The School of Music is preparing a feast for the fall term. The enormous menu includes something for every taste and pocketbook, served up by seasoned performers and the soon-to-be-famous.
The free student showcase, Friday Noon Hour @ Main is back. So is the equally popular and inexpensive Wednesday Noon Hour series. As well, there are new Sunday afternoon Pacific Spirit Concerts in the school's Recital Hall.
School of Music director Jesse Read says Sunday afternoon presentations allow people to plan to enjoy a concert and then a meal or other event.
"Pacific Spirit Concerts will present our world-class performance faculty, alumni and outstanding current students as well as special visiting artists," he says.
The first of seven concerts in the series, Sept. 24, features two of UBC's most celebrated solo artists, Andrew Dawes and Jane Coop.
The refurbished Dodson Room in the Main Library is the venue for Friday Noon Hour @ Main. The first performance, Sept. 15, is Gian Carlo Menotti's The Telephone and Samuel Barber's The Hand of Bridge. Stage directors are Neil Wright and Suzanne Abbott. Musical director is Karen Lee-Morlang.
Introducing Music students to audiences beyond the university gates is the objective of the series, which is organized by Music alumnus Lee-Morlang, who is back on campus for the new Diploma in Collaborative Piano Studies which provides advanced training in vocal and chamber music collaboration.
"We want more venues in which UBC students can polish their repertoire and gain confidence in professional and tour-like situations," says Lee-Morlang. She is a core member of UBC's Song Circle and founder of the "Eine kleine lunch musik" series at the Vancouver Art Gallery, where Friday Noon Hour@ Main concerts will be repeated.
"Born of some of these same ideals is the Song Circle, a group of pianists and singers making breakthroughs with original interpretation and presentation of art song," she adds. "Under the direction of Prof. Rena Sharon, we have been recording for CBC, just finished three successful Festival Vancouver 2000 shows and will be featured around the Lower Mainland, including the Pacific Spirit Concert Series, March 18."
Wednesday Noon Hour concerts begin Sept. 20 with famed UBC pianist Robert Silverman. The eclectic schedule of upcoming performances includes international artists and programs as diverse as Miles Davis' Capitol sessions, a saxophone quartet and chamber ensembles.
A UBC musical highlight will be the Nov. 17 School of Music and Vancouver Opera Foundation benefit by alumnus Ben Heppner, internationally hailed as one of the world's finest operatic voices. Tickets went on sale Aug. 28 at (604) 683-0222.
The School of Music presents some 200 performances a year.
more information
For upcoming concert information check the Calendar
in this paper, visit the Web site www.music.ubc.ca,
or call 604-822-5574.