UNews - Music Department

Sakamotos show support

trevor.kenney — Thu, 26 May 2011 19:47:29 +0000

Curtis Litchfield and Calvin Shiu are the inaugural winners of the Joyce and Ron Sakamoto Award for Research and Development. Open to continuing students in the Bachelor of Music program with a declared major in Digital Audio Arts, the awards amount to a $5,000 scholarship for each recipient.

"Considering the outstanding quality of the 12 submitted proposals, it was the unanimous decision of the committee to select two Sakamoto Award recipients this year," says Dr. Rolf Boon, Chair of the Music Department.

The selection committee consisted of Boon, Dr. Arlan Schultz, Thilo Schaller and Ian Burleigh.

The eight-month long proposal projects start in September and feature a public presentation component upon completion.

Curtis Litchfield and Calvin Shiu, the inaugural winners of the Joyce and Ron Sakamoto Award for Research and Development.

"The Sakamoto research grant gives me the great opportunity of collaborating with The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble to present ethnic music in a new surround sound listening experience," says Shiu.

The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble is an internationally recognized ensemble that performs traditional Chinese and contemporary compositions with a wide repertoire of fine Eastern instruments.

"My project will be carried out in three stages: research into traditional Chinese instruments and their recording techniques, organizing a public performance by the ensemble in Lethbridge and the production of a 5.1 surround sound album in the Digital Audio Arts Studio 1 facility," says Shiu. "I would like to express my gratitude towards the DAA faculty and Dr. and Mrs. Sakamoto for providing me with the resources and support to make my dream of working with this ensemble come true."

Litchfield intends to create a set of audio filters for use when wearing headphones.

"These filters will create the illusion that the sound a person is listening to is coming from outside of their head, in the space around them, rather than from inside their head somewhere between their ears," explains Litchfield. "This concept is similar to wearing glasses to watch 3D movies, but with more variables to account for. In the end I hope to create a program that will allow people to create their own 3D sonic space to listen to, using headphones."

These two projects are just the start of many creative opportunities for students in the future thanks to the generous support of Joyce and Ron Sakamoto.

This story first appeared in the Legend. For a look at the Legend in a flipbook format, follow this link.

Concert, film on tap Thursday night

trevor.kenney — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:19:59 +0000

A pair of events highlights happenings at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge on Thursday, Oct. 14.

The curtain is rising on a new at the U of L with the installation of President Dr. Mike Mahon. In honour of the occasion (occurring officially on Friday, Oct. 15 at 2 p.m.), the Faculty Artists & Friends Series presents President's Choice, on Thursday, Oct. 14 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall.

This is one of two concerts the Music Department has planned to honour the incoming president. President's Choice showcases the music faculty artists.

"In preparation for the concert, we asked the President to name his favourite classical music composers. He chose Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi, which is where we got the concert title from," says Dr. Deanna Oye, Faculty Artists & Friends co-ordinator. "The concert features works by these composers and others that highlight what our faculty does best."

For more on the concert, follow this link.

As well, filmgoers have the opportunity for a free night out as the U of L's Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG) is screening the film, Gasland, in Galileo's Gallery (second floor, Students' Union building).

Described as a witty and frightening investigation into natural gas extraction in the United States, Gasland begins showing at 7 p.m. and admission is free to everyone.

A discussion of the film will follow the screening.

For more on the film, follow this link.

Classical duo celebrated

trevor.kenney — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 19:07:07 +0000

The musical event, "Schumann and Chopin: Hearts Alive at 200" on Saturday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Recital Hall pays homage to Robert Schumann and Frederic Chopin by celebrating the timeless music these composers created during their lifetimes.

The year 2010 marks the bicentennial birthdays for both composers, making it the perfect time to enjoy their exceptional contributions to classical music.

"These composers wrote some of the most beautiful melodies of all time," says music professor Glen Montgomery. "There are many layers to the music they composed; it shows the richness of the minds of both Schumann and Chopin."

The variety of work being presented promises to highlight the evening.

"The program features an array of pieces, performed by faculty in the Music Department," says Montgomery. "Schumann's Frauenliebe und Leben is a beautiful series of pieces to be performed along with the 1st Violin Sonata played by Peter Visentin and a set of 3 Fantasy Pieces performed by Peggy Mezei."

