News

• Brock’s Niagara Choral Workshop open to community

  Wednesday, June 08, 2022 | By ckim2

  

  The Niagara Choral Workshop will be led by Brock Associate Professor Rachel Rensink-Hoff this summer.

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  Originally published in The Brock News | MONDAY, APRIL 18, 2022 | by Charles Kim

  A three-day workshop this summer is inviting the community to learn the ins and outs of choral singing at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts.

  Led by Associate Professor Rachel Rensink-Hoff, the Niagara Choral Workshop is designed for choral conductors, teachers, song leaders and those with a general interest in the topic. The workshop, for which applications are now open, will be taught through engaging and interactive sessions on sound exploration, rehearsal strategies, conducting techniques and repertoire perspectives.

  Alongside Rensink-Hoff, the learning experience will also feature guest speakers Karen Burke, Associate Professor at York University School of the Arts, Performance, Media and Design, and Elroy Friesen, Professor and Director of Choral Studies at the University of Manitoba.

  The workshop will run from Aug. 24 to 27 at the MIWSFPA. Each day will comprise of hands-on masterclasses, group discussions and group sessions with choral colleagues on current topics in choral singing.

  “Our three-day choral workshop is designed to inspire and equip choral educators and conductors of all levels of experience with hands-on workshops and discussion-based explorations of relevant topics, including the joy of singing with others,” Rensink-Hoff says.

  Registration for the workshop is open to professionals and students, as well as the general public. The deadline to apply is Wednesday, June 15. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. To apply or for more information, please visit the Brock Music web page.

  Tags: avanti, Choir, Department of Music, elroy friesen, karen burke, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA, MUSI, niagara choral, Rachel Rensink-Hoff, sora, workshop
  Categories: Events, Faculty & Instructors, News

• Student-run podcast provides guidance, inspiration for future artists

  Tuesday, April 12, 2022 | By gminaker

  

  The Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts in downtown St. Catharines is home to the student-run podcast, Dear Marilyn, named in honour of the late textile artist and philanthropist.

  Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, APRIL 12, 2022 | by Gillian Minaker

  What started as a passion project for two Brock University students in search of career tips has become a robust podcast series providing invaluable insight to the next generation of creators.

  Produced for students by students, the popular podcast Dear Marilyn is now in its second season of connecting the student community with professional artists, with plans to continue production on an ongoing basis.

  Created in 2021 by Dramatic Arts (DART) students Danielle Letourneau and Luca D’Amico, the podcast name honours celebrated textile artist, philanthropist and arts advocate Marilyn I. Walker. In 2008, Walker made a historic donation to Brock that led to the creation of the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA).

  Letourneau, the podcast’s producer who is now in her fourth year of study with a concentration in Drama and Education and minor in History, says that she has often felt anxiety about entering theatre as a profession.

  “I started this podcast to give students like myself a resource for practical job advice,” Letourneau said. “The arts industry is not always considered the most conventional career path, but we do it because this is what we love; the arts nurture our souls.”

  Supported by Dean Carol Merriam of the Faculty of Humanities through the Dean’s Discretionary Fund in 2021, the Associate Dean of Fine and Performing Arts and MIWSFPA department Chairs, the Dear Marilyn team invites local and surrounding artists from a range of artistic disciplines to share their stories.

  Co-hosts Hayley Bando, a second-year Dramatic Arts major with a concentration in Production and Design, and Chloe Racho, a third-year Music major with a minor in French Studies, are thrilled to be part of the project.

  “We are honoured to help bring these diverse perspectives about professional journeys in the arts to the Brock community,” Bando said.

  Recent podcast guests include actor, writer and producer Thet Win, voice actor Keegan Vaillancourt and singer-songwriter Glenn Marais.

  MIWSFPA faculty have been supportive since day one, with Karen Fricker, Associate Professor of Dramatic Arts, championing the podcast idea in its early stages.

  “I was happy to support Dear Marilyn initially because it’s a great idea, and a positive student-led project during the hard time of the pandemic,” she said. “I looked forward to each episode and was entertained and educated by the hosts’ sparky exchanges with guests.”

  DART Associate Professor Gyllian Raby guided the grant proposal for Dear Marilyn resulting in the expansion of the podcast to include all four departments at the downtown arts campus (Dramatic Arts, Music, Visual Arts and Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture).

