MUSIC AT MEMORIAL An Annual Newsletter to Friends and Alumni 2010-2011 this issue Dr Ellen Waterman P.3 Meet Helen MacLeod P.10 Opera Roadshow P.4 Dr Rob Ash P.11 Music and Technology P.6 Dr Doug Angel P.12 Classical Guitar P.8 Rebecca Powell P.13 Professor Kjellrun Hestekin P.9 Dr Tom Gordon P.14 What’s Inside There has existed throughout the history of heal- ing a relationship between music and medicine. Often, the tuner of the instrument and the healer of the body have been the same individual. The ancient Greeks found this connection in Apollo, god of healing and of music, and us modern folk – if we look closely – will find a similar connec- tion with many medical professionals of today. In fact, if you comb the continent’s major urban centres you’ll find doctors’ orchestras in many of them – from Los An- geles to Philadelphia to London and Australia. The World Doctors Orchestra, founded in 2007, is a global non-profit organization that invites over 100 physicians to perform a benefit concert twice a year to raise money for medical aid projects. Is this connection between music and medicine a giant coincidence? I hesitate to think so. In the following pages a few of our grads offer up opinion on why they think there is such a close connection between the two. The School continues to reach out into the community in different ways and a young program is gaining serious momen- tum. We will visit with the MacLeods and learn how remembering the past has been a big part of shaping their family mantra. And sadly, we will say goodbye to a few of our gems. Professor Kjellrun Hestekin retires after 34 years at the School of Mu- sic and in his final address to the alumni and friends of the School of Music, Dr Tom Gordon reflects on a decade of growth, achievement and fond memories. We most likely haven’t seen the last of them. So maybe instead of goodbye, it’s so long for now. To our alumni, friends and supporters on behalf of our students, faculty and staff, please accept our sincerest gratitude. You are the foundation for our success. Danny Hayward Development Officer 2 ties such as the Opera Road several of Memorial’s graduate Without Show, research on traditional mu- students, stimulating scholars all. sic in Labrador, and our new ven- The highlight of the conferences tures into providing music lessons was the public launch of a fest- Further Ado to young students in remote towns schrift in honour of Dr Beverley This July my son, Nic, turns via video conferencing, the Diamond, Canada Research Chair 18. He’s all grown up and his School of Music reaches out to and Director of the MMaP. Mu- parents are leaving home! As I Newfoundland and Labrador. I sic Traditions, Cultures and Con- journey with my husband Mi- look forward to exploring the texts contains essays by some of chael and our daughter Liz to province and developing new pro- the world’s top ethnomusicolo- St. John’s to begin a new life as jects that continue this tradition of gists – a tribute to Bev’s impor- Director of the School of Mu- participation in community. tant research and far-reaching mentorship. sic, I feel something of the an- ticipation that a new student Third, I’m honoured to be joining has when going off to univer- such a stellar group of musicians Also embarking on a new journey sity. University is all about and scholars! Music at MUN is is outgoing Director, Dr Tom growth: in mind, in spirit, in hugely respected in the broader Gordon, who has guided the critical understanding. The university music world: our inter- School through a decade of un- mark of a great school is that it nationally regarded faculty of precedented growth with wisdom, encourages all these things by scholars, performers and compos- wit, and tenacity. Tom has providing rich experiences and ers build this reputation wherever worked hard to prepare a smooth by expecting the very best from they present their work. The transition for the School, and I all participants in the commu- quality of our students sang out extend hearty thanks for his gen- nity. What a privilege it is to right across the country when our erosity. I look forward to joining have the opportunity to redis- choir, directed by Dr. Douglas the 2010 cohort of new under- Dunsmore, took first place in the graduate and graduate students in cover that sense of adventure National Competition for Cana- the adventure of growing together all over again. dian Amateur Choirs in 2010. At in Music at Memorial! recent Canadian music confer- ences in Regina, I had the oppor- What do I look forward to on this tunity to