Rideau Park United Church

Choir Section Leads

The Chancel Choir has a lead singer in each of the four sections, who also occasionally perform as soloists or in combination. Below is a brief introduction to each of these musicians.

Natalya Matyusheva – Soprano

Soprano Natalya Matyusheva is a student in the Bachelor of Music program at the University of Ottawa, studying voice with Professor Ingemar Korjus. She has taken part in many educational programs including the Foliage Art Song Festival in Vermont, USA, and the Salzburg Mozarteum Summer Academy Program in Austria, and has also won several vocal competitions both in Ukraine and Canada. Natalya has performed several leading roles in recent University of Ottawa Opera productions. She is a member of the Opera Lyra Chorus and the Ewashko Singers choir. Natalya is very passionate about opera and hopes to pursue performance further in her study and career.

Sonya Sweeney – Mezzo-Soprano

Mezzo-soprano Sonya Sweeney is a vocal artist in the Master of Music program at the University of Ottawa, studying with Sandra Graham. In January 2007 and 2008, she took part in two student operas at the University of Victoria, written by Isaiah Bell. In November 2007, she was a soloist in Haydn’s Harmonie Mass with the University of Victoria Orchestra and Chorus; she also sang with the Victoria Chamber Orchestra, performing Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass. Her other performances include Handel’s Messiah (2007), Mozart’s Coronation Mass (2006), narrator for Benjamin Britten’s The Company of Heaven (2008), and J.S. Bach’s St. John Passion, all under the direction of Johan Louwersheimer. She also took part in a production of Menotti’s The Medium, put on by the University of Ottawa in March 2010, in the role of Madame Flora.

James O’Farrell – Tenor

James O’Farrell has been working as a professional musician and teacher since 1990. During that time he has performed extensively both as a jazz saxophonist and classical singer (tenor). As a singer, James has performed with Opera Lyra Ottawa, the Blackburn Chorus and the Kanata Symphony Orchestra, among others. In May of 2007, he performed excerpts from Bizet’s Carmen, and Donnizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor with the Coro Vivo under the direction of David Chin. In April 2008, James filmed excerpts of Eugene Onegin by Tchaikovsky, and Tosca by Puccini, for a documentary series on Bravo entitled “Murder Most Foul – Murder, Death and Suicide in Opera.”  In 2009, James undertook the role of Don José in Bizet’s Carmen with the University Opera Workshop.

Kyle Merrithew – Baritone

Kyle Merrithew has been studying voice with Irene Ilic for five years. He placed in the top 10 at the Classical Singer High School Competition in New York City in 2008. Kyle was in the 2006 production of The Pirates of Penzance with Theatre Aurora and in Musical Mayhem 2006 and 2007. In 2008 Kyle played the role of Javert in Unionville High School’s production of Les Miserables. In 2009, Kyle starred in Unionville’s production of City of Angels, as the character Stone. In May, 2008, Kyle and tenor John-Michael Scapin performed in “From Schubert to Sondheim”, a sold-out concert held at Sharon-Hope United Church. In 2008, Kyle graduated on the honour roll from Unionville High School, and is now pursuing post-secondary studies at the University of Ottawa.