By Fallon Bourgeois

Music has always been a constant in Megan Quick’s (BMus’11) life. For the last 10 years she’s studied her craft and her passion has taken her to the National stage as a member of the illustrious Canadian Opera Company (COC).

“Growing up there was always music playing in our house –anything from Burt Bacharach to Queen to the Beatles and everything in between,” says the Brockville, Ontario native. “I come from a very musical family, but I am the only one who got bit by the performance bug.”

A mezzo-soprano, Megan joined the COC Ensemble Studio in 2016. (She was one of seven performers who earned a spot that season.) Regarded as Canada’s premier training program for young opera professionals, it has launched the careers of hundreds of Canadian singers, opera coaches, main stage directors and conductors.

Life with the Canadian Opera Company

For Megan, who says she discovered her love for opera during her days at Dal, the opportunity has been incredible. “Everyday there is a new experience.”

The program itself is a blend of advanced study and practical experience through an individually tailored, multi-year program, involving understudying and performing mainstage roles, intensive vocal coaching, language and acting studies, and career skills development, as well as participation in masterclasses with internationally renowned opera professionals.

Additionally, Megan does showcase performances on the COC’s mainstage, concert performances and participates in community events.

Last month she performed Gustav Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen in a recital. The songs follow the story of a young person after they have just experienced the loss of their first love.

“That story, and the pain and confusion one feels, I believe, is universal,” says Megan. “Whether the love is a person or a thing, it doesn’t matter, we’ve likely all been there. The music is so beautiful; it was incredible to be able to perform and share the story with the audience.”

Charting the course

The last two years have been nothing short of a dream come true for Megan… and one she couldn’t have fathomed when she first began studying music.

“During high school I was undecided what I wanted to study in university. Luckily my uncle, a music director and organist at a local church in Halifax, arranged a session with Professor Marcia Swanson from the Fountain School of Performing Arts. It was than I realized that singing classical music was going to be incredibly challenging and supremely satisfying.”

And she never looked back.

“My time at Dal provided me a strong foundation for understanding of the repertoire. I learned the theory behind the music, the historical periods different stylistic and performance details that I would otherwise not have known about,” she says.

“Simultaneously, the many and varied performance opportunities gave me the chance to try out everything I had learned in the classroom in a practical setting. And on top of that you’re adding all of the other things that come from being a singer – adding the text and emotion that is so inherent with the human voice.”

Those experiences proved invaluable as Megan went on to earn a Master’s in Performance from Guildhall School of Music and Drama (London, England) and a Diploma of Operatic Performance from the University of Toronto.

The next stage

Now as she prepares to wrap her two years with the COC, Megan is grateful for everything she’s gained as a member and is excited (and a tad nervous) about what’s next. But she’s confident her experiences at the COC will set her up for success.

“I’ve met and worked with incredible artists and colleagues who are an inspiration. I have learned and loved every single minute of this experience.”