The Don Wright Faculty of Music is the faculty of music at the
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...
in
London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...
, Canada. The faculty was founded in 1968. Originally known as just the Faculty of Music, it was renamed in 2002 in honour of
Don Wright after a significant donation.
The faculty is situated Western's main campus in Talbot College and the Music Building and offers
undergraduate
Undergraduate education is education conducted after secondary education and before postgraduate education. It typically includes all postsecondary programs up to the level of a bachelor's degree. For example, in the United States, an entry-lev ...
and
postgraduate
Postgraduate or graduate education refers to academic or professional degrees, certificates, diplomas, or other qualifications pursued by post-secondary students who have earned an undergraduate ( bachelor's) degree.
The organization and stru ...
degrees. As of 2020, there are ca. 610 students enrolled in the faculty. The current
dean
Dean may refer to:
People
* Dean (given name)
* Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin
* Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk
* Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean
Titles
* ...
is
Michael Kim, who has been in the position since August 2021. Current associate deans are
John Cuciurean(Undergraduate Admissions & Programs) and Kevin Mooney (Graduate Studies).
History
Early history
The
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario (UWO), also known as Western University or Western, is a Public university, public research university in London, Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land, surrounded by resident ...
(originally known as The Western University of London) was founded in 1878 and the current campus of the university was developed in 1923.
The London Conservatory of Music (founded 1892) and the London Institute of Musical Art (founded 1919) were two private music schools operating out of
London, Ontario
London (pronounced ) is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor. The city had a population of 422,324 according to the 2021 Canadian census. London is at the confluence of the Thames River, approximate ...
that contributed to the formation of the current faculty.
In 1922, London Institute of Musical Art absorbed the London Conservatory of Music and fell under the affiliation of the Toronto Conservatory of Music. This stayed until the formation of the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music in 1934.
In 1938 the conservatory's principal was appointed director of music for the university, and the offices were moved from downtown
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
to the McIntosh Gallery on the university campus in 1942.
A Music Teacher's College was established in 1945, changing its name to College of Music in 1961 and becoming part of the Faculty of Arts and Science.
Faculty of Music
On July 1, 1968, the college became the Faculty of Music with Clifford von Kuster as the first Dean.
Following rapid expansion, a new music building was officially opened in 1972.
Hugh McLean was dean of the Faculty of Music from 1973 to 1980, followed by
Jack Behrens
Jack Behrens (born 25 March 1935) is a Canadian composer, music educator, and writer of American birth. A member of the Canadian League of Composers and an associate of the Canadian Music Centre, his music has been performed throughout North Ame ...
from 1980 to 1986 and Jeffrey Stokes from 1986 to 2000. Robert Wood was appointed dean in 2001, followed by Betty Anne Younker, the Faculty of Music's first female dean from 2011 to 2021.
In 2002, the faculty was renamed the Don Wright Faculty of Music after a donation by Canadian composer, musician and educator
Donald J. Wright.
Renovations to Talbot Theatre were completed in August 2009, and the hall was renamed in honour of retiring University president Paul Davenport. Talbot College and the Music Building underwent extensive renovations and additions which were completed in 2018.
Departments
The Don Wright Faculty of Music has three departments:
* Department of Music Education
* Department of Music Research and Composition
* Department of Music Performance Studies
Degrees offered
Undergraduate degrees
Degrees offered in the faculty include the
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...
with Honours in general music, music education, performance, music research, or composition; the
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...
in general music studies; and the
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
with Majors in music (Honours), music administrative studies or popular music studies, as well as Minors in music or dance.
Since 2013, the Don Wright Faculty of Music and the
Richard Ivey School of Business
Ivey Business School is a constituent unit of the University of Western Ontario, located in London, Ontario, Canada. Ivey offers full-time undergraduate (HBA), MBA, MSc, MFE and PhD programs and also maintains two teaching facilities in Toronto ...
offer a concurrent five-year program with a Bachelor of Music (general music studies) or Bachelor of Arts (Music) and a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Business Administration (HBA).
