International Connections: The Making of a Medium, Vol. 16. "Scales" is the title of the first movement of Stephen Chatman'sTrio. It is a brief etude using scale patterns with the same playfulfeel as Saint-Saen's Pianistes, but a lot more proficiency on the partof the performers. A dreamy blues follows, and the trio concludes witha bright, syncopated finale, which seems to take the basic material ofthe first movement and weave it into a dazzling scherzo. Like all thesecomposers, Americal-born Chatman (now a professor at the University ofBritish Columbia in Vancouver) displays a comprehensive knowledge ofwhat these three instruments can do. [Fanfare - Nov/Dec 2006]

Crowd at UBC open house revited by Simone Osborne's performance.Stephen Toope, the University of B.C. president, and Paula Rosen heldtheir first holiday-season open house recently at the varsity chief'sofficial residence, Norman MacKenzie House. The joint was deocrated forChristmas, while potato latkes in the buffet acknowledged the onset ofHanukkah. For entertainment Toope tapped the students and resources ofNancy Hermiston and the UBC Opera Ensemble...Mezzo soprano Linda Bairdshowed non-operatic prowess with a stroll-around rendition of Georgeand Ira Gershwin's Embracewable You that got male guests as bashful asthe Burnaby elementary pupils she'll return to after receiving hermaster's degree. The night's bombshell, though was Icelandic-PersianSimone Osbourne, who sang O Mio Babino Caro from Puccini's ho-humGianni Schi. Eyes flashing, hips swivelling, the 20 year old sopranoriveted attendees right down to the final, 15 second high B, which shebrought to a crescendo with controlled trills in the Renee Flemingmanner. [Vancouver Sun - December 23, 2006]

Operatic Oarsmen. Here's a holiday treat without the tinseland elves: the UBC Operatic Ensemble is staging Gilbert and Sullivan'srollicking, comical The Gondoliers. Time-travel back to 19th centuryVenice, where two just-married, high society-mocking gondoliers findout one of them may be the King of Barataria. The colorful, fullycostumed show runs tonight to Saturday (December 14 to 16) at the ChanCentre for the Performing Arts. [Georgia Straight - December 14-21,2006]

The glory of baroque at its authentic best. Take a musicalbreak from the Christmas hustle with Early Music Vancouver'spresentation of Bach's seasonal cantatas. One of Vancouver's newestChristmas musical traditions - and certainly of the best - is theannual Festive Bach Cantatas for Christmas program. Early MusicVancouver (EMV) and the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts presentanother program of the glorious music of J.S. Bach on Tuesday...EMV hasput together a group of singers and instrumentalists from the WestCoast, Toronto and Montreal that amounts to an unofficial company. EMVopts to present the works with solo singers only; soprano SuzieLeBlanc, alto Laura Pudwell, tenor Colin Balzer and baritone Tyler Duncan are all favourite performers who work in harmony. [Vancouver Sun - December 14-20, 2006]

His face 'gets sore from smiling'. Operetta Robert Tweten directs Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers for UBC Opera Ensemble.Even in last week's rehearsals at the Chan Centre, that heady blend ofenergy and unbridled enthusiasm unique to an exciting studentproduction was tangible. Nancy Hermiston's estimable UBC OperaEnsemble was in the throes of preparing its end-of-term performance.The ensemble welcomes an important guest for this production: Santa FeOpera's head of music staff, Robert Tweten...What is a top figure inthe opera world doing working here in Vancouver with a studentensemble? Two reasons are obvious: Tweten enjoys working with youngsingers just starting out on their career, and the UBC Opera Ensembleis one the strongest student companies in the country. Plus, there'sthe evergreeen appeal of G&S, whose inimitable brand of tunefulsilliness invariably creates a good time for all concerned. Twentenalso likes the collaborative nature of the UBC Ensemble. He says afleeting visit to Nancy Hermiston's studio in November "was likevisiting Santa's workshop. Singers were being coached while others weresitting around sewing costumes. you really get a sense of community."[Vancouver Sun - December 14-20, 2006]

Bach Choir delivers holiday treat. VBC conductor BrucePullan's "Chorales" presented the suave harmonies of Warlock's Adam layy bounden and Rutter's effervescent Donkey Carol; then his BachChildren's Chorus brought the first half to a close wit the brightBroadway sounds of Tony Strange's What I hope for. [Vancouver Sun -Decemer 11, 2006]

B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame. One of this year's new inductees into the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame is Michael Conway Baker.Born in 1937 in West Palm Beach, Fla., he moved to Vancouver in 1958with his family. Baker studied music at the University of B.C.,receiving a bachelor of music degree in 1966 (he became a Canadiancitizen in 1970). Baker has composed numerous scores for film,television and has over 100 concert works to his credit, for which hehas received many awards. [Vancouver Sun - December 11, 2006]

