News
2024
November
Dr. Karen Bulmer has been appointed dean of the School of Music
Dr. Karen Bulmer, who has acted as interim dean of the School of Music since June 2021, begins a five-year term effective Nov. 5, 2024.
“Dr. Bulmer is an experienced educator, administrator and performer with diverse experience at Memorial,” - Dr. Jennifer Lokash, provost and vice president (academic).
October
New Pilot Admissions Requirements for School of Fine Arts and School of Music Applicants
We are pleased to announce NEW pilot admissions requirements to our Bachelor of Music program! All applicants to the School of Music must first meet the general admission requirements for Memorial University. Interested in applying but don't meet Memorial University's general admission requirements? Starting with fall 2025, applicants to the School of Music's Bachelor of Music program may be able to take advantage of modified admission requirements through a new pilot admissions process.
Visit here for more information. Any questions? Email us at music@mun.ca.
Congratulations to Music and Business #MUNGrad2024 Erin Lee!
Congratulations to #MUNGrad2024 Erin Lee! Erin is graduating this fall as part of the first cohort of the joint bachelor of business administration and bachelor of music program (now bachelor of commerce and bachelor of music joint degree program). Read all about it in the Gazette!
“I want to keep music and art and creative expression in my life… there is a dire need for musicians and artists to have proficient business skills in today’s world. I’m proud there is such a trailblazing degree program in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Read all about how this unique program, the only one of its kind in Canada, has helped Erin discover her purpose, which she hopes will make a positive change in the world.
September
School of Music alumni win 1st Place in 2024 Young Canadian Composer Awards!
Congratulations to School of Music composition alumni Gavin Fraser and Robert Humber on winning First Prize in SOCAN Foundation’s Young Canadian Composer Awards!
Gavin Fraser won 1st Place in the Large Ensemble category for the piece “for dappled things”.
Robert Humber won 1st Place in the Chamber Orchestra category for the piece “into air”.
Congratulations to you both from all of us at the School of Music!
For more information and a complete list of winners, visit socanmagazine.ca.
July
School of Music alum Duncan Stenhouse named one of CBC Music's Top 30 Classical Musicians under 30, 2024 edition
Congratulations to School of Music alum Duncan Stenhouse on just being named one of CBC Music’s Top 30 Canadian Classical Musicians under 30! Duncan holds a Bachelor of Music (Honours) from Memorial University with a major in Performance and a minor in Composition. He is currently a member of Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio.
We have had several current students and alumni recognized on this list in the last few years! Current MMus student Olive MacPhail made CBC Music’s Top 30 list in 2023, alum Stephen Eckert in 2022, and alum Ben Diamond in 2021.
Congratulations, Duncan, on this well-deserved recognition! Visit the CBC Music page for a full list of recipients this year.
May
Congratulations to our 2024 East Coast Music Award-winning faculty!
Congratulations to School of Music faculty members Andrew Staniland and Florian Hoefner on your East Coast Music Association (ECMA) Award wins this past weekend!
Andrew Staniland took home the 2024 ECMA Award for Classical Composer of the Year award for Blackwood Sketches, featured on Kate Read’s album After.
Florian Hoefner’s project with Daniel Oore, Flying Pooka!, won the 2024 ECMA Award for Instrumental Recording of the Year for their album The Ectasy of Becoming.
Musicology Student Cameron Bennett's Research featured on CBC News
Cameron Bennett, a BMus Musicology student graduating this Spring 2024, recently spoke to CBC about his graduating essay: “I Bet You Think About Me”: Taylor Swift, Illusory Intimacy, and the Economization of Fandom.
Cameron’s essay asks a very timely question: how has Swift developed a persona and a fan-artist relationship which has led to the illusion of intimacy between her and her fans, and in what ways has Swift been successful in economizing this relationship? His paper analyzes two recent examples of Swift’s intimate fan relationship in action: The Eras Tour and the re-recording project.
Watch CBC's interview with Cameron here.
April
Introducing the first graduating class of Memorial University’s Joint Music and Business Degree program!
Introducing the first class of students graduating with a joint Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Memorial University!
Left to right: Erin Lee, Clare Follett, Matthew Fillier, Stephen Flynn, and professor Dr. Gillian Morrissey. Missing from photo: Hugh Hunt.
This five-year joint Music and Business degree program began accepting students in the 2019-20 academic year and the inaugural graduates of this program presented their capstone project last week in the course Music Business in Practice.
Music Business in Practice is a course taken by students in the final year of the joint Music and Business program. It allows students to develop and explore business pathways and opportunities in the music industry through project based, experiential learning.
March
Dr. Harris Berger Renewed as Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Ethnomusicology
In a recent funding announcement by the Government of Canada, Dr. Harris Berger was renewed for another five-year term as a tier 1 Canada Research Chair in ethnomusicology, one of Canada’s highest academic honours. Congratulations, Dr. Berger!
“The renewal of Dr. Berger’s position is a crescendo in the realm of ethnomusicology and folklore studies within Newfoundland and Labrador.
“Without the CRC’s support, many of my projects would have been difficult or impossible to pursue. It also supports graduate students here at Memorial. It will allow the university to continue to recruit and retain the very best young minds in the discipline.”
Read more about the work Dr. Berger is doing as director of MMaP Research Centre in the MUN Gazette here.
