Karina Gauvin

Karina Gauvin's unique voice, remarkable technique, and accomplished musicianship, have charmed audiences worldwide from the Royal Opera House in London to Lincoln Center in New York. Her repertoire ranges from the music of Johann Sebastian Bach to Gustav Mahler to Samuel Barber to Benjamin Britten, Alban Berg, and Luciano Berio. Ms. Gauvin has sung with many major orchestras including the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, Minnesota Orchestra, I Musici de Montréal, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Les Talens Lyriques, Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Capriccio Stravagante and Les Violons du Roy. On the operatic or concert stage, she has performed with conductors as diverse as Charles Dutoit, Christopher Hogwood, Helmuth Rilling, Christoph Campestrini, Bruno Weil, Markus Creed, Bernard Labadie, Andrew Parrot and Christophe Rousset. Active as a recitalist, she has collaborated with several chamber music ensembles and with pianists Marc-André Hamelin, Michael McMahon and Roger Vignoles.

In the 2005-06 season, Ms. Gauvin performs the Mozart Requiem with Les Violons du Roy under Bernard Labadie in January, and with the Oregon Symphony Orchestra in May. Other season highlights include performances of the Messiah with the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra, Mozart arias with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem with the Calgary Philharmonic and Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. On New Year's Day, Ms. Gauvin will be broadcast throughout Europe (on Eurovision) performing in Mahler's Symphony No. 2 with the WDR Sinfonie-Orchester Köln. Also in 2005-06, she will perform with the symphony orchestras of Nova Scotia, North Carolina and Indianapolis, as well as the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

2004-05 engagements included performances of Mozart's Requiem with the Vancouver Symphony, and Handel's Messiah with the Detroit and Omaha Symphonies, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She sang Mozart arias with the Toronto Symphony, and toured extensively as a soloist with Les Violons du Roy. She also debuted with L'Opera de Montreal in the role of Poppea in Handel's Agrippina.

Past highlights include her debut with Philadelphia Orchestra, a European tour with Musica Antiqua Köln, Mozart's Requiem at Alice Tully Hall, Bach's B minor Mass with Helmuth Rilling for the Oregon Bach Festival, her appearance at Grant Park Festival, the role of Iole in Handel's Hercules with Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, and the role of Euridice in Gluck's Orphée with Les Violons du Roy. In January 2003 Ms. Gauvin made her Carnegie Hall debut under the baton of Peter Schreier. She was also featured in the title role of Handel's Opera Alcina with Les Talens Lyriques with conductor Christophe Rousset and, in the summer of 2004, the title role in Georg Conradi's opera Ariadne for the Boston Early Music Festival.

Ms. Gauvin's discography includes four Juno Award nominated CD's: Arias and Dances from Agrippina and Alcina, her Handel CD with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; Images de Noël, a recording of Christmas art songs with pianist Michael McMahon; and Mozart's Exultate Jubilate and Schubert's Salve Regina for CBC Records. A recording of French art song with pianist Marc-André Hamelin titled - Fête galante, received the 2000 Opus award for Best Vocal Recording, and was selected as the Chamber Music America's Recording of the Year. Her recordings of Handel's Silete Venti / Apollo e Daphne and Mozart's Requiem with Les Violons du Roy were awarded 2001 and 2003 Juno Awards, respectively. She recorded Joseph Canteloube's Songs of the Auvergne for CBC Records in 2002. In 2005, she appeared on a recording of Bach's Psalm 51 and Cantate 82 with Les Violons du Roy for Atma Classique, which was nominated for a 2005 Juno Award. Also in 2005, she sings on an acclaimed CPO Records release of Conradi's Ariadne.

Gauvin's outstanding performances have been recognized in prestigious competitions worldwide. Her awards include the Virginia Parker Prize, and the Maggie Teyte Memorial Prize in London. In 1996 Karina Gauvin was chosen "Soloist of the Year" by the International French Public Radio Community and in 2000 she was given an Opus Award as "performer of the year". A graduate of the Montreal Conservatory of Music, Karina Gauvin studied with Ms. Marie Daveluy.