Pacific Opera Victoria Presents Barbara Hannigan & Bertrand Chamayou

by | Nov 29, 2024 | Events, Faculty, Graduate, News, Orion Series in Fine Arts, School of Music, Undergraduate

Do not miss this one-night-only event! 7:30pm December 02 at McPherson Playhouse. An evening of music with renown artists soprano Barbara Hannigan & pianist Bertrand Chamayou, with special guest appearances by Terrence Tam (Principal Violin of Victoria Symphony) and Benjamin Butterfield (Head of Voice, UVic School of Music). The duo will present a concert at the McPherson Playhouse featuring Messiaen’s Chants de Terre et de Ciel, Scriabin’s Poème-nocturne and Vers la flamme, and John Zorn’s Jumalattaret. Barbara and Bertrand’s visit is made possible in part with support from Pacific Opera Victoria.

 

With a musical programme featuring Messiaen’s Chants de Terre et de Ciel, Scriabin’s Poème-nocturne and Vers la flamme, and John Zorn’s Jumalattaret, be ready to be whisked away on a fascinating and eclectic journey through diverse musical landscapes.

Messiaen’s mystical and nature-inspired compositions – rich with complex rhythms, vibrant colors, and mystical themes – create an ethereal and contemplative atmosphere. Scriabin’s metaphysical and harmonically adventurous works is dreamy and dramatic, brimming with sensuous textures, innovative harmonies, and a sense of transcendence. Zorn’s modern and genre-defying piece is a masterwork in the advent-guarde. It boldly presents a complex tapestry of sound that explores the boundaries of traditional and contemporary music.

Barbara Hannigan

Barbara Hannigan, an unparalleled artist, embodies music with remarkable dramatic sensibility. Collaborating with luminaries like John Zorn, Simon Rattle, and Sasha Waltz, she’s at the forefront of musical creation. Her commitment to contemporary music is evident in premiering over 90 new works and collaborations with composers like Boulez and Ligeti. Recently, she debuted Poulenc’s La Voix Humaine, blending singing and conducting with live video. Her conducting debut with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and ongoing collaborations with esteemed orchestras mark her as a leading figure in the music world. Her recordings, including the Grammy-winning Crazy Girl Crazy, showcase her exceptional talent. Barbara’s dedication to mentoring young artists led to initiatives like Equilibrium Young Artists and Momentum. Recognized with prestigious awards like the Gramophone Magazine’s Artist of the Year, Barbara Hannigan continues to inspire and innovate in the world of music from her home in Finistère, France.

Bertrand Chamayou

Bertrand Chamayou stands as one of today’s most brilliant pianists, acclaimed for his virtuosic and deeply imaginative performances. Renowned for interpreting French music, he’s explored major works by Ravel, Liszt, and Messiaen. Chamayou’s collaborations with contemporary composers demonstrate his passion for innovation. Performing worldwide at esteemed venues and festivals, he’s graced stages with renowned orchestras and conductors. This season, he’s featured in an ‘Artist Portrait’ series with the London Symphony Orchestra and anticipates the release of his forthcoming album, “Satie-Cage.” His acclaimed recordings, including Messiaen’s Vingt Regards sur l’enfant-Jésus, have garnered numerous awards and accolades, showcasing his mastery. Chamayou’s artistic endeavors extend beyond performance, as he co-directs the Festival Ravel, a prominent celebration of Maurice Ravel’s legacy. With a multi-award-winning discography and an unparalleled dedication to musical innovation, Bertrand Chamayou continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

Explore UVic on Nov 30

by | Nov 21, 2024 | Art History & Visual Studies, Events, School of Music, Theatre, Undergraduate, Visual Arts, Writing

Considering a future as a student in UVic’s Faculty of Fine Arts? Join us on Saturday, Nov 30, as we open our doors as part of Explore UVic—UVic’s free, all-day open house. We’ve created a fun-filled day of student panels, sample lectures, presentations, tours and more. Check out the schedule of events, plan ahead and make the most of your visit! (Free parking too!)

This is your chance to discover what it’s like to be part of BC’s only stand-alone fine arts faculty, which means you’ll be learning as part of a dedicated arts-specific community. On Saturday, we’ll be hosting an open house (10am-3pm in the lobby of the Fine Arts building) with representatives from our departments of Art History & Visual Studies, Theatre, Visual Arts, Writing and the School of Music who can answer your program questions.

