Dear composers – welcome to the new academic year for 2025-26!
As usual, this year we have many exciting events happening, including concerts of your music (see side bar dates), and other new music concerts both on/off campus. This year I will do my best to update this sidebar in the “extras” area, but please keep in mind that there are MANY events in this city you should keep your eyes/ears on! Please do take note of the fora dates, which will again this year be organized by Mari Alice Conrad, and the concert dates. Note: we currently have two dates reserved at the end of each term – the ultimate date(s) will be settled later, but for now please reserve both dates in your calendar.
This Friday, from 9-10 AM in FAB 2-7D, we will have a special visit from Janna Sailor, the director of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC), who will be here to answer questions about the Centre – an important professional organization for Canadian composers. I highly recommend attending.
And, the next day, there will be a concert of new music entitled Infrared by Edmonton’s amazing Ultraviolet, who most of you know, having worked with them on your pieces. They will be performing a concert of new premieres, one of which is by our own Mari Alice Conrad. This concert will be off campus at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, and you should all be there!
Finally, please note that all semester, there will be several visiting artists/composers as part of Patrick Nickleson’s “Decolonizing Experimental Music” Series. These are composers and artists from Canada who are doing amazing work and you will all be inspired by them. The first visitor is here THIS WEEK, Olivia Shortt, and one of her pieces will be featured in the concert above.
All of these artists will be giving an artists talk, as part of Patrick’s class, and they are all open to the public. You should go to ALL of them. Info below:
SPEAKER SERIES | Decolonizing Experimental Music
Olivia Shortt (Tkarón:to)
September 4, 2025 | 2-3:30 p.m.
FAB 2-020, Fine Arts Building, North Campus
Join Professor Patrick Nickleson and students in Music 483/583 for a series of talks and workshops by guest artist-composers. Guests will talk about their compositional and performance practice, demonstrate their work, and take audience questions.
All campus and community members welcome!
Upcoming events:
- 4 September | Olivia Shortt (Tkarón:to) THIS WEEK
- 25 September | Mustafa Rafiq (amiskwaciy)
- 2 October | Ian Lynch of Lankum and One Leg One Eye (Dublin)
- 9 October | Marek Tyler/ASKO (amiskwaciy)
- 23 October | Melody McKiver (Treaty #1)
- 6 November | Matthew Cardinal (amiskwaciy)
For more information, please contact: Patrick Nickleson | nickleso@ualberta.ca
Visit the Music Department event listing HERE