Cari Burdett ’92 fondly recalls her first solo performance as a Grade 8 student at St. Michaels University School. Every holiday season, she is transported back to her early days as a budding vocalist when she performed at Victoria’s Christ Church Cathedral—the same venue where today's annual SMUS Carol Service takes place.
“It was my first solo ever, and I sang "Away in a Manger",” Burdett, now a celebrated opera singer, director, and producer, vividly remembers. “I recall feeling so young and being offered this opportunity to share my voice in such a majestic, beautiful space. It brought me great joy and was an awakening to the fact that my voice was a gift to share with others.”
After SMUS, Burdett’s vocal career soared. One of her most challenging roles was performing Baba the Turk in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. She performed that show in London, England, also where she completed her Master of Music Performance degree from the Royal Academy of Music.
“During my time there, I focused on avant-garde music and collaborating with composers,” said Burdett about studying in London, following her undergraduate degree. “That passion began at McGill and continues to this day. There’s a unique magic and connection that emerges when premiering a new piece of music with the composer. It’s exhilarating to breathe life into something entirely new. It’s an honour.”
Burdett has collaborated with renowned composers such as Arvo Pärt, Heiner Goebbels, and Tansy Davies, and she released an album titled Magnolia. Over the course of her academic career, she also amassed an impressive collection of awards, including the Canadian Centennial Scholarship Fund, the Sir Richard Stapley Trust Award, the Adah Rogalsky Scholarship, the Anglo American Families Award, the Van Someran-Godfrey Prize for English Song, and the Blythe-Buesst Opera Prize.
Now based in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, Burdett is looking forward to returning to Victoria for her annual "Winter Solstice Music" show. As the show’s director and producer, Burdett will put on three performances this December, with two in Cowichan and the final one, on Dec. 22, in Victoria. This sold-out event doubles as a fundraiser for the Arts Based Community Discovery, an initiative that fosters connections between the arts and nature in the Cowichan Valley.
“It’s always special to sing and perform in my hometown of Victoria,” said Burdett, whose upcoming show will feature Celtic songs and fiddle tunes. “I have such fond memories of my time at SMUS, as well as learning at the Victoria Conservatory of Music during my youth and teen years. I loved participating in school musicals—The Mikado was one of my favourites. My time at SMUS was filled with opportunities to grow, challenge myself, and express myself through art, singing, and even sports. I played basketball and was part of the cycling team for all my school years. I cherished every moment.”
Burdett’s story is a testament to the power of embracing challenges and pursuing passions. Her success serves as an inspiring example for today’s students to explore their interests and seize opportunities.
“If you feel positive when you share music and truly enjoy that feeling, believe that what you have to offer is worth being heard,” she encourages current students. “Trust that inner voice suggesting music might be a path for you—and then get to work.”
Tickets for Burdett’s upcoming Winter Solstice show in Victoria are available online and at the door.