I'll call back, I'm at the symphony. Anyone who has been toa classical music concert knows that how frustrating it is when a cellphone interrupts it. But the distraction is much more intense for theperson on stage…The Concerts and Communications Manager at UBC's Schoolof Music, Laurie Townsend, is aware of the problems cellsphones causes, but refuses to broadcast the message. "To me, it's adisruption. The ritual to a concert starts when you walk into ahall...and I don't like to disturb it," she said. Instead, she leavesit to a short note in the program notes that reminds concert-goers toshut off electronic devices. [thethunderbird.ca -Dec 8, 2006]

Guaranteed to Please Gifts of 2006 - A delightful follow-upto one of our favourite discs of 2005, Piano Music of Rudolf Frimi, andan elegant and sophisticated chamber experience from the 1920s. BygoneDays - Music For Violin By Frimi/Chase, Sara Davis Buechner. [ArkivMusic.com - December 2006]

Saint Nicolas, A Ceremony of Carols Light up season. On Saturday night the massed forces of UBC's University Singers, UBC Choral Union, and UBC Symphony Orchestraperforms his [Benjamin Britten] less well known cantata Saint Nicolasat the Chan Centre under the direction of Bruce Pullan. UBC's Bruce Pullanis one of Vancouver most committed Britten enthusiatsts and has noqualms about presenting the somewhat overshadowed Saint Nichols withhis enthusiastic army of student performers.

Simone Osborne is on the radar as new and award-winning classical talent.With her incredible vocals and commanding stage presence, Osborne is indemand almost every week and has performed in North America, Mexico andEurope. She won the 2005 June Goldsmith Award for performance, and theCanada Soars Award for Excellence in arts. She made her operatic debutin 2004 in Europe with critically acclaimed Czech director MartinOtava. She juggles performing and voice lessons with her second-yearstudies in UBC's faculty of music, where she's earning her degree witha major in opera. [November 16, 2006 - Province]

Larry Nickel Requiem for Peace Broadcast permiere of this neworatorio by BC composer, and UBC DMA Candidate, Larry Nickel…aninternational call for forgiveness and reconciliation in honour of thesuffering civilians of this world. [November 12, 2006 - 105.7 FM Radio]

Cultures meet for classical performances. The mixing ofcultures has created beautiful music. For the first time, theUniversity of British Columbia's School of Music has joined forces withthe Conservatorio di Cuneo in Italy as part of a learning experiencefor four lucky students. It started in February where two of ourstudents...went to Italy and they formed a quintet with three studentsin Cuneo," explained UBC School of Music concerts and communicationsmanager Laurie Townsend. Now two different students from Italy havecome to join three students from UBC and are touring BC, includingPenticton, playing and learning more about the culture...The duo areplaying together with Chantal Lemiere on viola and violinists ErinJames and Alana Chang from UBC School of Music. [November 10, 2006 -Penticton Western News]

Nominees for the 2006 Western Canadian Music Awards. OUTSTANDING CLASSICAL COMPETITION: Stephen Chatman -Faculty, Cheryl Cooney -Grad, Neil Currie - Grad, Jocelyn Morlock -Grad, John Oliver -Grad OUTSTANDING CLASSICAL RECORDING: Chenoa Anderson -Grad, Robert Silver -Professor Emeritus [October 2006]

The group's [Nu:BC Collective production] focus is, naturally, on academic composition,and in many ways it's a throwback to the kind of programming VanocuverNew Music specialized in during the middle of the 1990s - especiallywith familiar names like Chatman, Keith Hamel, and Gyorgy Kurtagcontributing scores....There was nothing polite about Corey Hamm'sforceful contributations to Kurtag's Hommage a R. Sch. Op. 15d andHoward Bashaw's 12m-3p-15m; the pianist was easily the most impressivemember of a well-rehearsed and disciplined band. [October 19-26, 2006 -Georgia Straight]

Prescription for well-being: Musicians Making Rounds.
According to many sudies performed by University and Health CareCentres, the use of music and arts on hospital patients "reducedanxiety, elevated mood and increased coping...allowing the tests toproceed without drugs." Doing so, saved the hospital $250,000 inanesthesiologists fees. "In less than a year, to have a non-profitsociety started expressly for this purpose, to have run few hundredprograms and to have developed partnerships with art organizations likethe UBC School of Music and to have secured the money for the programs,I think all of those things in less than a year feels like more thanbaby steps...." [October 21, 2006 - Vancouver Sun]

Alumnus Ryo Yanagitani (B.MUS) won the 2nd Prize at the Minnesota International Piano E-Competition as well as the Schubert Prize. [October 2006]

