For rootsy singer-songwriters Dar Williams, Serena Ryder and Rosanne Cash, the accompanist of choice has often been pianist Bryn Roberts. But when he’s in charge, Roberts, a 39-year-old Winnipeg native who splits his time between New York City and Portland, Ore., leans toward playing lyrical, contemporary jazz.
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Voice professor soprano Dominique Labelle has released an album with Musica Pacifica: Mi Palpita Il Cor. Musica Pacifica is an early music ensemble based in San Francisco and they have built up an impressive catalog of performances concentrating primarily on the pre-Classical repertoire.
Jordan de Souza, BMus'09, MMus'11 will become the Kapellmeister of the Komische Oper Berlin beginning with the start of their 2017/18 season. In his first season as Kapellmeister, he will conduct several repertoire pieces, direct one new production and lead an orchestra concert.
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Blog post by Chris Maskell
When thinking about musicians who feel equally at home in both the classical and jazz realms, not many players come to mind. It’s challenging to keep a foot in both doors and meet the unique demands required to be proficient in both styles. One might think of a pianist or trumpet player for the few who do make it work, but probably not a violinist. Luckily for us, Schulich’s own Mark Fewer serves as a prime example that it can be done – and done well.
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Professor Brenda Ravenscroft will be the next Dean of the Schulich School of Music. Currently Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) at Queen’s Faculty of Arts and Science, and Professor of Music Theory and Analysis at Queen’s University, Prof. Ravenscroft will begin her mandate at Schulich in July of 2017. Prof. Ravenscroft taught Music Theory at McGill’s Faculty of Music from 1991 to 1993, and has maintained close ties with McGill colleagues through research and teaching interests.
On September 23rd and 24th, the McGill Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Alexis Hauser, performed its first concert of the season. The piano soloist was Anna Peletsis. Reviewer Patricia Morales has published this Spanish blog post about the program. The complete works included: Ludwig van Beethoven: Egmont Overture, Op. 84; Aram Khachaturian: Concerto for piano in D flat major, Op. 38; Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovsky Symphony No.
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Ilya Poletaev is a Moscow-born pianist who is an assistant professor of music at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University in Montreal, but has a wide-ranging international career. Next Wednesday, he will appear in the University of Victoria’s Orion Series in Fine Arts. Read the complete blog post in the Times Colonist here.
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A jazz renaissance man who not only plays drums and piano, but also has been on faculty at McGill University and and behind the board as a respected and prodigious recording engineer, Andre White, 57, has been a towering yet humble musical giant in Montreal and beyond since the mid-1980s. In this article by Peter Hum discover the impact White has had on the Canadian jazz scene, and learn why he recently released three albums digitally.
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Joshua Morris is a Masters in Cello Performance student of Professor Brian Manker. He was recently a semifinalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and has also been a finalist of the McGill Classical Concerto Music Competition. The Peter Mendell Award is intended to foster the development of musical excellence, and was founded by lawyer Peter Mendell in 2005.
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Blog post by Chris Maskell
The partnership between jazz singer Theo Bleckmann and drummer John Hollenbeck has taken many forms over the years. One month, they may be touring with Prof. Hollenbeck’s Large Ensemble, while not much later, a listener might find them improvising mind-bending duets in front of a rapt audience. Next week, they are set to explore yet another new musical setting during their performance at the Schulich School of Music with McGill’s Jazz Choir.
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The Schulich School of Music’s Kelly Rice recently met with pianist and music teacher Catherine Steele (née Thornhill) to discuss her life in music, beginning with her childhood in Newfoundland.
She is the inspiration behind the Catherine Thornhill Steele Visiting Artist Fund, created by Seymour Schulich in 2005 to honour her.
In this photo: Catherine Thornhill at her graduation recital
Notes from the interview
Kelly Rice: Tell me about your first musical memories.
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The Schulich School of Music enthusiastically announces the establishment of the Graham Sommer Competition for Young Composers, open to all Canadian composers under 35 years old. The school will host the first edition of the competition in 2017, thanks to generous support from Dr. Graham Sommer, M.D. C.M. ’72.
Full McGill Reporter article by Andrew Mahon:
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Blog post by Chris Maskell:
Since she became part of the faculty of the Schulich School of Music in 1992, ten of Professor Marina Mdivani’s students have won the McGill Concerto Competition. The most recent of these, Anna Peletsis, shares an interesting parallel with Mdivani’s past – both attended the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory and eventually relocated to Canada.
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Schulich School of Music Doctoral piano student Zhenni Li has won Second Prize in the 15th Annual International Edvard Grieg Competition which was held September 2-10 in Bergen, Norway. In addition to the 20,000 euro second prize, Ms. Li was also awarded the 1000 euro Orchestra Prize. Ms. Li is a student of Prof. Stéphane Lemelin.
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Jeremy Cox has been named 2016-2017 Schulich Distinguished Visiting Chair in Music. He brings to the school an expertise that spans performance, scholarship, teaching, academic leadership, and curriculum design. Prof. Cox will be involved in many aspects of school life this year, including teaching, conference organization, academic review, and writing.