UBC Reports | Vol. 48 | No. 6 | April 4, 2002

The Beat Goes On in Latest UBC Special Collection

He died in 1971, but the loves, life and music of 20th century icon Igor Stravinsky will live on in the UBC library's special collection stacks, thanks to a generous gift.

The Colin H. Slim Collection, named for its donor, contains more than 130 items that once belonged to the great Russian-born composer including a signed edition of his ballet Petrushka, autographed sketches of his piano works Divertimento and Les Noces, love letters, photos and drawings. It is the largest collection of its kind in Canada.

A UBC graduate and well-known musicologist, Slim's fascination with Stravinsky began when he was a young music student. In April 1952, Slim participated in a concert held at UBC in which two of Stravinsky's works - Concerto for Two Pianos and Les Noces - were premiered in Canada, the latter of which Slim conducted.

The concert prompted the composer himself to come to Vancouver to conduct the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra where Slim had the chance to meet him. That encounter spurred him to become an enthusiastic collector of the composer's personal belongings. Slim donated his collection to UBC's Library in 2000.

The Stravinsky collection makes its public debut the weekend of April 5-7 in the Ridington Room of UBC's Main Library. Several events are planned to celebrate, including re-staging the 1952 concert of Stravinsky's works.

For more information on the exhibit, visit www.library.ubc.ca or call 604-822-2874. For more information on the concert, call 604-822-9161. Tickets available through Ticketmaster at 604-280-3311 or www.ticketmaster.ca.