Dean's Greetings - September 2025
Dear alumni and friends of the Don Wright Faculty of Music,
We are delighted to welcome one of our largest and most diverse incoming classes this year; new students joining a community long defined by its warmth, sense of mission, and musical excellence. Our classrooms, research spaces, concert halls, and studios are alive with the energy of creation, collaboration, and discovery. This personalized and inspiring environment continues to empower our students and alumni as they flourish as distinguished performers, educators, and scholars.
This past year brought many moments of pride and accomplishment. Dr. adam patrick bell, our Canada Research Chair in Music, Equity, and Social Justice, secured a JELF/CFI grant to establish an Accessible Instruments Lab, positioning Western as an international leader in expanding musical opportunities for people with disabilities. Dr. Kate Helsen and her library colleagues stewarded the acquisition of a rare addition to Western’s medieval music holdings—adiastematic neumes—giving students a tangible link to the earliest notated music and opening exciting avenues for research and performance practice.
Our alumni continue to shine on the world stage. John Yun, MMus’12, served as music director for Maybe Happy Ending, which received 10 Tony Award nominations—a reminder of the extraordinary breadth of paths Western musicians pursue. We also celebrate the achievements of Emma Pennell, a recent graduate and Indigenous singer whose artistry has already been recognized on both national and international stages. Their work embodies the deep connection between music, identity, and community, and stands as an inspiring example of how Western graduates use their voices to bridge cultures and create meaningful change.
In July, we proudly hosted the International Trombone Festival, the first time this storied gathering took place in Canada. More than 600 artists, educators, and students—including many of the world’s leading low-brass performers—came together in London, Canada’s first UNESCO City of Music. We were equally honoured to welcome the Junges Vokalensemble Hannover, one of Germany’s top choirs, for a residency with our graduate choral conductors and Professor Klaus Jürgen-Etzold from Hannover’s Hochschule für Musik—an unforgettable collaboration made possible through Tourism London and the City of London. These international partnerships reaffirm our global reputation, exceptional facilities, and faculty leadership.
In addition to ongoing faculty research, students continue to pursue excellence in research. The longstanding undergraduate musicology journal Nota Bene recently released its 18th volume, and undergraduate students are embracing the opportunity to conduct summer research through paid Western's Undergraduate Summer Research Internships.
We also celebrated Barbara and Jim Moscovich’s historic $2.5 million gift last year, establishing the Moscovich Fund for Innovation in Music, marking another year in which we have surpassed our fundraising goals. This transformative support will enable us to bring world-leading artists and creators to work with our students and community for years to come.
Looking ahead, this concert season promises to be our most exciting yet. Highlights include Parsons and Poole distinguished pianist Sir Stephen Hough; our mainstage Opera at Western productions of Mozart’s Così fan tutte and Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; the New Orford String Quartet and TorQ Percussion Quartet as our Ensemble Artists-in-Residence; piano poet Paul Lewis in partnership with the Vancouver Recital Society; and the legendary Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano. Together with our signature Fridays @ 12:30 Concert Series - which includes the return of Musicians from Marlboro touring group - faculty and guest artist recitals, and the many outstanding student ensemble performances led by our distinguished faculty, these offerings will enrich both our community and the educational journeys of our students.
The ongoing success of our faculty, students, and alumni continues to demonstrate the transformative power of music—not only as an art form but also as a builder of creativity, collaboration, and resilience. These high-level transferable skills prepare our graduates to thrive as performers, composers, scholars, educators, leaders, and innovators across diverse fields.
We remain deeply grateful for your generosity, encouragement, and commitment to this extraordinary community.
With gratitude,
Michael Kim
Dean, Don Wright Faculty of Music
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