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Fridays @ 12:30 Concert Series
A Don Wright Faculty of Music tradition!
Fridays @ 12:30 Concert Series
A Don Wright Faculty of Music tradition!
Fridays @ 12:30 Concert Series
A Don Wright Faculty of Music tradition!
Join us in person or online for the "Fridays @ 12:30" Concert Series, an eclectic mix of music featuring guest artists, faculty, and students. Concerts are always in von Kuster Hall and are planned to be less than 60 minutes in length, making them a great way to spend your lunch hour! No pre-registration required. Simply attend and enjoy.
2026-27 Performances
- Please read the Audience Information page before joining us on campus.
- Concert programs are available for download up to a week in advance.
- Durations are estimated.
*Western Music faculty members
September 11, 2026
Half-Assembled Trio
Jeffrey Heisler, soprano saxophone
Adam Estes, baritone saxophone
I-Chen Yeh, piano
The Half-Assembled Trio is a professional chamber music ensemble made up of Jeffrey Heisler (soprano saxophone), Adam Estes (baritone saxophone), and I-Chen Yeh (piano). Formed in 2023 as an extension of the Assembly Saxophone Quartet, have presented at international conferences, and have toured nationally where we have performed concerts and taught guest artist master classes. This program will highlight works recorded on their debut album as well as other new commissions and arrangements.
September 18, 2026
The Sounds of Women’s Work
Martha Guth, soprano
Patricia Green*, mezzo-soprano
Erika Switzer, piano
Plus music students and graduates Helen Faucher, violin, Tasman Tantasawat, viola, Abi Greenland, cello, Theodore Chow, piano, Amelia Yates, piano
This chamber concert offers a musical exploration of traditional women’s textile work, featuring the music of Canadian composers Cecilia Livingston, Omar Daniel, and Ann Southam and including introductory remarks from Livingston and Daniel. The concert is also part of the three-day festival-symposium Music, Craft, and the Fibre Arts: Textures in Conversation.
September 25, 2026
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation Commemoration in the Don Wright Faculty of Music—The Song Blanket
Rebecca Hass, performer
Rebecca Hass (Nitaawegiizhigok — Singing Sky Woman) is in her 40th year as a classical mezzo-soprano, having appeared with nearly every opera company and orchestra in Canada. She was the inaugural winner of the 2022 Nada Ristich Changemaker Ruby Award from Opera Canada, and today she’s known for something a little different: her passionate advocacy for reclaiming ancestral voice as a way of telling story, and for the new music she’s making at the meeting point of her two worlds. For Rebecca, music is a gathering place — a way to spark memory, connection to land, and a deeper sense of community and belonging. It’s the thread that runs through everything she makes now.
October 2, 2026
Josh Lovell, tenor
Simone Luti*, piano
Canadian tenor Josh Lovell, whose voice has been described by the The Guardian as “a handsome sounding tenor with a warm, liquid voice and easy high notes” is quickly gaining notoriety in the world’s most prestigious houses. An incredibly versatile artist, Mr. Lovell’s repertoire spans the Baroque to Romantic periods, as well as modern works of the 20th Century.
This concert is supported by a generous gift from Brenda Rolfe and the Dorothea & Orrin Rolfe Memorial Music Fund
November 6, 2026
Jean Sophie Kim, piano
Michael Bates, bass
This concert celebrates the artistic and philanthropic legacy of composer Jack Behrens and pianist Sonja Behrens, whose vision helped establish the Fridays at Noon Concert Series. The program honors their legacy through performances of Jack Behrens' music alongside works reflecting his spirit of curiosity, collaboration, and artistic exploration. Selected works by Behrens serve as points of departure for reinterpretation, improvisation, and contemporary artistic response.
This concert is made possible by the Sonja Peterson Behrens Visiting Artist Fund.
November 13, 2026
Margie Bernal*, soprano
Simone Luti*, piano
November 27, 2026
Kevin McMillan, baritone
Gabriel Dobner, piano
Die schöne Müllerin by Franz Schubert
This concert is supported by a generous gift from Brenda Rolfe and the Dorothea & Orrin Rolfe Memorial Music Fund
December 4, 2026
Tamarack Brass
Alexa Brown, trumpet
Aaron Hodgson*, trumpet
Declan Scott, trumpet
Nate Fanning, trombone
Denis Jiron*, trombone
David Pell, trombone
Jonathan Rowsell, tuba
This new ensemble explores the sonic possibilities of the brass septet, a rich and expressive chamber music setting. Featuring both newly prepared editions of historic brass repertoire and fresh perspectives on beloved classics, the program celebrates the beauty, power, and versatility of brass chamber music.
January 8, 2027
Leslie Kinton*, piano
January 22, 2027
Freitag Schubertiade
Bethany Hörst*, soprano
Jana Starling*, clarinet
Chad Louwerse*, bass-baritone
Margie Bernal*, soprano
Thomas Wiebe*, cello
Todd Wieczorek*, baritone
Marianna Chibotar-Rutkevich*, piano
January 29, 2027
Duo Lato & Zimka
Piotr Lato, clarinet
Maciej Zimka, accordion
On Both Sides of the Atlantic: A musical journey connecting European and South American traditions through works spanning the Baroque period to the present day. The program explores diverse styles, cultures, and musical languages, highlighting the unique expressive possibilities of the clarinet and accordion duo.
This concert is supported by a generous gift from Brenda Rolfe and the Dorothea & Orrin Rolfe Memorial Music Fund
February 5, 2027
London Gospel Collective with Western Choirs
February 26, 2027
Maxime Despax, viola
TBA, piano
Viola Sonata by Arthur Bliss (1891-1975)
March 12, 2027
Sylvestre-Park Duo
Stéphan Sylvestre* and Angela Park*, piano
March 19, 2027
Brigitte Poulin, piano
Violaine Melançon, violin
Furtive fragments featuring works by Sciarrino, Webern, Kurtág, Bach, Schoenberg and Cage.
Contact Information
Fridays @ 12:30 Concert Series Coordinator/Booking inquiries
Todd Wieczorek, Assistant Professor of Music
519-661-2111 x85398
twieczor@uwo.ca
School/Group Inquiries
Sasha Gorbasew, Student Recruitment Coordinator
519-661-2111 x80532
General Event Inquiries
musicevents@uwo.ca
519-661-3767 (during business hours)