  “What’s not to like about Dear Marilyn? It relates directly to our mission to create experiential, professionalized learning for students producing, hosting, editing and broadcasting,” Raby said. “And, it’s entertaining and insightful.”

  DART Associate Professor Danielle Wilson has been working with the team on the second season. Episodes are edited by Alex Sykes, a fourth-year DART student with a concentration in Production and Design.

  Available on Spotify, the next episode goes live this week. For the latest news, follow Dear Marilyn on Instagram.

  Tags: Alex Sykes, Carol Merriam, Chloe Racho, community engagement, Danielle Letourneau, danielle wilson, Dean's Discretionary Fund, Dear Marilyn, Glenn Marais, gyllian raby, Hayley Bando, humanities, Karen Fricker, Keegan Vaillancourt, Luca D'Amico, Marilyn I. Walker, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA, podcast, Thet Win
  Categories: Current Students, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, News, Uncategorised

• FACULTY FOCUS: Nina Penner working to create change in Canadian opera

  Friday, November 12, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: Nina Penner, Brock University Assistant Professor of Music, enjoys sharing her love of opera with her students.

  Originally published in The Brock News | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2021 | by Maryanne St. Denis

  Note: Faculty Focus is a monthly series that highlights faculty whose compelling passions, innovative ideas and various areas of expertise help weave together the fabric of Brock University’s vibrant community. For more from the series, click here.

  Nina Penner’s students are always surprised to learn she’s not a singer.

  Although the opera expert has been a part of many productions throughout her career, her home has always been in the orchestral pit.

  The classical clarinetist, and now Brock University Assistant Professor of Music, has always found herself fascinated with the art form and rejoices in her ability to share it with others.

  Penner’s love for music began with the piano at age eight, but it wasn’t until a few years later when she picked up a clarinet that she truly found her fit.

  

  Nina Penner, now an Assistant Professor of Music at Brock University,
  spent countless hours during her childhood honing her skills on the clarinet.

  For weeks, she played as much as her lips would allow, stopping only when her muscles weakened from exhaustion.

  “I was obsessed with the clarinet,” she says lightheartedly, reminiscing about how her father went from renting her an instrument to quickly realizing a purchase was in their future.

  Penner, who grew up in Niagara, began teaching herself from books before moving on to private lessons in her adolescence.

  After high school graduation, she pursued her Bachelor of Music in Clarinet Performance at the University of Toronto.

  “I like performing a lot, especially ensemble music, orchestra and chamber music,” she says. “I’ve always liked playing new music, including music by student composers.”

  After time, however, Penner began to realize that the performer life — and the entrepreneurial aspects of promoting yourself and booking gigs — wasn’t for her.

  Her interest was instead starting to drift in a new direction.

  Penner’s history courses on music and music theory began to draw more of her attention and, after some discussions with her professors, she decided academia was the world she was best suited for.

  She went on to complete her master’s at the University of Toronto and her PhD at McGill University, both in musicology.

  But her love for opera never waned. She decided that as an academic, it would be her area of focus.

  During her performance days, Penner’s gaze between notes often fell to the talented singers, her mind trying to take in as much detail as possible.

  “I could see what was happening on stage and that was really fascinating,” she says. “I think that enhanced my desire to understand more about opera staging, which is what some of my early musicology work was about.”

  Since joining Brock in July 2020, Penner has expanded her work to look at opera — as well as musical theatre and film music — as it relates to various social movements.

  

  In high school, Nina Penner, now a Brock Assistant Professor of Music,

  performed a concerto with the Niagara Youth Orchestra.

  Her most recent project, funded by a Brock Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Institution Grant, explores the experiences of Indigenous, Black and People of Colour working in opera in Canada.

  The study, “Exploring New Collaborative Models in Indigenous-led Opera in Canada,” is a collaboration with Amplified Opera, a Toronto-based collective that seeks to amplify previously marginalized voices in the industry.

  They are about to launch a survey to learn more about the frequency and severity of racial discrimination and microaggressions in Canadian opera.

  “Because I’m not a singer and I’m a white settler, it was so important to get the voices of the people who this research is hopefully going to serve, to survey them about their experiences and about what can be done to rectify these situations,” she says. “This is not about getting people to relive these painful experiences, but to document them and start thinking about what we can do to move forward.”

