UNews - Jesse Plessis

Bente Hansen and Jesse Plessis collaborate to present Sgt. Pepper Lonely Hearts Club Band arrangement

trevor.kenney — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 17:57:48 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is ready to have a little fun in celebration of is 50th anniversary, with two accomplished music graduates taking centre stage.

On Thursday, May 18 at 7 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre, the Faculty of Fine Arts and the Office of Alumni Relations, presents Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a special night of history and music – Beatles’-style – featuring alumna and music instructor Bente Hansen (BMus ’86) and alumnus Jesse Plessis (BMus ’10).

While 1967 is well known as the birth of the U of L, it is also the year the Beatles released their iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. Their eighth studio album, it is widely considered the first concept album in music history and changed the sound and face of popular music forever. Hansen and Plessis will present a two-piano arrangement of the complete album that Plessis crafted in 2011.

“We’re both classically trained pianists and we also love rock and roll music, so to have a chance to collaborate on something as classic as this is a real treat,” says Hansen, who has been teaching at the U of L since 1997. She currently teaches first-year music theory and was behind the establishment of a History of Rock ‘n’ Roll course that remains one of the most popular classes the U of L offers.

Plessis studied piano at the U of L with Dr. Deanna Oye and composition with Drs. Rolf Boon and Arlan Schultz. He has appeared on stages across Canada, England and continental Europe, received numerous awards both in piano and composition and regularly performs as a guest artist with several ensembles in Canada. He currently resides in Montréal where he studies with Paul Stewart of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Montréal.

“It’s exciting for us to be able to pair Bente and Jesse on stage again because they have such an incredible chemistry,” says Faculty of Fine Arts Dean Dr. Edward Jurkowski. “They are both wonderful pianists and have been performing together for eight years. I expect the audience will be swept up in their energy.”

The arrangement crafted by Plessis closely follows the format of the album. The track listing is the same and he and Hansen move from song to song seamlessly. Plessis has expertly explored ways to express the meaning and feeling of the Beatles’ lyrics through the piano, capturing the essence of the songs and complementing the album.

“We’re very proud to feature two of our exceptional alumni,” says Lyndsay Montina (BMgt ’09), manager of Alumni Relations. “The classical training they received as students here at the U of L set them off on different but complementary career paths and I know they are thrilled to continue to showcase their talents to the southern Alberta community.”

Tickets for the event are $30 each and include a reception and optional backstage tours. Tickets are available at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office (Monday to Friday, 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.), by calling 403-329-2616 or online at ulethbridge.ca/tickets.

The epic behind the Epic

trevor.kenney — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 20:48:40 +0000

The ship is made of found materials. Built from the ground up, it was designed to be a working musical instrument. The performers walk onto the stage and the set of The Hudson’s Bay Epic comes alive.

Telling the story of the 1611 mutiny against Henry Hudson, this theatrical piece of historical fiction is nothing short of whimsical as the cast of three perform ten different roles, create their own sound effects and use every piece of the ship as a percussion instrument.

Theatre founders Ian McFarlane (BFA ’10) and Geneviève Paré (BFA ’11) found inspiration, and each other, at the U of L.

Written and produced by Mudfoot Theatre, The Hudson’s Bay Epic has evolved since its debut three and a half years ago. Theatre founders Ian McFarlane (BFA ’10) and Geneviève Paré (BFA ’11) talk about the story behind The Hudson’s Bay Epic and the origins of Mudfoot Theatre, which is based in Calgary.

“It all started at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge,” says Paré. “Ian and I worked together on a TheatreXtra production. We became fast friends and roommates.”

As the two became closer they began working creatively together. Through various performance opportunities at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ it became clear they were intrigued by improvised sound. Paré looks back fondly remembering when briefly, a living room was set up in ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall to encourage anyone to sit and perform in public. She and McFarlane used the space to experiment with the sound of soapy water.

Later, Paré and McFarlane traveled to Malawi for a field study focusing on health education through theatre; it was then they became a couple.

“We ended up embarking on two journeys,” recounts McFarlane. ”We were going to this new place and starting a new relationship.”