Alumnus Ben Heppner [tenor] was one of 3 winners of the second annual Opera News Awards."The fledgling honour, established last year to celebrate the venerablemagazine's 70th anniversary, recognizes leading figures of the operaworld for their distinguished contributions to the musical field. "Wehave the privilege of honouring a group of individuals whosecontributions to opera are inestimable," editor F. Paul Driscoll saidin a statement. "All five honourees possess not only abundant musicaltalent, but also a generous spirit of communication that has earnedthem wide acclaim from critics while making them enormously andjustifiably popular with audiences." [October 2006]

Aldergrove soprano is living her dream in San Francisco. UBC Alumnus Roslyn Jonesrecently "signed with a New York management agency. And two months fromnow she will make her San Francisco Opera debut as Frasquita in thisseason's production of Carmen. Such exciting opportunities havepresented themselves to Jones, in large part, because the26-year-old soprano is currently engaged in a two-year paid residencywith San Francisco Opera company's Adler Fellowship. "The Adler programis considered professional. Having a salary is almost unheard of for asinger," she explained. "Adler fellows are a select group of advancedsingers who are offered intensive individual training through the operacompany and are given smaller roles on the mainstage alongside thecompany's singers." [October 2006]

Alumnus James Ross (1992) was appointed to the trumpet section of the New York Philharmonic in June 2006. Hewas a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra from 1994 to 2006 andhas served as principal trumpet in the Vancouver Opera Orchestra andthe Orchestra of St. Luke’s. [October 2006]

Music on Main, which will continue with three more Heritage Hallconcerts in the spring of 2007, is pitched somewhere between theexploratory if occasionally recondite programming of Vancouver NewMusic and the consistent if conservative fare served up by David Pay'sformer employer, the Vancouver Recital Hall. Pay isn't out to shocklisteners with savage new sounds; nor is he intent on producing saferenditions of the classics. Instead, he's striving for excellence andfor the kind of shows that get people talking. [Georgia Straight - Sept28 -Oct 5, 2006]

A Forty-Year Odyssey. 1969 was a year of protest, andsecond-year UBC Music student Evelyn Hunter added her name to thegrowing list of undergraduates who dropped out of universities…nowEvelyn is back at UBC, working towards her Bachelor of Educationdegree. Despite obstacles to success, which in her case have included alarge brain tumour that hindered her memory function for several years,Evelyn is determined to complete her education. Once she finallyobtains her university degree, she plans to continue to share hercreativity and passion for music with many elementary students... [Fall2006 - Scholary Pursuits]

UBC Professors win arts awards. Robert Silverman, amember of the Faculty of Music for 30 years, was the recipient of theDorothy Somerset Award for Performance and Development in theArts…Silverman, a performing pianist at the highest level said he wasthrilled to receive the inaugural award honouring UBC alumni DorothySomerset. "I'm impressed that they would even create an award forexcellence in the arts," said Silverman. "I would have been delightedeven if I hadn't won." [September 26, 2006 - Ubyssey]

Anna Vavilova, a Graduate Student in Piano Performance,recieved the BC Arts Council Senior award in the amount of $2600 forthe 2006-2007 school year. The maximum amount for a senior award inPiano Performance is $2600. [September 2006]

Of Hungarian soul and underground sounds. If you've everheard of Leslie Dala speak, you'll know that he's a consummatelycultured Canadian. The conductor's careful phrasing attests to that, asdoes his CV: he was born in Hamilton, received his first musicaltraining at St. Michael's Choir School in Toronto, and then earned hismaster's degree at UBC...on October 20, when the West Coast Symphonypresents an all Hungarian program of music by Franz Liszt, Bela Bartok,and Zoltan Kodaly. Dala will be on the podium. [September 14-21, 2006 -Georgia Straight]

Internationl Connections is the 16th recording in the Making of aMedium Series, which is a series dedicated to the expansion andpromotion of literature for the violin, clarinet and piano triomedium….Our next stop on the itinerary is Canada and Stephen Chatman'shumourous and colorful Trio. Chatman is Professor of Composition at theUniversity of British Columbia in Vancouver. Composed in 2001. the triois an abstract three-movement work. The first movement portrays adriving, hypnotic warm-up of diatonic scales moving in parallel andcontrary motion. Again the ensemble demonstrates watertight interplayand flawless technical facility. In contrast, the second movement is anunhurried, improvisatory-style blues with the use of the suchtechniques as portamento, pitch bending, and note shading. Once more,it also showcases their musical sensitivity to the emotionalmalleability of this movement. The syncopated and lively thirdmovement, "Dance" reveals Chatman's sense of humour with the return ofscale fragments. The rhythmic integrity and timing within the ensembleis again, impeccable. [The Clarinet - September 2006]