  After the survey is completed, Penner plans to interview about 20 singers this winter to get more detailed narratives and recommendations for change.

  The intention is to ultimately improve equity and diversity in the opera industry.

  “It’s not just about hiring more people of colour,” Penner says. “We also have to rethink how we’re creating the works themselves, rethink the actual creative process. How we are we working together and at what point are people of colour involved in creating these pieces?”

  Companies led by People of Colour, such as Amplified Opera, are exploring new collaborative and leadership models, such as involving singers from the earliest stages of creating new works and productions. By documenting these new approaches, the study aims to encourage larger houses, such as the Canadian Opera Company, to consider replicating some of these collaborative models.

  “The hope is to see not only indie opera companies but also the big houses take a risk and do something a bit differently,” she says.

  For anyone new to the genre but interested in learning more about it, Penner says indie opera companies are the way to go.

  The performances are often more intimate and in smaller spaces that allow the audience to better see the facial expressions of singers, giving a better feel for what is happening, she says. Their shows are also more likely to be in English, breaking down language barriers for some first-time opera fans who may find a production in a different language intimidating.

  Tapestry Opera in Toronto specializes in producing new works that address contemporary concerns, Penner says, while Against the Grain Theatre in Toronto performs older repertoire predominantly, but does so in a way that brings out its relevance for audiences today.

  “You’re more likely to get an aesthetic that’s kind of like Rent, but they are singing Puccini’s music,” she says.

  “There’s a lot of different opera out there. I think it’s a matter of finding the kind of opera that is going to grab you — and it’s going to be different for everyone.”

  Although Penner has yet to formally introduce her two-year-old daughter to the genre, both she and her husband have ensured music has remained a part of their St. Catharines household.

  “I pick at the piano sometimes and she’ll climb up on the stool and play some things,” she says. “I’ll be playing a Handel piece, but all she really wants to hear is Three Blind Mice.”

  For more information on Penner’s upcoming survey or to participate, email npenner@brocku.ca

  Tags: Department of Music, Faculty Focus, humanities, MIWSFPA, music, Nina Penner, opera
  Categories: Faculty & Instructors, News, Uncategorised

• Popular Brock concert series back on stage for 2021-22 season

  Monday, September 27, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: The Walker String Quartet rehearses on stage at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre for the 2021-22 performance season. Photo by Max Holten-Andersen.

  Originally published FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2021 in The Brock News | by Gillian Minaker

  After a year of performing from their homes, musicians featured in Brock University’s RBC Foundation Music@Noon series will return to the stage at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre (PAC) for the 2021-22 season.

  Although there will be no live audience this fall, performances will be livestreamed for the Brock and wider community to enjoy online.

  Presented by the Music Department at the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) and sponsored by the RBC Foundation, the free concert series takes places most Tuesdays at noon throughout the academic year and features the department’s performance faculty, special guests, Brock students and alumni.

  In partnership with the PAC , the Music@Noon season opens Tuesday, Sept. 28 with the musical stylings of the John Sherwood Trio. Featuring John Sherwood on piano, Kieran Overs on bass and Terry Clarke and drums, the trio will delight audiences with selections from the Great American Songbook.

  With concerts booked for most Tuesdays until the holiday season, the fall program will feature faculty performances as well as recitals from Music students later in the year. The livestream concerts can be viewed on the Facebook pages and YouTube channels of the MIWSFPA and PAC, as well as on the PAC website.

  A  return to in-person concerts may be possible in January, depending on Brock University and provincial protocols for COVID-19 mitigation strategies.

  For a full listing of upcoming concerts and to check for live audience updates, please visit the Music@Noon website.

  Tags: community engagement, Department of Music, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, humanitites, john sherwood, John Sherwood Trio, Kieran Overs, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Ars, MIWSFPA, MUSI, music@noon, PAC, Terry Clarke
  Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, In the Media, Media Releases, RBC Foundation Music @ Noon Series, Special Events, Uncategorised

• Accessibility in music education at centre of upcoming talk

  Tuesday, September 21, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  IMAGE CAPTION: Music educator Erin Parkes will be the first speaker in a virtual series offered by Brock’s Department of Music as part of the 2021-22 Walker Cultural Leader Series.

  Walker Cultural Leader and music educator Erin Parkes will address key questions about providing access to music education to people with exceptionalities in an upcoming online lecture presented by Brock’s Department of Music.