Upon their return, the duo partnered with Terry Ecklund (BFA ’11) to create a performance piece based on their experiences in Malawi. This was Paré and McFarlane’s first creation as a team.

“Looking back, my career started at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ,” says Paré. “Students should take advantage of the structure and support offered by their professors. Volunteer, join workshops and extra-curricular activities. I am where I am today because of those opportunities.”

While Paré was finishing her degree, McFarlane found himself in Calgary performing with Swallow-a-Bicycle Theatre, a unique company known for devised theatre in odd places.

“They found this house that was about to be demolished and asked me to turn the kitchen into a performance piece,” says McFarlane. “That’s when I met Lane Shordee and a creative relationship blossomed. I love working with him; he thinks so far outside the box.”

Shordee now works with Mudfoot Theatre and created the set for The Hudson’s Bay Epic.

The Hudson's Bay Epic is billed as a folk tale focusing on Canadian History.

After graduation, Paré joined McFarlane in Calgary and they got back to work creating and performing under the name Deux Fous Frivoles (Two Frivolous Fools), which soon evolved to Frivolous Fools Performance. It was then The Hudson’s Bay Epic began to take form.

“I was interested in a machine you could perform amongst and around, that you could use to create a soundscape,” says Paré. McFarlane adds, “We wanted to drum and tell a story.”

They became enthralled with the idea of telling a folk tale focusing on Canadian History.

“The story of Henry Hudson has so many holes in it,” exclaims McFarlane. “It was begging to be turned into fiction.”

This play helped shape the mandate of their theatre company and illustrated their potential to retell the stories of Canadian history.

“All around the world cultures have a mythology surrounding their history. My family has been in Canada for many generations and I feel more Canadian than anything else, but we haven’t been here long enough to be a part of a more ancient and mysterious narrative,” says Paré, quite passionately. “I would connect more with my Canadian identity if there was that mythical element to it. So why not create folk history for ourselves?”

Initially, the piece was performed by the two of them acting out all the characters and creating a chaotic and fun atmosphere. Later, Paré and McFarlane approached Lindsey Zess-Funk (BFA ’09) to direct the work when they submitted it to Edmonton’s Ignite! Festival.

Through Zess-Funk’s ability to bring mythical elements to the stage and make objects come to life, she guided Paré and McFarlane through a revision process of The Epic. She suggested adding a third actor so the characters and set could be more efficiently played.

“Her focus during this process has been critical in the midst of a million unfiltered ideas,” says Paré.

After the addition of fellow actor Ryan Reese (BFA ’13) and more than three years of growth, the original chaos of the play has remained.

Paré and McFarlane found themselves applying for grants and working with ensembles of artists to develop their production. The addition of Reese rendered Two Frivolous Fools obsolete and a new name was needed as they sought to rebrand their company.

“We were driving through the mountains and pairing words,” McFarlane explains. “What we do is very human driven. We try to separate ourselves from technology and use handcrafted and reclaimed materials. We needed something that speaks to that earthiness.”

Out of the all the word pairs they explored, Mudfoot stood out.

“If your feet are in the mud, you’ve done something right, and it had a nice acoustic sound,” says Paré.

Their audiences readily accepted the name and they have been known as Mudfoot Theatre for nearly a year.

“This came so organically to us,” says Paré, “Ian and I never said, I want to start a theatre company that uses only found materials and focuses on Canadian history, but that’s where we are.“

While Paré and McFarlane are no longer at the U of L, it is evident they are fond of their time here.

“They were the best years of my life and I didn’t know it,” recalls McFarlane. “In university the stakes are low. You can make mistakes and you have these loving professors who offer constructive critiques.”

The story of this young couple illustrates the possibilities and potential for aspiring artists in Alberta. They offer encouragement to students with a passion for the arts.

“The U of L gave us a foundation of knowledge and experience, which also gave us confidence,” says Paré. “Having a BFA makes you very employable. Employers are always looking for a mind that exists outside the box; they want creative problem solvers.”