Growing New Ears. "Extend your sonic experience with aconcert sampler of cutting-edge works at the Chan Centre…. Highlightsinclude Keith Hamel's hyperflute, a live flute performance withcomputing processing that allows the instrument to go far beyond itsnormal limitations; Bob Pritchard's mixture of cello and female bodyimagery against live cello. The resulting aural melange should takeyour eardrums to places they haven't been before." [September 14-21,2006 - Georgia Straight]

Morning Glory. Consider next Wednesday morning a wake-up callfor piano fans. That's when a trio of celebrated artists tickle theivories with three concertos, one world premiere by one of our own starcomposers. The Music in the Morning season kickoff, the ConcertoProject (September 20), features Vancouver's Jane Coop playing RamonaLuengen's new Piano Concerto. [September 14-21, 2006 - Georgia Straight]

Congratulation to Faculty member, Dr. Nathan Hesselink, AssistantProfessor, on the completion of his new book "P'ungmul: South KoreanDrumming and Dance". It is the first full length book to introduceKorean drumming and dance to the English-speaking world. P'ungmuloffers detailed descriptions of its instrumentation, dance formations,costuming, characters, teaching lineages, and complexities of training."Written with authority and sensitivity, P'ungmul offers an intimateunderstanding of Korea....Nathan Hesselink reveals his profound respectand knowledge for the music and musicians..." Tong Soon Lee, EmoryUniversity. "This book is an important addition to the burgeoning studyof Korean music" -Bonnie C. Wade, University of California, Berkeley.[September 2006]

Jumalisten joucko. Based on a Finnish Medieval chant, thisinteresting work has "Stephen Chatman" written all over it! It isinnovative and interesting, and will appeal to your choir and audiencealike. The tempo is fairly mellow, but the modal melody, primal drumtimbre, interpaly of the voices, frequent use of parallel fifths, andoccasional imitative texture gives it its interest. It is appropriatefor Christmas, but it can be done anytime of the year. [Choral Director- Aug/Sept 2006]

UBC Blossoms as a destination for music. "As befits one ofCanada's pre-eminent training institutions, the UBC School of music hasalways been a prime locale for some of Vancouver's most interestingclassical music events. Not only an obvious showcase for up-and-comingyoung instrumental and vocal talent, the university is also home basefor many of the best musicians of our region. There's addedsignificance of programming which doesn't have to heed what one-timeUBC lecturer Barbara Pentland called "dictator's grip on the publicmind" of the box office. "UBC is on the cusp of even great potentialdevelopment" says School of Music Director, Jesse Read. [August 2006Vancouver Sun]

Congratulations to John Roeder on his most recent co-publication. John Roederis directing research into the long-term preservation of digitaldocuments, including music, as part of the interdisciplinary InterPARESproject (www.interpares.org). Recently he co-authored an article aboutthe problems of preserving interactive digital music with projectdirector Luciana Duranti, of the UBC School of Library, Archival, andInformation Studies; the article was published in the Italian JournalArchivi E Computer. [August 2006]

Congratulations to Alumnus Christopher Tyler Nickel on the release of his new CD "Horizons". Recordedby the acclaimed City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, theCD also features two beautiful flute solos performed by Jack Chen."Horizons" is now available at Sikora's Classical Records in Vancouver,and online at www.screenarchives.com. Nickels graduated from UBC with aB.MUS in composition. After graduation, Chris began writing music forfilm and television, and has received many awards for his music scores.Nickels has recently worked with Hollywood Studio Symphony at ParamountStudies and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on award winning score "AdventRising" for composers Tommy Tallarico and Michael Richard Plowman.[August 2006]

Congratulations to Alumnus, Kenneth Hsieh, who recently won the 2006 Jean-Marie Beaudet Award from the Canada Council for Arts.The Jean-Marie Beaudet Award is given annually to a young Canadianorchestra conductor selected by the Music Advisory Committee of theMusic Section of the Canada Council from among the staff conductorswith Canadian orchestras. Hsieh, a piano and percussion major,received his B.MUS from UBC before leaving for Japan to the Toho GakuenSchool of Music and the Senzoku College of Music on a full scholarshipto study orchestral conducting. [August 2006]

Congratulations to Joy Yeh on receiving an $3,500 senior award from the BC Arts Council. Yehis a talented harpist planning on completing her B.MUS in OrchestralInstrument Performance at UBC in 2007. The BC Arts Council senior awardis given to outstanding post-secondary students who are majoring in anArts program. The maximum scholarship amount awarded is $3,500.Applicants are required to send in a portfolio of their work, letter(s)of recommendation, three assessments of artistic merit, transcript ofgrades and proof of acceptance to their institution of study. Theadjudication process is based on the caliber of their work,demonstrated ability and achievements in comparison to otherapplicants, quality of presentation and goals of the applicant. [August2006]

UBC Alumnus Sal Ferreras says goodbye to UBC and hello to Vancouver Community College. FerrerasFerreras [a percussionist] received his Ph.D in Ethnomusicology at the University of Windsor in 2005. He is now lending his knowledge of music and business to the students at Vancouver Community College. Ferreras'success came as he learned his business skills through trial and error,and wishes that he had the opportunity to take courses designed toteach the essential skills of business in music. In September, thedepartment will offer courses that apply business principals to music,to help prepare those students seeking a career in the music business.  [July 2006]
accepted a position as School of Music Director at Vancouver CommunityCollege, (and yet, still makes time to be a sessional instructor atUBC).

