#ICYMI: A look back at the 2022 – 2023 season
Many of our students recently climbed the stage for their convocation. And after they received their degrees, smiled for the cameras, and headed back to their seats, they took their first steps into an exciting new chapter of their lives.
If this past year was any indication, they will surely continue to make Schulich proud. The 2022 – 2023 season felt like a return to form since 2020, and our students, faculty, staff, and alumni truly brought music to life.
In an extraordinary year of major accomplishments for our students, faculty and alumni, we've had a lot of news to share! In case you missed it, here are some of the highlights.
Our students showed us what it means to be exceptional
Nothing makes us happier than seeing our students thrive. This year, they produced over 600 concerts on and off campus, participated and won in renowned competitions. Here are some of our students’ notable achievements this year:
- Violist Gene Hotta won the 2022-2023 Golden Violin Award
- Soprano Jingjing Xu won the 2022-2023 Wirth Vocal Prize competition
- Jared Dunn hosted a talk show alongside the prestigious Paderewski International Piano Competition
- The McGill Jazz Conglomerate performed in the NAC’s 2023 Northern Cadence International Jazz Series
- Opera McGill performed top-tier productions across Montreal, including Humperdink’s Hänsel und Gretel and Orfeo ed Euridice by Gluck
We had the busiest calendar of off-campus special events since 2020
This year, our students and faculty spent a lot of time on the road, rounding out the busiest calendar of off-campus special events since 2020. Some of the highlights include:
- Performing at the Maison symphonique, closing McGill University’s Bicentennial celebrations
- A series of free concerts at the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto
- Regular concerts at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur
- Jazz performances across the greater Montreal area
- Volunteering their time to perform at health institutions and conduct workshops for members of the public.
- Resurrecting a long-lost Haydn Opera for its first-ever presentation in North America
- And many more!
Our alumni took the world by storm
We were also proud to see many of our alumni flourish over the past 12 months – some of whom completed their studies as recently as 2023. These individuals went on to earn awards, recognition, and prestigious positions:
- Brandyn Lewis (BMus ’17) was named a Black Changemaker by CBC Montreal. CBC highlighted his work with Ensemble Obiora, which he co-founded with his life partner Allison Migeon in 2021. Their goal is to increase representation in the classical musical scene.
- Jordan de Souza (BMus '09, MMus '11) was appointed music director in Dortmund, Germany, in charge of the philharmonic orchestra and opera house.
- Elisabeth St-Gelais (BMus’21, MMus ‘23) was named a Revelation by Radio-Canada, a title bestowed upon up-and-coming Quebec musicians. She also won the prestigious Prix d’Europe.
- Jennifer Szeto (BMus ’17) became the new director of the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal
- Caity Gyorgy (BMus ’22), Marina Thibeault (MMus ’16, DMus ’22), Elinor Frey (DMus ’12), and other alumni won awards at the 2023 Junos.
This year has been quite the ride. Thank you for being part of it.
We look forward to seeing what the next year brings! Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter to stay up to date.