Mudfoot Theatre debuts their next production entitled River: A Puppet Myth in Calgary next year. Created by Zess-Funk, Paré and McFarlane, the puppet-play features set design by Lane Shordee and original compositions from Jesse Plessis (BMus ’10). River is another piece of historical fiction that tells the tale of the birth and death of the Bow River.

For more information about Mudfoot Theatre and upcoming events visit mudfoottheatre.com.

Pianos as you've never heard, or seen, before

trevor.kenney — Tue, 17 Sep 2013 17:03:42 +0000

Hear two pianists, with very different backgrounds and styles, coming together on two grand pianos integrated with electronics and computers - a chance to see each pianist shine and to see the synergy of live collaboration.

Aaron Collier will perform a set of piano improvisations utilizing live sampling, looping and layering techniques with a computer. Jesse Plessis will play a handful of modern works, some with computer, by electronic-music pioneer Karlheinz Stockhausen, one of Canada's greatest composers, Ann Southam, the young American, Nico Muhly, and one robot-inspired work by Radiohead. The duo appear in Two Pianos + Computers, Saturday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium.

Two Pianos + Computers promises to be one of the more unique musical offerings to hit the stage this year.

The duo will wrap up this unique evening with what they describe as a “turbo-rad collaborative piece”.

Aaron Collier

Aaron Collier may be known as one of Atlantic Canada’s most consistently innovative keyboardists, but the Prince Edward Island native is most recently calling Lethbridge home. Collier studied the piano privately in Prince Edward Island until his graduating year of high school before embarking on 14 years of national and international touring and recording with various rock, pop and jazz artists.

In 2001, Collier became the keyboardist for international touring and recording artists The Jimmy Swift Band. In the following decade the group released four studio albums and two live recordings. In 2006, Collier along with JSB frontman Craig Mercer created the “looping madness duo” Scientists of Sound, a theatrical and high-energy electro project which continues to create intense live shows for eager audiences worldwide.

In 2008, Collier released his first full-length album of electronic music, Love, and in September 2010 he released the improvised piano+computer recording Neo.

Collier is an award-winning sound designer in theatre and recent credits include the world-premiere of Daniel MacIvor’s I Animal at the Supernova and Summerworks festivals in Halifax and Toronto, as well as Jay Whitehead and Daniel Judes’ UNSEX’d in Lethbridge, Dublin, and Halifax. He is presently creating a new show called The Myth of Canada under his alter-ego Chandelier, and is workshopping the work as one of CASA’s inaugural resident artists in November.

www.aaroncollier.ca

Jesse Plessis

Pianist and composer Jesse Plessis recently obtained a Master of Music degree (Performance and Literature) from Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ where he studied piano with Megumi Masaki and composition with Patrick Carrabre. His Bachelor of Music degree is from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge where he studied piano with Deanna Oye and composition with Dr. Arlan Schultz and Dr. Rolf Boon.

Plessis has been awarded prizes both in piano and composition. His own works have been broadcast on CBC, and he has performed as a guest artist with several ensembles including the Musaeus String Quartet, the Land’s End Chamber Ensemble, and the International Piano Ensemble. He was recently one of 12 pianists admitted to the London Masterclasses, a program held each July at the Royal College of Music.

He has had the opportunity to give the Canadian premieres of works by Marcel Bergmann, Kaija Saariaho, John Corigliano, Nico Muhly, and Kjartan Olafsson. Recent performances include those with New West Theatre, at the Casalmaggiore Festival in Italy, the Dark Music Days Festival in Iceland and at the Banff Centre.

Plessis is also one half of the Hansen-Plessis Piano Duo (alongside Bente Hansen, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge) which explores the possibilities of popular music in the concert hall alongside the classical repertoire.

A sometime conductor, Plessis has directed performances with the Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ New Music Ensemble (BUNME), the Brandon ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Orchestra and several musical theatre productions.

Tickets to Two Pianos + Computers are available by calling the Box Office at 403-329-2616 or online at www.uleth.ca/tickets.

Vocal program draws talented singers

trevor.kenney — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 21:44:25 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Recital Hall is bursting with song this week as 43 talented young singers from across Western Canada take part in the 4th annual Southern Alberta Vocal Experience (SAVE), Aug. 12-18.

