Hexaphone

Hexaphone, Victoria’s six-member a capella vocal ensemble, was formed in 2002 with the goal of performing diverse styles of vocal music, one voice to a part. Hexaphone is Carolyn Howe (soprano), Hannah Mitchell (alto), John Doughty (tenor), Ian Bullen (tenor), Nicholas Fairbank (baritone), and Paul Boughen (bass).

Hexaphone has become a gem of Victoria’s music scene, singing an eclectic range of music with a particular focus on new Canadian works. The ensemble has twice been the recipient of grants from the Canadian Music Centre and SOCAN for New Music in New Places projects: Hexaphone at the Centre of the Universe, Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, Victoria (2006), and Six by the Seaside at the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, Victoria (2009). In 2008 they performed at Crystal Pool as part of the Victoria Symphony’s “New Currents Festival of Music”, and at the Voice++ Festival, Open Space. Hexaphone was chosen to premiere BC 150 Project: Five Songs for British Columbia, commissioned by the Canadian Music Centre to celebrate BC’s 150th anniversary in 2008. In 2011 they toured the Okanagan, singing in Hope, Penticton, and Kelowna. In 2012 they will perform at International Choral Kathaumixw in Powell River, BC.

Carolyn Howe received her Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Victoria, and has long been an active member of Victoria’s music community. Carolyn teaches at South Park Elementary, a fine arts focused school in the Victoria district, where she directs two award-winning children’s choirs and runs a general music curriculum. She also directs the Mood Swing Chorus for the Friends of Music Society, a partnership program for people with mental illness and members of the wider community. Carolyn joined Hexaphone in 2006, and finds Friday evening rehearsals with Hex a highlight of the week!

Mezzo-soprano, and librarian, Hannah Mitchell is originally from Berkeley, California. She earned a B.A. in Music at the University of California at Berkeley and a Master’s in Vocal Performance at the University of Oregon. In Victoria, she has continued her vocal studies with Charlotte Hale. In the last few years she performed principal roles in several productions with the Victoria Gilbert and Sullivan Society, including Iolanthe, Lady Angela, Ruth, and Tessa. Hannah has sung with the Pacific Opera Victoria chorus, Voces Intimae, the San Francisco Symphony Chorus and the Sacramento Symphony Chorus, and she is delighted to continue her musical adventures as a new member of Hexaphone!

John is a native Victorian. He has studied and worked vocally with Catherine Young (Victoria Conservatory), Susan Young (UVic), and Michael Gormley (Christ Church Cathedral) and is currently a student in the studio of Arlene McIntyre. John has performed as a chorister and as a soloist with several island choirs and ensembles including Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Centennial United Church Choir, the Civic Orchestra, the North Island Choral Society, Capriccio Vocal Ensemble and Voces Intimae, but finds the past years with Hexaphone to be his most musically satisfying experience.

Ian has been singing since he was about 4 feet tall. Since that time, he has toured and performed with local, national, and international choirs, across Canada and through 18 countries. With work and family life divided between two cities, Ian has missed singing in a regularly-rehearsing vocal ensemble for a few years, and he can’t stand it any longer! When not gallivanting about to trade fairs at choral festivals for his music folder manufacturing company, MUSICFOLDER.com , he volunteers on the board running one of the choirs his wife conducts, Ensemble Laude.

Nicholas grew up in Burnaby, and studied biology at UBC and French literature at the University of Paris before turning to music as a full-time career. Since 1994 he has lived and worked in Victoria and is presently on the Faculty of the Victoria Conservatory where he teaches pipe organ and harpsichord. In addition he runs his own teaching studio, directs two community choirs, performs on various and sundry keyboard instruments, and keeps busy as a composer. He does indeed own the eponymously-named Fairbank Music.  In his spare time he enjoys sailing and single-malt scotch.

Paul was once a treble in his local church choir. He has continued to enjoy choral music, and since persuing vocal training on Vancouver Island, he has appeared as a vocal soloist with choirs and orchestras, and especially enjoys chamber music and recitals. He presented a recital including Rorem’s “War Scenes” in November 2011 and looks forward to spring 2012 performances of Haydn’s “The Creation”.

• Robin Cathcart (tenor): 2002
• Catherine Fern-Lewis (soprano): 2002 – 2006
• Diana Macdonald (alto): 2002-2007
• Tamara Schwartzentruber (alto): 2007 – 2008
• Michael Zastre (tenor): 2002-2011
• Arlene Overman (alto) 2008 – 2011