  Held online Friday, Sept. 24 from 2:30 to 3:45 p.m., Parkes will discuss teaching models for students who require a different approach and the benefits of opening up music studios to diverse learners.

  Parkes is Founder and Executive Director of the Lotus Centre for Special Music Education, a charitable organization committed to providing access to music education for people with exceptionalities. She holds a PhD in music education from McGill University, where she researched how to effectively train studio music teachers to work with students with autism.

  This is the first online presentation of a virtual speaker series offered by the Department of Music as part of the 2021-22 Walker Cultural Leader Series. Welcoming musicians, music scholars, and music educators to the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts online, these lectures and workshops are free community events and are open to the Brock and wider community.

  Registration is required by emailing music@brocku.ca

  For more information, please visit brocku.ca/music

  Tags: accessibility, community engagement, Department of Music, Erin Parkes, humanitites, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Ars, MIWSFPA, MUSI, music education, Walker Cultural Leader Series, WCL Series
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Events, Future Students, In the Media, News, Special Events, Uncategorised

• Virtual auditions for Brock University choirs now open to community

  Wednesday, July 14, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  Originally published in The Brock News | WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2021 | by Gillian Minaker

  Image caption: Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Associate Professor of Music at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts and Artistic Director of Brock University Choral Activities, is excited for Brock choir auditions to get underway in advance of the fall 2021 season.

  Brock choirs are back this fall and singing a hopeful tune for a busy season of choral activities for the University and wider Niagara community.

  Choir auditions are now open and will be running online throughout the summer for two ensembles: University Choir and Sora Singers.

  University Choir is a mixed voice ensemble for soprano, alto, tenor and bass voices and is open to all members of the Brock community, including students, faculty and staff.

  Sora Singers (formerly the Brock Women’s Choir) is an upper-voice ensemble for anyone with a soprano or alto voice. Auditions for Sora Singers are open to the Brock community as well as the wider Niagara community.

  Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Associate Professor of Music at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) and Artistic Director of Brock University Choral Activities, is hopeful that choir members will be able to sing together in person, pending public health and Brock University protocols.

  “It has been a really tough year and as singers, we are all feeling rusty,” she said. “Building our vocal technique will certainly be the top priority when we convene in the fall to rebuild our singing community.”

  While the past year posed challenges for Brock’s choirs, Rensink-Hoff feels there were key lessons learned through experimentation with digital platforms, which she hopes will be integrated into the program going forward.

  “Because we are all familiar with collaborative opportunities in online formats, this coming year we will be virtually welcoming several composers whose works we will be studying and performing,” she said.

  Diversity and inclusion are also top of mind for Rensink-Hoff as the she plans for the coming season.

  “I am committed to diversifying our performance repertoire and spending more intentional time together exploring the voices of under-represented composers and communities,” she said.

  All audition details and rehearsal times can be found on the Sing at Brock! website. The audition is a two-part process involving a singing recording followed by a meeting over Zoom. Students who are interested can enrol in a choir for credit as a Brock course elective.

  The last day to audition for both the University Choir and Sora Singers will be Monday, Sept. 13.

  Choir rehearsal and performance formats are subject to change and will be delivered in adherence with Brock and public health protocols.

  Tags: Brock University Choral Activities, Choirs, community engagement, Department of Music, humanities, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA, MUSI, Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Sora Singers, University Choir
  Categories: Alumni, Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, In the Media, Media Releases, News, Uncategorised

• Fine and Performing Arts grads poised to shape the future with creative skills

  Monday, June 21, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  Image caption: Soo Myung Oh, at her piano, will graduate with a Bachelor of Music and plans to perform professionally in addition to pursuing teaching performance after completing her degree at Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts. Image credit: Photo by Shannon Peebles, Ventures & Vows Photography.

  Students graduating from Brock’s Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA) are ready to make their mark in the world.

  From creating innovative art in support of social justice causes, to utilizing professional art practices in the mental health field and pursuing careers in live performance bringing joy to audiences, MIWSFPA grads are drawing on their academic experiences and diverse skill sets to propel them forward on their career paths.

  For Ian Ball, who will graduate Friday, June 18 with a Bachelor of Arts in Dramatic Arts and History of Art and Visual Culture, continuing his creative work in digital media is a top priority.

  

  Music graduand Nick Braun will continue to write and record his own music after graduation.

