Spreading the joy of classical music and inspiring youth, Kirk Muspratt to be recognized with honorary degree

trevor.kenney — Mon, 12 May 2025 17:18:41 +0000

Raised in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Kirk Muspratt cultivated his love of music into an impactful career as a conductor and educator, dedicating his life to spreading the joy of music through magical, inspiring performances. For his unwavering passion and enthusiasm for music and music education, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will present Muspratt with an honorary degree at Spring 2025 Convocation.

“Kirk Muspratt is remarkable for his unwavering commitment to make classical music accessible and enjoyable for all people,” says ULethbridge Chancellor Terry Whitehead (BA ‘94). “His unique approach breaks barriers and invites people, especially younger audiences, into the classical world, entertaining and educating all at once. He is richly deserving of an honorary degree.”

Muspratt will be bestowed with an honorary Doctor of Letters, honoris causa, at Spring 2025 Convocation, Ceremony III, on Friday, May 30, at 9 a.m. in the Centre for Sport and Wellness gymnasium.

Kirk Muspratt

An internationally renowned conductor and music director, Maestro Kirk Muspratt came from humble beginnings. Music was part of his life from an early age; he had his first piano lesson with Mrs. Madeline Pinkney after his first day of school. He credits her with shaping what was to follow in his life. He was six years old when he participated in music festivals in the Crowsnest Pass and eight when he entered festivals in Lethbridge. Muspratt joined the Crowsnest Pass Symphony Orchestra at age 11. After high school, he was accepted at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City. He went on to study at Temple ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Philadelphia and the Vienna Conservatory. Muspratt had a summer apprenticeship with Leonard Bernstein at Tanglewood, the Boston Symphony Orchestra’s summer academy for advanced music study.

In his professional life as a music director and conductor with the Northwest Indiana Symphony Orchestra, New Philharmonic and the Dupage Opera Theater, Muspratt focuses on bringing classical music to the masses without the stuffiness with which it’s typically associated. He’s especially keen on thinking of ways to introduce younger people to the genre and following up with opportunities to expand their interest and encourage ongoing involvement. Muspratt developed a Just Ask Kirk program so audience members could ask him questions. The Cookies with Kirk and Interactive Intermission initiatives allow patrons and musicians to meet, and the Kirkature cartoon supports his belief that symphonic music can have broad appeal.

Another popular program he developed is the Solo Competition for Children, which results in a different child being chosen to perform at a Northwest Indiana Symphony concert. High school students get the chance to perform with New Philharmonic musicians through the Side by Side concerts. Muspratt implemented an Orchestral Fellowship Program with Indiana’s Valparaiso ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, and his vision helped found the South Shore Music Festival.

His career has included serving as assistant conductor at the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, music director of the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, associate conductor at the Utah Symphony Orchestra, resident conductor at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Alberta Ballet.

Muspratt has earned many accolades for his work and has been a guest conductor with orchestras around the world. He possesses boundless enthusiasm and passion for music.

He remains proud of his southern Alberta roots. Muspratt owns the house where he was born and spends as much time in the community as his schedule allows, adjudicating festivals in Lethbridge and Crowsnest Pass and mentoring young performing artists.

Canadian comic icon Brent Butt among ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge 2025 honorary degree recipients

trevor.kenney — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 17:03:44 +0000

Corner Gas creator will headline comedy show fundraiser in support of Food For Thought, student food security program

He created a Canadian landmark television program, has traversed the globe performing live stand-up shows and continues to mentor and support the growth and health of the Canadian comedy community. Brent Butt is a true Canadian comic icon and one of six people who will be awarded ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge honorary degrees during Spring and Fall 2025 Convocation ceremonies.

Brent Butt's comedic career has spanned more than 35 years.

Butt, who will be recognized at one of the four spring ceremonies, joins acclaimed writer David Robertson, former ULethbridge Chancellor Charlie Weaselhead, conductor Kirk Muspratt and community advocates Bernadine (BEd ’88) and Toby Boulet (BEd ’89, MEd ’04)(fall ceremony), as distinguished honourees.