The SAVE vocal program offers talented young singers, aged 13 to 20, the opportunity to study and perform in close collaboration with established artists, teachers and vocal coaches. In addition to preparing musical excerpts, students participate in a daily regimen that includes choir, creative movement, private lessons and master classes, allowing them to develop vocal skills in a comprehensive program of studies.

Directed by Joanne Collier, the teaching staff includes U of L Faculty members Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, Dr. Sandra Stringer, Dr. Deanna Oye and Carolyn Herrington; U of L alumni McKade Hogg, Nicole Higginson-Swen, Acacia Doktorchik and Audrina Steciw; and guest artists David Shefsiek (managing director of Alberta Theatre Projects), Suzy Smith (Toronto-based vocal coach) and Winston Noren of Calgary's Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ. They are joined by accompanists Gregory Knight, Elinor Lawson, Joel Goodfellow and Jesse Plessis and undergraduate student assistant Jana Holesworth.

The week of activity culminates in a pair of public performances, beginning with a Friday, Aug. 17 concert (7:30 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall) where SAVE singers will be presenting solos from the art song and concert repertoire, accompanied by piano. The program will open and close with a choral selection learned during the week. Admission for this performance is by donation at the door.

The final gala concert, One Enchanted Evening, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 18 at 7:30 p.m., also in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall. Audience members will be treated to songs and tales from the lands of fairies and all things enchanting, including theatre classics from shows such as Brigadoon, Camelot and Cinderella, along with more recent selections from Into the Woods, The Secret Garden and Spamalot.

"All of the music has been chosen for its beautiful melodies, musical merit and ability to showcase each singer to the best of their ability," says artistic director Joanne Collier. "At the same time audiences will be treated to an array of musical maids and men, heroes, fools and villains."

Tickets are $10 each and available at the door.

Those interested in the SAVE program can contact the U of L Music Conservatory for more information: 403-329-2304.

Events - June 2011

trevor.kenney — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:42:23 +0000

Lectures

June 14 | Wellness Lunch and Learn: Edible and Sustainable Gardening and Landscaping | Jason Baranec and Julia Mitchell (Southern Alberta Permaculture) present tips on positive solutions for a sustainable future. | Noon to 1 p.m., Andy's Place (AH100)

June 22 | International Year of Chemistry Guest Speaker: Dr. Pierre Beaumier Your Health and Your Hair – Hair analysis through screening for essential minerals and toxic elements | 7 p.m., PE250

Performances

June 20 | Sommernacht
Piano duo Bente Hansen and Jesse Plessis present music for two and four hands by Schubert, Corigliano, Brahms, Plessis, Chopin, and The Beatles. | 7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Miscellaneous

June 17 | Doug Parker Retirement Reception | Join Facilities management and staff in offering best wishes to Doug Parker, Executive Director on his upcoming retirement.
2:30 to 5 p.m., Markin Hall Atrium

Campus Kudos

trevor.kenney — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:56:22 +0000

Mary Dyck (Kinesiology and Physical Education) and Ard Biesheuvel (BEd '90, MEd '98) authored a book, Coaching Volleyball Champions: Principles and Practices of Successful Coaches. Each chapter in the book includes a biography of one of North America's outstanding volleyball coaches, followed by an in-depth interview and the coach's five favorite drills. Dyck also co-authored, Everybody Move: A multimedia package for daily physical activity, published by Human Kinetics in November 2009.

Denton Fredrickson (Art) and Catherine Ross (Art Technician) have been awarded the Public Art commission for the Southern Alberta Art Gallery. Applications were received from around the world and the selection committee consisted of representatives from the Allied Arts Council and the SAAG, a community member, an artist and a technical expert. Ross and Fredrickson proposed to create a giant stringed instrument responsive to the day-to-day wind and light levels in Lethbridge. Visually, the installation reflects a flock of birds both at rest and in flight, appearing to move seamlessly from exterior to interior. The work should be installed by fall 2011.