The evening concludes with the B Minor Sonata by Chopin, performed by Montgomery.

Tickets are available for $15 regular and $10 student/senior at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Box Office (403-329-2616).

Music of the 1930s gives glimpse of past

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:46:25 +0000

Classical, jazz and folk/popular music spanned the social divide of the 1930s, from music of the wealthy to music of the Depression's dispossessed. These are featured during Music of the 1930s on May 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lethbridge Public Library.

Presented by the U of L Music Department, performers are music students and faculty, including Dr. David Renter and his students in a jazz quintet, Bente Hansen (piano), Nick Sullivan (trombone), Anna Young (soprano), Bruce Streibel (violin) and Dale Ketcheson (guitar). As well, several student and faculty singers directed by Dr. Blaine Hendsbee and accompanied by Greg Knight will be featured.

The first half of the concert reproduces a soiree in an upper-class salon, while the second half features music of the depression and Jazz era. The evening starts at 7:30 p.m. with a pre-concert talk and readings from Lethbridge Herald newspapers from the 1930s about local news and social events.

Admission to the concert is free and everyone is welcome.

Campus Kudos

trevor.kenney — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:42:00 +0000

Former Pronghorn swimmer Richard Hortness, swimming for his hometown Alberta Marlin Aquatic Club out of Medicine Hat, set a new Canadian record at the 2009 Short Course Spring Nationals in Toronto in March. Hortness, who was with the Pronghorns in 2004-05, teamed with Brent Hayden, Rory Biskuspi and Tommy Gossland to set a new 4 x 50 metre freestyle relay record.

Lisa Lambert (BA '91, MA '07) was recently honoured as a YWCA of Lethbridge, 2009 Woman of Distinction for her work as a social advocate. Currently teaching a Canadian Politics course at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, Lambert is also working on her doctorate degree.

Winners of the U of L Plays and Prose Writing Competition were: Plays – James Forbes (1st), Adam Beauchesne (2nd), Trista Green (3rd) and Prose – Dave Bryant (1st), Adam Sarjeant (2nd), Henry Heavy Shield (3rd).

Several drama faculty, staff, and alumni were involved in the recent New West Theatre production of The Drawer Boy. Ron Chambers (Theatre & Dramatic Arts), Marek Czuma (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) and Jeremy Park (BFA '08) acted; Gail Hanrahan (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) directed; David Barrus (staff) was set designer; Rebecca Toon (BFA '06) designed the costumes; Kelly Roberts (staff) designed was sound designer and Lindsey Zess-Funk (BFA '07) was stage manager.

The U of L's 07/08 Report – Rethink About It – received a silver award in the Canadian Council for the Advancement of Education (CCAE) 2009 PRIX D'EXCELLENCE awards program in the best institutional annual report category.

The Report, which is the U of L's annual report to the community, was distributed to 335,000 households in October 2008. The Report is produced by the Communications Office within ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Advancement.

This is the third consecutive year that the Report has received an award from CCAE. In 2006/2007 the Report received a silver award, and in 2005/2006 the Report received a gold award.

To view the 07/08 Report online, visit: www.ulethbridge.ca/report

Dr. Anne Dymond (Art), Dr. Shelley Scott (Theatre & Dramatic Arts), Dr. Anonymous Will Smith (New Media) all wrote books that were acknowledged at the recent U of L Book Award Celebration.

Dr. Josephine Mills (Art Gallery) wrote an essay entitled, "The answer is two years spent baking vulva-shaped cookies, or On Understanding Lesbian Representation," which appears in the catalogue for Toronto artist Allyson Mitchell's latest exhibition, Allyson Mitchell: Ladies Sasquatch. The catalogue has just been launched and Mitchell's exhibition is on tour across Canada and comes to the U of L Art Gallery, Sept. 18 – Oct. 30, 2009.

Dr. Rolf Boon's (Music) composition, Bike Ride, has been selected for publication in the Canadian National Conservatory of Music's Northern Lights Level 5B Musical Discoveries collection. This is the eighth of Rolf's works that CNCM has published.

Dr. David Renter (Music) recently recorded with the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan Jazz Ensemble in Saskatoon. The group recorded one of Renter's big band compositions called Kukai and he was the featured soloist on several other selections during the recording. The CD will be released later this year.

