ABOUT
Canadian soprano Nicole J. Brooks (Nicole Olson) is known for her warm and flexible yet powerful voice. Most recently she covered the role of the Countess in Edmonton Opera’s production of The Marriage of Figaro. In 2018-2019 she was a member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program with Vancouver Opera. During her time there Nicole performed the roles of Clorinda (La Cenerentola), Sylvaine (The Merry Widow) and understudied the role of Mimi (La Bohème). She also was featured in the double bill as Eleonore (Les Larmes Du Couteau) and soprano (The Little Match Girl Passion) in the Emerging Artist showcase.
Performing many operatic roles over the past several years, Nicole’s roles include Tatiana (Eugene Onegin), Micaela (Carmen), Pamina (Die Zauberflöte), Annina (Eine Nacht in Venedig), Mařenka (Prodaná nevěsta) and Elena (Il Cappello di Paglia di Firenze)
She has performed at the Vancouver summer festival Bard on the Beach, as a soloists with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra for their Tea & Trumpets series, and in many solo recitals.
Being recognized as an exceptional emerging artist, Nicole was chosen for the Vancouver Opera Guild’s 2019 Career Development Grant which took her to Germany for three months. She spent most of her time in Frankfurt and Berlin learning the language and coaching with local professionals. In February 2020 Nicole was a finalist in the esteemed George London Competition in New York City. She placed in the Northwestern Regional finals of the 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and in 2017 was a semi-finalist in the International Hans Gabor Belvedere Singing Competition held in Moscow, Russia.
Nicole is a graduate of the University of British Columbia (M.Mus 2016, B.Mus 2014) is an alumna of Opera NUOVA, Vancouver International Song Institute, and Opera in the 21st Century at the Banff Centre. Teachers and coaches she has worked with include Sondra Radvanovsky, Carol Isaac, Judith Forst, Dale Throness, Nancy Hermiston, and Richard Epp. While performing is a passion she also loves to teach and help the next generation find their voices!
GALLERY
MEDIA
REPERTOIRE
Fiordiligi Così fan tutte Mozart
Countess Le nozze di Figaro Mozart
Clorinda La Cenerentola Rossini
Eleonore Les larmes du couteau Martinů
Sylvaine Die Lustige Witwe Lehár
Mimi La Bohème Puccini
Tatyana Eugene Onegin Tchaikovsky
Violetta La Traviata Verdi
Marenka Prodaná Nevěsta Smetana
Pamina Die Zauberflöte Mozart
Annina Eine Nacht in Venedig Strauss
Marguerite Faust Gounod
Elena Il cappello di paglia di Firenze Rota
Micaela Carmen Bizet
Juliette Roméo et Juliette Gounod
Ruth Putnam The Crucible Ward
Soeur Anne de la Croix Dialogues des Carmélites Poulenc
Soeur Constance Dialogues des Carmélites Poulenc
Soprano The Little Match Girl Passion Lang
Soprano Requiem Mozart
Soprano Symophony No.9 Beethoven
Soprano Messiah Handel
SCHEDULE 2021/2022
upcoming! (check back for date)
Solo Recital
University of Alberta - Augustana
September 18, 2021
https://www.edmontonopera.com/culturedays2021 @ 2:00pm
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
November 27, 2021
Guest Artist with Roger Admiral- Songs of Vienna
http://camroselive.ca/event/roger-admiral-songs-of-vienna @ 2:00pm
Lougheed Centre for the Performing Art- Camrose
TEACHING
Philosophy of teaching:
The role of a vocal teacher is a unique one that often crosses into mentor and friend. My goal as a teacher is to provide my students with tools to help them sing with ease and joy. I hope to help them achieve a level beyond their expectations, while encouraging them toward self awareness and self discipline. Since our instrument is part of our body, this process of study involves all aspects of the self and becomes intensely personal. For this reason, it is important to learn each student’s individual learning style in order to present the material in the most effective way. Even though teaching approaches may differ across genres, I believe the fundamental techniques of good singing remain the same throughout. My teaching follows the techniques and methods used by the Old Italian School of singing which was grounded on the combination of mind, emotions, and body. Famous teachers of the time that contributed to this method were Francesco Lamperti and Manuel Garcia. Fundamental points that I will focus on in my teaching are: breath, articulation and posture to achieve bel canto (beautiful singing). These three points cannot function alone and must be considered in coordination with the other two. I provide students with techniques to find a grounded posture that will assist in finding a free and connected breath resulting in an even tone across their vocal range. Since pointing out the problem does not often improve a student’s technique, but rather causes them to dwell on that issue, positive reinforcement and implementing actions for the student to put into practice is a better approach. For example, instead of telling a student to relax their tongue, I will focus more on bringing the jaw slightly back and down in a gentle relaxed chew position. This will in turn release the tongue and bring it forward and out of the pharynx. A main focus will be to strengthen the students’ self awareness skills in order to “feel” what good singing is. I believe it is important for a student to become confident and able to learn independently. Therefore, I strive to inspire learning and to motivate my students to investigate the singing voice on their own, challenging them both vocally and personally. Students will be armed with tools that facilitate vocal growth and healthy singing behaviours. I am passionate about walking alongside my students as they continuously pursue excellence while sharing the beauty of their art with those along the way.
Studio options: My Studio (contact for directions), YOUR home
$30 - 1/2 hour lesson, $60 - 1 hour lesson
an additional travel charge of $15.00 per visit will apply for travel to your home (dependant on total kms)
University of Alberta - Augustana
https://apps.ualberta.ca/directory/person/nolson1
Voice Faculty - nicole.olson@ualberta.ca
