This weekend there will be 2 concerts featuring the music of Arvo Pärt, both directed by Grebel professor Mark Vuorinen. Pärt, the most often performed living composer in the world, celebrated his 80th birthday this fall. The concerts this weekend together celebrate the living legacy of this deeply spiritual and prolific composer.
Every year the University of Waterloo celebrates International Education Week. For the past two years, the Grebel Gamelan Ensemble has been pleased to be part of the celebration. See the interview with I Dewa Made Suparta at Waterloo International.
"As we listen more clearly to the music of our planet, we can seek to create music that celebrates not only the sounds of the earth and the larger universe but the silences from which these sounds emerge."
-- CA Weaver
More than twenty choristers with ties, past and present, to Conrad Grebel University College’s Music program joined a cast of nearly 1000 for the Luminato Festival’s epic production of R. Murray Schafer’s Apocalypsis at Toronto’s Sony Centre on June 26-28.
Musicians in Waterloo Region have joined together to raise funds for earthquake victims in Nepal.
Under Grebel/UW professor Mark Vuorinen's baton, the Grand Philharmonic Choir, together with many community partners, including Grebel students, is organizing a free concert Sunday May 24th, 4 p.m. at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, 49 Queen St. N., Kitchener.
At the concert, audience members will be invited to donate to Mennonite Central Committee's Nepal earthquake relief fund. The federal government will match any donations made at the concert.
This past weekend (March 13-15) two prominent choral groups premiered works by Conrad Grebel University College faculty member Timothy Corlis. Elektra Women’s Choir in Vancouver, directed by Morna Edmundson, premiered and recorded a suite of 4 choral pieces entitled Heart Songs of the White Wampum. These are musical settings of poems written by the celebrated Canadian Poet E. Pauline Johnson. This commission was supported by a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. Acclaimed percussionist Beverly Johnston was the soloist for this commission.
Music Professor, Mark Vuorinen, director of the Grand Philharmonic choir is giving a concert on Saturday night titled, Grant us Peace. Three beautiful and contrasting works are on the program:
Haydn: Lord Nelson Mass (also known as Mass in troubled times)
John Estacio: The houses stand not far apart (a Philharmonic commission)
Peteris Vasks: Dona nobis Pacem
The new Whole Note magazine features an article on the UW Gamelan Ensemble and Dr. Maisie Sum, the Conrad Grebel professor who is the director. For the full article, see The Whole Note pg 29-30.
The Toronto Percussion Ensemble performed at Grebel's Noon Hour Concert yesterday. Who knew flowerpots and winebottles could be percussion instruments?
