Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Things creep up on you as you age, and for me, the passing of my most influential voice teacher and friend was no different. I settled in Montreal and seldom was able to see my friend and mentor over the last 15 years.
Igor and Elizabeth were like supportive parents to me, sharing in my disappointments and rejoicing in my successes. I had close contact with all four of their boys especially Igor's namesake who accompanied me on a concert tour across the country and was crazy enough to do it again for most of another tour while his older brother Serge filled the gap. There was even a concert in Saskatoon where I performed with three of the four boys, including Ivan.
Igor was a passionate man with many gifts and talents, from building his own cottage on Lac Labelle northwest of Montreal, to receiving an engineering degree and of course his artistry during his musical career. I remember him showing me an article of his performance during the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions were he was described as resembling a ferocious bear as he passionately took over the stage during his performance in the finals. He could be the same in his studio as his natural charisma washed over him while he was demonstrating to us.
Igor was a master of concepts and always had a new method of trying to get his point and actions across to his students. He constantly demonstrated to his students the sound he wanted, shaking the walls with his big booming instrument. When he wasn't getting what he wanted from you, he tried again and again with different concepts and when you succeeded in what he asked for, he fairly jumped up and down in his own excitement!
He was a very proper and formal man to all outside appearances, but in his teaching studio, his passion for his art took over and he couldn't hide his exhuberance.
I remember when I made my first auditions in Europe, getting noticed by Franco Corelli and also receiving a second audition for the Munich Hochschule fur Muzik, he immediately mailed to me in Europe another drawing with a new concept he was working on. He was constantly giving freely of his time and advice when he knew it was appreciated and warranted.
Taking part in Zakuskas in Labelle, and many talks around the family dinner table off Riverside Drive in London were only a small part of memories I will always cherish with Igor and his family.
I am currently in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in my wife's hometown but I send my deepest condolences to Elizabeth, Serge, Ivan, Igor and Nick as well as Peter and Christine (who I met briefly in Winnipeg) and I look forward to a time when I will once again share fellowship, meals and drink with my old mentor when time catches up to me as it will with us all.
All my love and respect,
James Dundass
