About

Our Mission Statement

Nuova Vocal Arts brings together the finest Canadian vocalists and pianists in order to expand their talents, share their passions, and discover strong relationships. We proudly produce professional opera performances that showcase emerging talent while maintaining the highest artistic and musical standards.

We’re committed to spreading the arts throughout our community. Our desire is to educate and inspire audiences of all ages and backgrounds with the rich artistic world of opera and music theatre.

Executive Board Members

Michelle van der Molen

Chair

Michelle graduated from the University of Alberta in 1988 with a Bachelor’s degree in pharmacy. She has practiced pharmacy in both community and hospital settings in Alberta, Nunavut and British Guyana (as a volunteer with Canadian Crossroads International) and currently owns her own Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy in northeast Edmonton. She has been a volunteer much of her adult life, with stints on many church and community boards and committees, including seven years with Options Edmonton (previously Planned Parenthood Edmonton). She is the proud mother of two adult children, whose passion for arts and culture continues to inspire and challenge her. Michelle’s current leisure activities include curling, reading, learning to tango and wine-tasting.

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Andrea Graham

Co-Vice Chair

Andrea Graham has over 20 years of experience in executive support for a range of industries, including energy, health care and post-secondary governance. She has worked as executive support for Alberta Health Services, for MacEwan University’s Board of Governors, for Chief Operating Officer at the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry with the University of Alberta. She currently supports the Office of the Provost’s SET program at the University of Alberta.

Andrea is a classically-trained vocalist, and has performed for many years in opera and musical theatre. She has performed on many stages throughout the Edmonton area, and currently fronts her own band -- The Andrea Graham Quartet -- performing jazz, blues, soul and R&B music.

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Nadia Ivanchikov

Co-Vice Chair

A parent of four very artistic children, Nadia came to the board to support the availability of a world-class voice and theatre instruction for the youth that NUOVA has to offer. A teacher and a counsellor, Nadia has been serving on many boards, from parent associations to gym clubs to private schools. She is looking forward to be part of Nuova Vocal Arts.

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Helen Hassinger

Treasurer

Ms. Hassinger's recent stage appearances include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (Chautauqua Opera), Ninfa in L'Orfeo (Chautauqua Opera), Mélisande in Pelléas et Mélisande (Boston University Opera Institute), the title role in Emmeline (BUOI), Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte (BUOI, Opera Memphis), and Helen in A Midsummer Night's Dream (BUOI). Concert work includes appearances as the soprano soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 (Columbus Symphony Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra), Beethoven's Missa solemnis (Choral Society of Northeastern Pennsylvania), and Brahms' Ein deutsches Requiem (Brookline Chancel Choir).

Ms. Hassinger has served as a young artist for Chautauqua Opera, Opera Memphis, Promenade Opera Project, and the Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar, among others. Competition placements include third in the Classical Voice Division of the Music International Grand Prix Competition, Semi-Finalist in the Opera Tampa D'Angelo Vocal Competition, and third in the International Clara Schumann Competition. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Hassinger made her directorial debut, producing a virtual performance of Don Giovanni with Opera on the Rocks.

Ms. Hassinger is a graduate of St. Olaf College (BA Music, Women's Studies), Boston University (MM Vocal Performance), and the Boston University Opera Institute.

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Virginia Briggs

Secretary

Virginia Briggs is a second year student at the University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business in Vancouver, where she is deepening her interest in the music industry through her classroom learning, internships and experience as a musician. Virginia is happy to contribute to the NUOVA Vocal Arts board, bringing the unique perspective of a university business student and singer herself. She studied classical voice with Kim Mattice Wanat during her school years and continues to sing today with the University of British Columbia Choral Union.

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Board Members

Elliot Harder

Director

Elliot Harder is a performer who has been studying and performing opera across Canada for over a decade. He received a Bachelor of Music from UBC in 2015 and a Master of Music from McGill in 2020. His time at these institutions and out in the professional world has provided him a rich education into the history of this wonderful artform, as well as insight into its evolving future. As a performer he is drawn to this music for the way it magnifies and stretches moments in life that are often seen as fleeting, and finds it so compelling to explore these moments and try to understand them. He has recently appeared with Edmonton Opera, Pop Goes the Opera, and Good Mess Opera Theatre.

Outside of his performance work, Elliot has experience as a theatre technician, event coordinator, barista, and mixologist. He lives in Camrose, AB with his wife and daughter and he is incredibly proud to make his home in Alberta, helping to create beautiful art and promoting theatrical music to the communities that he grew up around.

