “Letter From the Coast”. 

I struggled with what images to use for the CD and website.  My friend Bob Bruton and I had tried on various occasions to shoot promotional pictures with varying degrees of success. One picture Bob took many years ago that stuck was taken on a canoe trip on the French River in Northern Ontario. You see this in the double image in the 3^rd panel of the CD jacket.  The second image is a recent photo from a session with a local photographer Julie Parna. Julie spent part of an afternoon trying to get me to look like myself. To my amazement I think she succeeded. You see a number of her photographs on this website. John Jacquemain  is also a local photographer who taught digital photography for many years at Georgian College in Barrie.  His composite pictures of objects with textured backgrounds caught my eye.  The cover images of an old derelict car (a Volkswagen Beetle) and an autumn highway come from his collection. You can check out more of his work at: fineartamerica.com.

Julia began her formal music education at the age of 7, completing her ARCT  in piano performance in 2003. She began composing seriously at the age of 11, and writing music has since been an important aspect of her overall creativity. Her teachers include Pierre Gallant, Leonard Enns and Linda Catlin Smith.

Julia’s compositions show many different influences, including classical and modern styles. Her works combine a harmonically bold musical language with lyricism. She has experimented actively with new approaches to form, texture and tonality.

Julia’s compositions include works for solo piano, as well as choral, chamber, pop, and electronic music. Several of her compositions have been performed in concert and as part of theatre productions or religious worship. Julia specializes in choral writing and arranging. Her choral composition, “How Sweet the Moonlight,” based on a text from Shakespeare, was performed by the Lyrica Chamber Choir of Barrie in May 2015.

Julia takes commissions in a variety of genres. She specializes in choral writing and arranging and in pedagogical literature. A particular area of interest is the writing of pieces for students to meet requirements based on special learning needs.

I first collaborated with Julie on a song based on one of her poems. She also has one of the more musician friendly cats I have had the pleasure to meet.