Dr. Shelley Scott (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) has been elected by acclamation to a second two-year term as the president of the Canadian Association for Theatre Research (CATR).

Merle Fuller (MEd) has been accepted into the PhD in Management program at Sobey School of Business, St. Mary's ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Halifax, N.S. Fuller's project, Living with a cop: A handbook for Police Officers and their Families (a training handbook for police officers addressing work/family issues) was a significant factor in his being accepted into the IO/Pscyh PhD stream of this excellent PhD program.

Dr. Ed Jurkowski (Music) was recently elected to a three-year term as English editor for the journal Intersections, the peer-review bilingual publication of the Canadian ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Music Society.

Bente Hansen (Music), Dale Ketcheson (Music), Nicole Higginson (BFA/BEd) and Jesse Plessis (music major) all performed at For the Love of Music: For the Love of Medicine concert to raise funds for a medical mission to El Salvador being undertaken by U of L pre-medical students.

Katherine Taylor (Psychology) is one of 12 winners of a 2010 NEADS Equity Through Education Student Award. Taylor was selected out of a field of 375 total applicants. Equity Through Education is a charitable initiative launched by BMO Capital Markets in 2005 to help people realize their educational ambitions by giving them the means to pursue those goals.

Ed Wasiak (Music Education) has been appointed to the Editorial Committee of the Journal of Historical Research in Music Education (JHRME). Taking over the Canadian seat, Wasiak joins a body of 16 international scholars on the JHRME Committee.

Don Gill's (Art) exhibition Erratic Spaces/THE LAND is at THE LAND/Gallery in Albuquerque, N.M. from June 5 to 26. The exhibition is an installation based on Gill's February 2010 residency at THE LAND/an art site. www.landartsite.org/exhibitions/index.html

Nick Sullivan (Music) performed as a soloist with the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra during its season finale.

Catherine Ross (Art) has an exhibition of Stella Mere at the Glenbow Museum, Aug. 2. Stella Mere is a spectacular installation made up of 750 shimmering starfish, each individually cast in aluminum and mounted on thin threaded steel rods. Stella Mere took three years and the help of more than 20 people to complete.

Events Calendar - November

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:12:30 +0000

Pronghorn Athletics

Men's Hockey

Nov. 13-14 | Alberta vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Nov. 27-28 | Alberta vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Women's Hockey

Nov. 20-21 | Manitoba vs. Pronghorns
7 p.m. nightly, Nicholas Sheran Arena

Basketball

Nov. 6-7 | Regina vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m. nightly, 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Nov. 13 | Trinity Western vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym
Nov. 14 | Fraser Valley vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m., 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Nov. 20-21 | Manitoba vs. Pronghorns
Women's game, 6 p.m.; Men's game, 8 p.m. nightly, 1st Choice Savings Centre gym

Lectures

Nov. 4 | Art Now: Vancouver artist Isobelle Pauwels | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 5 | What I've Learned about being Human from Studying . . .
Lecture Series | Organizations: How Collectives Shape Who We Are and What We Do | Dr. Janelle Enns Gordon, Management, U of L
7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Nov. 6 | Art Now: Dana Claxton
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 9 | Art Now: Cameron Bailey
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 9 | Architecture & Design Now: Toronto architect Stephen Teeple
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 12 | What I've Learned about being Human from Studying . . . Lecture Series | Canadian and Northwest Coast Native Art: Sometimes It's Necessary to Trespass Borders | Dr. Les Dawn, Art, U of L
7 p.m., Lethbridge Public Library

Nov. 16 | Architecture & Design Now: Toronto architect Ian MacDonald | 6 p.m., C610

Nov. 17 | Women Scholars Speaker Series – Deborah MacLatchy
From Lab Coat to Business Suit: Perspectives on Science and Academic Administration
12 noon to 2 p.m., AH100

Nov. 18 | Aboriginal Speakers Forum – Sharon Goulet | The Power of Stories in Aboriginal Research
9:30 to 11 a.m., B716

Nov. 18 | Art Now: Tor Lukasik-Foss
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 20 | Art Now: Tricia Middleton
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 23 | Art Now: Kathryn Walter
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 23 | Architecture & Design Now: Kathryn Walter
6 p.m., C610