We’ll also be offering behind-the-scenes tours of our facilities at these times and locations:

  • Art History & Visual Studies: 11:15, 11:45, 12:15, 12:45, 1:15, 1:45, 2:15 & 2:45 (meet in the Fine Arts building lobby)
  • Fine Arts/Writing: 11am-3pm, with live student readings at 11:30, 12:30 & 1:30 + a loop of student films (meet in the Fine Arts building lobby)
  • School of Music: 11:30, 12:30 & 1:30 with a special info session & audition demo at 12 & 1pm (meet in Music’s upstairs lobby, MacLaurin B-Wing)
  • Theatre: 11:00, 12:00, 1:00 & 2:00  (meet in the Phoenix Building lobby)
  • Visual Arts: 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 1:30 & 2:30 (meet in the Visual Arts building lobby)

You can also catch a sample lecture looking at how your brain responds to art & creativity with Art History & Visual Studies  professor Catherine Harding from 1:45-2:30pm in Sngequ House room 131. Find out how your brain reacts to paintings, music, poetry and performances: is your response to beautiful things different from your response to ugly ones?

Dr. Harding will share the latest research on how art and experiences in theatres, concerts and galleries can change the way you think and feel. You will learn how new technology in images, sounds and spaces affects your mind, body and emotions. By understanding how your brain connects with creativity, you can discover new ideas and tackle challenges. This can help you see exciting links between different things in the world around you.

Register in advance now for Explore UVic — or just drop by on Saturday: we’d love to meet you! 

UVic Symphony Orchestra: From Darkness to Light

by | Nov 19, 2024 | Award, Faculty, Graduate, School of Music, Undergraduate

When the UVic Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Giuseppe Pietraroia, presents the captivating evening of music From Darkness to Light on November 29, they’ll not only be  blending  drama, passion and rhythmic vitality, but will also feature a memorable performance by our 2024 student Concerto Competition winners.

As part of the concert, Jiran Miao — a fourth-year piano student at UVic studying under Music professor and esteemed concert pianist Arthur Rowe — will perform Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, op. 15 with the UVic Orchestra. Originally from Shaoxing, China, Jiran started playing piano at age five and has since dedicated herself to her craft, winning awards from the CDMF, Vienna International Classical Music Competition, Don Chrysler Concerto Competition, and Rocky Mountain Music Competition. She has also performed in cities around the world, including Vienna, Salzburg, Shanghai, and Vancouver, and has given solo recitals in her hometown.

When Professor Rowe first suggested she take on Brahms’ concerto, Jiran was hesitant due to the short preparation time ahead of the competition date. However, her love for Brahms and his “gentle portrait of Clara Schumann” in the second movement motivated her to complete the work. Jiran expresses deep gratitude for the support of her UVic professors, especially the mentorship of Professor Rowe, which has greatly shaped her growth as a musician. “From the day I first stepped into UVic for my audition, I knew I wanted to study here,” she explains.

Looking ahead, Jiran plans to pursue advanced studies, aiming to blend her musical insights with composers’ intentions and, as an international student, to eventually share her knowledge and experiences with other musicians in China. Her performance of the Brahms’ Piano Concerto — considered a masterpiece of the Romantic era — will offer powerful orchestral textures and intricate piano passages that will take you on a memorable journey from turbulent passion to serene introspection.

The concert will also include Franz Schubert’s Fierabras, D. 796: Overture and will conclude with Antonín Dvořák’s lively Slavonic Dances, Op. 72. Inspired by the folk traditions of Dvořák’s homeland, these dances brim with infectious rhythms, vibrant melodies, and the spirit of Czech folk music, promising a joyous and exuberant finale to the evening. Also, be prepared for turn at the baton by Arturo García Cuéllar, our Graduate Assistant Conductor.

Don’t miss this unforgettable concert that showcases the beauty and power of orchestral music and emerging student performers at their finest!

Coming up in 2025 will be two more performances by our other two Concerto Competition winners: second year Master of Music soprano Olivia Charette, performing W.A. Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate (Exult, rejoice), K. 165 with the UVic Symphony Orchestra on February 13, 2025; and second-year music education student Spencer Leong Cowie, who will perform his winning concerto with the UVic Wind Symphony in our 2025-26 season.

Orion Series presents Jude Brereton

by | Nov 10, 2024 | Alumni, Events, Orion Series in Fine Arts, School of Music

The Orion
Lecture Series in Fine Arts

Through the generous support of the Orion Fund in Fine Arts, the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Victoria, is pleased to present:

“Singing in space(s): Past, present and future“

Featuring


Jude Brereton, Professor of Audio & Music Technologies 

1:30-2:30pm Monday, November 25 

Free & open to all

Presented by UVic’s School of Music

For more information on this lecture please email: music@uvic.ca

About the event 

Music happens in acoustic space: for centuries, composers and musicians have exploited the relationship between music and acoustics to great effect. Acoustic science has moved in huge strides from the days of using canons to capture the acoustic characteristics of a concert hall for further analysis. Audio digital technology allows us to capture data on room acoustics in great detail and use this to “auralise” virtual sound environments allowing us to place a performer — virtually — in any acoustic space we choose.

