Liberating the Queen in Me
In their new play The Queen in Me, soprano Teiya Kasahara (BMus’07) reimagines one of opera’s most iconic villains — and challenges the industry’s centuries-old prejudices By Tze Liew For more than two centuries, the iconic Queen of the Night from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte has been thrilling audiences with her vengeful spirit, bloodthirsty drive, and volatile high […]
School of Music grads nominated for 2020 Shean Piano Competition
Carter Johnson and Nicole Linaksita We’re proud to announce that Carter Johnson (BMus’18) and Nicole Linaksita (BSci, BMus’16) have been named finalists at the 2020 Shean Piano Competition! Open to amateur musicians between the ages of 15 and 28, the winner of the Competition will have the opportunity to perform with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. […]
School of Music faculty and alumni nominated for 2020 Juno awards
Three UBC School of Music faculty and alumni have been nominated for 2020 Juno Awards! Marina Thibeault Violist and assistant professor Marina Thibeault is a finalist for Best Classical Album: Solo or Chamber for her album ELLES, recorded with pianist Marie-Ève Scarfone. ELLES features repertoire for viola and piano by exceptional 19th and 21st century […]
Jocelyn Morlock says her Juno-winning piece My Name is Amanda Todd ‘stands up for itself’
“It is impossible for a composer to know what a listener will take from a piece,” [Morlock] says. “All you can hope is that it’s given proper context and a great performance. People will react to it as they will.”
Forces to be reckoned with
Regular Force musicians Katrina Bligh (BMus’09) and Tony Taylor (MMus’18) talk about their careers in the Canadian Armed Forces and why they love it By Tze Liew Plaza Sotomayor, Valparaiso, 2018. It is the 200th anniversary of the Chilean Armada. Canada has sent the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy to join in the […]
A studio of one’s own
Music production has seen a huge technological shift in recent years, but what has not been as quick to change is the diversity of the people behind the soundboard. Innovators Hildegard Westerkamp (BMus’72) and Kiran Bhumber (BMus’14) talk about tech, gender, and trusting your inner voice. By Aryn Strickland When Hildegard Westerkamp (BMus’72) looks back on her […]
“You don’t have to fit in a box”: Debi Wong on opera’s potential to create spaces for underrepresented voices
By Aryn Strickland Mezzo soprano Debi Wong (BMus ’08) believes that opera has the potential to create dialogue about underrepresented groups that all too often it goes unrealized. Even at major houses like the Metropolitan Opera, modern productions are still trapped in traditions and tropes which she says have consequences for our society. “If we […]
Composer and conductor Hussein Janmohamed on choral singing, identity, and fostering cultural understanding
By Aryn Strickland As a composer, conductor, and teacher, Hussein Janmohamed (BMus’96, MMus’98, MMus’14) has built a career using choral music to challenge cultural stereotypes and reframe the conversation about race in Canada. Growing up as an Ismaili Muslim in rural Alberta taught him that discrimination was an unfortunate fact of life, even in a […]
Pianist Lucas Wong on finding new ways to inspire audiences and students
Note: This is the first story in a new series that profiles UBC School of Music alumni who have followed interesting and innovative paths to career success. By Andrew Hung It is difficult to give Lucas Wong (BMus’04) a specific label or title. The UBC School of Music alumnus is a concert pianist and recording artist, […]
Engineering’s loss is music’s gain
Kathleen Allan (BMus ‘11) talks about her love of singing, conducting, and writing music; the three-headed monster that is her career; and her return to the West Coast. By Emma Lancaster Math and science whiz Kathleen Allan was anticipating a career in engineering when she stumbled across the composition program at the UBC School of […]