Meet the incredible guest artists that will join the Mississauga Symphony for A Czech Celebration; on Saturday, November 23 at the Living Arts Centre. This unforgettable evening will feature the artistry of: Mary-Katherine Finch (cello), Grace Quinsey (soprano), David Walsh (tenor), and John Holland (baritone).
Regular priced concert tickets start at $40. Special pricing is available for seniors, families, youth (15-26), and groups of 10 or more. FREE parking is included with every ticket purchase. Click HERE to buy.
Mary-Katherine Finch – Cello
Cellist Mary-Katherine Finch enjoys a diverse performing career with numerous ensembles and in a wide variety of musical genres. She has appeared with the orchestra of the National Ballet of Canada, Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Esprit Orchestra, Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, and has served as guest principal cellist with Hamilton Philharmonic, Windsor Symphony, and Niagara Symphony, and is principal cellist of Mississauga Symphony.
Mary-Katherine regularly performs chamber music on various concert series in Ontario. Summer festivals include Elora, Shaw, Toronto Summer Music, Festival of the Sound, and Ottawa Chamber Festival. MK is a featured soloist on the most recent Elora Singers recording In Beauty May I Walk, and is excited about the soon to be released Art Decade album with her band ContaQt, which features music of Bowie and Eno.
Grace Quinsey – Soprano
Soprano Grace Quinsey, from Windsor, Ontario, has quickly become a standout on the opera stage, renowned for her dramatic acting and expressive musical interpretation. Her 2024 season has been filled with acclaim, including her portrayal of Giannetta in Opera York’s L’elisir d’amore, described as “comically and vocally delightful” (Opera Canada). She also performed as Mařenka in Prodaná nevěsta and Terinka in Jakobín, earning praise for her rich tone and engaging stage presence. This summer, Grace performed as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with No Strings Theatre and as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with the Toronto Concert Orchestra. Other recent performances include the soprano soloist in Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri and Haydn’s Creation. She has also performed roles such as Fiordiligi, Norina, and Zerlina, alongside frequent and notable engagements in Die Zauberflöte.
Grace’s diverse background in Cecchetti ballet and her keen musicality further distinguish her performances. When not on stage, she works as a software developer and enjoys video games.
David Walsh – Tenor
David Walsh, born and raised in Toronto, recently finished his Diploma of Opera Performance at the University of Toronto with Honours in 2022.
David has participated in a wide range of vocal performances. A highlight of the upcoming 2024/25 season will be David performing as the Tenor Soloist for Chorus Niagara’s Messiah. This past summer, he debuted the role of Nemorino in North York Concert Orchestra’s production of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, as well as Conception in a new production with a new libretto of Ravel’s A Spanish Hour in Vancouver. David continues to sing with the Canadian Opera Company Chorus and will be returning for their spring season. In the winter of 2023, David made his debut with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra as Count Almaviva in a performance of The Barber of Seville. He made his role debut as Martin in Aaron Copland’s opera The Tender Land in Spring 2022 with U of T Opera. A highlight of 2022 was when he performed as the Tenor soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with Chorus Niagara. At U of T Opera in Fall 2021, he made his role debut as Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville.
As well as an avid singer, David is an avid biker. This form of transportation is the way he practices a lot of his repertoire. So, if you ever see a blur of red hair and hear some Donizetti or Fauré on the downtown streets of Toronto, you have most likely encountered David Walsh.
John Holland – Baritone
Czech-Canadian Bass-Baritone John Holland has embarked on a diverse career of opera, oratorio, and art song. In 2020, John won a JUNO award for a recording of Handel’s Dixit Dominus. His Operatic credits include Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Leporello in Don Giovanni at the Estates Theatre in Prague, Kecal in The Bartered Bride, Purkrabi in Dvořák’s Jakobín, and recently as Belcore in L’Elisir d’amore. He is a frequent performer with The Mississauga Symphony, and also with Opera York.
Dr. Holland completed his PhD in Musicology in 2018. His scholarship is focused on the study of Czech Opera, Art Song, and Choral Works. His book, The Lost Tradition of Dvořák’s Operas: Myth, Music, and Nationalism was published in 2023 through Lexington Books. In 2024, John co-produced the Year of Czech Music Opera Fest. He is the founder of the Canadian Institute for Czech Music, Artistic Director of Chorus York, the Director of Fundraising and Community Programming for Avenue Road Music and Performance Academy, and a contract faculty member at York University.
A Czech Celebration – Saturday, November 23 at the Living Arts Centre. Regular priced concert tickets start at $40. Special pricing is available for seniors, families, youth (15-26), and groups of 10 or more. FREE underground parking is included with every ticket purchase. Click HERE to buy