This presentation will report on learnings from the ongoing interdisciplinary project Architexture, which explores the connections and interplay between architectural acoustics, musical performance, and audience engagement through the use of interactive auralisation, composition and live events. The wealth of opportunities for interdisciplinary work on virtual acoustic reconstruction will also be discussed with a focus on engagement and access to the historical, present, and future of heritage spaces.

About the artist

 Jude Brereton is Professor of Audio and Music Technologies in the School of Arts and Creative Technologies at the University of York (UK) and currently Orion Visiting Scholar at UVic’s School of Music. Her research centers on the analysis and perception of music performance in real, virtual and augmented acoustic environments; she is particularly interested in the role of spatial sound to enhance performer and listener experience and interaction.

For over 20 years she has been active in seeking to improve inclusion and diversity in audio engineering and creative technologies education, and is currently co-investigator of an AHRC funded project to develop and evaluate co-created EDI interventions in virtual production.  As a musician, linguist and audio/acoustics specialist, her research and teaching is inherently interdisciplinary; she finds the greatest inspiration in collaborating with  musicians, scientists and engineers and seeks to work across and beyond disciplinary boundaries to gain a deeper understanding of our human relationship with sound and audio.

Photo credit: Kippa Matthews

About the Orion Fund

Established through the generous gift of an anonymous donor, the Orion Fund in Fine Arts is designed to bring distinguished visitors from other parts of Canada—and the world—to the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Fine Arts, and to make their talents and achievements available to faculty, students, staff and the wider Greater Victoria community who might otherwise not be able to experience their work.

The Orion Fund also exists to encourage institutions outside Canada to invite regular faculty members from our Faculty of Fine Arts to be visiting  artists/scholars at their institutions; and to make it possible for Fine Arts faculty members to travel outside Canada to participate in the academic life of foreign institutions and establish connections and relationships with them in order to encourage and foster future exchanges.

Visit our online events calendar at www.events.uvic.ca

Orion Series presents Virtuosic Technologies

by | Oct 15, 2024 | Alumni, Events, indigenous, Orion Series in Fine Arts, School of Music

The Orion
Lecture Series in Fine Arts

Through the generous support of the Orion Fund in Fine Arts, the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Victoria, is pleased to present:

 

 

 

 

“Virtuosic Technologies:

Indigenous and European

musical storytelling in the

17th century”

 

Featuring
Jonathon Adams, baritone
Chloe Kim, violin
Tom Foster, harpsichord/organ

 

7–9pm Monday, October 21 

Free & open to all

Presented by UVic’s School of Music 

For more information on this lecture please email: arthistory@uvic.ca

About the event 

 

Part conversation, part listening circle and open rehearsal, this session will approach works from this virtuosic European oeuvre, sharing specific technical challenges, comparing resources, and revealing moments of personal joy. They will also share early recordings of florid Cree singing, and examples of other highly ornamented traditional storytelling mediums, illuminating similarities between Indigenous modes of storytelling and the “geistliches Konzert” form.

As an ensemble, they consider the following questions: What technologies do we rely on to learn and share stories of deep spiritual resonance in a good way? What curatorial accountability do we accept when programming ancient European repertoires today, on stolen land? As we share these 350 year old sonic gems of world-bending grief, world-making ecstasy, world-affirming faith with you, can we do so in a musically curious and generative way? Inviting any voice, any body, any way of knowing into the circle?

About the artists

 

Jonathon Adams is a Cree-Métis two-spirit baritone from amiskwaciwâskahikan  (Edmonton, AB). They have appeared as a soloist under Masaaki Suzuki, Philippe Herreweghe, Laurence Equilbey, and Alexander Weimann, among others, with the New York Philharmonic, National Symphony, San Francisco Symphony, and Toronto Symphony Orchestras, the Washington Bach Consort, Tafelmusik, Ricercar Consort, B’Rock, Vox Luminis, the Netherlands Bach Society, and il Gardellino. In 2021 they were named the first artist-in-residence at Early Music Vancouver. They have lectured and led workshops at the Universities of Toronto, Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta (Augustana), Bard College, Festival Montréal Baroque, and the Juilliard School. Jonathon was featured in Against the Grain Theatre’s 2020 film MESSIAH/COMPLEX, in Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s MEA CULPA with Ballet Vlaanderen, and on Jessica McMann’s most recent album ‘Prairie Dusk’. They attended the Victoria Conservatory of Music, the Royal Academy of Music, and the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, studying with Nancy Argenta, Emma Kirkby and Rosemary Joshua.

