Melanie Moore and Brad Tapson

Melanie Moore (BEd 2002 OISE) teaches music, sings and performs several jobs. Brad Tapson has just entered his fourth year of an architecture and visual arts degree at U of T, and attends Victoria College. Brad and Melanie have been a couple for two-and-a-half years and live together within walking distance of the St. George campus.

Melanie: Brad and I first met when he auditioned for Onoscatopoeia, the Hart House jazz choir. I was on the audition panel. He was so talented, we just had to have him. I then wanted him to try out as tenor for the Toronto All-Star Big Band, the professional big band I was directing – but I thought he was far too surly to agree to costume changes and ridiculous 1940s-style choreography. Then Onoscatopoeia got a gig at the same venue as the big band. After the performance, Brad caught up with me and said, “I wish I could be in something like that!” I’m pretty sure that was the moment I fell in love with him. I mean, honestly, he’s handsome, talented and wants to sing in a big band? That’s pretty much my dream man!

Now we both sing in the U of T a cappella group TBA. Sometimes in the evenings, Brad plays his guitar, I play the piano and we sing together. You probably think I’m kidding, but I’m not. I swear, we’ll wind up being the von Trapp family someday.

Brad: I grew up in London, Ontario, and Melanie grew up in Truro, Nova Scotia. There’s a 10-year age difference between us; she’s 32, I’m 22. Even though Mel and I grew up half a country and a whole decade apart, we have a lot of the same interests. Along with jazz and a cappella, we both like alternative and Canadian music. In high school, I really liked a folk-rock band called Moxy Früvous from Toronto; she was a big fan, too.

Mel and I are also coffee snobs. We love trying different styles of fair-trade coffee at local shops and brewing a pot at home. I’m always impressed when a person orders their coffee black. We both drink it black and are proud of it.

Click below to watch Brad and Melanie perform  “Meaning” with a cappella group TBA.