Nov. 25 | Art Now: Rebecca Miller
Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 27 | Art Now: Montreal painter Etienne Zack | Noon, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 30 | Architecture & Design Now: Esther Shipman
6 p.m., C610

Performances

Nov. 5-7 | Positive Space by Ian McFarlane | A unique performance exploring various aspects of theatre
8 p.m. nightly, David Spinks Theatre. Matinee, 2 p.m., Nov. 7

Nov. 7 | Dale Ketcheson & Friends
Classical guitar from U of L music professor Dale Ketcheson
8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall

Nov. 10 | Music at Noon: Gerard Gibb (oboe), Sarah Gieck (flute), Margaret Mezei (clarinet), Glen Montgomery (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 17 | Music at Noon: Musaeus String Quartet with Jesse Plessis (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 23 | Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra | With special guests and U of L music majors Matthew Blackburn (piano) and arranger Jesse Plessis | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Nov. 24 | Music at Noon: Arthur Rowe (piano) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Nov. 24-28 | Festen by David Eldridge | A time of celebration is undermined by revelations that pierce and destroy the veneer of middle-class respectability
Nightly, 8 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre

Nov. 27 | Wind and Song
Featuring U of L Wind Orchestra and Vox Musica | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Nov. 28 | Season of Joy
With the U of L Singers and Women's Chorus | 8 p.m., Southminster Church

Dec. 1 | Music at Noon: Dr. Brian Shaw (trumpet) | 12:15 p.m., ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall, W570

Miscellaneous

Nov. 3 | Keys to Living Well – Student Workshop | The Road to Happiness – how to buffer yourself against stress and depression | 12:30 to 1:20 p.m., AH119

Nov. 6 to Jan. 8, 2010 | To Mark on Surface | Dana Claxton new video installation | U of L Main Gallery
Opening reception, 4 p.m., Nov. 6

Nov. 12 to 14 | Darwin Symposium
International Symposium on Darwinism

Nov. 17-21 | The Monotheatrum
Hamilton artist Tor Lukasik-Foss creates a performance space for a single musician | U of L Atrium

Nov. 21 | Culture Vulture Saturday
Luck of the Draw – Colour by Numbers | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., U of L Main Gallery

Through Jan. 3, 2010 | art + people = x continues | Darcy Logan presents recent paintings | Helen Christou Gallery | Opening Reception, 4 p.m., Nov. 6

U of L Singers highlight busy weekend

trevor.kenney — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 15:31:59 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Singers will be front and centre this weekend as they present Into the Light, Saturday night, 8 p.m. at Southminster Church.

Conducted by Dr. Janet Youngdahl, the concert takes its title from Eric Whiteacre's extraordinary Lux Arumque. The into the light theme continues with several Easter-related works, including passion motets by Renaissance masters Orlando Di Lasso and Carlo Gesualdo, and the performance of Bach Cantata #4 Christ lag in Todesbanden with organist Chellan Hoffman, as special guest.

The concert also includes the premiere of a brand new work by U of L music major Jesse Plessis entitled, The Bend in the Road, which features guest percussionists.

Concert tickets for the U of L Singers' presentation of Into the Light are priced at $15 for regular admission and $10 student/senior at the
U of L Box Office (403-329-2616) and at the door.

Other weekend happenings at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ include the Anti-Racism Workshop, Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100). Presented by the Student Action Collective, a working group of the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group, the workshop is intended to provide participants with the knowledge, tools and skills that can be used to prevent discrimination and create schools and communities that welcome and value diversity.

The cost to attend the workshop is $15 per person and that includes lunch.

The Taking Action for Indigenous Languages symposium concludes Saturday with a full schedule of events. The symposium brings together agencies, students, language activists and community people who work in the area of Indigenous language revitalization and education. A key priority of this conference is to facilitate language planning within each of the nine language groups in the province.

The symposium features keynote addresses from Dr. Barb Laderoute, Narcisse Blood, Ryan Heavy Head and Andrea Bear-Nicholas.