Praised as a “rising superstar” (The Georgia Straight) who performs with “passion and intensity to electrifying effect” (The Vancouver Sun), CBC’s 30 under 30 violinist Chloe Kim (UVic BMus ’18) has performed internationally with leading ensembles such as Voices of Music, Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, and The English Concert. Chloe has shared the stage with celebrated figures including Rachel Podger, Masaaki Suzuki, and Pablo Heras-Casado. She is the recipient of several awards, most recently including the 2021 American Bach Society Grant, 2020/21 Mercury-Juilliard Fellowship, as well as nominations for Canada’s prestigious Sylva Gelber Award and the 2024 WMCT Career Development Award. Chloe has served on the panel for the BC Arts Council and is also a Fellow of The English Concert in America, elected in 2021. Collaborations with William Christie and Les Arts Florissants have brought her to concert venues across France. In the summer of 2019, Chloe performed across Scandinavia with Yale’s Schola Cantorum and served as concertmaster of Juilliard415 for multiple productions of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in London’s Holland Park and the Opéra Royal de Versailles. Chloe is indebted to her dear friends and mentors Elizabeth Blumenstock, Jeanne Lamon, Christina Mahler, and Heilwig von Königslöw.

Praised for his “dazzling virtuosity” (The Spectator), Tom Foster has a busy career as a continuo player on organ and harpsichord and as a harpsichord soloist. Respected for his sensitive and inventive continuo playing, Tom is the principal keyboard player of the English Concert and is a regular guest with The Academy of Ancient Music, Arcangelo, The Dunedin Consort, Early Opera Company, The Mahler Chamber Orchestra, The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Scottish Ensemble and The Sixteen. These collaborations have taken him to concert halls throughout Europe, the United States, Australia, Russia and South Korea. He has performed concertos at the Edinburgh International Festival and made his US solo-debut at Carnegie Hall in 2020. Tom began his musical education as a choirboy at Manchester Cathedral, then as a pianist and harpsichordist at Chetham’s School of Music. He holds a first-class degree in Music (BA) from St. Catherine’s College, Oxford and gained a Distinction in Performance (MA) from the Royal Academy of Music under the tutelage of Trevor Pinnock.

About the Orion Fund

Established through the generous gift of an anonymous donor, the Orion Fund in Fine Arts is designed to bring distinguished visitors from other parts of Canada—and the world—to the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Fine Arts, and to make their talents and achievements available to faculty, students, staff and the wider Greater Victoria community who might otherwise not be able to experience their work.

The Orion Fund also exists to encourage institutions outside Canada to invite regular faculty members from our Faculty of Fine Arts to be visiting  artists/scholars at their institutions; and to make it possible for Fine Arts faculty members to travel outside Canada to participate in the academic life of foreign institutions and establish connections and relationships with them in order to encourage and foster future exchanges.

Visit our online events calendar at www.events.uvic.ca

Welcoming Lauren McCall to Music

by | Sep 23, 2024 | Faculty, Research, School of Music

The School of Music is thrilled to welcome Dr. Lauren McCall as assistant research professor in composition and music technology. Dr. McCall will join our school on Jan. 1, 2025.

A composer and music educator from Atlanta, Georgia, McCall received her PhD in Music Technology from the Georgia Institute of Technology and her MFA in Music Composition from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her compositions have been performed around North America and Europe, including her piece for chamber ensemble and mobile phone orchestra, Contour Unveiled, and her composition Rain Musicfor baritone and piano. Along with composing, McCall plays classical music and jazz on woodwind instruments and piano.

With specializations in music and computer science education platforms, extended reality interactive systems for music, as well as graphic and digital music notation, McCall will bring exciting new and creative energy to the School, with the skills to make pedagogical and research contributions across disciplines. “Dr. McCall will enrich our programming with her creative compositional work, her research in virtual and augmented reality, her inclusive approaches to pedagogy, as well as her commitment to making music technology more accessible,” says UVic Music Director Alexis Luko. “Lauren is an exciting addition to our faculty.”

McCall is looking forward to working with students in UVic’s community and fostering new collaborative relationships with colleagues. With her diverse background, she hopes to help “spur on new forms of creativity within each discipline for the students and UVic’s program.” In her practice and teachings of how these different areas connect in interesting ways, McCall strives to “encourage exploration of the research, methods, and interconnectivity between these areas and how we can continue growing in knowledge and creativity with them.”

Current projects include a short opera with collaborator, Catherine Yu. The opera adapts Cate’s play Lizard for a variety of formats, from two vocalists and one pianist to two vocalists and a small chamber ensemble, so that it can be promoted to opera organizations with varying instrumentations.

We look forward to welcoming Dr. McCall in 2025!