The Sappho Project | Project Team

Danika Lorèn Composer

Danika Lorèn, a versatile artist and accomplished composer, captivates global audiences with their innovative and heartfelt musicality. After earning a master's degree in opera performance from the University of Toronto, Danika further refined their vocal skills as part of the Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Program. Recently joining Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium Young Artists, they are forging a distinctive career as a composer and vocalist, guided by the esteemed soprano. Danika's extraordinary talent has garnered performances with renowned orchestras and ensembles worldwide, solidifying their position as a leading voice in contemporary classical music. Danika's compositions have been showcased across Canada by esteemed organizations such as the CBC, Toronto Summer Music Festival, Canadian Art Song Project, Canadian Opera Company, Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Opera Victoria, and Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra. Their work has also been featured internationally at notable venues including the National Sawdust Theatre, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Leeds Lieder Festival, and Wigmore Hall. By translating personal experiences into musical poetry, Danika's compositions resonate in a deeply modern way. They are currently preparing to release their debut album, "Unbecoming," featuring four original song cycles composed and performed by Danika. Stay updated on this album and future releases by following @gentlefreak.dl on Instagram.

Nicole Ross Artistic Director

Coloratura soprano, Nicole Ross is a recent graduate of McGill University's Schulich School of Music. She has been recognized for her performances at the Classical Singer Competition (2019) where she placed 3rd, and 2nd in Voice at the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals National Music Festival (2019). Nicole has been supported by the Nova Scotia Talent Trust in 2018-2022 and in 2022 received their prestigious Portia White Award. She is also a 3 time recipient of support from the Canada Council of the Arts. Nicole's opera credits include Suzanne in La Croisade des Dames (Opera McGill, Horizons Project), Grace Davis in Street Scene (Opera McGill), Flora in The Turn of the Screw (Opera McGill) and Musetta in La Bohème (Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance). Nicole has a keen interest in contemporary classical music, and has performed chamber operas The Blind Woman by James Rolfe and Miss Quickly by Iman Habibi with Tapestry Opera. Most recently Nicole participated in a musical workshop of Raccoon Opera, a new opera by Rachel and Rebecca Gray, with Musique 3 Femmes. Nicole has been a featured soloist with a variety of ensembles, including Oasis Musicale, the McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble, Ensemble Allure, the Despax Quartet and the festival orchestra of the Festival L'Art de la Musique. In addition to her performance activities, Nicole completed the RBC Artist Fellowship with the Association for Opera in Canada and is presently an Artistic Associate of Musique 3 Femmes.

Martine Jomphe Music Director

Originally from Fredericton, pianist Martine Jomphe is a versatile and sought-after collaborator. Her interest in vocal art led her to participate in various professional development programs, including Musique sur mer en Acadie, l'Académie de l'Été musical de Barachois, and Orford Music. As an opera repetiteur, she has appeared in the University of Ottawa's 2021 production of Britten's The Turn of the Screw and, in 2022, in a contemporary opera project directed by Ana Sokolovíc, “Vers une poétique audio-visuelle de l'opéra : comprendre l'identité de l'opéra au XXIe siècle par la cocréation de quatre opéras-web,” at the University of Montreal. In the Fall of 2023, she will be on tour with Jeunesses Musicales' production of La fille du Régiment. As a musical director, Martine appeared at the Maison Théâtre with the University of Montreal's Musical Theatre Committee production of La porteuse de feu in March 2022, and the Segal Centre Summer Academy's production of The Lorax in August 2023. Martine received many prestigious scholarships, including the J.E.A. Crake Performance Award in Music and the J.E.A. Crake Independant Summer Research Grant. Martine holds a Bachelor of Music from Mount Allison University and a Master of Music in Piano Performance from the University of Ottawa. She is currently pursuing her doctoral studies in vocal accompaniment at the University of Montreal with Francis Perron and Liz Upchurch. As part of her doctoral thesis, Martine is conducting primary research on the Jewish composer Eli Rubinstein. In the summer of 2023, Martine is attending KlezKanada as part of the Azrieli Scholarship Program where she will continue her research.

Grace Skehan Artistic Partner

Grace Skehan is a Montréal based mezzo-soprano and graduate of McGill University's Schulich School of Music. In 2022, she completed her second, and final season with Opera McGill where she had the pleasure of performing as a featured chorus member in Mozart's Don Giovanni. She also enjoyed workshopping Tong Wang's new opera, Labyrinth of Tears, as a part of the Opera McGill Beta Lab Project. Grace is the recipient of several prestigious awards including the Phyllis and Bernard Shapiro Fellowship in Opera and the Evangelyna Etienne Award from the Handel and Haydn Society. As an ensemble musician, Grace has toured Canada with McGill's Schulich Singers. Stateside she has performed with the Handel and Haydn Society on various major programs including NPR's From the Top and the BBC's Great American Railroad Journeys. As a music administrator, Grace has worked with the Boston Early Music Festival, Boston Baroque, and McGill's Schulich School of Music where she recently finished her two year term as the administrative assistant to the Voice Area. Upcoming projects include a “Night at the Opera” concert series which Grace is producing in partnership with her neighborhood bookstore.

Grace Ivey Stage Director, scenes II-IX

Grace Ivey, originally from rural Alaska, is a mezzo-soprano and emerging stage director based in Montréal. She received her Bachelor's of Music in classical vocal performance at McGill University. During her time at McGill, Grace performed roles in multiple productions with Opera McGill including Miles in The Turn of the Screw and Willie Maurrant in Street Scene. Grace's passion for storytelling and theater, combined with her background in classical singing, drew her to opera stage directing. Grace recently received a professional certificate in opera direction through Ithaca College where she staged scenes from Dialogues des Carmélites and studied with Chuck Hudson.

Christine Pallon Website Developer

A recent graduate of McGill University's School of Information Studies, Christine Pallon is a self-taught web developer originally from Arizona and based in Montréal. Having previously worked as a music journalist and editor, she has worked in tech since 2018. In her free time, she plays the drums and co-hosts two podcasts, The Shadow Play Gays and the Bitter Jurors. Before moving to Montréal, she served as a board member and drum instructor for the non-profit organization Girls Rock! Champaign-Urbana. While in Champaign-Urbana, Christine was active in the local theatre community as an actor, director, producer, and board member for the Penny Dreadful Players.