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Olesia Toumine

Director

Olesia recently retired as the Sr. Manager of Business Process Management with Servus Credit Union, after 38 years. She worked in areas including Retail Branches, Internal Audit, Operations, Policy and Procedures, and Business Process Management, with roles primarily in management. During her tenure, she added value to the business by identifying opportunities to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and supported mergers, acquisitions, along with system and process improvement projects. She was also noted for her mentoring and coaching skills. In 2008, she was the recipient of the President’s Award of Excellence. Prior to banking, Olesia (Cyncar) had a fulfilling career as a professional dancer. As a soloist with Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal (1975-1983), she had the opportunity to work with numerous choreographers and to tour and perform extensively over three continents. Originally, she trained and performed with the Alberta Ballet Company, and spent several summers at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts, performing in the Banff Summer Arts Festivals. Other work and dance experiences included a season with the National Ballet of Portugal, performing on CBC television, modeling and teaching Jazz at the Classical Ballet Studio Summer Sessions in Ottawa.

Over the years, Olesia engaged in various volunteer activities, ranging from community involvement and supporting her children’s sports teams, to volunteering at the Art Gallery of Alberta. She was an active member of the Ukrainian Scouting organization Plast, as a leader and in organizing children’s summer camps. Another wonderfully satisfying experience was the eight years she volunteered for the Cantilon Chamber Choir as a chaperone and uniform coordinator.

Olesia is a strong supporter of the performing and visual arts. She enjoys attending the ballet, opera, symphony, galleries and theatre. She also finds pleasure in nature, walking, hiking, and trying different arts and crafts.

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Kirsten Castro-Wunsch

Director

Kirstin has hosted many Nuova billets over the years giving her a unique insight to the needs of these emerging artists. Each wants an opportunity to prove themselves, and the Nuova program delivers. Providing a challenging intensive filled with professional training, movement, master classes and a rigorous schedule to see if you can cut it and give your best in the final performance. Nuova is a transformative life changing experience for these you persons. Kirstin is a professional engineer coming from an entrepreneurial background working in composting and property management businesses. She strives to bring fresh ideas to the program to help build longlasting strength. Innovation in all brings us a better tomorrow.

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Staff Members

Kim Mattice Wanat

Artistic & Managing Director: Founder of NUOVA Vocal Arts

Kim Mattice Wanat is a performer, teacher and director. She founded Opera NUOVA in 1998 and has acted as the Artistic and Managing Director since its inception. She has produced and directed several of Opera NUOVA’s productions including Bock & Harnick's Fiddler on the Roof, Smetana’s The Bartered Bride, Offenbach’s La Périchole, Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Canadian Première of Mark Adamo’s Little Women and all of NUOVA’s school touring productions, most notably, a Canada Council commissioned opera written by NUOVA alumnus Isaiah Bell entitled The Lives of Lesser Things; and Dean Burry’s Isis and the Seven Scorpions & and The Brothers Grimm. She is presently an instructor at the University of Alberta in the drama department and regularly works as a clinician for voice and choral teachers and as a musical director for musical theatre productions. Her commitment to sharing her expertise with young singers, actors, teachers and choral directors has earned her extensive recognition including Global Edmonton Television’s Woman of Vision Award, The City of Edmonton’s Salute to Excellence in the Arts Award and The YWCA’s Woman of Distinction in Arts and Culture Award.

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Mel Bahniuk

Artistic Administrator

Mel Bahniuk is a second-generation Ukrainian Canadian multi-disciplinary artist who currently resides on Treaty 6 territory (amiskwacîwâskahikan - Edmonton). She is an actor, producer, arts administrator, and educator. Mel has been fortunate to work with The Edmonton Fringe, The Citadel, Catalyst Theatre, Pyretic Productions, and NextFest to hone in on her skills as an administrator, and producer in the arts. Their primary education is in performing arts, but they have really loved diving into the behind the scenes of companies around Alberta to further understand what it means to run an organization in the arts sector. Mel has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alberta, and a Diploma in Theatre Arts from MacEwan University where they studied Musical Theatre. She is currently enrolled with the Rosza's Foundation RAMP Leadership program to learn more about arts admin. Recently she produced her first documentary titled OMA, which followed retired registered nurse Sandy Moser who has sewn 5000+ masks for the local theatre community that was shutdown during the covid-19 pandemic. She was also featured in the film They Who Surround Us- a film about grief and intergenerational trauma of a Ukrainian family which won the Audience Award for Best Dramatic Feature at the Edmonton International Film Festival. Her favourite select theatre credits include Ava in Mermaid Legs (SkirtsAFire), Patty Simcox in Grease (WCT), Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Theatre Clalgary/Shakesbow), Rose in The Flick (BLT), Bobbie James in Concord Floral, Alina (Producer for Pyretic Productions), OMA (Producer for TELUS Storyhive) Bad Hats Pater Pan (Assistant Director for the Citadel Young Musical Company) and Maria in Ukrainian film They Who Surround Us (Troy Ruptash). Aside from NUOVA, Mel works as the Program Administrator for the Alberta Youth Theatre Collective, and the Citadel's Young Company Program Assistant.

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Past Productions

Past Faculty

The heart and soul of any school lies in its faculty members; our past faculty are a testament to the incredible talent that has graced our stages over the years. Many of these relationships live on in guest visits, mentorships, and as part of our closely knit community.

View Past Faculty