UBC Reports | Vol. 49 | No. 12 | Dec. 4, 2003

New Marshal

There’s a new Marshal in town, a new University Marshal to be exact.

Music professor Nancy Hermiston has been appointed UBC’s first university marshal. Starting Jan. 1, she will take over the ceremonial duties performed for the last 13 years by the retiring Director of Ceremonies, Chuck Slonecker.

“It’s a great job. I love it,” said Prof. Hermiston. “I’m really going to enjoy it.”

Hermiston was appointed to the U.B.C. faculty in 1995 as coordinator of the voice and opera division. Her operatic career has taken her throughout Canada, the United States and Europe. Her New York début took place in Carnegie Hall with Marilyn Horne and Mario Bernardi. Her European début led to a permanent engagement with the prestigious Nürnberg Opera. She has held numerous appointments as voice teacher, and as stage director at the Meistersinger Konservatorium, Nürnberg, and the University of Toronto opera and performance divisions.

Her Opera Ensemble, created in 1995, has performed in Europe five times and has begun an association with the Opera House in Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic, for regular summer performances there. They have also toured British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario and collaborated with Vancouver Opera, the Vancouver Symphony and various community groups.

This new role she will fill is modeled after a similar position at Harvard University. The University Marshal that takes the lead role at graduation ceremonies -- selecting and directing marshals and mace-bearers and directing the Chancellors procession. The Marshal also acts as MC at major university events such as building openings, recognition events and the UBC annual general meeting. The Marshal will always be a full-time UBC faculty member appointed for a five-year term.