Postgraduate degrees
Graduate degrees include the
Master of Music in composition, theory, music education, literature and performance; the
Master of Arts
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
in musicology, theory, and popular music and culture; the
PhD PHD or PhD may refer to:
* Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), an academic qualification
Entertainment
* '' PhD: Phantasy Degree'', a Korean comic series
* ''Piled Higher and Deeper'', a web comic
* Ph.D. (band), a 1980s British group
** Ph.D. (Ph.D. albu ...
in musicology, theory, composition, music education; and the DMA (
Doctor of Musical Arts
The Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) is a doctoral academic degree in music. The DMA combines advanced studies in an applied area of specialization (usually music performance, music composition, or conducting) with graduate-level academic study in ...
) in performance studies.
Diplomas
The Faculty also offers a music performance diploma in conjunction with another area of study at the university and a one-year artist diploma in performance.
Since 2012, the faculty has offered an integrated Music Recording Arts (MRA) program in collaboration with
Fanshawe College
Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology, commonly shortened to Fanshawe College, is a public college in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. One of the largest colleges in Canada, it has campuses in London, Simcoe, St. Thomas and Woodstock w ...
. Graduates of the program will receive a Bachelor of Music (general music studies) degree as well as an Ontario College Diploma in Music Industry Arts (MIA).
Other programs
The Don Wright Faculty of Music offers certificate and extra-curricular programs for community members and students.
The faculty operates the Canadian Operatic Arts Academy and the Accademia Europea Dell’Opera. These programs are designed for opera performers to further their skills and participants learn about skills such as vocal health, audition preparation and performance exercises. The Canadian Operatic Arts Academy is offered on the Western university campus in London, Ontario while the Accademia Europea Dell’Opera program runs internationally in collaboration with the Centro Studi Opera Omnia Luigi Boccherini in Italy.
The faculty also participates in the New Horizons Adult Band program. Originally created at the
Eastman School of Music
The Eastman School of Music is the music school of the University of Rochester, a private research university in Rochester, New York. It was established in 1921 by industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman.
It offers Bachelor of Music (B.M ...
, the program was brought to Western in 1999. This
concert band
A concert band, also called a wind band, wind ensemble, wind symphony, wind orchestra, symphonic band, the symphonic winds, or symphonic wind ensemble, is a performing ensemble consisting of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion famil ...
was created to allow adults to learn an instrument and play in a group with others of similar beginner skill level.
Ensembles
2019–2020 ensembles and directors:
*Western University Symphony Orchestra – Simone Luti
*Western University Wind Ensemble – Colleen Richardson, DMA
*Western University Symphonic Band – Shawn Chabot
*Western University Jazz Ensemble – Kevin Watson, DME
*Western University Singers – Mark Ramsay, DMA
*St. Cecilia Singers – Gloria Gassi
*Chorale – Patrick Murray
*Les Choristes – Janet Loo
*Opera – Theodore Baerg
*Percussion Ensemble – Jill Ball, DMA
*Early Music Studio – Joseph Lanza
*Contemporary Music Studio – Patricia Green & Paul Frehner, DMus
Performance venues
Paul Davenport Theatre
The Paul Davenport Theatre is located in Talbot College and seats 400. It usually hosts over 200 performances per year. The theatre is the main performance venue for the large ensembles such as the symphony orchestra, jazz band and wind ensemble.
In 2009, the theatre received a renovation with half the cost being offset by fundraising campaigns. During this time, it was renamed to honour former university president,
Paul Davenport
Paul Theodore Davenport, (born December 24, 1946) was the tenth president of the University of Alberta and ninth president of the University of Western Ontario.
Born and raised in Summit, New Jersey,Mayne, Paul"Davenport honoured by Jewish Natio ...
.
von Kuster Hall
The von Kuster Recital Hall is a small, 232 seat performance hall located in the Music Building. The hall is primarily used as a venue for the performance of chamber music, small ensembles and
recitals
A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variety ...
. The hall also is used as a recording venue. The hall is named after the first dean of the Faculty of Music, Clifford von Kuster.
Studio 242
Studio 242 is a smaller scale hall used for recitals and classes, located in room 242 of the music building. It also serves as a smaller recording studio.
Alumni Hall
Alumni Hall was built as a multi-purpose hall in the late 1960s and is mainly used today for convocation ceremonies, basketball, volleyball and other indoor events.
Prior to the renovation of the Paul Davenport Theatre, Western's symphony orchestra used the 2,300-seat auditorium as a performance space.
References
External links
The University of Western OntarioThe Don Wright Faculty of Music Western Libraries - Music Library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Don Wright Faculty Of Music
Music schools in Canada
University of Western Ontario