Current Emerging Artists

Katherine Barr

Mezzo-soprano

Katherine, born in Hamilton, Ontario, discovered her passion for singing at the  age of nine, initiating her musical journey with the esteemed Hamilton Children’s Choir. An alumna of Western University, she upholds her commitment to the performing arts by actively engaging with Toronto’s OIC and TOT companies. As a talented and dedicated mezzo-soprano, Katherine made her professional debut in 2019, embodying the character Glascha in Opera in Concert’s rendition of Kát’a Kabanová.

In 2022, Katherine embarked on a journey of professional artistic exploration, roles including Fanny Nightingale in The Lady with the Lamp and Sister Berthe in The Sound of Music. However, her most notable achievement was her portrayal of both the Witch and the Mother in Hansel and Gretel with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre.

Recently, Katherine had the privilege of participating in OperaFest, collaborating for the second time with international singers. Her performance included the roles of Romeo, the hopeless romantic from i capuleti e i Montecchi, and Tisbe, one of the malevolent stepsisters in La Cenerentola.

This summer, Katherine has been selected to partake in an opera intensive program in France: La Roche D’hys, further enhancing her artistic repertoire.

Anticipating the upcoming season, Katherine is looking forward to singing with Arcady!

Douglas Graham

Baritone

Hailing from Edmonton, baritone Douglas Graham (he/him) is no stranger to the stage. From school plays to the Winspear Centre, Douglas has performed everything from Andrew Lloyd Webber to Verdi. From his first performance with the Edmonton Opera chorus in Il barbiere di Siviglia, to performing Verdi in Italy, singing has taken Douglas anywhere and everywhere.

Receiving his BMus from the King’s University in 2016 and his MMus from the University of Western Ontario in 2019, Douglas has gone from a chorister to principal with roles such as Figaro, Escamillo, Count Almaviva, the Pirate King, Belcore, Pandolfe, and Germont performed across the world through various programs and companies such as Opera NUOVA, COSA Canada, Chicago Summer Opera, Vienna Summer Music Festival, Mediterranean Opera Studio & Festival, and Grande Prairie Opera. Douglas is also quite busy outside of opera, performing with orchestras such as the River City Chamber Orchestra, and in choirs such as Kappella Kyrie and Pro Coro Canada.

Through his career, Douglas has had the pleasure to learn from amazing artists including Ted Baerg, Boris Brott, Rob Herriot, Keith Chambers, Brian Deedrick, Michael Zaugg, Nelly Miricioiu, Gary Coward, and Leonardo Catalanotto.

Recent highlights include the world premiere of the choral work Ukraine War Requiem by Benedict Sheehan, Gustav Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder with orchestra, and his opera debut as The Page in Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors with Edmonton Opera.

When Douglas isn’t working on music, he is likely editing episodes of his podcast Inconceivable! Media or exploring the outdoors.

Hillary Krutchick-Vengroff

Soprano

Buffalo native Hillary Krutchick-Vengroff has been performing in many musical capacities since she was a child. Hillary has a Masters Degree in Music in Voice performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music (2015) and a Masters degree in Education from Niagara University (2023). She is currently an emerging artist for Arcady under the care of Ronald Beckett. A member of Opera by request, recently performing as a soloist and chorus member for Idomeneo and Elixir of Love. She owns her own voice and piano studio teaching many students around the Greater Area of Toronto. Hillary has debuted throughout Europe, the United States and Canada. Mrs. Krutchick-Vengroff has performed with American Music Aboard, and American Institute of Musical Studies (Aims in Graz), La Musica Lirica and Napa Music Festival.  She has made her home here in Canada and continues to be involved in our musical community.

Aislinn Nowelle

Composer

Aislinn Nowelle (Brown) is currently enrolled in her Masters of Composition at the University of Toronto. Having majored in sacred vocal performance with a minor in piano performance, her works contain a variety of vocal ranges and accompaniments, suited for many differing audiences. She strives to create refreshing sacred music for all ranges, ages, and skill levels. Her works are available on this website for purchase. She is open to commissions of type to create specific, authentic works. She hopes that her music will create an impact on the hearts of her listeners.

Concetta Roche

Soprano

Concetta Roche (Roche-Kobernyk) has been studying Opera/Classical music with her vocal coach Marta Greda-Kicek, for over 10 years. Within these 10 years of studying, she has completed her Honours, Bachelor of Arts, in Theatre and Film, with a minor in music (2014), a Diploma in Musical Theatre Performance from Randolph Academy of Performing Arts (2016), and her Bachelor of Education from Redeemer University (2020). Concetta has also been in involved in numerous theatre and music productions, such as La Traviata (SOLO), Sheer Criminal Genius (Hamilton Fringe Festival), The Bear (The Pearl Company), La Boheme (SOLO). Concetta has also competed in several Vocal Competitions, Toronto Mozart Project Vocal Competition (2020, 2024), Hamilton Music Festival, Ontario Music Festival. She also recently just got involved in Aracdy Emerging Artists program with Ronald Beckett and she completed a Young Artists Opera Masterclass at the Hamilton Conservatory for the Arts, studying with Ariana Chris. Concetta continues to be involved in the arts on a regular basis and is always looking for new opportunities to expand her experience and showcase her talents.

Ekaterina Shelehova

Soprano & composer

Ekaterina Shelehova is a singer, performer and composer who started her career at an incredibly young age—4 years old! During that time she had already recorded two radio commercials and a children’s song album. Growing up in Canada, she frequently performed in operas and musical theater productions, which she continues doing to this day. In 2013, she released her debut album MOONLIGHT- Katya, which can be found on all streaming platforms online. A Masters Graduate from Conservatory Giuseppe Verdi, in Milano, Italy, she has performed all over the world with lyrical repertoire as well as her own compositions. China, Mexico, Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria are just some examples of places where Ekaterina has sung. She has made many appearances on TV,  on a mainstream show in Beijing, singing a Chinese folk song, performed as a guest on the show Nessun Dorma, in Italy, where she shared the stage with Ted Neely (original Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar), and sang on the show I Soliti Ignoti, also a very popular show in Italy. This lead to her viral performance on Italy’s Got talent, where she presented her own unique composition, which has picked up more than 500million views online and counting. She also participated in Bulgaria’s Got Talent, where she performed her original tracks, which exploded online as well. These performances brought her to many new experiences, such as composing of the soundtrack for The Tempest-an Italian movie based on Shakespeare’s play, and becoming the lead vocalist for a world-renowned music group ERA, which she toured across Europe with in 2022, with another tour programmed for 2024.  Since then she has released an EP, and is currently working on a new album. Besides singing, Ekaterina can speak fluently in 4 languages (English, Italian, Spanish, and Russian), is a former gymnast (8 years) and is an avid fitness enthusiast. She loves studying psychology and adores animals.