MEET CANDESCA
CANDESCA IS AN AWARD-WINNING SINGING ENSEMBLE OF YOUNG WOMEN, BASED IN KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA.
Selected by audition, each member has a solid musical foundation with backgrounds that vary from high-level instrumentalists and composers to musical theatre performers and actors. They excel in competitions both vocally and instrumentally as well as being honor roll students and cultural ambassadors in their community. Combining attention to detail with the beauty of angelic voices, Candesca inspires audiences with a beautiful interpretation of the traditional classics. Their repertoire includes Gregorian chant, classical art song from a variety of cultures and medieval arrangements of contemporary music, much of which is sung a Capella.
CANDESCA has already risen to acclaim, performing annually with the Canadian School of Ballet’s Nutcracker Suite and a beautiful collaboration of dance and music composed by Arnold Draper called “In Arden Woods”. They have also had the honor of performing with The Okanagan Symphony and Canadian composer, Imant Ramisch as well as many fundraising concerts throughout the Okanagan. In 2008, a concert tour to Europe took them to 5 cities, including a performance in Veendam, Kelowna’s sister city, bringing European audiences to their feet. Most recently, they traveled to New York City to perform at St. John the Divine, the largest gothic cathedral in the world and Trinity Wall Street Church, a historical classical music venue opposite Ground Zero.
"THESE EXPERIENCES HELP PREPARE THESE YOUNG LADIES TO BECOME AMBASSADORS OF CULTURE AND CLASSICAL MUSIC WITHIN CANADA AND THE CANADIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THEIR MESSAGE IS ONE OF HOPE AND JOY IN THE ARTS."
DIRECTOR
ALEXANDRA KOSACHUKOVA BABBEL
Alexandra Kosachukova Babbel, Conductor of CANDESCA, brings to the organization years of proven artistic vision. Ms. Babbel has demonstrated a keen eye for identifying new talent and providing a sound educational environment for musicians to fully develop their craft.
Not only has Ms. Babbel enjoyed an operatic career with multiple leading roles as an operatic and concert solo performer, she holds a BA in Choral Music Education, University of Michigan, a MA in Opera Performance, University of Alberta and Post-Masters Certificate of Performance, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois including doctoral studies.
Before relocating to Canada, she held position of Voice Department Head at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois.
As the founding artistic director of CANDESCA, Ms. Babbel has trained and developed young singers who have gone on to succeed in performing. Encouraging young voices to embrace personal discipline and training at the collegiate levels has culminated in numerous successful careers, not only in music, but in medicine, law, finances, and home economics.
OUR TALENT
TALENTED VOCALISTS – CHOSEN THROUGH AUDITION, EACH MEMBER OF CANDESCA EXCELS IN DIFFERENT MUSICAL GENRES, FROM HIGH-LEVEL INSTRUMENTALISTS AND COMPOSERS, TO MUSICAL THEATRE PERFORMERS, DANCERS, AND ACTORS.