“We’re thrilled to announce this tremendous group of honorary degree recipients who represent all the best attributes of the ULethbridge experience and its graduating students,” says Terry Whitehead, current ULethbridge Chancellor. “These are people who have achieved great success in their fields and done so in the right way, as engaged citizens in their communities, as educators, as mentors and leaders.”

Butt, who is known primarily for being the creator, writer and star of the iconic Canadian comedy series Corner Gas, has fashioned a comedic career spanning more than 35 years. Successful as a live performer as well as on the big and small screen, he is now an active screenwriter and author, always with deference to his small-town Canadian roots.

“To be able to recognize Brent for all the joy he has brought Canadians over the years is exciting and a recognition he richly deserves,” adds Whitehead. “Laughter is incredibly important in our lives, and I think we are realizing that more every day. Brent’s devotion to his comedic craft, willingness to share with others in the comedy community and unwavering commitment to his rural roots and Canadian culture says a lot about the kind of person he is.

“His willingness to perform for a Lethbridge audience and raise money in support of food security initiatives at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is heartfelt, and I can’t wait to enjoy a great evening of entertainment with him and his guest.”

The comedy show fundraiser to benefit the Food For Thought student program takes place Sunday, May 25, 7 p.m., at the Yates Memorial Theatre and features Brent Butt as the headliner with special guest Charlie Demers. Tickets, priced at $65 each, will be available through the City of Lethbridge Ticket Centre.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge will present Butt with an honorary Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, at Spring 2025 Convocation, Ceremony IV, on Friday, May 30, 2:30 p.m., in the Centre for Sport and Wellness.

Brent Butt

For Brent Butt, there really was no other career path than comedy, something he’d decided before his teenage years. While he briefly attended Ontario’s Sheridan College after graduating high school in his hometown of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, formal schooling quickly took a back seat to his entrepreneurial tendencies. Leaving school, he and a friend developed their own publishing company, and they created two issues of their comic book, Existing Earth, in which Butt drew the illustrations.

He approached comedy not on a whim, but rather as a vocation, studying the intricacies of the craft. By the time he took the stage for his first stand-up performance at the age of 21, he was ready and his meteoric rise in the comedy industry was testament to his work ethic and preparation. A year after his first appearance on an amateur night at a Saskatoon comedy club, Butt was touring Central and Eastern Canada. Before long he was headlining Toronto’s downtown Yuk Yuks Comedy Club and doors began to open for him internationally.

Once established as a live entertainer, Butt began realizing the next phase of his career, and in 2004 created, wrote and starred in the hit television show Corner Gas. Set in the fictional town of Dog River, Saskatchewan, the show reflected Butt’s smalltown upbringing and shone a new light on rural Canada, one that resonated with small communities across the country and struck a chord with populations in larger urban centres.

Corner Gas ran for six seasons, averaging a remarkable 1.2 million viewers per episode and reaping numerous awards, including four Canadian Comedy Awards and five Gemini Awards. The show has now aired in 60 countries and continues to run on streaming platforms, boasting large fan bases in Germany, the United States, Australia and beyond. A Canadian Armed Forces soldier once wrote the show about his unit watching episodes of Corner Gas to take the edge off during particularly dangerous deployments, reminding them of home and that laughter and simpler times still existed.

The success of Corner Gas garnered remarkable attention and in 2008, Butt was awarded the Peter Ustinov Award for outstanding body of comedic work at the Banff World Media Festival. He joined the likes of past recipients John Cleese, Bob Newhart, John Candy and Eugene Levy.

With a platform as a leader in the industry, Butt has used his profile to call attention to the work of other comedians and to mentor and promote the growth and health of the comedy community.

Eager to continue to expand his creative knowledge, Butt is an active screenwriter and now author, having released his first novel, Huge, a #1 national best seller and one of Indigo’s 2023 Best Books of the Year.

UNews - Kirk Muspratt

Spreading the joy of classical music and inspiring youth, Kirk Muspratt to be recognized with honorary degree

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Canadian comic icon Brent Butt among ��Ѹ�����Դ���߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge 2025 honorary degree recipients

Related Topics

Canadian comic icon Brent Butt among ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge 2025 honorary degree recipients