Fridays at 12:30 Concert Series

Fridays @ 12:30 Livestream

If you are unable to attend our Fridays concerts in person, you can join us live online instead!

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A Don Wright Faculty of Music tradition!

Join us for the "Fridays @ 12:30" Concert Series, an eclectic mix of music, featuring guest artists, faculty, and students. Concerts are planned to be less than 60 minutes in length, making them a great way to spend your lunch hour!

 

2023-24 Performances

Joining us on campus for an in-person event? For always-up-to-date health and safety protocols, check our Audience Information webpage before you leave home.

All concerts are open to the public to attend in person in von Kuster Hall, Music Building (except where indicated), as well as via livestream, starting promptly at 12:30pm Eastern time. Free admission, seating is first-come-first-served. All are welcome to attend!

Looking for upcoming concert programs? Visit the concert program webpage!

Friday, Sep 15 | 12:30pm 
The Viano String Quartet
The award-winning Viano String Quartet launch an exciting season of the Fridays at 12:30 Concert Series! They are joined by guest artists Scott St. John, viola; Sharon Wei*, viola; and David Liam Roberts, cello. The program will consist of two works, Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night) performed by the Viano String Quartet alongside Scott St. John and David Liam Roberts, and Mendelssohn's String Quintet in B flat major, Op. 87 where the quartet will be joined by Sharon Wei.

Friday, Sep 22 | 12:30pm 
Intercâmbio - Brazilian and Canadian Music for Trumpets
Trumpeters Aaron Hodgson* and DMA student Nikola Locatelli present a musical exploration of Canadian and Brazilian soundscapes that showcase notable historical voices such as Calixa Lavallée and Santana Gomes alongside contemporary composers including Cait Nishimura and Fernando Morais. Joining the trumpeters for this performance is collaborative pianist and alumna, Yolanda Tapia.

Friday, Sep 29 | 12:30pm 
Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Join Inuk musician Nelson Tagoona as he artfully combines katajjaq (Inuit throat singing) with beatboxing to form a genre called throat boxing as we commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Friday, Oct 13 | 12:30pm 
Mezzo-soprano Marion Newman-Nege’ga—Telling our stories together: a recital of chamber music
Telling our stories together: a recital of chamber music including works by Berlioz, Canteloube, Cusson and Offenbach with acclaimed mezzo-soprano of Kwagiulth and Stó:lō First Nations with English, Irish and Scottish heritage, Marion Newman-Nege’gaScott St. John, violin; DMA student Yanet Campbell Secades, violin; Sharon Wei*, viola; Thomas Wiebe*, cello; Angela Park*, piano; and master’s student Eliza Celis, soprano. At 2:00 p.m. the same day she will give a masterclass with Western Music graduate and undergraduate voice students. 

Friday, Oct 20 | 12:30pm 
Trombone from the Americas
Denis Jiron*, trombone, and Kyung Kim*, pianist, perform music from Canada, US, Costa Rica, and Argentina joined by Aaron Hodgson*, trumpet, and BMus student William Kim, percussion. (revised personnel listing)

Friday, Nov 10 | 12:30pm 
Common Thread
The Rogue Duo (Bijan Sepanji, violin; Saman Shahi, piano) perform works by composers of Iranian and Ukrainian heritage. This performance depicts the ways in which the human spirit rises above adversity and marches onward. The concert includes new works by Rojin Monibi, Niloufar Shahbazi, Mehrdad Jafari Raad, and Eugene Astapov*, which were commissioned by ICOT (Saman Shahi, Keyan Emami, Maziar Heidari) – a collective of composers who have also produced a new work for the program.

Friday, Nov 24 | 12:30pm 
Far and Wide: Contemporary Canadian music by women composers across Canada
Celebrate works of living female composers from across Canada featuring a world premiere of Larysa Kuzmenko's piano duo made possible by the Canada Council for the Arts. Pianist Trevor Chartrand joins Christine Tithecott*, piano; Ronald George*, French horn; Bethany Hörst*, soprano; Sharon Kahan*, flute; Jana Starling*, clarinet; and Bobbi Thompson*, saxophone.