Inter-campus collaboration: Grenfell, St. John's theatre and music students produce full-scale opera
An interdisciplinary, multi-campus collaboration between Memorial University students will soon bring a “magical” opera to life.
Our opera and chamber orchestra programs will premiere their production of Maurice Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges on Saturday, March 23 at 7:30pm and Sunday, March 24, 2024 at 1:30pm in D.F. Cook Recital Hall.
Read about how the opera came together thanks to a cross-campus collaboration between School of Music and Theatre at Grenfell students in the MUN Gazette here.
February
Congratulations to the School of Music alumni who are nominated for 2024 JUNO Awards!
Congratulations to the School of Music alumni who are nominated for 2024 JUNO Awards!
Bekah Simms (BMus ’12, BMus Ed ’13) is nominated for Classical Album of the Year (Large Ensemble) for Bestiaries, Cryptid Ensemble.
Duane Andrews (MMus ’17) is nominated for Children’s Album of the Year for The Swinging Belles’ Welcome to the Flea Circus.
Sarah Comerford (BMus, BMus Ed ’02, MMus ’14) is nominated for MusiCounts Teacher of the Year.
Congratulations on your well-deserved nominations!
Hear an interview with these nominees and 2023 JUNO Award winner and faculty member Florian Hoefner on CBC Radio's The Signal on March 19, 2024 as they talk about the JUNOs, teaching, and the love of music learning.
Florian Hoefner's Juno statuette arrives at School of Music!
2023
September
Dr. Christine Carter elected to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists
One of our faculty members has been given one of Canada’s highest scholarly honours! Congratulations to Dr. Christine Carter on being elected to the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists (RSC)!
In addition to being an acclaimed clarinetist and recording artist, Dr. Carter is an expert in performance psychology and one of the few active concert artists worldwide conducting research in the area.
Read all about Dr. Carter and three other researchers from Memorial University to have recently received this honour in the Gazette.
May
School of Music Student Anna Mercer one of ten students in Canada recognized as a 3M National Student Fellow
A Memorial University School of Music student has been recognized as a 3M National Student Fellow by The Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.
Anna Mercer, from Coley’s Point, N.L., is the second student from Memorial University to receive the fellowship, and the first one since 2014.
The 3M National Student Fellowship honours up to 10 full-time diploma and undergraduate students at Canadian post-secondary institutions who demonstrate outstanding leadership in their programs and in their lives beyond their academic experience.
“I am honoured to have received the 3M national student fellowship award as an undergraduate student of Memorial University,” said Ms. Mercer. “This achievement would not have been possible without the knowledge and skills I have gained through the education and experiences provided by this institution. I am incredibly proud to represent Memorial University and look forward to using the skills I have learned here to pursue a successful career.”
March
Jazz Studies Professor Florian Hoefner wins JUNO Award!
Congratulations to our Jazz Studies Professor, Florian Hoefner, on his Trio winning the 2023 JUNO Award for Jazz Album of the Year (Group) for the album Desert Bloom.
Well deserved! Congratulations, Florian, from all of your students & colleagues at the School of Music!
#MusicAtMemorial alumna Bekah Simms also took home the JUNO for Classical Composition of the Year! Congratulations, Bekah!
Congratulations and best wishes to the Music at Memorial nominees at the JUNO Awards!
January
School of Music faculty, staff, and alumni amongst 2023 ECMA nominees
Congratulations to all the 2023 East Coast Music Award nominees including those in the School of Music community!
Our jazz professor Florian Hoefner is nominated for Instrumental Recording of the Year and Jazz Recording of the Year.
Our composition professor Andrew Staniland is nominated for Classical Composer of the Year and Classical Recording of the Year.
Duo Concertante, made of up faculty members Timothy Steeves and Nancy Dahn, is nominated for Classical Recording of the Year.
Alumna Jing Xia (PhD Ethnomusicology 2022) is nominated for Global Recording of the Year and Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year.
The Kubasonics, featuring alumni Maria Cherwick (MMus 2017) and Matthew Hender (BMus 2008), are nominated for Global Recording of the Year and Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year.
Alumnus Duane Andrews (MMus 2017) is nominated for Jazz Recording of the Year.
Alumna Michelle LaCour (BMus 2013) is nominated for Live Sound Engineer of the Year.
Alumna Mary Beth Waldram (BMus 2011) is nominated for Artist Management of The Year.
The School of Music's Marketing Advisor Danielle Hamel and her project It Could Be Franky is nominated for Electronic Recording of the Year.
Congratulations to all of the talented musicians, composers, and industry professionals in our community!
Retired faculty member Dr. Douglas Dunsmore appointed to the Order of Canada
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Retired Music at Memorial faculty member and former Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Douglas Dunsmore, has been appointed to the Order of Canada for his “leadership as a choral conductor and music educator, and for his significant contributions to prominent provincial and national music organizations!”
Dr. Dunsmore left an indelible mark on the School of Music before retiring in 2013, including the development of our graduate program in choral conducting. Among his many roles in the choral community, Dr. Dunsmore was the inaugural director of the Bruneau Centre for Excellence in Choral Music, a founding director of Growing the Voices: Festival 500, and the founding director of the Philharmonic Choir of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra. He is currently serving the local choir community as the director of choirs at Gower United Church and director of the Anchormen Barbershop Chorus.
