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John Mac Master, esteemed Canadian tenor and Associate Professor of Voice at the Schulich School of Music, is a 2024 recipient of the Voice Education Research Awareness (VERA) Award. This prestigious award is given annually by The Voice Foundation to honour distinguished individuals for their leadership, commitment to education and mentorship, and modeling of voice use and its advancement. Previous opera recipients include Nathan Gunn, Lucine Amara, Mignon Dunn and Reri Grist. Prof. Mac Master is a highly sought after musician, earning international acclaim performing some of the most demanding roles of the dramatic repertoire. His diverse performance experience allows him to bring to his teaching unique perspectives on musicianship and performing on an international stage.聽

In presenting Mac Master the VERA Award at the Voice Foundation Symposium in Philadelphia in May 2024, Dr. Robert Sataloff MD, Chairman of the Foundation said:聽

鈥淢r. Mac Master's repertoire spans from classic Italian opera to Wagner, oratorio, and symphonic works. His performances, marked by a powerful voice and impassioned characterizations, have earned him acclaim both on stage and in recordings.聽

Beyond his artistic achievements, Mr. Mac Master has demonstrated a deep commitment to education. He has generously shared his expertise as a resident artist, master class teacher, competition judge, and mentor to aspiring artists. Currently serving as Associate Professor of Voice at 海外直播b站, he continues to inspire and nurture the next generation of singers.鈥澛�

In an insightful interview, Prof. Mac Master shares his reflections and discusses his commitment to advancing vocal education. With a career spanning the world鈥檚 most renowned opera houses and concert halls, his dedication to mentorship and teaching continues to inspire the next generation of singers and vocal educators. Read on for rich perspectives on artistry, mentorship, and the evolving landscape of vocal music.聽

What does receiving this award mean to you, and how does it align with your own journey as a performer and educator?聽

It is humbling, and deeply satisfying to be recognized by your peers, and by leaders in the international voice community, especially since The Voice Foundation includes surgeons, scientists, leading researchers, speech-language pathologists, voice teachers, performing artists, and students worldwide.聽聽

This season at Schulich highlights the importance of exploration and discovery. How do you encourage your students to step out of their comfort zones and explore new musical horizons? How do you view the value of cross-disciplinary training for today鈥檚 vocalists?聽

I teach students from undergrad through doctoral studies, so exploration and discovery spans a whole world! For a 17-year-old arriving at Schulich, perhaps only with a limited exposure to Western Art Music, this will begin with an exploration of the foundational canon. But this is a canon we are always renewing and expanding with the inclusion of under-represented composers, poets, and the musics of a wider variety of communities and genres. For more advanced students, this can mean a deeper and wider exploration to complement the repertoires they have already explored. I鈥檓 also interested in igniting in them, a discovery of music from their heritage (linguistic, cultural, national, religious) and the themes and issues that resonate for them.聽

From Acadian folksongs to rock bands and church choirs, you鈥檝e explored a wide musical terrain, as well as having performed iconic roles at major opera houses. How do these diverse roots and professional insights shape your approach to teaching and connecting with students?聽

My students have wide and varied interests beyond Western Art Music 鈥� one is also a successful composer and performer of contemporary commercial music that you can find on the leading platforms, Spotify, etc. etc. Another sings in an acapella group singing everything from barbershop to bluegrass. Many of my current or former voice students are professional choristers in churches, synagogues, opera or symphony choruses. A former tenor, who soon begins a young artist apprenticeship with a major US opera company, also performs as a rock musician, and writes/creates a lot of dance music. A professional singer who sings in a Growler choir, and performs Heavy Metal, came to me for lessons... ALL of my background makes me open, receptive, and I hope helpful in providing guidance for vocal health, artistic joy, and a mosaic or portfolio career in music. Multiple sources of income are essential for artists today. I鈥檓 glad to help find those, with them! I might also add that had my work in church music and musical theatre informed and informs all my singing and performance, and that the experience, and income I derived in those 鈥済alley years鈥� afforded me the possibility of an international career as an operatic tenor, when I was ready for it!聽

Who were some of your most influential mentors throughout your career, and how do their lessons inspire your own teaching philosophy?聽

Jo-Anne Bentley, my first teacher here at Schulich, along with Edith and Luciano Della Pergola 鈥� founders of the 海外直播b站 Opera Studio; Jan Simons, Tom Plaunt, Eugene Plawutsky, Barry Weisenfeld 鈥� all at 海外直播b站; Shirlee Emmons, William (Bill) Riley, Tom Grubb, Licia Albanese 鈥� all in New York; Niels Muus and Dominique Mentha at the Volksoper in Vienna鈥�every single coach (especially Don Tarnawski), conductor and director I worked with鈥�They all taught me things like humility in approaching great music, the calling or vocation of music-making, the persistence and discipline required; the confidence to be the best I could be, and share that, 鈥渞ight here, right now鈥� 鈥� even though it is not yet (nor ever will be!) perfect! The joy of collaboration, of friendships made鈥�I could go on all day long!聽

As someone who has witnessed the evolution of vocal music on a global scale, what are your hopes for the next generation of singers, and how do you see your role in guiding them forward?聽

I鈥檓 glad that we preserve the best of our history of vocal music and performance practice, even as we expand the canon, and look 鈥渋n the corners鈥� for music and folks who are underrepresented. I鈥檓 glad to be breaking down silos, to include musical theatre, and commercial music, etc, etc, etc, in our practice and training. I try to listen and help them find their voices.聽

I came across this quote , attributed to Berthold Brecht: 鈥淚n the dark times, will there also be singing? Yes there will also be singing. About the dark times.鈥� Perhaps my greatest influences as a teenager were Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and other folk-singers providing a critique on our society. I would like to encourage my young singers to find music that moves them in the same way, and to find connections to all the music they sing, that speaks of beauty, truth and meaning today, and as we move forward.聽