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About Us

Kathryn Rose Johnston, Soprano

Praised for her “beautiful ringing tone” (Opera Canada), Kathryn Rose Johnston is an up-and-coming soprano on the Canadian Opera Scene. As a champion of new works, Kathryn workshopped Canadian composer Dean Burry’s opera Il giudizio di Pigmalione and performed in the live premiere of Norbert Palej’s The Art of Love. She also premiered Princess Shirin in Echoes of Bi-Sotoon with the Cultureland Opera Collective. Recent performances include Zerlina in Don Giovanni with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, Musetta in La bohème at the Redwood theatre, Ilia in Idomeneo with Grand River Opera and the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the Kingston Choral society. She is co-producer and soprano of the Fonitika Vocal Ensemble, a member of the Toronto Heliconian Club and teaches voice lessons at Bravo Academy.

 

Lydia Palmer, Mezzo-soprano

Lydia is a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Bachelor of Music in Performance program and the University of Windsor’s Dramatic Arts program. Lydia has performed with a wide variety of choirs in Toronto, including: Incontra Vocal Ensemble, Hedgerow Singers, Exultate Chamber Choir, St. Andrew’s United Church Choir and the University of Toronto’s Schola Cantorum and MacMillan Singers. In August 2016 she joined the Yorkminster Park Baptist Church choir at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, England. Lydia is thrilled to be performing as part of Fonitika.

 

David Walsh, Tenor

David Walsh, born and raised in Toronto, recently finished his Diploma of Opera Performance at the University of Toronto with Honours in 2022.

From there David has participated in a wide range of vocal performances. A highlight of 2025 was when David performed as Martin in his debut with Toronto City Opera in their production of the Tender Land by Aaron Copland to rave reviews. He also debuted with Kindred Spirits Orchestra in their concert production of Carmen as El Remendado. In the winter of 2024 David performed as the Tenor Soloist for Chorus Niagara’s Messiah. In the summer of 2024, he debuted the role of Nemorino in North York Concert Orchestra’s production of Donizetti's The Elixir of Love, as well as Conception in a new production with new libretto of Ravel's A Spanish Hour in Vancouver. David continues to sing with the Canadian Opera Company Chorus and will be returning for their winter season. In the winter of 2023, David made his debut with the Mississauga Symphony Orchestra as Count Almaviva in a performance of The Barber of Seville. A highlight of 2022 was when he performed as the Tenor soloist in Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana with Chorus Niagara.

As well as an avid singer, David is an avid biker. This form of transportation is the way he practices a lot of his repertoire. So, if you ever see a blur of red hair and hear some Donizetti or Fauré on the downtown streets of Toronto, you have most likely encountered David Walsh.

 

Joshua McFaul, Baritone

Joshua studied Vocal Performance at Trinity Western University, but really only felt at home hanging out around the theatre department. On the West Coast, he has appeared with Vancouver Chamber Choir and musica intima, and toured with Vancouver Opera In Schools. Cherished roles include Jamie in The Last Five Years (Stone's Throw), and J.J. Astor in Titanic: A New Musical (Theatre Under The Stars).

Closer to home, Joshua has sung with the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers, Trinity Bach Project, Cantabile Chamber Singers, VOCA Chorus, Toronto Sacred Music Singers, St. James Cathedral Choir, and also performs innovative liturgical and Hebrew music with the Ruach Singers. When he’s not singing (or humming on the subway), you can find him solving computer conundrums, spending time with #mendelthecat, or kicking back with friends and a good tabletop RPG. Much love to Shalyn for all her wonderful support.