63rd ANNUAL LAKES DISTRICT FESTIVAL
OF THE PERFORMING ARTS
Burns Lake, B.C.
Thank you to Comfor Management Services Ltd./Burns Lake Community Forest Ltd. for their generous donation to the Lakes District Festival!
Piano - Nina Horvath
Vancouver, BC
Nina Horvath is a Vancouver based musician active as a pianist, vocalist and administrator. Raised in Rossland, BC, Nina completed her Teacher’s ARCT before going on to further studies at the University of Victoria, University of Denver and University of British Columbia.
Nina’s greatest passion has always been collaborating with other artists, especially in the creation of new works. She has always been an active leader in the musical community working as a co-founder and director of three new vocal ensembles while in Victoria and as the creator of the First Tuesdays concert series in Denver. She has had the privilege of working with many acclaimed artists and has pursued extra studies in vocal coaching and art song.
As a performer, Nina has been fortunate to work as a chorister and pianist on three different continents. She has collaborated with artists throughout Canada and the United States with a special focus on vocal and brass music. She is committed to bringing music to small communities like those in her home region of the West Kootenays, where she regularly returns to perform. She has worked from coast to coast, including a year on staff for the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University. She has served as music director on productions in Victoria, Salzburg, Halifax and Vancouver. She is also a committed teacher who has mentored students to award winning festival and exam performances.
Today, Nina divides her time in Vancouver between serving as Executive Director for Coastal Jazz, singing with the Vancouver Cantata Singers, working as a pianist and coach at the Vancouver Academy of Music, and playing for as many local singers and instrumentalists as she can. She served as Executive Director for the Vancouver Bach Choir from 2017-2021. When not immersed in music, you can find her adventuring in the mountains.
Speech Arts - Nitasha Rajoo
Vancouver, BC
Nitasha has over 20 years of experience in the performing arts as an actor, director, and educator. Her love for the creative arts, education, travel, and adventure has allowed her to work all over the globe—leading workshops, adjudicating, teaching, directing, and programming—including countries such as South Africa, India, USA, Jamaica, the UK (where she lived for over 10 years!), and now back home in Canada. She currently works as the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and uses her theatre background to get into this very challenging, but necessary work. Nitasha has worked with theatre companies across Canada including, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Company, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Green Thumb Theatre, The Stratford Festival as the Interim Director of Education, and The Arts Club as the program leader for the Creative Teens program. In BC, she has taught a series of drama workshops on Beauty and the Beast to new immigrants and refugees, and has been invited to consult on drama reform in schools in the Northwest Territories, and has been an adjudicator for Speech Arts Festivals across Canada. Nitasha holds a Master of Arts in the Advanced Teachings of Shakespeare (Warwick, UK) and most recently delivered workshops for the Teaching Shakespeare Program at the Stratford Festival, ABCDE Conference (BC), CODE (ON), and at the Community Theatre Association of Michigan. Her company, Creative Inclusive Educators, allows schools and teachers an opportunity to reinvigorate their drama and arts curriculum by “creating curious change” by shaping and producing pedagogy from diverse, cultural, and racialized groups.
Vancouver, BC
Nitasha has over 20 years of experience in the performing arts as an actor, director, and educator. Her love for the creative arts, education, travel, and adventure has allowed her to work all over the globe—leading workshops, adjudicating, teaching, directing, and programming—including countries such as South Africa, India, USA, Jamaica, the UK (where she lived for over 10 years!), and now back home in Canada. She currently works as the Director of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and uses her theatre background to get into this very challenging, but necessary work. Nitasha has worked with theatre companies across Canada including, the Royal Manitoba Theatre Company, Prairie Theatre Exchange, Green Thumb Theatre, The Stratford Festival as the Interim Director of Education, and The Arts Club as the program leader for the Creative Teens program. In BC, she has taught a series of drama workshops on Beauty and the Beast to new immigrants and refugees, and has been invited to consult on drama reform in schools in the Northwest Territories, and has been an adjudicator for Speech Arts Festivals across Canada. Nitasha holds a Master of Arts in the Advanced Teachings of Shakespeare (Warwick, UK) and most recently delivered workshops for the Teaching Shakespeare Program at the Stratford Festival, ABCDE Conference (BC), CODE (ON), and at the Community Theatre Association of Michigan. Her company, Creative Inclusive Educators, allows schools and teachers an opportunity to reinvigorate their drama and arts curriculum by “creating curious change” by shaping and producing pedagogy from diverse, cultural, and racialized groups.
Vocals - Karen Way
New Westminster, BC
Karyn is very active in Vancouver as a singer, adjudicator, director and music instructor. Some of her favourite performances include Madame Giry in The Phantom of the Opera, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Eva Peron in Evita and the Second Lady in The Magic Flute. Karyn was a member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir for 4 years under the direction of Jon Washburn. She has also sung with the Vivaldi Chamber Choir and the Vancouver Bach Choir. She can frequently be seen in concert performing a mixture of musical theatre, pop, art song and opera.
As a director, Karyn recently staged and music directed two productions of Dear Edwina for the Kay Meek Youth Conservatory in West Vancouver. She has also directed Amahl and the Night Visitors for the Vancouver Academy of Music as well as several evenings of opera scenes. She was on faculty at Capilano University as a voice instructor for four years and she was head of voice for Stagecraft Theatre School for eight years. Karyn currently teaches voice, piano and music theory at her home studio, Vocalis Music and also teaches singing for Lights Up Theatre School and the Richmond Academy of Dance.
Karyn continues to adjudicate and give masterclasses in voice and musical theatre at festivals across Canada including Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia.
At the University of British Columbia, Karyn earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance and a Master of Music in Opera. She also earned Diplomas in Musical Theatre from Grant MacEwan College and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Karyn is a proud member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). She also has advanced certification as a voice teacher for the Royal Conservatory of Music and is a member of the RCM College of Examiners.
New Westminster, BC
Karyn is very active in Vancouver as a singer, adjudicator, director and music instructor. Some of her favourite performances include Madame Giry in The Phantom of the Opera, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Eva Peron in Evita and the Second Lady in The Magic Flute. Karyn was a member of the Vancouver Chamber Choir for 4 years under the direction of Jon Washburn. She has also sung with the Vivaldi Chamber Choir and the Vancouver Bach Choir. She can frequently be seen in concert performing a mixture of musical theatre, pop, art song and opera.
As a director, Karyn recently staged and music directed two productions of Dear Edwina for the Kay Meek Youth Conservatory in West Vancouver. She has also directed Amahl and the Night Visitors for the Vancouver Academy of Music as well as several evenings of opera scenes. She was on faculty at Capilano University as a voice instructor for four years and she was head of voice for Stagecraft Theatre School for eight years. Karyn currently teaches voice, piano and music theory at her home studio, Vocalis Music and also teaches singing for Lights Up Theatre School and the Richmond Academy of Dance.
Karyn continues to adjudicate and give masterclasses in voice and musical theatre at festivals across Canada including Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia.
At the University of British Columbia, Karyn earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice Performance and a Master of Music in Opera. She also earned Diplomas in Musical Theatre from Grant MacEwan College and the Banff School of Fine Arts. Karyn is a proud member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). She also has advanced certification as a voice teacher for the Royal Conservatory of Music and is a member of the RCM College of Examiners.