Stephen Chatman storms his way to the top. In July, Chatmanreceived the Paul Revere Award and 2nd prize for his composition ‘Proudmusic of the storm’. He won in the category of folio (full score). Thisis not Chatman’s first Paul Revere Award – in 1981 he also won a PaulRevere Award for his composition ‘Five scenes for flute and guitar’.The Paul Revere Awards were founded in 1895, and are given annually bythe Music Publishers’ Association of the United States. This awardhonors publishers for their fine work in creating art for the musicindustry. Their work is judged by a panel, and is based on creativity,clarity and the overall design of each publication. This year’s list ofwinners include many well-known and accomplished composers/compositionssuch as Gershwin, Disney Song Book, Tan Dun, Aaron J. Kernis and KurtWeill. [July 2006]

Jim Tranquilla won an audition to become a member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra in August. Tranquilla [a trombone player] completed his masters of music at UBC in 2006. [July 2006]

Megan Bain secured a 1 year position playing in the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Bain [a viola player] completed her masters of music at UBC in 2006. [July 2006]

Tom Corbeil takes California by storm. Corbeil won a1st prize of $6,000 in the voice division at the CaliforniaInternational Young Artists Competition on the 3rd of June in SanDiego. Corbeil [ a bass baritone] is a graduate student of UBC. [June 2006].

Janelle Nadeau win hearts with her harp. Nadeau[ a harpist], won a 2nd prize and received $2,000 at the Women’sMusical Club of Winnipeg on May 27th at the University of Manitoba. Nadeau is currently in her 3rd year at UBC. [May 2006]

UBC brass quintet cascades to success.After grueling pre-competition rehearsal schedules of six to eighthours per week on top of personal practice, all of their endeavors werenot in vain when The Cascades brass quintet from UBC took home first prize of $4,000 at the Coleman Competition in Pasadena, California in April 2006. The Cascades won the Coleman-Saunderson prize in the Woodwind and Brass division. Members of The Cascades, Micajah Sturgess, French horn; Malcolm Aiken and Al Cannon, trumpet; François Lévesque, trombone, and Daniel Pain, tuba, were ecstatic about their award. “We’re really excited, it’s kind of unbelievable,” says Al Cannon,“ We went down there with absolutely no expectations of walking awaywith a prize.” The quintet competed against 14 notable schools such asEastman School of Music of the University of Rochester in New York(1)where several Pullitzer Prize and Grammy Award winners have taught.The Coleman Competition started in 1947, and it has become the placewhere some of North America’s most talented musicians come to competeagainst the best.
(1) Josephine Anderson www.music.ubc.ca/coleman.caltech.edu/competition.shtml [April 2006]

Our two first-year PhD Ethnomusicology students, MaisieSum and Leslie Tilley,were each awarded the top SSHRC grant for their studies: $35K a yearfor the next three years. Leslie's research will be on Bali's music,and Maisie's on the Gnaoua of Morocco. [April 2006]

International Connections. As a programme it's nicely balanced,encompassing several distinct composing styles. Though quality varies,none of the pieces here is without interest, and they're superblyplayed and recorded. All date from the years 1992-2002, so they'reabout as contemporary as one can get...The two least familiarcomposers, the Austrian Gernot Wolfgang and the American butCanada-based Stephen Chatman, both evoke jazz idioms in theirpieces, but in different ways....Chatman's three movement Trio openswith inventions on scale patterns, moves to a central 'Blues' andculminates in a highly syncopated 'Dance'. [International Record ReviewApril 2006]

