The Don Wright Faculty of Music is the music school of The University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, Canada. 550 undergraduate students and 125 graduate students were enrolled in 2009-2010. More than 100 nationally and internationally renowned musicians and scholars teach at the Faculty, one of Canada's leading music schools. It is situated on Western's main campus in Talbot College and the Music Building. The Dean is Betty Anne Younker, Associate Deans are Victoria Meredith and Kari Veblen.[1]
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The Western University of London was founded in 1878, becoming the University of Western Ontario in 1923. The history of the Faculty of Music begins in 1903 with the founding of the Conservatory of London, which was incorporated in 1934 as the Western Ontario Conservatory of Music. In 1938 the Conservatory's Principal was appointed Director of Music for the University and the offices were moved to the McIntosh Gallery 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. 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 from 1980 to 1986 and Jeffrey Stokes from 1986 to 2000. Robert Wood was appointed Dean in 2001. In 2002, the Faculty was renamed the Don Wright Faculty of Music after a generous 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. Future plans include a new 1200-seat concert hall.[2]
The Don Wright Faculty of Music has three departments. The Department of Music Performance Studies offers instruction in all areas of keyboard, orchestral and band instruments, and voice at both the undergraduate and graduate levels; the Department of Music Education offers a strong emphasis on the balance between music performance and academic training at the undergraduate level, and a flexible, research-based program at the graduate level; the Department of Music Research and Composition embraces four areas of study in musicology, music theory, popular music studies, and composition.
Degrees offered at the Don Wright Faculty of Music include the Bachelor of Music with Honours in music education, history, performance, theory and composition, the Bachelor of Musical Arts, and the Bachelor of Arts with Honours in music, music administrative studies and popular music studies. Graduate degrees include the Master of Music in composition, theory, music education, literature and performance, the Master of Arts in musicology, theory, and popular music and culture, and the PhD in musicology, theory, composition, and education. The Faculty also offers an artist diploma in performance and a one-year certificate in piano technology.
The Don Wright Faculty of Music's ensembles are recognized as among the best in Canada. Choral and instrumental groups have performed nationally by invitation. Placement in all ensembles is by audition.
The main ensembles in 2011-2012 and their directors are:
The 400 seat Paul Davenport Theatre (formerly Talbot Theatre) hosts over 200 performances per year, attended by more than 32,000 people. From UWOpera productions, UWO Chamber Orchestra and UWO Wind Ensemble concerts, to the summer home of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, it is a cornerstone to the faculty, city, and country. The Paul Davenport Theatre received a $5.0 million facelift completed in August 2009; $2.5 million was committed by the university with the remaining $2.5 million coming through fundraising.
The 248 seat von Kuster Recital Hall is home to more than 270 performances each year between September and May. The hall is primarily used as a venue for the performance of chamber music and small ensembles.
Alumni Hall was built as a multi-purpose hall in the 1960s and is mainly used today for basketball, volleyball and other indoor events.[3] For lack of a suitable concert hall, the UWO Symphony Orchestra has used the 2,300 Alumni Hall as a performance space over the years.
The university is planning the construction of a new Concert Hall with 1100-1400 seats, which will include equipment and amenities suitable for major orchestral, operatic and choral events. Although von Kuster Hall and the Paul Davenport Theatre are vital facilities that are appropriate in size and scope for many activities of the Don Wright Faculty of Music, a major modern concert hall is necessary for it to maintain and enhance its profile, and for its programs to thrive.[4]
The Faculty's Music Library is situated in Talbot College and has amassed an impressive collection in a span of forty years. As of 2008, the Music Library possessed 67,471 scores, 25,600 LPs , 26,000 CDs, 31,460 books, 11,610 microforms (fiche, film and microcards), 2,600 rare books, scores, and libretti, 600 current periodicals and 402 videos. In addition, the Music Library is home to several unique and important special collections, including the Gustav Mahler - Alfred Rosé Collection (one of the largest bodies of Mahler primary source materials in North America), the Opera Collection, the Metastasio Collection and the Cherubini Collection.
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