hear presentations by Dr Ellen Waterman adventure, beyond the obvious Director, School of Music things like spectacular scenery and all that fresh seafood? First of all, living in a community where music is at the centre of cultural life: whether a late-night jam at the Ship Inn, a Mozart quartet in the D.F. Cook Recital Hall, or paint-ball percussion in a churchyard (which I experienced with glee at the 2006 Sound Sym- posium!). Second, I’m excited about an environment where the School of Music is fully active in the life of Newfoundland and Labrador. I think that universi- ties have a social responsibility towards the communities that fos- ter them – just the opposite of the separation between ‘town and gown’ that traditionally marked the ‘ivory tower’. Through activi- Dr Ellen Waterman (courtesy of ellenwaterman.ca) 3 Adventure on the High Cs MUN’s Opera Roadshow Caught up like the rest of us with April’s JUNO - fever, the popular Newfoundland digest Downhome produced a special issue on music in Newfoundland and Labrador. In and amongst the articles on pop music superstars, the burgeoning music industry in the province and tributes to the tradition- bearers was an article that seemed to surprise even Downhome staffers – an article on one of the province’s top musical exports: opera singers! Headlined by School of Music alumnus and Metropolitan Opera sensation, For many years the program has sand children have enjoyed these tenor David Pomeroy, the article provided excellent instruction and performances – and we’ve got the also featured profiles of rising small-scale performance and tour- letters and crayon drawings to baritone Peter Barrett from Cor- ing opportunities for students. prove it! And every year, the pool of talent ner Brook and Gander-born opera composer Dean Burry whose grows.” As delighted as the kids in the School of Music connections in- ~Peter Jackson, The Telegram, 19 audiences have been, the bless- clude two children’s opera com- February 2010 ings of five weeks in a van and 50 missions he’s received from our performances as Gretl, one of the hugely successful Opera Road- three pigs or a puffin have not show. This year’s brilliant Magic Flute been lost on the Opera Roadshow References to the MUN’s opera was only the latest in a long alumni. Numerous of the grads of workshop as the hothouse for stream of mainstage productions this program have parlayed the young opera singers were fre- that trace back to all the Don quent in the article. And so they Cook / Carolyn Hart productions should be. As Telegram critic Pe- at the Arts and Culture Centre. ter Jackson wrote in his review of But these days it’s on the road MUN’s full-staged production of that most of the MUN’s aspiring Mozart’s Magic Flute this year, divas cut their professional teeth. Opera Roadshow is bringing the “The strength of the opera relied excitement of opera to school- entirely on orchestra costumes, aged children across Atlantic drama and, of course, singing. Canada. The concept – brainchild And what singing there was. The of Dr Caroline Schiller – is simple numerous solo ranks are all filled enough: form a small troupe of by current or former voice stu- young and dynamic singers, pre- dents at MUN. And the calibre is pare a delightful children’s opera pretty close to what you’d get at a (with at least one pants-fall-down small opera house in any larger moment to keep the hilarity roll- centre from New York to Milan... ing), rent a van on May 1st and [Caroline] Schiller is the current storm the province. In each of the torchbearer for the School of Mu- last seven years five to six thou- sic’s opera workshop program. 4 performances as Ifigenia in Han- del's Oreste. Both are back in Newfoundland now and running performance careers from home. Then there was our favourite Ma- ria, Tamara Fifield who made it to the finals in Andrew Lloyd Weber and CBC’s nationally broadcast “How do you solve a problem like Maria?” Back off her Austrian mountain top, Tamara is comple- ting a MMus in vocal performan- ce at l’Université de Montréal. Are there operatic mountains left to climb for MUN’s School of Music? Absolutely! Next year’s Roadshow tour will be with a Roadshow experience into the wins and leading performances in brand new work – once again foundations of exciting careers. Banff and Tel Aviv. Both tenor from composer Dean Burry – Take for example Suzanne Rid- Jonathan Reed and soprano Meg- Verrue au nez, a bilingual work gen, now with l’Atelier Lyrique han Herder headed to the States adapted from a Franco- de l’Opéra de Montréal.