On behalf of your colleagues, students and choristers from your years here at the School of Music, congratulations Dr. Dunsmore on receiving one of our country’s highest honours!
Read the full list of 2022 appointees to the Order of Canada here.
2022
November
School of Music faculty, students, and alumni take home 2022 MusicNL Awards
The 2022 MusicNL Award winners were recently announced and we would like to wish a congratulations to all the winners, including those in the School of Music community!
Congratulations to our jazz professor Florian Hoefner who took away two MusicNL awards, Global Music Artist of the Year and Instrumental Artist of the Year.
There was a strong representation of #MusicAtMemorial alumni amongst the MusicNL award winners this year:
Rosemary Lawton Music (BMus 2016, BMusEd 2019) won Celtic/Traditional Artist of the Year and Music Video of the Year. Rosemary's record was produced, engineered and mixed by current Joint BMus/BBA student Clare Follett.
Jing Xia (PhD Ethnomusicology 2022) won Rising Star of the Year.
Maria Cherwick (MMus 2017) and Matthew Hender (BMus 2008) along with their band, The Kubasonics, took home Folk/Roots Artist of the Year.
Carole Bestvater (MMus 2013) took home Country Artist of the Year for her work with Youngtree and The Blooms.
Michelle LaCour (BMus 2013) won Recording Engineer/Producer of the Year.
Mary Beth Waldram (BMus 2011) won Industry Professional of the Year.
We are proud of the many career paths that many of our alumni have taken upon graduation and join their peers in acknowledging their contribution to the music community.
October
Music at Memorial faculty member Gregory Oh wins a Dora Award!
Congratulations to Music at Memorial faculty member Gregory Oh on winning a Dora Award for Outstanding Musical Direction, Opera Division, for his work with Tapestry Opera’s production of R.U.R. A Torrent of Light!
Music at Memorial alum Stephen Eckert named one of CBC Music's Top 30 Canadian Classical Musicians under 30!
Congratulations to Music at Memorial alum Stephen Eckert on being named one of CBC Music's Top 30 Canadian Classical Musicians under 30!
Stephen graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2019 with a BMus (Hons) in Piano Performance and Composition.
Bravo, Stephen!
June
Congratulations to our 2022 Graduates!
Congrats to all the 2022 Music at Memorial Graduates! We are so proud of all your hard work and wish you all the best on your future endeavours!
We profiled some of our 2022 Graduates and asked them about their favourite memories, their advice for new students, why they chose to study at Memorial, and what's next in their journey.
May
Meet the Majors - Performance - Anna Rumboldt
Anna Rumbolt was born and raised in Gander, Newfoundland. She recently completed her Bachelor of Music degree (Honours) majoring in Vocal Performance at Memorial University’s School of Music, under the direction of Dr. Caroline Schiller. She is currently completing her Masters in Performance Pedagogy at MUN studying with Dr. Jane Leibel.
Read our interview with Anna Rumboldt, B.Mus. '21, M.Mus. '23!
April
Music and Ecology Student Projects
This past term, students of the brand-new course MUS 4005/6905 Music and Ecology explored the complex relationships between sound, music, humans/nonhumans, and the environment. Taught by Dr. Meghan Forsyth, students examined how humans create, express, and sustain their relationships their surrounding environments through music through a series of global case studies and creative projects. Throughout the course, St. John’s-based composer and sound artist Benton Roark provided additional feedback on student projects.
The creative projects that culminated from this course combined ideas about music, ecology, and place to produce new works, including some mixed media works, recordings, podcasts, sound maps, sound walks, and creative writing.
Explore some examples of the Winter 2022 Music and Ecology student projects!
Meet the Majors - Comprehensive - Kendra Sutton
Kendra Sutton grew up in Goulds, NL but is currently living in beautiful downtown St. John’s. She studied voice at Memorial University with the lovely Meghan Herder and graduated in April 2021. Kendra is now thoroughly enjoying the Music Ed. as a Second Degree program at Memorial. She is eager to complete her internship this coming September, and excited to graduate in December and dive into the wonderful world of teaching!
Read our interview with Kendra Sutton, B.Mus. '21, B.Mus.Ed. '22!
Meet the Majors - Composition - Jack Etchegary
Jack Etchegary graduated from Memorial University's School of Music in 2018 with a BMus (Hons) in Composition. He is currently finishing a MMus in Instrumental Conducting, graduating in April 2022! Jack is from St. John's, NL and upon graduation, he would like to teach post-secondary and create/lead some contemporary music ensembles!
Read our interview with Jack Etchegary!
Meet the Majors - Joint Major in Music Performance and Musicologies - Hannah Sparkes
Hannah Sparkes is from Corner Brook, Newfoundland, and is a fourth-year student at Memorial University of Newfoundland’s School of Music, majoring in Euphonium Performance and Musicologies, and minoring in Psychology. This semester, she is researching the potential effects of music-based interventions on the mental health of prison inmates for her graduating essay. In the future, Hannah would like to work in the healthcare system, advocating for community-based programming that supports mental health and wellbeing. She will be graduating in the Spring of 2022 and plans to pursue graduate studies.
Read our interview with Hannah Sparkes!
