Whether featuring in the Canadian premier of Pasażerka or fusing classical with jazz in novel concert programs, Taryn’s performances are poised and truthful. Her practice as a community planner informs the way Taryn uses music to connect with community and animate public spaces.
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Inspired by her Ukrainian-Canadian heritage, Taryn feels a strong draw towards slavic repertoire – to which her warm tone and deceptively powerful voice are well-suited. She is committed to presenting more repertoire by Ukrainian and Canadian composers and welcomes any opportunity to sing new works and contemporary music.
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Taryn is a mentor with Opera InReach in their BC chapter and was a 2021-2022 RBC Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada. Supported by her experience in arts marketing and development, she is the Artistic Director and founder of Opera Unbound.
Equipped with “dramatic and vocal thrust” (Opera Canada), Taryn Plater is a versatile performer with a strong investment in the future of the arts.
150-word Bio
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Taryn Plater is a versatile performer strongly invested in the future of opera and arts outreach. Recognized for her “dramatic and vocal thrust” (Opera Canada), the Vancouver-based mezzo-soprano was a 2021–2022 RBC Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada and a 2021 Vancouver Opera Foundation bursary recipient. Taryn created the digital artist statement First Steps with Against the Grain's 2021 National Opera Intensive exploring her cultural heritage through Ukrainian art song, and in 2022, received a Ukraine – Heritage, Spirit and Future award in recognition of her artistic focus on Ukrainian art song. In addition to her performance endeavors, Taryn is a mentor with Opera InReach and the founding Artistic Director of Opera Unbound.
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250-word Bio
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Mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater is a versatile performer and creator with a strong investment in the future of opera and arts outreach. She was a 2021-2022 RBC Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada and continues to be active both on and off stage. Taryn created the digital artist statement First Steps through Against the Grain's 2021 National Opera Intensive, exploring her cultural heritage through Ukrainian art song and dance, and in 2022, received a Ukraine – Heritage, Spirit and Future award in recognition of her artistic focus on Ukrainian art song. Her focus on Ukrainian classical repertoire has intensified over the past year with community-engaged performance, specialized training opportunities, and benefit concerts.
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Taryn was recognized for her “dramatic and vocal thrust” (Opera Canada) while portraying the title character in the Canadian premiere of Pasażerka. She has performed with Opera NUOVA and the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, and has featured in concerts in Germany and the Czech Republic. At home, she enjoys varied performance opportunities that range from accessible opera concerts in public spaces to jazz piano and vocal engagements. Taryn is grateful to be the recipient of a 2021 Vancouver Opera Foundation bursary and a 2019 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Western Canada District) Encouragement Award.
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In addition to her performance endeavors, Taryn is a mentor with Opera InReach and the founding Artistic Director of Opera Unbound. She earned her opera performance degree at the University of British Columbia studying with Krisztina Szabó and Marisa Gaetanne while simultaneously pursuing training in linguistics and urban planning.
Full Bio
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Mezzo-soprano Taryn Plater is a versatile performer and creator with a strong investment in the future of opera and arts outreach. She was a 2021-2022 RBC Artist Fellow with the Association for Opera in Canada and continues to be active both on and off stage. Taryn created the digital artist statement First Steps through Against the Grain's 2021 National Opera Intensive, exploring her cultural heritage through Ukrainian art song and dance. Her focus on Ukrainian classical repertoire has intensified over the past year with community-engaged performance, specialized training opportunities, and benefit concerts.
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Taryn was recognized for her “dramatic and vocal thrust” (Opera Canada), portraying the title character in the Canadian premiere of the Polish opera, Pasażerka. She is grateful to be the recipient of a 2021 Vancouver Opera Foundation bursary from the Toni and Hildegard Cavelti Foundation Fund and a 2019 Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She also received honourable mention at the Vancouver Women’s Musical Society’s 2022 voice competition.
Taryn has performed with Opera NUOVA and the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival and has featured in concerts in Germany and the Czech Republic. At home, she enjoys varied performance opportunities that range from accessible opera concerts in public spaces to jazz piano and vocal performances. Taryn has performed with numerous local companies including Symphony 21, Opera Opulenza, and City Opera. In 2019, she was a soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in their Traditional Christmas concert tour.
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In addition to her performance endeavours, Taryn is a mentor with Opera InReach and the founding Artistic Director of the Vancouver-based company Opera Unbound. She has worked in arts marketing and development and has a keen interest in cultural planning and the role that the arts play in our cities and communities.
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Taryn earned her opera performance degree at the University of British Columbia studying with Krisztina Szabó and Marisa Gaetanne while simultaneously pursuing training in linguistics and urban planning. In her time at the University of British Columbia, she performed the roles of Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Fanny Price (Mansfield Park), La Marchesa Melibea (Il viaggio a Reims), Marta (Pasażerka), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), and Second Lady (Die Zauberflöte). Her teachers, coaches, and mentors have included Krisztina Szabó, Marisa Gaetanne, Judith Forst, David Agler, Rhoslyn Jones, and Richard Epp.