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Michael Adair was born outside of Toronto, Canada. He studied his Bachelor of Music with Joanne Bentley at the University of Toronto and continued his post-graduate studies with Dr. Darryl Edwards and the University of Toronto Opera School. During the summer months, Michael augmented his studies with fellowships at the prestigious Banff Centre for the Arts and Opera NUOVA and four tours with the Festival Ensemble in Stuttgart under conductor Helmuth Rilling. In 2006 Michael accepted a contract with the International Opera Studio at the Opernhaus Zürich where he now continues his vocal studies with renowned tenor Francisco Araiza.
Over the past two seasons at the Opernhaus Zürich Michael has performed the roles of Maestro di Casa in Andrea Chenier, Ben Budge in Britten’s The Beggar’s Opera, Zalzal in Chabrier’s L’Etoile, Guccio in Gianni Schicchi and Flemish Deputy in Don Carlo. Still to come this season, is the role of Jupiter in Cavalli’s La Didone. Michael’s repertoire also includes Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Argante in Rinaldo and Oreste in Iphigénie en Tauride.
In 2005, Michael was heard in the title role of Pasetieri’s Signor Deluso, Elder Ott in Floyd’s Susannah and Starveling in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Opera NUOVA (Canada). Previous roles include Herr Fluth in Die Lustige Weiber von Windsor, Marcello in La Bohème and Betto/Notaio in Gianni Schicchi.
In addition to traditional opera repertoire, Michael has shown considerable talent in interpreting and performing contemporary roles, particularly those written with challenging tonality. He has performed works by Kreneck and Henze at the Opernhaus Zürich and had a scene written specifically for him while at the University of Toronto based on the myth of Jason and Medea.
Committed to maintaining balance in his professional life, Michael performs oratorio and gives recitals as his schedule permits. Past oratorio performances have included Lutheran Mass BWV 236, Honnegger’s Une Cantate de Noel, Bach Cantata 106, Messiah, The Creation (Adam), Mendelssohn’s Von Himmel Hoch and the Requiems of Mozart and Fauré. As a recitalist, Michael has appeared in Toronto singing Finzi's To A Poet and Schumann's Op.40 as well as works from Duparc, Ives, Vaughan Williams and Lizst. He has also partnered with Canadian baritone Russell Braun and the Elora Festival Singers to perform a program of folksongs at the 2007 Elora Festival. Michael has a special affinity for the lieder of Schubert, Mahler and Strauss. He has performed selections from Schubert’s Goethe Lieder at the Goethe Symposium at the University of Toronto in 2005 and chose selections from Die Knaben Wunderhorn for a recital given in his hometown in summer 2006. Last fall, Michael gave a performance of Strauss and Wolf lieder at an Opernhaus Zürich Lieder matinee.
Michael was the Grand Prize winner at the 2006 Elora Festival Competition in Canada.
Michael has worked with such conductors as John Eliot Gardiner, Nello Santi, Carlo Rizzi, Helmuth Rilling, Raffi Armenian and directors Grischa Asagaroff, Gudrun Hartmann, David Pountney, Tom Diamond and Michael Patrick Albano.
See more of Michael in the October 31, 2008 article of the Guelph Tribune.
Jonathan was born in Toronto in 1983 and has been studying and performing music for most of his 19 years. He studied classical violin with the Suzuki String School of Guelph and was a member of the internationally acclaimed Guelph Youth Singers for six years. His early studies have led to his pursuing a semi-professional career in music.
For the past several years, Jonathan has been the full-time drummer for "Uncle Heavy's Pork Chop Revue," a Guelph-based experimental jazz ensemble, that performs regularly and frequently in the Guelph-Kitchener area. He also provides percussion, fiddle and vocals for Relative Harmony.
Katie Avery was born in Guelph in 1987. Like her brother Jonathan, she comes by her musical training via the Suzuki String School of Guelph and the Guelph Youth Singers. She has studied voice for six years and also studied ballet and modern dance at the Royal City School of Dance. She has been a member of Relative Harmony since the summer of 2001. She is currently studying music at Wilfred Laurier University, majoring in violin, and intends to be a Suzuki teacher upon graduation. Since 2005 she has also been a member of the Young Folk Revue, a toronto based quintet of young and very talented folk musicians anchored by her partner Duncan Cameron.
See more of Katie in the GYS Photo Gallery.