March
Meet the Majors - Performance with Jazz Minor - Matthew Roome
Matthew Roome is a third-year BMus saxophone student at Memorial University, majoring in performance and minoring in jazz studies. Originally from St. John's, Matthew is an active jazz performer and arranger in town, performing in smaller combos in the downtown scene as well as larger ensembles like the Jazz East Big Band.
Read our interview with Matthew Roome!
Dr. Caroline Schiller honoured with Memorial University’s President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching
School of Music Voice and Opera professor Dr. Caroline Schiller was presented with Memorial University’s 2021 President’s Award for Distinguished Teaching in a ceremony on March 10, 2022 on Signal Hill Campus in St. John’s.
Congratulations, Dr. Schiller! Thank you for all that you do for the Voice and Opera studio here at the School of Music!
Meet the Majors - Comprehensive - Vanessa Legge
Vanessa Legge is from St. John’s, NL and currently teaching Music, Art and French at Bay d’Espoir Academy in St. Albans, NL. A Memorial University graduate, she has a Bachelor of Music (B.Mus. 2020) and a Bachelor of Music Education (B.Mus.Ed 2021). Vanessa hopes to create a safe, welcoming and inclusive classroom for all of her students; teaching the importance of musical and artistic expression for the overall development and wellness of students.
February
Meet the Majors - Performance - Grace Nolan
In our Meet the Majors series, we are profiling current students and alumni of programs offered at Memorial University’s School of Music! Whether you are a current student or thinking of applying, we hope these interviews help you gain insight into the range of programs that the School of Music has to offer.
Meet Grace Nolan, a Bachelor of Music student majoring in performance!
Meet the Majors - Composition - Andrew Gosse
Andrew Gosse is a current B.Mus. Composition student at Memorial University of Newfoundland's School of Music studying with Dr. Andrew Staniland and Dr. Clark Ross. Gosse was born and grew up in St. John’s, Newfoundland. His work explores and often connects the realms of contemporary classical, electronic, and improvisatory music.
Meet Andrew Gosse, a current Bachelor of Music student majoring in composition!
Meet the Majors - Comprehensive Major - Jamie Moran
To help students decide which major or minor is right for them, we are profiling faculty, current students, and alumni of programs offered at Memorial University’s School of Music! Whether you are a current student or thinking of applying, we hope these interviews help you gain insight into the range of programs that the School of Music has to offer.
Meet Jamie Moran, who recently graduated with a B.Mus. Degree and is currently working towards a Bachelor of Music Education degree with the Faculty of Education.
2021
November
Virtual Open House
From Nov. 15-17, explore Memorial University's St. John's campus from the comfort of your home!
Get a feel for undergraduate student life and connect with faculty, staff and students. The School of Music will be participating in virtual sessions during this event between 6pm-9pm NST on Tuesday, November 16.
Upcoming Zoom Q&As
The School of Music at Memorial University invites you to attend our two upcoming information sessions (on Zoom):
1) Music Programs Q&A (Undergraduate and Graduate) - December 7, 7:30pm NST
2) Ethnomusicology Graduate Programs Q&A - December 8, 4:30pm NST
Click for more info.
October
Dr. Andrew Staniland releases Reddened by Hammer
Dr. Andrew Staniland is a professor of composition and electronic music here at the School of Music. His newest record, Reddened by Hammer: Earthquakes and Islands Remixed, was released October 15 on Canadian Music Centre's Centrediscs. Reddened by Hammer, an intersection of electroacoustic composition and art song, is streaming now on Apple Music and Spotify. Find out more and pre-order the vinyl at www.andrewstaniland.com.
Filmed on location at the MEARL (Memorial ElectroAcoustic Research Lab). To find out more about studying composition at Memorial University's School of Music, explore our Programs here.
Thinking about applying? We want to meet you!
Thinking about applying to our Bachelor of Music or Master of Music programs? Let's chat!
Meet us at the RCM Music Fair, October 16-17 or chat with us over Zoom on October 20. Find out more here.
September
Nancy Dahn and Timothy Steeves jointly awarded the John Lewis Paton Distinguished University Professorship
Congratulations to Music at Memorial faculty Nancy Dahn & Timothy Steeves of Duo Concertante upon being jointly awarded the John Lewis Paton Distinguished University Professorship from Memorial University of Newfoundland!
This well-deserved award recognizes faculty who embody the university's mission by demonstrating exceptional teaching, undertaking world-class research and sharing their knowledge and expertise widely.
Congratulations, Tim and Nancy!
Hear. Together. Fall 2021 Mainstage Concert Series
Here is a message from Dr. Karen Bulmer, Acting Dean of the School of Music, inviting you back to our D. F. Cook Recital Hall for our Fall 2021 Mainstage Concert Series!
Visit our events page for a full schedule of our Mainstage Series.
July
Ben Diamond Named to 30 Under 30 List
Guitarist Ben Diamond has been named one of CBC Music's 30 Canadian classical musicians under 30 for 2021. Diamond graduated from Memorial University with a Bachelor of Music (Performance, Honours) this spring.
Diamond is the co-founder of the Atlantic Guitar Society, which is currently hosting its second annual Virtual Guitar Retreat. He also recently released his debut album Prime. This fall, Diamond will begin the Master of Music program at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University.