  Ball is currently working with Toronto-based [elephants collective]’s Telethon Telethon! This collaborative project is a monthly digital performance experiment that aims to provide aid to various social justice causes and is currently supporting the Anishnawbe Health Foundation.

  Ball is looking forward to the easing of public health restrictions within the arts when it is safe to do so.

  “I’m hoping I’ll get a chance to develop a follow-up to work I co-created in 2019’s Nuit Blanche in Toronto,” he said.

  Combining his interests in dramatic arts and visual culture, Ball will be pursuing a master’s degree in Cultural Studies at Queen’s University in the fall, with hopes of one day completing a PhD and working in the cultural field.

  As Music graduand Soo Myung Oh looks to the future, she reflects on her time at Brock. The busy mother of three pursued her degree during the day, reserving her evenings for family time.

  “My four years in the Music program were about the process of identifying myself as a musician,” said Oh, who graduates Friday with a Bachelor of Music, Concentration in Music Education and Minor in Applied Linguistics. “Although I played piano for years in my youth, I was completely new to public performance and I had to learn how to play music and deliver it to audiences.”

  Oh fondly remembers the experience of performing in the Recital Hall at the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, adjacent to the MIWSFPA in downtown St. Catharines. Performing on a professional stage was a defining moment for the musician.

  “I can still recall the way the piano sounded as I played, and the interaction between the sound and the air in the hall on that special day. It was simply an amazing experience,” she said.

  After she graduates, Oh will continue to perform professionally and would like to eventually teach performance, inspired by her concentration in Music Education. Her current interest for further study is therapeutic recreation and gerontology.

  “Since my musical experience at Brock started from my own experience of retrieving memories, and my process for preparing my solo piano recital relied heavily on the cognitive process of music and brainwork, I became interested in the connection between the two and implications of aging,” Oh said.

  “My degree has allowed me to write music and produce my own recordings,” Braun said.Nick Braun, who will also graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, is excited to continue writing music.

  His studies have given him a unique skill set “to make modern, unique and refreshing music,” he said, adding his style fits somewhere in the alternative rock realm.

  Braun will take some time after graduation to work locally, save money and continue to work on his personal music projects.

  “Between me and my network of friends in the music industry, I will be taking on opportunities to work with various people and explore our creative potential as young artists,” Braun said.

  

  Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture graduand Maya Meyerman is excited to continue her scholarly and creative work in the cultural field and will pursue a graduate certificate in the arts and culture sector at Humber College in September.

  Graduand Maya Meyerman, who will receive her Bachelor of Arts in Studies in Arts and Culture with a concentration in Cultural Management on Friday, discovered her career pathway through diverse experiences within the interdisciplinary program.

  Gaining a critical view of contemporary culture and connecting with the local arts scene led Meyerman to pursue a graduate certificate in Arts Administration and Cultural Management at Humber College.

  “I’m excited to pursue opportunities in Toronto and build upon my experience at Brock,” she said. “The MIWSFPA is such an inspiring place to learn and connect with the arts, and I have made deep connections with the arts community.”

  Meyerman recently produced an arts festival for youth ages 13 to 30 in Kingston and will be spending the summer preparing for next year’s edition.

  “As someone who didn’t want to study just one branch of the arts, the Centre for Studies in Arts and Culture and the MIWSFPA provided me with a creative and safe venue to explore my personal interests, introducing me to the many versions of what ‘the arts’ can be,” she said. “I know that it has prepared me to take on the next step towards my career in the arts industry.”

  Visual Arts (VISA) graduand Kendra Bosse has developed her art practice and realized her passion for photography as therapy.

  Bosse, who will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Psychology and Minor in Indigenous Studies, is committed to engaging with her art to positively impact individuals experiencing mental health issues and addiction.

  “After graduation, I will be attending Canadore College to study mental health and addictions counselling to gain experience in the field before pursuing graduate school,” she said.

  Bosse and fellow VISA graduand Cree Tylee are capping off their final year at Brock with a double exhibition “treasured | (A)part,” currently on view virtually in the VISA Gallery on the first floor of the MIWSFPA until Monday, July 5.

  

  Relationship as Deep as The Ocean, 2021, Cyanotype on Cotton (24 in x 36in) by Kendra Bosse as featured in the double exhibition “treasured” and “(A)part.”

