Two alumni chosen in Skule Idol competition
Will sing with soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian Dec. 17
By Sarah Cowan Steed
Not one, but two winners have emerged from the engineering science Skule Idol competition.
By unanimous vote of the judging panel, two winners have been selected: Anne Bornath, a 1991 engineering science graduate from King City, Ontario, and Joseph Likuski, a 1982 Engineering Science graduate from Aurora, Ontario, have both won the coveted role of Skule Idol. They will each perform a duet with world-renowned soprano and engineering science graduate Isabel Bayrakdarian on Dec. 17 as part of the program's 75th anniversary celebration.
Bornath was the very first contestant to audition Oct. 9, capturing the hearts of the judging panel with an emotional performance of Sull'aria... Che soave zeffiretto from The Marriage of Figaro. "Anne had a polished performance with a natural sense of Mozart elegance," said the judges.
Likuski won over the panel with his lively and powerful performance of Nessun Dorma by Giacomo Puccini. "Joseph is an exciting performer with a strong voice and lots of panache," said the Skule Idol panel
This is the first Skule Idol competition at the University of Toronto. The competition was open to all students, faculty, staff and alumni of the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering.
Skule Idol auditions were not open to the public and contestants were asked to sing a piece of their choice -- preferably a duet -- for four stellar judges:
Bayrakdarian, pianist Serouj Kradjian, U of T professor, vocal coach and accompanist Stuart Hamilton and Toronto Star entertainment columnist Martin Knelman .