Consciously Choosing Music
Dr. Gillian Morrissey was recently named acting manager of the Centre for Social Enterprise. A graduate of the Master of Music program, she consciously chooses to keep music making as a cornerstone of her life.
I spoke with Gillian about how this new position has impacted her musical life.
New Album of Music by Clifford Crawley
Professor Emeritus and pianist Maureen Volk announces the release of her new album Clifford Crawley: Moods & Miniatures.
Volk is joined on the recording by two current School of Music faculty members (flutist Michelle Cheramy and clarinetist Christine Carter) and another fellow Faculty Emeritus (pianist Beverly Diamond).
February
Music At Memorial Concert Series Update
Hello Friends;
The recent increase in COVID-19 cases and the corresponding public health measures in Newfoundland and Labrador have forced changes to the Music@Memorial Digital Concert Series.
I am sorry to say that we have canceled the following concerts:
February 25: Kate Read and Timothy Steeves | Keep in Touch
March 11: Sylvie Proulx | Tanguissimo: Piazzolla meets Borges
March 18: Florian Hoefner | Standard Time
March 25: Vernon Regehr | Portraits of Ravel
April 1: Iris Trio | Night Music
In essence, the current public health measures make it impossible for our musicians and recording professionals to rehearse, record, and edit these concerts.
Now, some good news! We are pleased to announce that the “Faculty Gala” will proceed as scheduled (Thursday, March 4) and is shaping up to be an incredible concert. This year's edition of this popular show will feature previously unseen performances by the Iris Trio, Kate Read, Duo Concertante, and Jing Xia and the State of Emergency Band plus many more wonderful moments. We hope you can join us!
Thank you for your continued support of Music@Memorial.
Sincerely,
Ian Sutherland
Dean, School of Music
2020
January
Soaring Outreach
A production in a St. John’s high school gymnasium almost two decades ago launched what has become an extraordinary musical and cultural experience for more than 100,000 children across Atlantic Canada.
Memorial University’s Opera Roadshow celebrates its 17th season this spring with its version of Engelbert Humperdink’s Hansel and Gretel
Click here to read more: https://gazette.mun.ca/campus-and-community/soaring-outreach/
Call for Nominations
Memorial University Alumni Tribute Awards Nominations are now open for the 2020 Memorial University Alumni Tribute Awards in four categories: Alumni of the Year Award, J.D. Eaton Award (for outstanding volunteer service to Memorial), Horizon Award (for exceptional achievement by alumni under age of 35), and Outstanding Community Service Award. These prestigious awards are an incredible way to honour alumni who have made a tremendous difference to their professions, communities, and Memorial University. Submit your nomination online by March 27, 2020: https://bit.ly/2uK2ZWn
Newfound Music Festival XVII
Newfound Music Festival is a 2-day celebration of new music through performances, guest lectures and a wide-ranging symposium component.
For more information Click Here
2019
October
Music@Noon: Ripple Effect with Karen Bulmer
Dr. Karen Bulmer, our low brass applied professor and resident yoga instructor, will be featured in our Music@Noon series on Tuesday, October 22nd. Dr. Bulmer has been preparing a very impressive piece by American composer and trumpetter, Allen Vizzutti, entitled Cascades which was originally written for unaccompanied trumpet. At Ripple Effect, you’ll hear the tuba play notes at mind-bending speeds never heard before within our walls.
Dr. Bulmer will be joined for her recital by much talent including Michelle Cheramy, Emily Dunsmore, Kristina Szutor, Andrew Staniland, Matt Hardy, Rob Power, Bill Brennan, Jack Etchegary and will also perform a work by Clark Ross.
Check out the learning process of Cascades here.
Aiding & Abetting: MUN Music featured at Sound Symposium's electronic music festival, ONSOUND.
On October 18th, our undergraduates, Bert Power and Ben Diamond, alumni, Gillian Sheppard, Bekah Simms, Joseph Donaghey and Andrew Noseworthy, faculty member, Andrew Staniland and collaborative pianist, Mado Christie, will come together to present Aiding & Abetting as part of Sound Symposium’s brand new four-day electronic music festival, ONSOUND. The concert will be held in the D.F. Cook Recital Hall at 7:30pm with a pre-show lecture by Bekah Simms starting at 6:30pm. For more information about the festival visit the Sound Symposium website.
August
Music Students Win Big at National Festival
Memorial University School of Music had a wide representation at the National Music Festival this year with students in 5 categories. Special congratulations to Ben Diamond (guitar), Yanet Campbell (violin) and Rachel Bradbury (percussion) who all won 2nd place in their divisions!
Music Faculty member off to New Zealand
Faculty member, Andrew Staniland Composer, was selected by the Canadian Section of the ISCM to represent Canada at the ISCM World Music Days 2020 in Auckland and Christchurch, New Zealand! http://bit.ly/2YqSRzJ
January
Winners of the 2019 Concerto Competition!
A big congratulations to trombonist, Erin Sullivan and double bassist, Matthew Hardy for their recent success in the Concerto Competition. Sullivan has been offered a performance with the wind ensemble, and Hardy with the chamber orchestra. Congratulations to all involved!
2018
May
Memorial University School of Music ECMA Winners
Please join us in congratulating Memorial University School of Music faculty in their 2018 East Coast Music Awards win!
