Tango to Death
NEW TIME: Saturday, November 1 at 6:00 PM
Harcourt United Church, 87 Dean Ave, Guelph, ON N1G 1L3
THIS CONCERT IS SOLD OUT
A Latin-American Celebration featuring “Misatango” by Argentinian composer Martin Palmeri.
Ana Isabella Castro, soprano
Matti Pulkki, accordion
Royce Rich, violin
Anna Hughes, violin
Sarah de Niverville, viola
Rebecca Morton, cello
Ian Whitman, bass
Easton Page, percussion
Join us for an evening of Latin-American choral music that features Argentinian composer Martin Palmeri’s genre-bending “Misatango”, a celebration of Mexico’s “Dia de los Muertos” and even a salsa dance to close the night.
The program also includes music by Eric Whitacre and songs from the movies Coco and Encanto.
Tickets are $35/$30/$10/$5
This concert is generously supported by
Royce Rich appears with the support of Shelley Wigham (Bespoke Posies)
.
Ana Isabella Castro
Venezuelan-Canadian soprano Ana Isabella Castro is establishing herself as a versatile and expressive artist whose performances span opera, oratorio, and Latin American art song.
Ana’s operatic credits include Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia with BROTT Opera—a performance praised by Opera Canada as “comedic gold”—as well as Anaide in Il cappello di paglia di Firenze by Rota, Lola in Douglas Moore’s Gallantry, and the title role in Massenet’s Cendrillon. Additional roles include Sister Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with the Toronto Operetta Theatre.
Equally active in the concert and oratorio repertoire, Ana has appeared as soloist in Misatango by Palmeri with the Guelph Chamber Choir, Vibrant: A Playlist Inspired by Dance with the Oakville Symphony, Handel’s Messiah, The Armed Man and the Vivaldi and Bach Concert with the Masterworks Choir and Orchestra, and Viva La Música with the Grand Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra.
In October of 2024 she was also featured in the Canadian Opera Company’s Showcase Series with her self-curated program Canciones de Mi Gente—a project celebrating Latin American composers and Venezuelan folk traditions through an exploration of identity, language, and cultural expression in song.
She holds both a Bachelor of Music (2021) and a Master’s in Opera (2024) from the University of Toronto.
Matti Pulkki
Finnish accordionist Matti Pulkki is acclaimed for his imaginative and creative exploration of the expressive potential of his instrument. His performances often focus on contemporary and experimental programming, but he is also a sought-after collaborator in opera, theatre, and interdisciplinary productions. A significant part of his artistic practice consists of creative collaborations with composers interested in exploring the sonic potential of the accordion. Pulkki holds a Master’s degree from the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Toronto.
Royce Rich
Royce Rich is establishing himself as one of Canada’s up-and-coming concert artists. In July 2021, he was listed as one of CBC Music’s “Top 30 Under 30 Hot Musicians” for the release of his self-produced debut Spotify album of show pieces entitled Short Stories. In July 2015, Royce was awarded the coveted Gabora Prize in Italy at the Casalmaggiore International Festival, and has since appeared on concert stages as a solo artist and chamber musician across Canada, the USA, Italy, and Germany.
As a private violin instructor in both Toronto and Vancouver, Royce studied with renowned Russian pedagogy, Victor Danchenko at The Glenn Gould School of The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where he obtained his Bachelors of Music Degree. He also completed one full year in the Conservatory’s Artist Diploma Program as a full-scholarship recipient of The Jack Whiteside Scholarship.
Royce Rich appears with the support of Shelley Wigham (Bespoke Posies)
Anna Hughes
Anna holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in violin performance from the Cleveland Institute of Music. She has performed as a chamber and orchestral violinist in Canada and in England, as well as working as a sought-after Suzuki violin teacher.
Anna has been a member of the Niagara Symphony, Walker String Quartet, the Niagara
Sinfonia, and Orchestra Da Camera and has played with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.
She works as a freelance violinist, playing in orchestras and ensembles around Ontario, and is currently the Personnel and Guest Artist Manager for the Niagara Symphony.
Sarah de Niverville
Violist and violinist Sarah de Niverville has been a core member of the Niagara Symphony Orchestra since 2018. She also maintains a busy freelancing career with orchestras across Ontario. She has performed with the Galiano Ensemble of Victoria and was a four-time member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada.
Sarah has performed in the United States, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, China and Italy, and shared the stage with Michael Bublé, Josh Groban and Sarah Slean. She was a guest musician on OKAN’s Juno Award-winning album, Okantomi, and you may have seen her as a featured musician extra on an episode of CBC’s Murdoch Mysteries!
Sarah earned her Master of Music in Performance at the University of Victoria under the tutelage of Joanna Hood of the Lafayette String Quartet.
Rebecca Morton
Rebecca Morton began her studies at the age of six in her hometown of Hamilton, Ontario and studied at The Royal Conservatory of Music where she was awarded the Gold Medal for achieving the highest string mark in Canada. Continuing at the Eastman School of Music, she was the recipient of a six year scholarship and graduated with highest distinction, receiving Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees. She has won numerous scholarships and awards, including being a semi-finalist in the 2003 Eckhardt-Gramatte String Competition.
Currently living and freelancing in Toronto, Rebecca has performed with orchestras across Southern Ontario. A gifted soloist and ensemble member, she was a member of the Kamareli String Quartet for many years and has been featured in solo and chamber music recitals, including performances with ChamberWorks!, Nota Bene, Past Perfect, at the Toronto Music Garden and in recordings with Final Fantasy. Most recently, she has performed with members of the Canadian Opera Company at the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, Gallery 345, the McMaster Concert Series, and with the McMaster Trio.
Ian Whitman
Born in Edmonton, Ian Whitman was introduced to the bass at age 17 and studied jazz and classical music at Grant MacEwan College, McGill University, and Yale University before assuming the position of Principal Bass for the (former) Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony in 2008 and joining the faculty at Wilfrid Laurier in 2012.
He is active in the Canadian music scene and has performed with ensembles including the Toronto Symphony, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Penderecki String Quartet, and is a frequent soloist in Southern Ontario.
Ian lives in Kitchener with his wife, violinist Allene Chomyn and two young children. Despite spending most of his time playing orchestral music, he’s delighted to be able to pursue his love for jazz as member of the Patti Payne trio.
Beginning in September 2025, Ian took on the role of Learning and Community Engagement manager with the KW Symphony and started his PhD in Community Music at WLU.
Richard Burrows
Richard Burrows is a highly accomplished percussionist whose musical journey began at just 11 years old with the Lamplighters Drum and Bugle Corps. His career took him on tours across North America and Europe, eventually becoming a section leader with the Kiwanis Kavaliers. After “aging out,” Richard transitioned to teaching, serving as the caption head for the Kiwanis Kavaliers and earning a Master’s in Music Performance Percussion from the University of Toronto.
Richard has had the privilege of studying and performing with renowned artists like NEXUS, Michael Burritt, and Evelyn Glennie, and has collaborated with Synergy in Australia. As a passionate educator, he works closely with local schools and music camps in Ontario, inspiring the next generation of musicians.
A founding member of the Toronto-based percussion quartet TorQ, Richard’s career has taken him across the globe, giving masterclasses and performances in North America, Europe, Mexico, Asia, and Australia. He also performs regularly with the Kitchener/Waterloo Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra London, and in a duet series with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.