Jane Honek
Jane Honek (BA 2014) is a star of the stage, though perhaps not in the way that you would expect. As a stage manager, Jane works hard behind-the-scenes to ensure productions flow seamlessly. “Stage management seems to be a thing people don’t really think about when they see a show, which is a good thing. If people see or think about me, it’s probably because something went wrong with the show.”
Jane graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Joint Honours in Music and Theatre & Performance in 2014. Her studies provided her with a strong toolkit of knowledge and skills which she often draws on for her work in stage management. “My music degree has helped me be a strong stage manager in theatre, particularly in opera. I have accurately called cues for a show from incredibly complicated music and am able to communicate with conductors, singers, et al. about the music in relation to the show with ease.” While working on a Baroque opera, Jane also found her studies in Baroque and Classical music to be an asset in simply understanding the show. “I have used so many different skills to carry out my job, including a lot of music theory and sensibility from studying music, whether the show is a musical or opera or not.”
In 2015 Jane apprenticed on R. Murray Shafer’s Apocalypsis at the Luminato Festival in Toronto. With a complex score and a cast of nearly 1,000 artists, including Tanya Tagaq, Nina Arsenault, Brent Carver, and conductor David Fallis, the show was a massive feat. Another career highlight includes her time as assistant stage manager for the show The Wedding Party at Crow’s Theatre in Toronto. “It was a hilarious production with a ridiculous amount of props and very fast and complicated costume changes, which was interesting and satisfying for me as a theatre practitioner.”
Currently serving as an assistant stage manager, Jane is helping to pull together the production An Ideal Husband at the Stratford Festival this summer.
Mark Diller Harder
After graduation, Music alumnus Mark Diller Harder (BA 1989) worked at Welcome Inn Community Centre and Church in Hamilton with Mennonite Voluntary Service. Finding this to be a transformational experience in service, he left to pursue pastoral ministry, knowing that while his calling was ministry, music would be an ongoing passion. Mark would go on to serve both First Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church Eastern Canada as the Student and Young Adult Minister. He is currently a pastor at St. Jacobs Mennonite Church.
“Having a solid background in music is a big asset to being a pastor, particularly in a Mennonite Church that highly values music as a form of worship,” said Mark. “Understanding both texts and music allows me to shape the themes, flow, and structure of the whole service in a way that integrates and brings meaning, rather than just through the sermon.”
Ministry is a rewarding role for Mark and comes with many highlights, including weddings, pastoral care, and hospital visits. “It is always a privilege to be invited into people’s lives—to be given the trust to listen and walk with people in the real stuff of life, whether celebration or sorrow.” In music, his most memorable experiences include singing the Franz Schmidt Das Buch mit Sieben Siegeln with Howard Dyck, and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with Robert Shaw.
Mark uses his musical talents to enrich the community outside of his role as pastor. He also serves as President and Assistant Conductor of Menno Singers, and has been a member of this group for 25 years. Mark also leads hymn sings and explores new songs for the larger church. “I love to engage singers with the stories and meaning behind the songs we sing, and invite them into vigorous community music making.”
Mentioning professors like Wilbur Maust, Leonard Enns, and Ken Hull, Mark reflects fondly on his experience in the Music program. “I still appreciate the thoughtful and informed musical training I received while at Grebel, particularly in the areas of music history.”
Catherine Falconer
Choosing one academic focus around which to build a career seemed impossible for Cate Falconer (BA 1983), a woman of many passions and interests. It wasn’t until her third year of university that she decided to pursue a double major in Music and Philosophy, despite an unsettling feeling that she might be compromising.
Her concerns were quickly put to rest when she discovered that the faculty in the Music Department were truly invested in her education, and willing to make adjustments so the program fit her needs and interests. “I was interested in delving into aesthetics and semiotics,” Kate explained. “Ken Hull helped me to do this by setting up individualized courses for me—not a common thing to do at the time. Later, he liased with some of my Philosophy professors so that I could do a joint undergraduate thesis between the two departments.”
Post-graduation, Cate launched her career in education, combining music and special education. She was always eager to engage in extra-curricular activities and collaborate with fellow educators to develop new ways of teaching that integrated the arts, cross-curricular design, and critical thinking. “Opportunities that pull people together and foster relationships go beyond the classroom and are the privilege of teaching. They provide meaning and satisfaction beyond measure.”
As a strong advocate of liberal arts education, she felt her move into becoming an Arts and Literacy Consultant for the York Region District School Board was a natural transition. She played a key role in writing two policies recently adopted by the board; one on arts and the other a first-time religious accommodation policy. More recently, she was asked to write a teaching guide on activist art.
Looking back, Cate gleaned a great deal from her time in the music program. “I understand now that my music professors were role models for how I might manage being a teacher and support learning in a community,” she reflected. “They offered sound academic programing, but more importantly, they demonstrated love for learning and an openness to new ideas and ways of doing things.”
Cate is now retired but remains active in the community. She currently serves on Grebel’s board, volunteers in her church and community, and sings with the Pax Christi Chorale.
Marina Gallagher
In 2015, Marina Gallagher (BA 2015) won the Governor General’s Silver Medal award with the highest average in Arts among graduands. An astute music scholar, Marina is now pursuing a PhD in Musicology at University of British Columbia. With research interests in topic theory, and its relation to music in gaming and film, she is exploring select pieces from the Final Fantasy video game franchise, and how the combination of music and landscape within the game world impacts player immersion.
“My undergraduate degree was in Music and Classical Studies, so I’m particularly interested in investigating the characteristics of pastoral and anti-pastoral music and how such music interacts with pastoral and anti-pastoral landscapes, the features of which can be traced back to Ancient Greek and Roman pastoral and epic poetry,” explained Marina. With her research well underway, exciting patterns are beginning to emerge in the data, and with it arise equally exciting opportunities. In January, Marina was invited to present some of her findings at the North American Conference on Video Game Music.
Her inspiration, especially as an entrepreneur, comes from a personal interest in video games. “I find motivation in role-playing video games because of the characters’ will to press onwards and achieve their (sometimes seemingly impossible) goals in the face of set-backs and struggles. It is incredibly inspiring when developing a business and working through challenges along the way.” Marina also draws inspiration from her mother, who shares her passion for music.
For aspiring music students, Marina offers one simple piece of advice: Follow your passions. “The sky really is the limit in terms of career aspirations, especially since studying music equips you with a variety of soft skills to apply to whatever career you wish,” she said. “I think that being passionate about your career makes all the difference, regardless of what you choose to do after graduation, as your passion will fuel you as you work towards your goals and inspire others.”
Outside of academics, Marina runs Travelling Troubadour Music Studio. With an ARCT in Piano Pedagogy from the Royal Conservatory of Music, she offers lessons in piano and music theory.
