• B.Mus (Queen's)
• B.Ed (Queen's)
• Op.Dip.Perf. (University of Toronto)

Adjunct Lecturer (Voice)

Email: tim.stiff@cogeco.net

Tim Stiff is a graduate of Queen's (B.Mus '85, B.Ed '86) and the University of Toronto (Operatic Diploma in Performance '91). Upon leaving Queen's, Tim joined the Elmer Iseler Singers where he performed for two seasons under the batons of Dr. Iseler, Sir Andrew Davis, Helmut Rilling, Sir Jeffery Tate, Seiji Ozawa, Richard Bradshaw and Mario Bernardi. He spent eight years (3381 performances) performing various roles in the Toronto production of “The Phantom of the Opera” (1991-1999) and was invited to join the Broadway production of Bernstein's “Candide” (an offer which he gracefully declined). His other musical theatre roles include Jack (Into the Woods), Curly (Oklahoma), Herod (Jesus Christ, Superstar), LeFou (Beauty and the Beast) and Richie Valens (The Buddy Holly Story).

Tim spent one season (2000) with Toronto Operetta Theatre, accepting a position the following year with the Canadian Opera Company which he held until returning to Kingston in 2004. He was invited to return to the C.O.C. in 2006 to perform in Wagner's Ring Cycle, the inaugural production of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. Tim has also been heard on countless television commercials extolling the virtues of everything from Bell Telephone to Molson's beer.

Tim's oratorio/concert repertoire highlights include Handel's Messiah and Judas Maccabeus , Mozart's Mass in C minor and Requiem, Saint-Saen's Oratorio de Noel, Finzi's Dies Natalis and Bach's St. John Passion with organizations such as the Kingston Symphony, Ottawa Choral Society, Amadeus Choir, Niagara Symphony Chorus, Sault Ste. Marie Concert Association and the Brockville Concert Association.

Operatic roles have included  Ottavio (Don Giovanni), Ferrando (Cosi fan Tutte), Pedrillo (Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail), Almaviva (Il Barbieri di Siviglia), and Nemorino L'Elisir d'Amore). His 20^th century operatic repertoire includes John in world premiere of The Scarlet Princess by Alexina Louie and Ralph the Dog in Benjamin Brown by Ian McAndrew, an atonal children's opera in which Tim had to bark in “twelve tone”. He has coached operatic repertoire with Stuart Hamilton, lieder with Greta Kraus and English art song with Stephen Ralls.

Tim's work as a music educator has been recognized by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences as the school in which he taught music was the first in the Toronto District School Board to receive a $10,000 Band-Aid grant. He has written two “character-ed” musicals for elementary school children and has also recorded a CD of original elementary curriculum based music featuring all 700 students from H.J. Alexander Public School, Toronto. He acted as composer, arranger and assistant music director for “Voices of Hope” at the Elgin Theatre, Toronto. Tim's high school choir was asked to perform on stage with Kenny Roger's at the K-Rock Centre, and he acted as guest conductor of the Cantabile Girl's Choir during Dr. Mark Sirett's sabbatical, 2009.

Tim has been fortunate to share the stage with such diverse talents as Ben Heppner, Yo-Yo Ma, Richard Margison, Isacc Stern, Mstislav Rostropovich, Murray Perahia, Maureen Forrester, Michael Schade, Russell Braun, Colm Wilklinson, Oscar Peterson, David Foster and Paul Stanley of KISS.