Pitch Perfect
Story appeared in the 2017 issue of QMS Connections Magazine.
BY HAYLEY PICARD, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
ALUMNI DESIREE IRWIN (POUPKO, ’86), DYLN (AKA STEF LANG, 1993-1998) AND BARBARA COLE WALTON (’05)
Music. Such an intrinsic part of our lives that it can become a soundtrack to our life experiences, with the power to enrich, enhance, enlighten or even diminish them. As German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer stated, “The inexpressible depth of music…easy to understand and yet so inexplicable, is due to the fact that it reproduces all of the emotions of our innermost being [sic]. Music expresses only the quintessence of life and of its events, never these themselves.” For three QMS alumni, music’s siren call ensnared them each at a young age, but they are not complaining.
mu·sic [myü-zik] noun
the science or art of ordering tones or sounds in succession, in combination, and in temporal relationships to produce a composition having unity and continuity
vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony
“I love how multifaceted opera is. It’s so much more than just singing; it’s the complexity of the musical language, the intrinsic drama, and the aesthetic of the world each opera builds around itself.”
“You can’t use specific external things as the measure of your success. I’ve found way more joy out of accomplishing little things, like writing one incredible song versus writing 50 average ones.”
“We are taught that you aren’t successful unless you have a Grammy Award winning album. I base my success on how many lives I touch and leave a positive imprint on.”
BARBARA
“When I was about nine, I went with my mom to the Victoria Art Gallery to see an exhibit,” explains coloratura soprano Barbara Cole Walton (’05). “I was absolutely captivated by the string quartet playing. I stared at the violinist for the whole concert and decided there and then, that I had to learn violin. And I did.” For Walton, expanding her artistic repertoire to include trained vocals started when she arrived at QMS in Grade 7, and came under the tutelage of Mrs. Cynthia Maynard, followed in Grade 8 by Ms. Connie Masson. Opportunities at the School such as singing at assemblies and being Head Chorister grew her confidence and still provide her with her most profound musical memories. Yet it was her participation in the yearly school musical that would significantly influence this young prima donna.
“When Mr. Campbell and Mr. Trebesh teamed up to put on Little Shop of Horrors, I was on cloud nine,” says Walton. “That was when I realized just how much I loved the combination of singing and acting. One without the other paled in comparison. I think being part of that musical was the happiest, most fulfilling time of my school years.”
DESIREE
Best known for her TV show sound tracks and dueling piano performances in Chicago, USA, Desiree Irwin’s (Poupko, ’86) singing in the QMS school choir fed her musical appetite. Desiree’s love of harmony in all its forms has led to performances with creative minds in almost every genre of music including rock, blues, and jazz. This pursuit of diversity in her craft has been deeply fulfilling for Desiree. “I have accomplished everything I have wanted,” states Irwin. “Now I take opportunities that come to me and I enjoy the ride. I act only on inspired thought.” For this seasoned professional, a relaxed mindset has been key to her personal happiness, and her professional success.
“Having a career in music is a fast track in spiritual growth. You need an ego to survive but need to be grounded to excel. It’s a double edged sword,” reveals Desiree. “You learn that the universe always provides and that it is up to you to follow your intuition as it will land you exactly where you are supposed to be.”
DYLN
Though Pop, R&B and Electronic artist DYLN (aka Stef Lang, 1993-1998) feels her love for music has always been a part of who she is, she echoes Barbara’s experience that singing at QMS under the guidance of Mrs. Maynard was foundational to her life as a musician. “I started taking vocal lessons with her when I was five,” she shares. “I still remember the sheet music and preparing for the Cowichan Music Festivals.” In life, sometimes it is the bumps in the road which can reveal an inner passion, and this was the case for DYLN. The stress of her parents’ separation at a young age caused her to go inside herself as a way to find strength. When she developed the skills to read and write, stories bubbled to the surface and she transferred them to paper as a way to make sense of the world. Now living in New York, DYLN’s songwriting creativity comes to the forefront when life gets complicated.
“I wrote Hold (my newest single) during a painful period of my life. A time where I was in constant anguish, needing to piece myself together,” says DYLN. “The things we love the most are also the things that hurt us the most. ‘Find what you love and let it kill you’ is a quote I always found to be mysteriously poetic. There’s beauty in destruction and honour in loving what tears us apart. Hold is my expression of this.”