The Royal Conservatory has appointed internationally celebrated Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka as Vocal Chair and Head of the Vocal Department of The Glenn Gould School (GGS), its acclaimed school of professional performance training for artists at the undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate levels.
Adrianne is the first Vocal Chair in the school’s history. She will take on the role in May 2019 as she continues her thriving career as a performing artist.
“It is an honour to welcome an artist of Adrianne’s stature as the inaugural Vocal Chair of The Glenn Gould School,” said Dr. Peter Simon, Michael and Sonja Koerner President & CEO, The Royal Conservatory. “Great artists are developed through the ongoing mentorship and guidance of outstanding teachers. As one of the world’s preeminent operatic sopranos, the depth of Adrianne’s expertise will be invaluable in supporting the artistic growth of the next generation of celebrated singers.”
As Vocal Chair and Head of the Vocal Department, Adrianne will conduct monthly master classes and will oversee The Glenn Gould School’s Voice Program and Price Opera Program. Her responsibilities will include the selection and casting of the department's two annual operas as well as the school’s annual vocal showcase. Ms. Pieczonka will also supervise the selection of conductors and directors for all department productions, as well as the selection of all other vocal master class artists.
“I am very excited and honoured to assume the role of Vocal Chair at The Royal Conservatory of Music's Glenn Gould School,” said Adrianne. “For the past several years I have given annual master classes for the singers of its Artist Diploma Program; I look forward to being involved with all other aspects of the Voice Department. Drawing on my experience from many years on stage, I hope to inspire and support young artists as they prepare themselves for careers as professional singers.”
With an esteemed career spanning more than 30 years, Adrianne has earned widespread international acclaim from critics and opera fans for her interpretations of Wagner, Strauss, Verdi, and Puccini heroines. She performs regularly on the world’s greatest operatic stages, including New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, the Royal Opera House in London, and Milan’s Teatro alla Scala. She has also appeared in many of the world’s most prestigious opera festivals, including Germany’s legendary Bayreuth Festival. Her recording of Puccini arias earned a JUNO Award in 2011.
In addition to her achievements as a performing artist, Adrianne is also a dedicated educator who has mentored young singers around the world. She is a dedicated master class artist who appears frequently throughout Canada and Europe.
In recognition of her many cultural contributions, Adrianne received the esteemed honorific of Kammesängerin by the Vienna State Opera in 2007. She was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2008, an Honorary Fellow of The Royal Conservatory in 2013, and in 2014 received the Ontario Arts Council’s Paul de Hueck and Norman Walford Career Achievement Award.