Opera in Review. Silver pilasters crowned with whimsicalRococo capitals set the stage for University of British Columbia OperaEnsemble's spring offering, Le Nozze di Figaro. The elegance of thebackground created a classical framework for this timeless work,fastidiously crafted by Nancy Hermiston's students, who weresensitive to the stylized requirements of the score as well as to thepolitical overtones of its base, the Beaumarchais play. As is UBC'scustoms, all lead parts were doubled. The coquettishness of Susanna(Jennifer Farrell and Michelle Keobke) mined the character's intelligence and subtlety, and both singers had an excellence sensitivity to line. Each Figaro (Andrew Stewart and Tom Corbell) energized the plot with his robust baritone voice. The Countess (Whitney Leigh Sloan and Diana Oros-Wilder) exhibited clear, lyrical voices that took full advantage of the light and shade in the score. As the Count, John Conlon and Andrew Jameson managed to build on their character's complexities, not only through vocal control, but also acting ability. And Dionne Sellinger and Erin Fisherdid Cherubino justice, with flare and adolescent anguish displayed intheir well-modulated voices. The rest of the cast provided greatensemble work. Rich 18th-century costumes argumented the sumptuousnessof the set. The chorus was well trained by Richard Epp, and theexcellent 45-piece student orchestra, sensitively led by Opera Lyra'sresident conductor, Tyrone Paterson, provided base for the singers.[March/April 2006 Opera Canada Magazine]

Mezzo-Soprano Judith Forst said in 1976 interview that would sing until she was 50.Fortunately, her words have not come true, and some would say she issinging better now than she did when she was 50. In March, age 62, shewas in Milan for her La Scala at Kabaicha in Robert Carsen's productionof Janacek's Kat'a Kabanova. "It's a very interesting, very differentproduction," says Forst. "It takes place in water-the dancers are inthe water, the singers are on the water. We have to be very carefulbecause if we misstep, we fall in."...Forst first sang professionally40 years ago as Lola in Vancouver Opera's 1966 Cavalleria Rusticana.Even if not an important anniversary to her today, it was start of acarefully nurtured career at the peak of which she had 50 roles in fivelanguages at her command. [March/April 2006 - Opera Canada Magazine]

Harpist says fond farewell to B.C. with fundraising concert.One of the most revered harpists on the continent makes a rareappearance in Victoria tonight at the Royal Theatre as part of theVictoria Symphony's second Mozart festival concert. The performancewill be one of Rita Costanzi's last concerts here as a B.C.residents after 27 years. Next spring, Costanzi will move to New YorkCity to reunite with her husband, violinist Victor Costanzi, after ayear on separate coasts. "Coming to Victoria for this concert is verymoving for me. It's where I played my first solo when I moved here in1979." [11-May/06 - Time Colonist Newspaper]

Vancouver's Phoenix Chamber Choir Sweeps CBC Choral Competition. Conductor Ramona Luengen leadschoir to three First Prizes and $11,000. Vancouver's renowned PhoenixChamber Choir - under the direction of Ramona Luengen - swept prizes atthe 2006 CBC Radio-Canada National Radio Competition for AmateurChoirs, winning the Grand Prize, as well as the Chamber Choirs andContemporary Music Categories. [May/06 - Phoenix Chamber Choir website]

Ukulele master returns. Canadian James Hill amazedaudiences at local folk festival. Anyone who was present at the AnnArbor Folk Festival in January probably remembers Canadian ukulelevirtuoso James Hill, who amazed audiences both nights with the kinds ofsweet sounds he could coax from his oft-maligned instrument. The lanky,personable Hill played several original compositions in theclassical/jazz veins - much like little symphonies for the ukulele -that proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that in the right hands theuke can be a formidable axe. [May 4,2006 - News Arts Writer website]

It'sno surprise that the Choir of St. John's, Elora, is releasing anotherCD. This award-winning group of 21 professional singers, directed byNoel Edison, not only sings at church services, but gives recitals hereand overseas. The CD, recorded at St. John's early in 2004, includeselements from Protestant and Catholic traditions, and has a collectionof favorite hymns and anthems...selections range from Howell'sMagnificat, Franck's Panis Angelicus and Faure's Cantique de JeanRacince to the more recent piece, Stephen Chatman's Remember. [April 10th-16th/06 - Naxos of America in the News]

The Art of Programming To celebrate its first decade, the Vancouver-based Borealis String Quartet isplanning on learning all 16 of Beethoven's quartets by 2011. Beethovenis a benchmark on most instruments, but how do four intense,soloist-calibre musicians decide what they are going to learn?"Everyone has a 25 percent say," explains second violinist Yuel Yawney.Democracy may mean an equal voice in theory, but given the repertoire,old and new for string quartet, it remains difficult to decide whatstays and what goes..."We find the Canadian music such a treat," saysYawney. "Imant Raminsch wrote us a quartet and it was a thrill toperform, because there wasn't any interpretative baggage to it." TheBorealis aims to add six new works, or two programs, per season tonurture the foursome's growing repertoire and feed their musical souls.[Spring 2006 - Opus Magazine]

