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 […]
New Recordings: A Quinary, A North American Songbook, and more
Assistant Professor of Voice and Opera J. Patrick Raftery released A North American Songbook, his new album on Naxos Records. Featuring works by Weill, Greer, Stokes, Morawetz, and Chapman, the album explores war, love, substance, abuse, and mental health. Featuring Prof. Mark Anderson, piano. Order the CD A Quinary, out now on Redshift Records, features five new concerti by five Canadian […]
Beyond the Gates: Juno nominations, new compositions, and Women of the Italian Baroque
The Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) commissioned new compositions from professor of composition Prof. Dorothy Chang and sessional lecturer Dr. Jocelyn Morlock as part of its 2020: The Year of Beethoven program. At five different concerts in 2020*, the CPO will pair Beethoven’s symphonies and piano concertos with new works by Canadian composers who have been […]
Catching Up With Our Students: Awards, scholarships, and tours to Europe and the Philippines
DMA students Lisa Yu-Hsien Lin and Judith Valerie Engel, and BMus student Daniel Tong are the 2020 Robert and Ellen Silverman Piano Concerto Competition finalists. They were among six UBC piano students to compete at the competition semi-finals at Roy Barnett Recital Hall in February. All three finalists will have the opportunity to perform their concerto with the UBC Symphony Orchestra […]
Around the World in Six Tones: Exploring the Global Phenomenon of Cantonese Music
Musicologist and 18th-century French opera expert Dr. Hedy Law goes back to her Hong Kong roots with an exciting new course — the first of its kind in North America By Tze Liew Dr. Hedy Law has always been aware of a certain irony at the heart of her academic career. An expert on 18th […]
Playlist: Jazz Piano In Transcription
Our Playlist column features music curated by our faculty, students, and staff and focusing on an interesting idea or theme. By Prof. Michael Tenzer The best jazz pianists are as inspiring as ever, but the art of transcribing what players play has really come into its own since the advent of scrolling scores on You Tube, […]
Audition advice from our faculty!
The BMus auditions are almost here, and we’ve got more sage advice from our faculty. This will be of particular interest to prospective students of voice and of wind, brass, and percussion. From Dr. Robert Taylor, Chair of the Wind, Brass and Percussion Division: Prepare diligently! Your audition is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your […]
Watch: VO2 max fitness testing for musicians
WATCH: School of Music director Dr. T. Patrick Carrabré takes a VO2 max test as part of an exciting new wellbeing project offered in partnership with UBC Athletics and Recreation and Kinesiology. The pilot project includes free VO2 testing for Music students as well as a peer coaching module that provides students with strategies to […]
Applied to the BMUS program? Here’s an update on the process
By Katherine Evans, Admissions Manager By now, you have probably submitted your general application to UBC and chosen “BMUS” as one of your choices of degree program. You’ve also been directed to submit and pay for the Supplementary Audition Form, and sent a 2020 Reference Form link to your two references for them to submit on […]
The 2020 Silverman Piano Competition finalists
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the 2nd Silverman Piano Concerto Competition Semi-Finals! Six of UBC’s finest piano students performed concertos by Beethoven, Haydn, Bach, and Mozart to an enthusiastic audience in the Roy Barnett Recital Hall at UBC. The three finalists are: Lisa Yu-Hsien Lin (Beethoven Concerto No.3 in C Minor Op.37) Judith Valerie […]