Lisa Cosens Brillon began singing professionally at the age of 17 on the
national television show, CBC Hymn Sing. Lisa studied at the Universities of
Manitoba and Arizona where she earned her Bachelor and two Masters of Music
degrees in Voice Performance and Music Education. She began her doctoral
studies in voice performance, pedagogy and choral conducting at the University
of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music. Lisa also studied in New York City
with the Assistant Conductor of the Metropolitan Opera and at the Mannes
College of Music. For close to seven years, Lisa sang with the Toronto
production of The Phantom of the Opera in the role of Madame Firmin. She has
performed in concert, recitals, musicals and on the opera stage in North America,
Europe and Israel and notably at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City in the lead
role of Elena in I Vespri Siciliani with Opera Orchestra of New York. Her voice
has been described as “a lyric soprano voice of much beauty, tone and
sensitivity”. She has received various awards and scholarships at the regional
Metropolitan Opera auditions, American Jenny Lind Competition, American
Teachers of Singing, Mozart competition and was a finalist in the prestigious
Washington International competition. Ms. Brillon founded and directs the
Queenston Women’s Chorus, is the pianist and choir director for St. David’s
United Church, was the artistic director/founder of the Niagara’s premiere show
choir, The Niagara Star Singers and for 18 years directed the summer
Queenston Musical Theatre Camp. She was the voice/choral instructor for Music
Niagara’s Summer Music Academy and as well, she is the founder/ festival
director of the Niagara Festival of Performing Arts, has served on the executive
for NATS Ontario (National Association Teachers of Singing), is a former board
member for the Yellow Door Theatre Project and is currently the President of the
Ontario Music Festivals Association (OMFA). Lisa is also the Great Lakes
Region Governor for NATS International. She was the ‘host’ for the OMFA
Provincial finals held in Niagara 2019 and 2023 to over 2000 competitors. Lisa is
sought out as a voice, musical theatre, commercial music adjudicator and choral
clinician and is a former RCM voice examiner. She resides in Queenston where
she loves teaching singing in her independent home studio. Her students have
graduated from universities in Canada and the USA in music programs in
classical voice, musical theatre, opera, and music education. Many students
perform in professional and community musical theatre shows, with Disney,
Universal, on cruise ships, with symphony orchestras, in opera, have won the
RCM Silver/Gold Medals and excel at festivals and competitions. Ms. Brillon is
proud to educate musicians and singers of all ages in the art of singing.
