MIUSc

Taka/Kevin

Kevin Takahide Lee (Taka) has a Bachelor's of Music in Opera Performance from the University of British Columbia and a Master's of Music in Voice Performance from The University of Western Ontario. Taka teaches for the City of Burnaby, adjudicates throughout BC, and is involved with productions throughout BC, Alberta and Winnipeg.

A fourth generation Japanese Chinese Canadian, Taka descends from a family who experienced the head tax and the unconstitutional Internment of Japanese Canadians in WWII. Growing up in BC’s Lower Mainland he witnessed the challenges immigrant families faced regarding accessibility to services and preservation of their culture. This has led to work in the performing arts and advocacy.

When not performing Taka volunteers as Vice President of Powell Street Festival and is active with local municipalities to bring light to Nikkei history, including the Edwardian Cottage his families pre-internment home, where Taka received of Richmond’s Heritage Award for fostering relationship to the social history.

Past activities include: FX’s Shogun, the Arts Club Theatre’s and Theatre Calgary’s joint production of Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto adapted by Hiro Kanagawa, the Alberta tour of Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata, and Surrey Museum's The Re-enactors. Others include Carousel Theatre's for Young People's production of A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill, Vancouver Opera, Vancouver Asian Actor Theatre, the Inspirit Panel, Children's Hospital PSA, Untold Stories of the ER, Shogun, Canadian Museum of Human Rights' Our Canada, My Story as well as panels and conferences.