Lisa Cosens Brillon

Lisa Cosens Brillon began singing professionally at the age of 17 on the national television show, CBC Hymn Sing. Lisa studied at the Universities of Manitoba and Arizona where she earned her Bachelor and two Masters of Music degrees in Voice Performance and Music Education. She began her doctoral studies in voice performance, pedagogy and choral conducting at the University of Cincinnati. Lisa also studied in New York City with the Assistant Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera and at the Mannes College of Music. For close to seven years Lisa sang with the Toronto production of The Phantom of the Opera in the role of Madame Firmin. She has performed in concert, musicals and on the opera stage in North America, Europe and Israel and notably at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City in the lead role of Elena in I Vespri Siciliani with Opera Orchestra of New York. She has received various awards and scholarships at the regional Metropolitan Opera auditions, American Jenny Lind Competition, American Teachers of Singing competition and was a finalist in the prestigious Washington International competition. Ms. Brillon founded and directs the Queenston Ladies Choir, is the organist and choir director for St. David’s Queenston United Church, is the artistic director of the Niagara’s premiere show choir, The Niagara Star Singers and for 18 years directed the summer Queenston Musical Theatre Camp. She is the voice/choral instructor for Music Niagara’s Summer Music Academy and as well, she is the founder and festival director of the Niagara Musical Theatre Festival, formerly the provincial treasurer for NATS (National Association Teachers of Singing) and is currently the President of the Ontario Music Festivals Association. She is the ‘host’ for the OMFA Provincial finals to be held in Niagara 2019/2021 to over 1200 competitors. Lisa is sought out as a voice and musical theatre adjudicator and choral clinician and is a former RCM voice examiner. She resides in Queenston where she loves teaching voice in her home studio. Her students have graduated from universities in Canada and the USA in music programs in classical voice, musical theatre, opera, and music education. Many students perform in professional and community musical theatre shows, with symphony orchestras, in opera, have won the RCM Silver/Gold Medals and excel at festivals and competitions. Ms. Brillon is proud to educate musicians and singers of all ages in the art of singing.