Friday, Dec 1 | 12:30pm 
Tafelmusik Returns
Tafelmusik musicians Patricia Ahern and Christopher Verrette are joined by Western’s Joseph Lanza* and Joe Phillips* for a program of compositional variety.

Friday, Jan 12 | 12:30pm CANCELLED
Ein Liederkonzert - This concert will no longer be taking place on January 12
Come hear songsby Strauss and Schumann and duets by Mendelssohn performed by Bethany Hörst*, soprano; Sophie Louise Roland*, mezzo-soprano; and Marianna Chibotar-Rutkevich*, piano.

Friday, Jan 19 | 12:30pm 
REVISED PROGRAM: Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 for piano duet
The Sylvestre-Park Duo (Stéphan Sylvestre*, piano; Angela Park*, piano) perform Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73 from the original arrangement for piano duet.

Friday, Jan 212:30pm CANCELLED
East meets West: Music for erhu and string quartet - This concert will no longer be taking place of January 26
Grace Lou and her ensemble (Grace Lou, erhu; Kate Wolsley and Yanet Campbell, violins; Hallie Ashman, viola; John Wolsley, cello) bring a musical tapestry of harmony and texture as they perform music of love and nature. Ensemble personnel listing revised January 2024.

Friday, Feb 2 12:30pm 
Archibald and Upchurch: a recital
We welcome back Juno-award winning Canadian opera star Jane Archibald, soprano, and head of the Canadian Opera Company’s Ensemble StudioLiz Upchurch, piano, for an always inspiring performance.

Friday, Feb 9 12:30pm 
Rodney Whitaker
We are honoured to welcome internationally renowned recording artist and jazz bassist Rodney Whitaker. Over a 25-year span, Mr. Whitaker has toured and recorded with a who’s who of jazz artists, including Jimmy Heath, Dianne Reeves, Cassandra Wilson, Diana Krall, Joe Henderson, Roy Hargrove, and Wynton Marsalis, to name but a few. Mr. Whitaker will be joined for this performance by members of the Western University Jazz Combo I.

Friday, Mar 1 12:30pm 
Kinton plays Beethoven
Leslie Kinton* continues his work through Beethoven’s piano repertoire as he presents 33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120.

Friday, Mar 15 12:30pm 
Serendipity
From singing country in the early 90’s, to performing the role of Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, to teaching and adjudicating, Cara Lianne McLeod’s work has been ever-changing and evolving. Since graduating from Western University (Artist Diploma’03), her life has been a series of serendipitous moments mixed with grief and loss. Cara is excited to be back where her classical and operatic journey began to share some of her most treasured music! Cara McLeod, soprano, is joined by Mark Payne, piano for this performance.

Friday, Mar 22 12:30pm 
European Upheaval: A journey from early twentieth-century Europe into North American exile
Our final concert of the season features violist Annemarie Moorcroft and pianist Angela Park* to close our season with music by George Enescu, Paul Hindemith, and others.

*Western University faculty member


Recent Fridays @ 12:30 Recordings

"Poetic Partnerships"
Exploring the union of poetry and music in gems of Art Song, featuring Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe
Emily Hamper, piano
Phillip Addis, baritone
Concert Program (PDF)

Chamber Music, Friendship, and Mendelssohn's Octet
String Octet in E flat Major, Op.20
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Violins: Scott St John, Erika Raum, Annalee Patipatanakoon, Mark Fewer
Violas: Annemarie Moorcroft, Sharon Wei
Cellos: Thomas Wiebe, Mischa Meyer
Concert Program (PDF)

Watch the "Chamber Music, Friendship, and Mendelssohn's Octet: A Conversation" Talking Music session


Subscribe to our monthly events email for event notifications year-round, or visit music.uwo.ca/events for more information.


Contact Info

Fridays @ 12:30 Concert Series Coordinator/Booking inquiries

Todd Wieczorek, D.M.
Assistant Professor of Music
519-661-2111 x85398
twieczor@uwo.ca

General event inquiries

519-661-3767
musicevents@uwo.ca

Group/School inquiries

Sasha Gorbasew
Student Recruitment Coordinator
519-661-2111 x80532
agorbase@uwo.ca