The Brewhouse Arts Centre 2002
The Auditorium, Union Street, Burton-on-Trent

Programme:

"Darquise Bilodeau: Soprano Darquise Bilodeau was born and trained in Canada. She was a member of The Tudor Singers of Montreal, as well as the chorus of the Opera de Montreal and of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. She has performed and given masterclasses in Canada and the United States, and can be heard on the MSO's recordings of the Berlioz Requiem and La damnation de Faust. She has performed here with the Stone Choral Society and Repton School Choral Society. In addition to her performing, Ms Bilodeau is also on staff as singing teacher at the School of St. Mary and St. Anne and at Foremarke Prep School, as well as teaching privately in Burton-an-Trent."

Excert from the Burton Mail News, 21 May 2002:

Concerted Effort

DARQUISE Bilodeau, casually dressed in practical Mary Janes black polo neck
jumper and red Jeans has not the look of an internationally acclaimed concert artist.

But then the Canadian-born soprano is not dressed to kill in her glamorous concert costume but in the sort of casual clothes that will take her easily from her family in Burton to St Mary and St Anne’s girls school in Abbots Bromley, where she is currently in rehearsal with pianist Jane Ford for a forth coming concert.

Darquise, who teaches music both at the girls school, and Foremark, where she met Jane, hopes to offer an evening of "refinement and passion" when they come to the Brewhouse on Friday July 5.

Both Jane, who is based in Derby, and Darquise are classically trained musicians. Both are prepared to talk with technical precision about their work, which has led to appearances across Britain, and for Jane at least, Europe as well.

Neither is prepared to reveal much about their personal lives. They are, say the women, irrelevant, when talking about the music which drives their professional sides.

But, for the record, Darquise - a mother of three - is married to the Rev Paul Farthing, vicar of Burton.

She was born in Ontario and met Paul, who was then in training for his vocation, through a joint love of music. Both were members of a Montreal-based Gilbert and Sullivan Society - though neither have the time to sing together now.

They were married in Canada, and came to Britain - and Burton - when Paul was offered a living here two years ago.

Darquise, who combines teaching, singing and bringing up her family, with the job of running St Mary and St Modwen's Catholic Church choir, will reveal her range when she makes a guest appearance at an evening of music by Students of the Royal Northern College of Music at the church on Saturday May 18.

Both her parents sang. It was a musical family, says Darquise, who started playing the piano as a child, though her brother was not too bothered, she adds.

After high school, where she developed her talents, she went on to study music at McGill University in Montreal.

She enjoys singing, but like everything else that seems too easily achieved, her innate talents were developed only with much practice.

"It's a matter of keeping at it," she says. "Talent is not enough. You also have to work at it." To sing for long periods, as in her forthcoming concert, requires different demands than those most of us use to warble in the bath.

This is where the long classical training comes in, though even that has its limits. Pianists like Jane,

who will accompany her in her first recital in Burton in July, can play, as long as their fingers don't wear out. A singer has to take care of his or her voice and not do anything to strain it.

She is choosing her concert list carefully, along with Jane, who is a concert level pianist in her own right, and an experienced accompanist and teacher.

"I am looking at things I like to do, knowing if I truly like them, I will do them well," says Darquise, who recently featured as a soloist with Repton choral society's production of The Messiah.

Jane, who studied at Wells Cathedral School and Birmingham University with Heather Slade-Lipkin: has played professional engagements on television and radio and appeared at concerts across Britain and abroad.

After growing up with an immensely talented family of musicians she learned early how to play, not only as a soloist, but as part of an ensemble.

She enjoys working as an accompanist. Ideally, she says, the pianist and soloist should work and practise so they blend together.

Darquise and Jane hope to offer their own interpretation, of the classics based on the guidelines laid down for each piece.

"You can do whatever you want," says Darquise, who hopes with Jane to sing a varied selection of music through the ages from Baroque to modern, adding their own expression and feeling.

The Brewhouse, she says, should provide the ideal venue to showcase their talents.

The professional engagement will be the first time the two women have performed together. But it won't be the last.

"We hope this will be the first of many such performances," says Darquise, smiling at Jane, picking up her music to carry on with the rehearsal.

For more details of an evening of music with Jane Ford and Darquise Bilodeau, contact Brewhouse Box Office on 01283 516030.

Burton Mail News | 21 May 2002 | by Genevra Jones