“It’s the romance of opera infused with pop and bumped up with equal parts gospel and soul. It’s the Destino trademark that is attracting the right kind of interest.”    

 — The Vancouver Province

Destino is fast becoming Canada’s classical crossover sensation, following the recent release of their critically acclaimed CD FORTE, returning from an exclusive performance engagement at the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, and performing at some of Canada’s renowned summer music festivals.

In 2006, classically trained, award-winning, professional tenors Leon Leontaridis, Paul Ouellette and Joey Niceforo formed Destino after meeting and working together on a musical project, realizing they had a strong chemistry, both on- and off-stage. Before collaborating as a trio, the three Canadian vocalists were in established solo careers, performing pop, opera, gospel, soul, R&B, jazz and musical theatre. Destino has received critical acclaim, selling out concert halls in Canada and the U.S. Their music is best described as “popera” or “pop with an opera flair,” that is sweeping musical charts thanks to internationally renowned recording artists Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, Mario Frangoulis, Russell Watson, and many others.

Following their debut concert in Vancouver on July 8, 2006 and the release of an independently produced debut live CD, John Dexter of Dexter Entertainment signed as their management, Shoreline Records Inc. as their label, and S.L. Feldman & Associates, Canada’s largest talent agency, as their booking agent.

In July 2008, Destino released its debut commercial CD FORTE, a collection of classical and contemporary music, including Show Me the Way Back to Your Heart composed and recommended for Destino by Grammy award-winning songwriter Diane Warren. In the fall of 2007, the group released Christmas with Destino, featuring a collection of the members’ best-loved Christmas repertoire.

Destino has toured extensively across Canada and the U.S. and performed at a number of private engagements, including Children’s Miracle Network fundraising concerts in Orlando and Las Vegas. The group has been affiliated with a number of non-profit charities including Kids Help Phone, World Vision, the ALS Society as well as Children’s Miracle Network.

Destino will be touring across Canada and the U.S. this fall and throughout 2009.

Concert information is available at www.destino3.com

Leon Leontaridis

Surrey, BC native Leon Leontaridis has been studying voice since the age of eight years old, specifically focusing on gospel and classical. In 1994, he won the PNE Youth Talent Competition in Vancouver and the Youth Talent International competition in Memphis, Tennessee. Leontaridis has performed oratorio repertoire, a number of opera roles with the Calgary Opera, and as a soloist with orchestras and choral groups. A respected vocal instructor who has been teaching for the past five years, he holds a Bachelor of Music in Opera Performance from the University of Victoria and a diploma of music from Mount Royal College. He currently resides in Calgary, Alberta with his wife and daughter.

Joey Niceforo

Sudbury native Joey Niceforo made his professional singing debut at Toronto’s Opera in Concert’s Canadian Gala Concert. He has performed in Europe and North America, notably performing in premiers of works in New York, Santa Barbara and the Czech Republic. In 2004, he appeared as both actor and vocalist in the film Brave New Girl, written by Britney Spears and her mother Lynne. Niceforo is a recipient of the Italia Nel Mondo award. Other notable recipients of this award include: Luciano Pavarotti, Sophia Loren and Rudy Giuliani. He studied at the Glenn Gould School of Music and the University of Toronto. He currently resides in Vancouver, BC.

Paul Ouellette