Music
Culture
From metal to Mozart
Before Rihab Chaieb, BMus’10, became a rising star in the world of opera, she was the singer in a metal band. The mezzo-soprano, a “mesmerizing stage personality,” according to The Times, now appears in major opera productions around the world.
Culture
Helping others find their voices
Carol Bernard, BA’84, was a respected manager at CN Rail – but her love of music propelled her into a dramatic career shift. As the founder and director of two prominent Montreal choirs, Bernard is now sharing that love of music with her choristers and their audiences.
Culture
Championing Quebec culture
As the president and director general of the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), Louise Lantagne, BA’77, plays a crucial role in supporting Quebec culture – both inside the province and around the world. (Cet article est disponible en français.)
Culture
The story behind Chromeo’s distinctly funky charms
If the Montreal electro-funk duo Chromeo’s music hadn’t caught on, David Macklovitch, BA’00, MA’03, the band’s vocalist and guitarist, might be at the front of a university classroom right now, teaching French literature.
Culture
Forging their own unique musical path
Stick&Bow, a cello and marimba duo composed of Schulich School of Music graduates Juan Sebastian Delgado and Krystina Marcoux, have an eclectic approach to their music – regularly tackling everything from Beethoven to Bowie.
On Campus
New dean of education a man of many talents
In his academic pursuits, Vivek Venkatesh is just as comfortable on stage with a guitar as he is at the head of a classroom. He uses many methods – some of them unconventional – to explore the roots of violent extremism while promoting pluralism.
Culture
An out-of-this-world composition
Composer Sophie Kastner, MMus’22, recently took part in a unique collaboration with NASA, creating a vivid piece of music about the Milky Way based on data about the galaxy that has been gleaned by the Chandra, Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes.
Culture
Updating big band jazz for the 21st century
Darcy James Argue and his big band the Secret Society make some of the most daringly ambitious music in contemporary jazz and they have the Grammy Award nominations and critical acclaim to prove it.
Culture
From DJing at Gerts to touring with Radiohead
Before he became a pioneer of turntable music and a contributor to Hollywood soundtracks, Kid Koala (aka Eric San, BEd’96) performed at student dorm parties while pursuing an education degree at McGill.
Culture
A father and son in tune with the music business
Some of the best music released in Canada, albums that have contended for Junos and the Polaris Prize, come from a pair of Montreal-based record labels. Meet Jim West, BA’79, the president of Justin Time Records, and his son Justin West, BCom’04, the president of Secret City Records.
Culture
We say a little prayer of thanks
Tributes continue to pour in for masterful pop composer Burt Bacharach, AMus’48, DMus’72, who passed away on February 8. Bacharach’s music spanned decades and included a long list of smash hits, including “I Say a Little Prayer” and “The Look of Love”.
People
A voice for her home, a voice for her people
Élisabeth St-Gelais, BMus’21, has recently been receiving a lot of attention, winning McGill’s Wirth Vocal Prize and a grand prize at the Canadian Music Competition. The young Innu soprano from Saguenay says her Indigenous heritage supplies the foundation for her art.