The Art of Programming. Musicians and singers are known tothink long and hard about the repertoire and roles that are the best"fit". A few of Canada's top names speak out on how they choose what'sright for them…"I have to think about the repertoire all the time,"says Jane Coop, one of Canada's most in-demand pianists and aprofessor and distinguished scholar at the University of BritishColumbia in Vancouver...Coop maintains more than 30 concertos in herrepertoire, and a revolving door of solo and chamber music that rangesfrom Chopin Nocturnes to Mozart piano quartets. She is currentlyworking on Bach's "Goldberg" Variations, and although some have labeledher a Haydn and Mozart specialist, Coop describes herself as simply"fluent" in the language of those composers. [Spring 2006 - OpusMagazine]

Vancouver Visions. A longstanding professor of music at UBC, Stephen Chatmanis also widely respected as one of Canada best composers, with asubstantial body of stylistically varied works. This new collectionfocuses on chamber works "that have been created, inspired andinterpreted by artistic visionaries associated with Vancouver". [Spring2006 - The Magic Flute magazine]

Jeff Toyne MMUS 99 was commissioned by theVancouver Symphony Orchestra to write new works that would premiereduring the VSO's 2005/2006 Musically Speaking series. He is one of thefive composers selected by the orchestra as part of the OlympicCommissioning Project to create a new three minute piece celebratingthe upcoming XXI Winter Olympic Games (Vancouver 2010). Jeff recentlyreturned to Vancouver after several years in Los Angeles. While there,he scored or orchestrated more than 50 films, including Academy Awardnominees. Jeff's work, entitled No Fanfare, premiered in the OrpheumTheatre in December. [Winter/Spring 2006 - Trek Magazine ]

The UBC Opera Ensemble present: The Marriage of Figaro.The UBC Opera Ensemble scored a big hit when they staged Mozart's TheMarriage of Figaro at the Chan Centre out at UBC over 4 days on March 2- 5. Much like their production of The Magic Flute back in December,this was a show that would have made Vancouver Opera proud...Casting ofall the principle characteristics was brilliantly done, Jennifer Farrellin particular as a very petite Susanna with a voice that defied hersize...The highlight for me would have to be the Act IV solo by Figaro,(played by Andrew Stewart) in the garden as he sings about hisviews on the faithfulness of women after unjustly suspecting thatSusanna, his lovely bride to be is cheating on him...Talking to thestudents about their experience, Director, Nancy Hermiston's name continuously comes up as an inspiration and the real backbone of the organization. [Apr/06 Vancouver View Magazine]

The first quality that strikes you in Melissa Hui's music is its stillness.The strange realization that follows is that, for her, stillnessdoesn't necessarily mean calm or quiet. Her music can be loud andstill….Unlike most modernist music, her contains no climaxes, fewcrescendos, almost never a build-up to an obvious goal. Yet the musicdoes go place, surprising places - it just doesn't broadcast wherethey're going to be. [Apr/06 - Chamber Music Magazine]

Pairing Dido and Aeneas with Bach inspirational. Opera inconcert is a natural project for the VSO's "Bach & Beyond" seriesat the Chan…it was a good choice for this weekend's worthwhilecollaboration between Tovey, the VSO and UBC's Opera Ensemble.With the exception of the two leads, Nathaniel Watson as the archetypalcad Aeneas and Susan Platts as Dido the opera was solidly cast from theranks of Nancy's Hermiston's fine ensemble. The most resoundingaspect of the student's work was the excellence of the chorus, whosebright, energetic sound gave life to Purcell's diverting tunes. [April3/06 - Vancouver Sun]

Music Toronto bows out on high note. Toronto Star musiccolumnist John Terauds writes: "There were no maudlin goodbyes as theMusic Toronto Chamber Society played it's last program last night. UBCprof. David Harding and fellow violinists Scott St. John andAnnalee Patipatanakoon, cellist Roman Borys and pianist Jamie Parkerhave been serving as Music Toronto's resident chamber ensemble since2002. The musicians poured out a torrent of dramatic music givingthemselves and the audience a rousing, memorable adieu." [ March 29/06- Toronto Star]

Greatest hits' Messiah reads like a very long run-on sentence.Wainrot has set his Messiah to 32 parts of the oratorio, culminating ofcourse with the Hallelujah chorus. He has said that the work is notbased on the libretto, but without any narrative cues, and withoutmusical acuity, we are left in search of a defining reason for theexercise...The disembodied voices coming from the pit belonged to theUniversity of B.C. Singers under the direction of Bruce Pullan, with soloist Jennifer Farrell, Shirin Eskandanai, Matthew Stephanson and Stephen Price.   [March 25/06 - Vancouver Sun]

Purcell's tragic love storey at Chan Centre. Dido and Aeneas,England's oldest opera, takes its tale of star-crossed lovers fromclassical mythology. "Remember me," sings Dido in her final aria When IAm Laid to Rest, repeating the agonized single notes of the greatlament which ends Henry Purcell's opera, Dido and Aeneas...TheVancouver Symphony is producing a semi-staged version of the opera inits Bach and Beyond series on March 31, and April 1 at the Chan Centre,featuring Victoria-born mezzo Susan Platts, baritone Nathaniel Watsonand the UBC Opera Ensemble. [March 25/06 - Vancouver Sun]

