Brahms REQUIEM
Our upcoming performance of BRAHMS REQUIEM
will take place on Friday, April 7th, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
Click HERE to purchase tickets
HUGH VAN PELT is the founding artistic director of Choral Connection with experience encompassing both choral and orchestral conducting. Prior to his current involvement with Choral Connection, Mr. Van Pelt directed the St. Thomas Youth Choir. Throughout his tenure with this organization he prepared five European Tours spanning nine countries. He has conducted choirs in many of Europe’s most famous cathedrals including Westminster Abby, St Paul’s Cathedral, Cologne Cathedral and Coventry Cathedral. Highlights of these tours include conducting at the International Shrewsbury festival, the Rastaat Festival in Baden, Germany and the Bray Jazz Festival in Ireland. Hugh also collaborated with other choirs including the Trelawnd Male Choir in Rhyl, Wales and the Chor des Theodor-Heuss-Gymnasium, Germany.
Hugh Van Pelt | Conductor
Clarence Frazer | Baritone
Canadian/Korean baritone CLARENCE FRAZER brings his “silky smooth baritone” to a wide range of roles and concert repertoire. An alumnus of Canadian Opera Company’s prestigious Ensemble Studio and Calgary Opera’s McPhee Artist Development Program, Clarence starred as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Pacific Opera Victoria and Saskatoon Opera and sang Marcello in Against the Grain Theatre’s acclaimed 2019 production of La bohème, touring from Yukon to Toronto.
This season, Clarence debuts with Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and Thunder Bay Symphony in performances of Messiah, and is a guest soloist in "God, Thy Earth is Aflame" by Latvian composer Lucija Garuta, with Ottawa Choral Society. Clarence also performs with Chorus Niagara in “The Houses Stand Not Far Apart” (Estacio) and Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem.
Recent concert engagements include Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem with Hamilton’s BachElgar Choir, and Mozart’s Requiem with Grand Philharmonic Choir. Clarence also sang Guglielmo in Edmonton Opera’s Cosi fan tutte and starred as Claudio with Opera Kelowna in Béatrice et Bénédict.
In 2023, Clarence debuts as Demetrius with Vancouver Opera in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Clarence is featured in several OperaBreaks cinematic videos directed by François Raçine and produced by Domoney Artists during the pandemic.
Chelsea Van Pelt | Soprano
Praised as “…appealing and delicate…” (Opera Canada), CHELSEA VAN PELT's pre-pandemic season included performances of Bach’s Mass in B minor, Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem, Haydn’s Kleine Orgelmesse, Bach’s St. John Passion and Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate. Prior to that she had the pleasure of auditioning at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden and the Atelier Lyrique National Finals at L'Opéra de Montréal. Chelsea Van Pelt is a graduate of the Calgary Opera Emerging Artists program. Throughout her time there, she had the pleasure of performing the role of Juliette for the Canadian premiere of Die tote Stadt, Pamina in Die Zauberflöte (*cover), Rose in Lakme and la Princesse in l’enfant et les sortilèges.
Chelsea most recently sang the character of Serpina in Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona for the Windsor Symphony Orchestra’s recorded season this past year. Additionally, Chelsea has kept herself busy with activities slightly outside of the musical sphere, which include managing and providing design consultation for a construction company in Southwestern Ontario. Upcoming performances this 22/23 season include Handel's Messiah, Mendelssohn's Elijah, Brahms Ein Deutsches Requiem, Berg's Sieben Fruhe Lieder and Sibelius ' Five songs opus 37.