About Us
In a nutshell… SOPAC Ottawa, originally known as South Ottawa Performing Arts Collaborative, was founded in 2016 by musician-colleagues Morgan Strickland and Tania Granata. Stemming from their passion to help young performers develop and hone their skills outside of private instruction, Morgan and Tania created SOPAC's summer camp programs for performers 15 and under that year. Both classical musicians first, Tania, a collaborative pianist and Music For Young Children specialist, and Morgan, a professional opera singer, teacher, and director, were keen to produce lesser known operas and bring more performing opportunities to aspiring and professional singers alike. In 2017, SOPAC's inaugural double-bill production of Puccini's Suor Angelica and Leoncavallo's Pagliacci took the stage with two amazing casts to a full house in Ottawa, ON.
Now celebrating their 8th year of music making, SOPAC Ottawa continues to be a pillar for the performing arts in Ottawa!
Founders
Tania Granata, Collaborative Piano
B.A., ARCT, MYCC, RMT
Tania began her musical studies at the age of 4 in Ottawa, she excelled through the various young performing arts clubs and participated in local and international competitions winning top prizes, awards and scholarships. She continued her studies at the University of Ottawa earning a Bachelor’s degree in Music and Modern Languages. She also earned the Associateship of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto in Piano Pedagogy.
She has performed as a soloist, accompanist and chamber musician and has been an invited guest at the Italian Embassy and the National Arts Center. She has collaborated with many internationally renowned musicians and composers being described as “a musically sensitive player that is a true artist.” After completing her studies, she was asked to come on as Faculty at Camerata Music, a unique teaching studio in the Westboro area of Ottawa. She has been recorded for the Ottawa Citizen as well as several voice and chamber music cd’s. Most notably she has collaborated as joint musical director/pianist for You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and was the pianist for the 3 city tour of Bytown Operatics production of La Boheme.
Tania is heavily involved with SOCAN and is the Center Co-Coordinator for Contemporary Showcase Ottawa Carleton, a position she has held for the past 14 years. She is past President of the Ottawa Branch of ORMTA and also chairs the Canada Music Week portfolio. She is also the past President of the Ottawa West Junior Music Club as well as Chair of the Audition and Programming Committee.
As well as teaching privately, Tania teaches the Music for Young Children program. She is Assistant Coordinator for the Eastern and Central Ontario regions as well as a Certified Music for Young Children Teacher Trainer and has traveled across North America training teachers on the MYC philosophy. She has given workshops at various Piano Pedagogy Conferences across North America. Tania has also been a judge for the past 13 years in the world’s largest composition festival for the Music for Young Children program.
Morgan Strickland, Voice
B. Mus., M.M. Vocal Performance, M.M. Vocal Pedagogy
Canadian Soprano Morgan Strickland is quickly becoming recognized for her “jewel-like tone” (The Boston Globe) and “consistency of vocal beauty throughout her different emotional states” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer). A native of Ottawa, Ontario, Ms. Strickland began studying voice at the young age of 8. She competed for many years in the Ottawa chapter of the Kiwanis Music Festival and NATS Competitions, winning first prize many times. In 2002, she joined the Opera Lyra Ottawa Chorus in performances of Roméo et Juliette, Madama Butterfly, and Johan de Meij’s symphony, “The Lord of the Rings.”
Ms. Strickland holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Ottawa where she studied with Prof. Ingemar Korjus. Morgan moved to Boston, MA in 2009 to pursue a double Master’s Degree in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from New England Conservatory studying under the tutelage of Lorraine Nubar. At NEC, she performed the roles of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, Contessa Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Noémie in Cendrillon, and Gertrude in Humperdink’s Hänsel und Gretel. She has had the opportunity to sing in masterclasses with Martin Katz, Warren Jones, Carolyn Hart, David Lutz and Donna Brown and had the pleasure of appearing in Cameron Stowe’s Liederabend
Concert Series. Additionally, Morgan spent three summers at the Académie Internationale d'Eté de Nice, France, working closely with Lorraine Nubar and Dalton Baldwin. In addition to classical studies and performance, Morgan was the musical director for Oliver! the musical. As a young singer, Morgan participated in the Kiwanis Musical Theatre competition and sang a lead role in Guys and Dolls. She continues to study musical theatre from the directing and coaching point of view.
Morgan maintained her passion for teaching as a teaching assistant in both lecture and private lesson settings of the undergraduate level course Voice for Non-Majors. Upon the completion of her second graduate degree, Ms. Strickland accepted a one year teaching position at NEC as lecturer of the same course for Graduate level students. Morgan concentrates on creating a healthy, organic approach to singing with her students and is specifically passionate about Opera and Musical Theatre as well as ensemble training in contemporary genres of music. Now entering her 16th year of teaching, Morgan continues to teach privately. While maintaining an active performing schedule, she guest teaches in workshops and masterclasses at home and abroad.
Check out more information and upcoming engagements at www.morgan-strickland.com