Duo Concertante, 2018 Classical Recording of the Year, for Incarnation
Andrew Staniland, 2018 Classical Composition of the Year, for The River Within Us
April
Opera workshop presents 'spirited' productions
In the final performance of her graduate career at Memorial’s School of Music, mezzo-soprano Hannah O’Donnell stars as a bogus medium who stages séances to commune with the deceased.
It’s just the kind of role she was looking for — a “mountain of a role,” she calls it.
March
Raising their voices to share Innuit musical heritage
When soprano Deantha Edmunds performs her favourite aria from Handel’s Messiah in Inuktitut on Saturday night, she’ll think about her father Albert Edmunds who grew up in Hopedale on the Labrador Coast.
January
Newfound Music Festival an homage to everything new!
The 15th annual Newfound Music Festival at Memorial University’s School of Music features an inventive, jazz-influenced composer/improviser in residence, a symposium of short talks and demonstrations, energetic performances, world premieres and at least one old (musical) saw.
2017
December
Music student Oxford bound for next big performance
Fourth-year School of Music student Michael O’Keefe was at home, enjoying a little rest and relaxation before wind ensemble rehearsal, when the phone rang.
Music and Engineering play with feeling to create new instrument
“If the body made music, what would that sound like? As a composer, it’s an interesting question to ask.”
November
Curiosity and detective work lead to latest recording
Dr. Paul Rice is a musicologist who loves a good mystery.
The professor in the School of Music is a sleuth, really, employing his detective skills to research little-known composers, singers and concert directors of the 17th and 18th centuries.
October
Award-winning dissertation breaks new ground
Ethiopia is home to the Arsi Oromo peoples, who live mainly in rural communities raising animals and farming.
September
Ethnomusicology dissertation named best in Canada
Best in Canada! Congratulations to Leila Qashu, who earned her PhD in Ethnomusicology at Memorial's MMaP Research Centre and is recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Dissertation Award for Fine Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Staniland ballet featured on National Arts Centre Orchestra recording
What a year it’s been for Music@Memorial’s Dr. Andrew Staniland! And that’s no understatement.
Pursue your passion for music - even if you're not a Music student!
Did you love playing in a band or singing your way through junior and senior high school?
Are you into music but registered for another program? Well fear not - the School of Music has courses and ensembles for you, and there's still time to register! Your deadline is Sept. 20, so come on over to the bright side!
2017/18 concert series ready to launch
We're celebrating the opening of our 2017/18 music@memorial Concert Series with a little pre-concert launch! Join MUN School of Music dean, Dr. Ian Sutherland, as he highlights some special guest performers, and shares a few little surprises.
July
New graduate has instrumental experience at Memorial's School of Music
Studying at Memorial's School of Music has opened a lot of doors for new graduate Mitchel Fleming, including acceptance to law schools in every part of the country.
June
New students get a warm-up to student life through SOAR
For two days in July on the St. John’s campus, incoming students will have the opportunity to “preview” what their university experience may look and feel like.
Junior Band Week registration deadline coming up!
Know a student who might want to blow their own horn this summer? Registration for music@memorial's 6th annual Junior Band Week at the School of Music is coming up July 1, 2017!
Port-au-Port fable is basis for latest Opera RoadShow production
Two singing codfish, a witch, a prince in disguise, the sun, the wind, and a fisherman. Rhyming off the colourful cast of characters is Dr. Caroline Schiller’s introduction to the Opera RoadShow’s latest production, Le Nez de la Sorcière – The Witch’s Nose, at the D.F. Cook Recital Hall.
MMaP partners on "Fancy" new recording
Here’s a recipe for success: Take some Irish music, Newfoundland music, and English music. Mix them all together, throw in a bit of French music and leave it to ferment for a couple hundred years.
May
Share your well wishes with new Music grads!
Our new Music graduates cross the stage this Friday afternoon, so use #MUNgrad2017 to share your convocation congratulations, photos and special moments via social media!
School of Music receives Creative Arts Award
Congrats to music@memorial's Jane Gosine and Music alumnus (now Medical student) Kalen Thomson, co-directors of the Better Breathing Choir and 2017 recipients of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) Creative Arts Award, along with Shalloway Youth Choir.
April
Student wins composition competition
Fourth-year composition student Ben Taylor is the recipient of the 2017 Terra Nova Program Composition Competition.
January
Shallaway partnership
Shallaway's artistic director, Kellie Walsh on a new ensemble, Lauda.
2016
December
Welcome to our Rock Star
Dr Harris Berger was appointed CRC in Ethnomusicology on Friday December 2nd.
November
Congratulations to IICSI
Heble won the 2016 SSHRC Impact Award in the Partnership Grant category for IICSI.
October
Congratulations to Dr Diamond
Congratulations to Dr Beverley Diamond who was publicly recognized as professor emeritus during convocation.
Research in the Community
Linking to two articles about research led by School of Music professor, Dr. Jane Gosine.
Visiting Voice Specialist
Dr Darryl Edwards is visiting the School of Music for a series of workshops and presentations.
September
Presenting Dr. Mark Finch
Dr. Mark Finch has successfully defended his PhD dissertation in the Ethnomusicology graduate program at Memorial University.
Fellowship for Griffioen
Congratulations to Jenny Griffioen who was awarded the F.A. Aldrich Fellowship.