Dagmar Dahle (Art), Don Gill (Art), Mary Kavanagh (Art), and Tanya Harnett (Art) had exhibition publications recently released by the Southern Alberta Art Gallery.

Dr. Josephine Mills (Director/Curator U of L art Gallery) has been accepted into the Getty Leadership Institute's museum program. The program is an intensive three weeks in Los Angeles during July in the Museum Leadership Institute 2009.

Richard Epp (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) acted in Theatre Calgary's recent production of An Ideal Husband, by Oscar Wilde.

Lisa Doolittle (Theatre & Dramatic Arts) and Jean Harrowing (Health Sciences) have recently received an Award of Distinction from the Internationalizing the Teaching and Learning Practice program for their work with students in Malawi last summer. The award is presented by Advanced Education and Technology.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Music Department at Dalhousie ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ, distinguished alumni are being invited back to perform. Dr. Blaine Hendsbee (Music) was the tenor soloist in a concert of Mozart's Requiem, Apr. 7, in Halifax. He also presented master's classes at Dalhousie during the week.

Age of Arousal a passionately-charged production

trevor.kenney — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:00:05 +0000

When two spinster sisters and a charismatic cad named Everard invade Miss Mary's School for Secretaries, they become the catalyst for political, sexual and emotional upheavals. Age of Arousal, by Canadian playwright Linda Griffiths, appears in the David Spinks Theatre Oct. 14-18, nightly at 8 p.m.

The play is set in 1885, a time of change and confusion, with corsets busting in
unbridled desire and Suffragettes threatening the status quo.

"The play deals with confusion, change and how what seems clear to the mind may not always be clear to the heart. It is all about people having a hard time figuring things out," says director Gail Hanrahan.

The plot revolves around Mary's lover Rhoda, who has dedicated her life to championing rights for women and "the Woman Question," and Monica, the younger sister of the spinsters, who is living through her physical desires. Both fall for the charismatic cad and in the end neither is fulfilled.

"Although set in Victorian England, these same issues touch us today and provide something for audiences to
contemplate," adds Hanrahan.

"This vibrant play takes audiences through the gamut of emotions, from some very funny bits to some extremely touching moments," she says, adding she was attracted to the play because of its emphasis on acting.

"I think this is the strongest cast I've had since coming to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and all six actors — Jocelyn Haub, Geneviève Paré, Caylee Stewart, Leeanne McLim, Jazlyn Dow and Adam Beauchesne — are excited about working hard to reinforce their skills."
The cast faces some interesting challenges.

"The play is full of 'thought speak', where character's feelings are spoken out loud," says Hanrahan. "So in some places there's a spoken conversation going on with the added complexity of thoughts also being spoken by the same actors. Actors have to develop contrasts to clarify that difference for the audience."

Unlike many U of L mainstage productions, Age of Arousal has a small cast and an intimate setting in the David Spinks Theatre.

"To emphasize that it is a time of change, we've contrasted the rich soft fabrics of Leslie Robison-Greene's beautiful costumes with the clean lines of David Barrus's shiny black set, which emphasizes the new industrial age," says Hanrahan.

Although not strictly of the Victorian period, the costumes reflect that rich draped and layered feel of Victorian times and include delicate embroidery and fine detail work — down to hand painted embellishments.

"I love fabric and I have to say the costumes are gorgeous, I'd call them succulent," she says with a smile.

Taking a little artistic license, the set pieces reflect what is new now, while props used by the actors offer a more Victorian feel.

Another unique feature of the production is original music composed by Bente Hansen of the U of L Music Department.

"There is a lyrical quality to the play," says Hanrahan. "I had heard Bente performing and asked her to get involved."

Hansen has been at most of the rehearsals and has woven her music into the production.

"Bente watches the actors and reacts to the action and mood she sees. Her piano became another voice and I can't imagine the play without music," says Hanrahan.

Tickets for Age of Arousal are priced at $15 regular and $10 student/senior at the U of L Box Office, 403-329-2616.
Katherine Wasiak is the communications/PR officer for the Faculty of Fine Arts

UNews - Music Department

Sakamotos show support

Related Topics

Concert, film on tap Thursday night

Related Topics

Classical duo celebrated

Related Topics

Music of the 1930s gives glimpse of past

Related Topics

Campus Kudos

Related Topics

Age of Arousal a passionately-charged production

Related Topics