Laurier Music

DREAM TEAM. 💛💜

When a killer voice teacher and a fabulous collaborative pianist team up to support their student’s growth, make it look effortless, and show up in matching outfits, of course. ✨

🎹✨ Did you know? Our recital hall can look like THIS!

A little haze, some dramatic lighting and a grand piano ready for its close-up. 🎥💙

We’re setting the stage for a recording, and it’s a great reminder that there’s so much more happening behind the scenes at Laurier Music than what you see at a concert!

From professional lighting and audio recording to transforming our performance spaces, there are so many ways to bring music to life.

A huge thank you to our amazing production team for their creativity, expertise and dedication to turning artistic visions into reality! 💜💛

Laurier Music percussion faculty member and Associate Dean Brennan Connolly recently joined the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra for a world premiere performance of Forest Paths Imagined by Leo Purich. Connolly performed the offstage bells part from the balcony at FirstOntario Concert Hall.

It’s always great to see our faculty performing beyond Laurier and bringing that professional experience back to our students.

📸 Brennan with his setup for the performance!

This summer, Laurier Music PhD candidate Nathan Stretch traded his desk in the city for a writing retreat on the lake! 🌲✍️🎶

Nathan was one of just five Laurier PhDs nominated to attend LakeShift, a five-day dissertation writing retreat hosted by Queen’s University at its Biological Station on Lake Opinicon.

Bringing together graduate students from universities across Ontario, LakeShift offers dedicated time to write, connect and make progress on dissertations — all in a pretty incredible setting.

Nathan was the only music student among this year’s participants, representing Laurier’s Faculty of Music alongside fellow Laurier PhD students Vita Cao, Manel Miaadi, Christina Rossi and Hajrah Mumtaz.

His verdict? “I would recommend this program to other PhD candidates who need to get some serious writing done!”

We love seeing our graduate students finding new spaces to connect, write and move their research forward. 💜💛

🎶 A little glimpse into a recent Wind Orchestra rehearsal!

Our Laurier Wind Orchestra, under the direction of Dr. Leah McGray, has been busy preparing for this Friday’s Chamber and Wind Orchestra Concert.

Come hear all that rehearsal come to life on the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall stage! 💜🎺

📅 Friday, Oct. 9
⏰ 7:30 p.m.
📍 Maureen Forrester Recital Hall

Featuring performances by the Laurier Wind Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra.

WaterlooOntario

It’s not an opera.
It’s not musical theatre.
There are no spotlights,
no standing ovations,
no curtain calls today.

Just pencils, papers and a whole lot of concentration. ✏️📝

The Theatre Auditorium has entered its midterm era.

Break a leg, Laurier! 💜💛

This past week, our oboe instructor Ari Cohen Mann joined the Niagara Symphony Orchestra as guest soloist, performing Kevin Lau’s Prayer in a Green Cathedral under conductor Bradley Thachuk. 🎶

Ari has performed with the Niagara Symphony many times, but these concerts marked their first time appearing with the orchestra as a soloist. The performances were also only the second time Lau’s work has been performed.

Ari took the stage Oct. 2 in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Oct. 4 in St. Catharines.

A wonderful milestone. Congratulations, Ari! 💜

We love a casual Friday afternoon sectional rehearsal 🎶📯

Just a few of our students doing what they do best: playing horn, making music and casually posing like they’ve got an album dropping at midnight. 😂

Nothing to see here, just another Friday afternoon at Laurier Music 💜💛

FridayVibes

On the road with Demian and Nina! 🚗🐾

Yesterday, Laurier Music faculty member and Master of Music Therapy Coordinator Dr. Demian Kogutek hit the road with his dog, Nina, heading to Perth, Ontario, for the Inspiration Symposium: The Heart of Music Therapy in Practice, October 2–4.

Demian will co-facilitate “Listening with Data” with Tian Ip, sharing hands-on ways to use electronic musical instruments and data analysis to support music therapy practice and track progress.

Wishing Demian an inspiring weekend of learning, sharing and connecting with the music therapy community, with a little canine company along the way! 💜💛