  The bodies of work were developed under the supervision of Visual Arts Chair and Associate Professor Amy Friend for the students’ independent studies courses in the Visual Arts.

  “The double exhibition of treasured and (A)part was a cathartic way to finish the end of an unconventional graduating year,” said Tylee, who will graduate with her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art and Minor in the History of Art and Visual Culture. “Working with Visual Arts Media Resource Co-ordinator Max Holten-Andersen to create a virtual exhibition for our show (including a 360 virtual tour) was an insightful experience that wouldn’t have happened under different circumstances.”

  Even though they were unable to have a traditional gallery opening, the ability to learn and become well-versed in the creation of virtual exhibits is a valuable skill the students will take with them, she said, calling it a “silver lining.”

  

  Title wall of Cree Tylee’s body of work entitled (A)part. Tylee describes this exhibition as a “very introspective and multi-faceted body of work with multiplicities of concepts I’ll be able to draw on for further graduate studies.”

  Both artists agree that bringing this final exhibition into fruition has been an enlightening process, acknowledging that completing a thesis under the supervision of Friend and having a final exhibition made their final year very fulfilling.After graduation, Tylee, recipient of the Distinguished Graduating Student Award in Visual Arts, will be taking an accelerated studio program in Ceramics at the Haliburton School of Art + Design while preparing for further graduate studies.

  The virtual exhibition and 360 gallery tour of treasured | (A)part can be viewed on the Visual Arts website.Fine and Performing Arts grads poised to shape the future with creative skills

  Tags: centre for studies in arts and culture, convocation, Cree Tylee, DART, department of dramatic arts, Department of Music, Department of Visual Arts, humanities, Ian Ball, Kendra Bosse, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Maya Meyerman, MIWSFPA, MUSI, Nick Braun, Soo Myunh Oh, spring convocation, stac, Studio Art, VISA, visa gallery
  Categories: Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, News, Uncategorised

• Fall/Winter 2021 timetable is live, undergrad registration starts July 6

  Wednesday, May 26, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  Originally published in The Brock News |  TUESDAY, MAY 25, 2021 

  Brock University last week reiterated its hope that students will be welcomed back onto campus starting this fall and today, Tuesday, May 25, the Fall/Winter 2021 timetable went live.

  In it, students will see a course calendar that reflects a significant return to on-campus instruction with a majority of classes being offered in person, while still having many classes offered in a hybrid online format.

  This is the fall scenario Brock is working towards, but the University will be ready to quickly pivot, should the public health situation require it.

  Course registration opens on the student portal at my.brocku.ca on Tuesday, July 6 for first-year undergraduates. Those with 15 or more credits may register starting July 9; 10 or more credits on July 12; five or more credits on July 14; fewer than five credits on July 15. There are a number of other key registration dates that can be found at brocku.ca/guides-and-timetables/dates

  The University realizes students will have questions as they prepare for registration to open on Tuesday, July 6. More information and the answers to many of these questions can be found at brocku.ca/fall and brocku.ca/coronavirus

  These websites are regularly updated with the latest information about the 2021-22 academic plans and the University’s pandemic response.

  Brock is preparing for the upcoming academic year with cautious optimism and with the knowledge all adults in Ontario who wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19 are now eligible to receive their first shot.

  Today’s release of the Fall/Winter 2021 timetable is the next step in that preparation.

  Tags: 2021-22 Academic Year, brock international, course registration, Fall 2021, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA, Welcome Week 2020
  Categories: Announcements, Current Students, Events, Future Students, News, Uncategorised

• Virtual workshops for Brock Choral Ensembles open to the public

  Friday, February 26, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  Caption: The Brock University Chamber Choir directed by Rachel Rensink-Hoff gathers virtually to rehearse and attend Shared Perspectives, a new virtual workshop series offered by Brock’s Department of Music.

  Originally published in The Brock News THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021 | by Gillian Minaker

  Brock’s Choral Ensembles are getting front-row access to a diverse lineup of artists — and the public has been invited to tune in.

  Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Choral Ensembles at Brock University, launched a virtual workshop series called “Shared Perspectives: Live talks featuring guest conductors, composers and vocal choral specialists” in the fall. Funded by the Centre for Pedagogical Innovation (CPI) and the Walker Cultural Leaders Series presented by the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts (MIWSFPA), the series is continuing this semester, welcoming a guest speaker each week.