The accidental opera star: Delaney [alumni] discovered love of singing after signing up for choir class on a whim. [The Edmonton Journal: March 19 - 2006]

State of the arts. In a spring survey of the city's culturalscene, three main players agree there's a new energy, but there arealso new challenges. Something is going on in this town. Experimentalmultimedia theatre projects are playing to sold-out houses. Galleryshows by local artists are earning international press....Sal Ferreras,a long time percussionist and producer who also teaches world music atVancouver Community College, is preparing to lead the jazz bad forBallet B.C.'s new production of A Streetcar Named Desire. He alsoappears at Salsa Night with his VCC Latin Jazz Ensemble on March 18 andas principal percussionist with the CBC Radio Orchestra on March 26. [March 2- 9, 2006 Georgia Straight ]

Drums Deafen Adults, But Kids Call it Fun.A solid turnout of 50 to 60 residents at the University of BritishColumbia - mostly children from two years of age to ten - enjoyed afree opportunity to beat drums and take part in a music circle in theOld Auditorium on campus in February. Bruce Henczel, a studentwho graduated with a Masters degree in Music in the Fall of 2005, ledthe musical discovery program for children in a two-hour sessionsponsored by the University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA)...Laurie Townsend,marketing manager at the School of Music, said, "The kids were right upthere (on stage)." Bruce Henczel, alumus; Laurie Townsend, staff [March- 2006,VST Community News]

The Marriage of Figaro. Which will it be? UBC's Opera Ensemblepresents the first of the great Da Pointe trilogy, The Marriage ofFigaro, at the Chan. Vancouver Opera has a new Don Giovanni featuringCarol Wilson, with Brett Polegato as the Don. Though the runs overlapson Saturday, real Mozart enthusiasts will make it to both. [March 1,2006 - Vancouver Sun ]

The Leading Edge. Sal Ferreras, Faculty [Knowledge Network: March 1, 2006]

Mozart's greatest operas. The Marriage of Figaro and DonGiovanni will be presented. With the actual birthday celebration comeand gone, Vancouver's Mozart Spring intensifies this week withperformances of two of his greatest operas. The students of UBC's Opera Ensemble present a four-performance run of The Marriage of Figaro at the Chan. [February 28/06 - Vancouver Sun]

Canadian Segment Rich in Tradition and Talent at Torino 2006 Closing Ceremony. Ben Heppner, Alumni. [February 23, 2006]

UBC Music Professor, Rena Sharon, was interviewed on the CBC Radio One program "Sounds like Canada" on February 15, 2006.

World-famous tenor booked for local concert. Ben Heppner,one of the world's finest opera tenors, is booked to sing in Kelownanext year on a tour of his home province. [The Kelowna Daily Courier:February 16, 2006]

Colin Pridy is a Canadian pursuing his PhD in Music Composition. He's enjoyed a life-long fascination with music, and in particular thesound of orchestral film scores. The latter sparked his interest inlearning the piano, playing by ear, improvising, and eventually,studying music composition. UBC's quality of instruction, combined witha great city and great weather (he's serious), confirmed his choice inuniversities...Colin hopes to make a living doing what he loves and inthe process, contributes something valuable and beneficial to hisfield: "My goal is to promote the creation of music that is relevant todisciplines and areas of interest beyond those traditionally addressedby new music. [ Winter 2006, St. John's College Newsletter ]

The "business" of music composition. An introduction toSenior Faculty Fellow and Composer, Dorothy Chang. How does a businessmajor become a music composer? In the case of Dorothy Chang,Composer and Assistant Professor of Composition, UBC School of Music,it came down to a gift for music improvisation and a wisely chosenelective in her first year of university. Following high school,Dorothy set off to study business, not music, at the University ofMichigan. Luckily, she enrolled in an Introduction to Composition forNon-Majors course...Soon she transferred into the music compositionprogram and began pursuing her passion full time...She completed aBachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Composition at the Universityof Michigan, and then a Doctorate in Composition at Indiana University.Dorothy's main teaching goal is to engage her students to challengethemselves to explore new directions, and tries to help each individualidentify his or her musical goals. As a music composition teacher, shestrives to help her students develop the skills, knowledge, originalityand direction they need to succeed in whatever areas they pursue.Dorothy Chang [Winter 2006 St. John's College Newsletter]

 

FACULTY OF ARTS

UBC School of Music
Music Building
6361 Memorial Road

Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2
Tel: 604.822.3113
Fax: 604.822.4884