Finally, the Organization of Residents Students presents the Birthday Bash cabaret Saturday night in the Zoo. Doors open at 9 p.m. with tickets priced at $5 apiece. Government and Student ID are required and just one guest per U of L student will be admitted.

Spring concert lineup promises to appeal to any ear

trevor.kenney — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:42:38 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge has long been known for producing an outstanding collection of musical concerts. One of the greatest strengths of the U of L is that its concerts appeal to a wide-range of tastes, pleasing audiences young and old alike. Following are a selection of concerts that promise to please any ear.

Mar. 14 | P.A.S. Day of Percussion
As the name suggests, this is a whole day of percussion clinics, workshops and concerts featuring Dr. John Wooton, DCI world champion snare drummer and steel drum artist; Tyler Hornby a set drummer from Calgary and Adam Mason with the U of L Global Drums. The day, organized by Mason, also includes the High School Percussion Ensemble Festival and is open to students and adults alike. For more information call Mason at 403-329-2695.

Mar. 23 | Stars to Love
The Lethbridge Symphony, Vox Musica,
U of L Opera Workshop, and guest soloists combine to present a spectacular evening of well-loved opera choruses, arias and overtures.

The Lethbridge Symphony consists of more than 60 student, professional, and community musicians and the 100-voice strong Vox Musica includes a mix of students and community singers. Special guests on the program are mezzo-soprano Dr. Sandra Stringer, tenor Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, and baritone John Conlon.

"We are also pleased to feature several of the voice majors at the U of L: Krysta Mellon, Acacia Doktorchik, Rachel Sinnott, Audrina Poepping and Joseph Bulman," says LSO conductor Glenn Klassen. "The U of L Opera Workshop, under the direction of Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, is also participating."

Tickets for the Lethbridge Symphony concert on Mar. 23 at 8 p.m. in Southminster United Church are available from the Ticket Centre by calling 403-329-7328.

April 3 | U of L Wind Orchestra
The U of L wind Orchestra, conducted by Glenn Klassen, presents its end of the semester concert on April 3 at 8 p.m. in Southminster United Church. The featured guest is Trudi Mason on trumpet, playing the Arutiunian trumpet concerto. The program also includes Copland's El Salon Mexico, The Sword and the Crown by Edward Gregson and Symphony No. 3 by Vittorio Giannini.

March 28 | Into the Light
The U of L Singers, conducted by Dr. Janet Youngdahl, invite audiences "Into the Light' with an evening of song on Mar. 28, 8 p.m. in Southminster Church.

"The concert takes its title from Eric Whitacre's extraordinary Lux Arumque, which we are excited about performing," says Youndahl.

The into the light theme continues with several Easter related works, including passion motets by Renaissance masters Orlando Di Lasso and Carlo Gesualdo, and the performance of Bach Cantata #4 Christ lag in Todesbanden, with organist Chellan Hoffman as special guest.

The concert also includes the premiere of a brand new work written in 2009 by
U of L music major Jesse Plessis entitled The Bend in the Road, which features guest percussionists. Estonian composer Arvo Pärt is represented by his 1989 Magnificat and the concert concludes with spring songs by William Byrd and Robert Burns and several spirituals arranged by William Dawson, including Every Time I feel the Spirit and Ain'-a That Good News.

April 8 | Time Being
Great Jazz by Herbie Hancock, Bob Marley, Charles Mingus, Duke Ellington and Frank Sinatra is the focus of the U of L Jazz Ensemble concert Time Being, Apr. 8 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Theatre.

"Our featured guest is drummer Tyler Hornby from Calgary," says director David Renter. "Tyler is a versatile drummer with a great melodic sense combined with taste, control and rhythmic finesse. It's a great opportunity for our students to perform with Tyler and our audience will enjoy the experience, too."

Tickets
Concert tickets for the U of L Singers, U of L Wind Orchestra, and U of L Jazz
Ensemble are $15 regular and $10 student/senior and are available at the U of L Box Office by calling 403-329-2616. Tickets are also available at the door for concerts in Southminster United Church.

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