  The online presentations are hosted on Zoom, with some artists choosing to give a formal presentation and others engaging in an interview-style format. Time is always allotted for a question-and-answer period, enrichening the experience for all participants.

  “Any opportunity to hear more than one voice should be cherished,” says Rensink-Hoff. “Teaching online synchronously is challenging because there is always only one person talking. I knew in August that I needed to shake things up.”

  Rensink-Hoff has since brought in a diverse roster of guests, many of whom speak to issues relevant to today.

  “This semester, a number of our guest speakers will be engaging us in conversations around cultural appropriation and appreciation in the arts — and how we can navigate these pathways more respectfully and thoughtfully,” she says.

  Upcoming sessions include topics such as cultural appropriation and culture sharing in choral music; decolonizing the music curriculum; debunking myths around vocal health; and traditional South African music.

  Even in a fully online format, the Brock Choral Ensembles meet every week, rehearse online, and discuss musical elements. Rensink-Hoff believes that adding guest speakers in the mix has brought something unique to the “Zoom classroom.”

  “The opportunity to hear different perspectives on a wide variety of topics related to singing and choral music has been very rewarding. In normal circumstances, we would not have had such a rich display of voices in just one year,” she says. “The students are so fortunate to have been introduced to so many amazing artists.”

  The Shared Perspectives series is also open to the public, making this a valuable opportunity for Brock’s Music Department to connect with the local community. Past sessions have seen up to 20 community members in attendance, Rensink-Hoff says.

  The series continues Brock and the MIWSFPA’s strong history of community engagement in Niagara, enhancing vitality in the region and offering experiential opportunities for connection through the arts.

  While this initiative was always designed to be virtual, given its success and positive response, Rensink-Hoff plans to run the series again next year.

  “I hope to partner with other colleagues who want to bring in guests on a range of music related topics. Stay tuned for Shared Perspectives 2.0 next year.”

  To learn more about upcoming Shared Perspectives workshops, please visit ExperienceBU.

  To register for a free workshop, please email sing@brocku.ca

  More information available on the Sing! At Brock website. 

  Upcoming Shared Perspectives workshops

  • Wednesday, March 3, 2:30 p.m.: Rollo Dilworth — Cultural Appropriation and Culture Sharing in Choral Music
  • Monday, March 15, 12:30 p.m.: Cynthia Peyson Wahl — Decolonizing the Music Curriculum
  • Wednesday, March 17, 2:30 p.m.: Leanne Vida — A Spectrum of Sound: Vocal Resonance
  • Wednesday, March 24, 2:30 p.m.: Christianne Rushton — Fact or Fiction: Debunking the Myths Around Vocal Health
  • Monday, March 29, 12:30 p.m.: Ardelle Ries — The SingAble Society
  • Wednesday, March 31, 2:30 p.m.: Michael Barret — Traditional South African Music

  Tags: Choral Ensembles, Department of Music, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, Rachel Rensink-Hoff
  Categories: Alumni, Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, In the Media, News, RBC Foundation Music @ Noon Series, Special Events, Uncategorised

• Department of Music Virtual Ensembles – The Show Zooms On

  Thursday, January 14, 2021 | By gminaker

  

  Brock Music ensembles have gone virtual for the 2020-21 performance season! The Department of Music Virtual Ensembles present a virtual concert series The Show Zooms On featuring:

  The University Wind Ensemble, Zoltan Kalman, Conductor
  The Choral Ensemble, Rachel Rensink-Hoff, Conductor
  The University String Orchestra, George Cleland, Conductor
  The University Jazz Ensemble, Zoltan Kalman, Conductor

  The first virtual performance premieres Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 with the Wind Ensemble:

  January 15, 2021 – 7 p.m.
  Wind Ensemble, Zoltan Kalman, Director
  View the YouTube Premiere

  View the Wind Ensemble January 15 program here.

  Under normal circumstances, Music Ensemble performances are held in the acoustically excellent Recital Hall, FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre.

  For the 2020-21 season, the performances will be broadcasted virtually on the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts YouTube channel. Please visit our Concerts page for more information.

  Tags: Brock Music Ensembles, Department of Music, Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts, MIWSFPA, university wind ensemble
  Categories: Alumni, Alumni, Announcements, Current Students, Events, Faculty & Instructors, Future Students, News, Special Events, The University Wind Ensemble