Two Professors become Royal Society of Canada Fellows
Congratulations to Nancy Dahn and Timothy Steeves who have been elected fellows to the Royal Society of Canada.
August
Regehr Releases App
A team led by Dr Vernon Regehr has released their App on iTunes.
Sutherland Wins Award
Dr Sutherland won Outstanding Article of the Year Award from influential journal.
MUN Startup Goes to Kickstarter
A soulful digital musical instrument is born right here and hits Kickstarter for a chance at manufacture.
Talking with Ellen Waterman
Dr. Ellen Waterman talks about her new book and about the International Institute for Critical Studies in Improvisation.
40th Anniversary Reunion
2016 marks the 40th anniversary of Memorial University’s School of Music! A celebratory weekend is planned for October 13-16, 2016. What a time it will be!
July
Music of the Heart
Researchers explore social, expressive and cultural benefits of community music therapy.
School of Music Researcher Curates Acadian Dance Exhibition
Dr. Meghan Forsyth opened a new exhibition she curated on Acadian dance traditions at the Acadian Museum of Prince Edward Island.
June
Two Alumni Win Arts & Letters Awards
Rebecca Simms and Aiden Hartery both won 2016 Newfoundland & Labrador Arts & Letters Awards.
BMus Student Joins Navy Band
Trombonist Joshua Penney joins the Stadacona Band of The Royal Canadian Navy in September.
April
MUN professor presenting NYOC Workshop
School of Music professor presenting performance psychology workshop at NYOC.
New Dean at the School of Music
The School of Music has a new dean, School of Music alumnus Dr. Ian Sutherland.
2016 Terra Nova Composition Competition Winners
Two School of Music student composers tie for first prize.
Kjellrun Hestekin Memorial Fund Contribution
Cheque for $3,000 received from Jazz East and the Gower Community Band.
School of Music Grad Students and Alum Win at Junos
Memorial's graduate music programs were well represented at this year's Juno awards.
March
Faculty Member Receives Prestigious Commission
Composer Andrew Staniland has received a prestigious commission from the National Arts Centre.
February
Clifford Crawley
The School of Music has lost a very dear friend and colleague.
Music Student Wins International Essay Contest
An essay written by an undergraduate student in the music program, has been accepted for publication in Nota Bene.
2015
November
Circle of Conversation
Memorial University and the Nunatsiavut Government are collaborating on a five year research initiative.
September
Music Professor to be honoured by University of Lethbridge
Dr. Andrew Staniland has been named the University of Lethbridge Alumni Association’s 2015 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.
May
Dance Symposium to Celebrate Naming of Community Dance Studio
A group of internationally renowned ethnomusicologists will join local scholars and dancers for a lively exchange about embodiment, pedagogy and dance to celebrate the naming of a new community dance studio in the St. John’s Arts and Culture Centre.
Guitarists win top prizes at international competition
The School of Music is thrilled to announce that our guitar alumni swept the awards at the 2015 Montreal International Guitar Festival held in April at Concordia University. The competition attracts guitarists from around the world.
April
ECMA success for School of Music
Memorial’s School of Music has long served as a talent incubator for Newfoundland and Labrador’s prolific music community.
Grants Awarded for Excellence in Choral Music
Hills across Newfoundland and Labrador are alive with the sound of choral singing, thanks to the creativity and passion of choristers and generous project funding from Drs. Jean and Angus Bruneau through the Bruneau Centre for Excellence in Choral Music (BCECM) at Memorial University.
March
Student Wins Prize at Aldrich Conference
On March 22, 2015, MMus Performance candidate Arlan Vriens was awarded First Prize (Teaching and Learning Stream) at the 2015 Aldrich Interdisciplinary Conference at Memorial University.
January
Piano Fundraising Campaign a Success
A half a million dollars later, the bulk of the pianos in the School of Music have been replaced or refurbished thanks in large part to private donors.
2014
November
Great Friend of Music, Helen MacLeod Celebrates 100th Birthday
The School of Music wanted to help Mrs. Helen MacLeod to celebrate her 100thbirthday with a gift of music, so we made a video birthday card!
Beverley Diamond wins SSHRC Gold Medal
Dr. Beverley Diamond, Canada Research Chair in Ethnomusicology at Memorial’s School of Music and Faculty of Arts has been awarded the SSHRC Gold Medal for lifetime achievement and impact as a scholar.
StringFest 2014
This week-end, over 60 young string players will come together for StringFest 2014.
September
Staniland named to Royal Society of Canada College
The School of Music is proud to announce that Dr. Andrew Staniland is one of two Memorial professors to receive one of the highest honours for an academic in Canada.
Search for Canada Research Chair in Ethnomusicology underway
The School of Music and Faculty of Arts (Department of Folklore) are pleased to launch a search for a Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Ethnomusicology.
July
Developing tomorrow's leaders through song
When Drs. Angus and Jean Bruneau gave a one million gift to create the Bruneau Centre for Excellence in Choral Music (BCECM) at Memorial University, they hoped the donation would “help people make ripples within their communities.”
June
MUN Song Academy
On June 29, MUN Song Academy welcomes young singers for a weeklong singing experience that includes lessons, coaching, masterclasses as well as classes in bodywork/dance, vocal health and language.
