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Ai Horton

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About Ai

Currently based in The Netherlands, Canadian-Japanese soprano Ai Horton is praised for her vulnerability and versatility as a performer. With a particular interest in historical-performance practice, her varied concert repertoire spans several centuries and includes Medieval plainchant, music of the French Baroque, the works of J.S. Bach, and German Lieder of the Romantic era. Ai also regularly performers contemporary works such as Luciano Berio's sound documentary: A-Ronne for eight amplified voices, and appeared was a vocalist for the 2022 Young Composer’s Meeting with the Orkest de Ereprijs (NL). Professional highlights include Handel’s Messiah with Bach on the Rock (CAN), Buxtehude’s Membra Jesu Nostri with Dutch Baroque, Rameau’s Quam Dilecta Tabernacula broadcast on Radio West (NL), and a concert of Telemann solo cantatas with violinist Marc Destrubé (CAN).   An avid supporter of civic engagement initiatives, Ai aims to create community and belonging through shared musical experience as both a performer and an educator. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Ai was a featured artist in Pacific Opera Victoria’s Opera Etc. programs, performing in numerous “Pop-up Operas” (short performances in outdoor public spaces) and recording virtual concerts that were distributed to senior care facilities. Ai also worked with the company to produce "Tenebris": a video presentation using Pergolesi's Stabat Mater to tell a personal story of struggle with mental health. Her current project—"Laments for a Modern World"—comprises a set of four unique pieces that she herself composed with influence from 17th-century Laments, featuring newly-commissioned texts that amplify modern-day stories of race relations, miscarriage, struggles with mental health, and displacement from one’s homeland.   Ai completed a Master in Early Music Vocal Studies as a Holland/Excellence Scholar at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague, where she developed an interactive musical murder-mystery, "Who killed Lydia Peabody?", for her final presentation, using a framework of early music compositions in which each instrumentalists served as a suspect in the investigation. She also holds a Bachelor of Music in Secondary Music Education and Voice from the University of Victoria. Ai was a 2023 Next Generation Artist with Early Music Vancouver for their festival “Women in Sight”. She can regularly be seen singing as a chorister with top Dutch vocal ensembles including Cappella Amsterdam, the Groot Omroepkoor, and Consensus Vocalis.

Concerts

01/25/2025 | 14:15

Wagemans: Het Labyrint

WORLD PREMIERE

Chorister with the Groot Omroepkoor for the world premiere of Peter-Jan Wagemans' Het Labyrint, under the direction of Stanislav Kochanovsky (Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, NL)

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02/02/2025–02/08/2024

TENSO: Devlet Çoksesli Korosu (Turkish State Choir)

TENSO Connect

Internship with Devlet Çoksesli Korosu (Turkish State Choir), as a part of the TENSO Connect initiative (Ankara, TR)

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03/08/2025 | 14:00

Nao-Chan

An original production by Ai Horton and Mako Kodama

Based on a true story, Nao-chan follows the life’s journey of Naoko Fujita (藤田尚子), who left Japan when she was 21 (1963) years old to start a new life in North America. Her cross-continental journey is presented as a collection of letters written to her childhood friend Yoshiko, woven together with 19th/-20th-century Japanese art songs. Filled with stories of resilience and charming glimpses into the everyday lives of Naoko, her husband Takashi, and their three children, Nao-chan perfectly captures the anxieties of facing the unknown, the strength of human-spirit, and the cyclical nature of life. Featuring Ai Horton - soprano and creator; Mako Kodama - piano; and Tomoko Abo - narrator (Dolce Artist Salon Nagoya, Nagoya, JP)

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03/09/2025 | 14:00

Nao-Chan

An original production by Ai Horton and Mako Kodama

Based on a true story, Nao-chan follows the life’s journey of Naoko Fujita (藤田尚子), who left Japan when she was 21 (1963) years old to start a new life in North America. Her cross-continental journey is presented as a collection of letters written to her childhood friend Yoshiko, woven together with 19th/-20th-century Japanese art songs. Filled with stories of resilience and charming glimpses into the everyday lives of Naoko, her husband Takashi, and their three children, Nao-chan perfectly captures the anxieties of facing the unknown, the strength of human-spirit, and the cyclical nature of life. Featuring Ai Horton - soprano and creator; Mako Kodama - piano; and Tomoko Abo - narrator (Clara Saal, Gifu, JP)

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03/28/2025 | 20:00

Die Große Passion: Fasch en Bach

Dutch Baroque

Soloist with Dutch Baroque for J.S. Bach: Easter Oratorio (BWV 249) and Ascension Oratorio (BWV 11); and J.S. Fasch: Passio Jesu Christi (F. 1), under the direction of Gerard de Wit (Oude Kerk, Ede, NL)

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03/29/2025 | 20:00

Die Große Passion: Fasch en Bach

Dutch Baroque

Soloist with Dutch Baroque for J.S. Bach: Easter Oratorio (BWV 249) and Ascension Oratorio (BWV 11); and J.S. Fasch: Passio Jesu Christi (F. 1), under the direction of Gerard de Wit (Oude Kerk, Zwijndrecht, NL)

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04/11/2025 | 19:00

Bach: Matthäuspassion

Consensus Vocalis and Phion

Chorister with Consensus Vocalis and Phion for J.S. Bach's Matthäuspassion, under the direction of Jan Willem de Vriend (Muziekcentrum, Enschede, NL)

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04/12/2025 | 19:00

Bach: Matthäuspassion

Consensus Vocalis and Phion

Chorister with Consensus Vocalis and Phion for J.S. Bach's Matthäuspassion, under the direction of Jan Willem de Vriend (De St. Plechelmusbasiliek, Oldenzaal, NL)

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04/13/2025 | 13:00

Bach: Matthäuspassion

Consensus Vocalis and Phion

Chorister with Consensus Vocalis and Phion for J.S. Bach's Matthäuspassion, under the direction of Jan Willem de Vriend (Academiehuis Grote Kerk, Zwolle, NL)

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Photos

Ai Horton in a dark green concert dress looking at the camera.
Ai Horton and Elana Cooper with her violin looking up in front of a brick wall.
Ai Horton with a white top looking to the top right off camera.

Media

"Zeffiretti, lusinghieri"

from Idomeneo, by W.A. Mozart

Ai Horton - soprano, and Carolien Drewes - piano

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