Redshift and MUN Wind Ensemble at The Rooms
Redshift presents a Newfoundland Premiere Performance of their Vertical Orchestra East: Trade Winds at The Rooms.
May
First Memorial ECMA
A professor of composition recently achieved a milestone for Memorial’s School of Music – its first East Coast Music Award (ECMA).
March
Renowned Choral Conductor Dale Warland at Memorial
The Bruneau Centre for Excellence in Choral Music is pleased to support a residency with Dale Warland, one of the most significant and internationally renowned choral conductors in North America, from Tuesday 11th March to Friday 14th March.
February
Music Professor wins 3M Teaching Fellowship
Dr. Maureen Volk, professor with the School of Music at Memorial, has been recognized as one of the nation’s top teachers.
School of Music receives major scholarship endowment
Memorial’s School of Music is very pleased to announce the establishment of the Procunier Family Scholarships, four new full-tuition scholarships made possible by the largest single bequest the school has ever received.
Documenting the Present/Visioning the Past
Award-winning documentary filmmaker and York University professor Dr. Barbara Evans will talk about the development of various styles of documentary filmmaking in relation to the evolution of ethnographic filmmaking.
January
Newfound Music - Wednesday cancellation
Due to the weather, the university will be closed this evening, Wednesday, 29th January.
Newfound Music XI
NOTE: Changes have been made to the Newfound Music Festival Schedule. See the new schedule of events here - http://www.mun.ca/music/newfound/
Faculty CD Recording wins Critical Praise
Musicologist, Paul F. Rice, has embarked on an extended research project dealing with the career of the singer, composer and concert director, Venanzio Rauzzini.
BMus Application Deadline Extended
Application Deadline Extended to January 18, 2014
All Memorial University facilities were closed on the island of Newfoundland from Jan. 6th - 8th. Due to this unforeseen closure the deadline for applications to the Bachelor of Music program will be extended until January 18th, 2014.
2013
December
Music and Science Student Province's Newest Rhodes Scholar
Anthony Payne of Pasadena is Newfoundland and Labrador’s newest Rhodes Scholar.
Music Alumnus wins Conducting Award
Ontario Arts Council article on MUN Alumnus, Martin MacDonald receiving the 2013 Heinz Unger Award.
November
A Call for Choral Music
Have a vision for choral music in Newfoundland and Labrador? Now is your chance to dream big.
Joy! Choir and Orchestra
Joy! brings together Christmas choral favourites with sparkling contemporary music!
September
Student Publishes Book on Music in the Faroes
Joshua Green has published his first book, Music-making in the Faroes in June 2013.
Tom Gordon Named Acting Director of Institute for Canadian Music
Dr. Tom Gordon, Honorary Research Professor in the School of Music, has been appointed a visiting professor in the Faculty of Music at the University of Toronto.
Kati Szego Named Editor of Prestigious Music Journal
Dr. Kati Szego of the School of Music at Memorial University has been named the editor of the prestigious journal Yearbook for Traditional Music.
Ethnomusicology Graduate Named Fulbright Scholar
Dr. Marion MacLeod, a graduate of the School of Music, has been named Fulbright Scholar.
Postdoctoral Fellow awarded SSHRC Research Grant
Dr. Meghan Forsyth has been awarded a SSHRC Connection Grant for her project "Dansez! Acadian Dance Traditions on Prince Edward Island, Past and Present."
Dancing Across the Diaspora
Dr. Kristin Harris Walsh has received a SSHRC Insight Development Grant (IDG) for her project, “Dancing Across the Diaspora: Style, Context and Practice of Three Canadian Step Dance Styles.”
July
Steve Cowan wins International Guitar Competition
Congratulations to MUN School of Music alumnus Steve Cowan this year's winner of the Boston GuitarFest International competition.
MUN Song Academy Launched
June 24 to 29 is a week of song at Memorial School of Music.
March
School of Music renames Petro-Canada Hall to Suncor Energy Hall
Memorial University announced Wednesday a renaming of the School of Music’s Petro-Canada Hall to Suncor Energy Hall.
2012
July
Newman Sound Men's Choir are World Champions
Congratulations to Newman Sound Men’s Chamber Choir on their championship win at the World Choir Games.
May
Dr. Doug Dunsmore wins Arts Achievement Award
Dr. Douglas Dunsmore of Memorial University’s School of Music, a choral conductor of national and international renown, was honoured with the Arts Achievement Award from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council in Gander recently.
Dr Beverley Diamond wins research excellence award
The Canadian University Music Society and the SOCAN Foundation are pleased to announce that Dr. Beverley Diamond is the recipient of the inaugural SOCAN Foundation/CUMS Award of Excellence for the Advancement of Research in Canadian Music.
February
Jane Leibel releases second CD
Dr. Jane Leibel, associate professor of voice at Memorial University has just released her second CD Songs of the Bubble Ring: Songs by John Greer and Clifford Crawley.
January
Music Students Featured on CBC
In partnership with the CBC, the School of Music launched the Memorial University Amateur Chamber Music Competition in 2011. The finalists will be featured on CBC radio’s MUSICRAFT on January 22 and 29, 2012. Musicraft, hosted by Francesca Swann, showcases the musical life of Newfoundland and Labrador on CBC Radio 1 Sunday afternoon at 4:35/4:05 in Labrador or on the web at http://cbc.ca/nl.