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!
We are also pleased to present Talking Music, a new research lecture series featuring expert insights into music research and practice by Music faculty members, following select “Fridays” concerts.
2022-23 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.
Friday, Sep 16 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Fridays @ 12:30 Kick-Off Concert
The Series kicks off its 2022-23 season with exciting faculty performances from Theodore Baerg*, baritone; Patricia Green*, mezzo-soprano; Denis Jiron*, trombone; Jana Starling*, clarinet; Bobbi Thompson*, saxophone; Thomas Wiebe*, cello; Marianna Chibotar–Rutkevich*, piano; Kyung Kim*, piano; Simone Luti*, piano; Stéphan Sylvestre*, piano
Friday, Sep 23 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
NEW PROGRAM - América Latina en Canción (Latin America in Song)
Soprano Margie Bernal* and pianist Simone Luti* present a recital with songs representing the richness and diversity of Latin America. Join them in this journey from Mexico to Argentina, passing through Colombia, the Caribbean and more. (previous concert "1-2-3 Trumpets" has been postponed due to illness. New date TBA)
Friday, Sep 30 | 12:30pm
Paul Davenport Theatre
Commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Inuk soprano Deantha Edmunds joins composer/conductor Catherine Magowan and Western’s Dr. Spy Dénommé-Welch*, composer as they lead this Fridays concert commemorating the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Works include Sojourn by Spy Dénommé-Welch and Catherine Magowan and RADAR by Spy Dénommé-Welch and Catherine Magowan.
This event will be immediately followed by a special Voice Fridays session: Drs. Moynan King and Raj Singh, postdoctoral fellows, will lead a Q&A with Inuk Soprano Deantha Edmunds and composers Spy Dénommé-Welch and Catherine Magowan following the presentation of RADAR and Sojourn.
Friday, Oct 7 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
New Orford String Quartet
New Orford String Quartet (Jonathan Crow, violin; Andrew Wan, violin; Sharon Wei*, viola; Brian Manker, cello) perform with faculty and student guests. Performance majors Ethan Allers, David Chen, Miriam Elsawi, Patricio Flores, Maria Gonzalez, Zack Guo, Madeline Hall, Jeanny Jung, Menalaos Menelaou, Rachel Miner, Meika Sonntag, Tasman Tantasawat, Eve Thompson, Heather White, Colman Yang, and Jillian Yang will join members of the New Orford String Quartet in side-by-side performances of Mozart’s String Quintet in C major K. 515 and Piazzolla’s History of the Tango.
Friday, Oct 14 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Back to Before
Join Canadian Opera Company Ensemble graduates Simona Genga, BMus’16, mezzo-soprano, and collaborator Stéphane Mayer, piano, back where it all started with a programme full of storytelling and exploration. Funding for this concert has been generously provided by the Jeffrey Distinguished Visitors Fund.
Friday, Oct 21 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Duo Concertante “Earthly Delights”
Duo Concertante (Nancy Dahn, violin; Timothy Steeves, piano) returns to the Fridays series to share their talents with offerings from Franz Schubert, Luigi Dallapiccola, and Ian Cusson.
Friday, Oct 28 | 12:30pm
CANCELLED - This week's "Fridays" concert has been cancelled and will not be taking place in person or online. Previously scheduled concert "Ein Liederkonzert" has been moved to March 3, 2023 (see below)
Friday, Nov 11 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Shoshana Telner, piano
“Described as an ‘authentic musician with a sparkling technique’ (Le Droit) and ‘full of fire and warmth’ (the New York Times)”, pianist Shoshana Telner returns to Western with a program of music commissioned during the pandemic in addition to some of her favourites. Funding for this concert has been generously provided by the Jeffrey Distinguished Visitors Fund.
Later in the afternoon, she will also give a piano masterclass that is open to all.
Friday, Nov 18 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Daphne Gerling, viola and Tomoko Kashiwagi, piano
Join violist Daphne Gerling (University of North Texas) and pianist Tomoko Kashiwagi (University of Arkansas-Fayetteville) in a recital program of works by English and French composers Louis Vierne, K. Dorothy Fox, Rebecca Clarke and Marcelle Soulage.
The evening before this event, Tomoko Kashiwagi will also give a piano masterclass that is open to all.
Two days before, on Wednesday Nov 16, Daphne Gerling will give a viola masterclass, also open to all.
Friday, Nov 25 | 12:30pm
Paul Davenport Theatre
International Week Celebration with Percussion Ensemble
The Western University Percussion Ensemble under the leadership of Jill Ball* celebrates International Week with special guest Denis Jiron*, trombone, and Ritesh Das, tabla, Founder and Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed Toronto Tabla Ensemble.
Friday, Dec 2 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Travel Notes from Potsdam, Paris and Dresden
A wonderful menu of flute, bassoon, and piano repertoire is lined up for our final Fridays concert of the Fall Term featuring faculty performers Stephen Tam*, flute, Alexandre von Wartburg*, bassoon, and Stéphan Sylvestre*, piano.
Friday, Jan 13 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Visions de l’Amen
Piano duo Tina Yanchus* and James Hibbard* perform Olivier Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen.
Friday, Jan 20 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
Tafelmusik Returns
Tafelmusik violinist Patricia Ahern and cellist Michael Unterman are joined by Western’s Joseph Lanza*, violin for a program of Bach and friends as part of the Artist in Residence program.
Friday, Jan 27 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
NEW PROGRAM 1-2-3 Trumpet (rescheduled from September 2022)
Enjoy the fanfare of an all-trumpet “Fridays” concert featuring performers Aaron Hodgson*, Shawn Spicer*, and Nikola Locatelli, with Sarah Bowker, piano.
Friday, Feb 3 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
The Iris Trio and Don McKay present Project Earth: The Blue Chapter
With violist Zoë Martin-Doike and pianist Anna Petrova, Canadian clarinetist and Western University alumna Christine Carter returns to the Don Wright Faculty of Music as the Iris Trio, joined by celebrated Canadian poet Don McKay.
The Iris Trio's Anna Pretrova will give a collaborative piano masterclass the day before this event.
Friday, Feb 10 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
The Egbo Trio
Blending somethings old and somethings new, The Egbo Trio, led by Thompson Egbo-Egbo, piano, with Randall Hall, bass, Jeff Halischuk, drums, is sure to be a treat for the Series crowd. Funding for this concert has been generously provided by the Jeffrey Distinguished Visitors Fund.
Friday, Mar 3 | 12:30pm - CANCELLED
von Kuster Hall
RESCHEDULED FROM OCTOBER 28 - Ein Liederkonzert
German songs from Strauss, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Schumann are on the menu when Western’s Bethany Hörst*, soprano, Sophie Louise Roland*, mezzo-soprano, and Marianna Chibotar-Rutkevich*, piano, perform for this installment of the series.
Friday, Mar 10 | 12:30pm - CANCELLED
von Kuster Hall
Works for Viola and Piano
Faculty members Sharon Wei*, viola, and Angela Park*, piano, had their first collaboration over 25 years ago and have performed together in every Canadian province and territory. Join them in a program of Ernest Bloch’s epic Suite for Viola and Piano and Gabriela Lena Frank’s Cinco Danzas de Chambi, a work inspired by photographs taken by Amerindian photographer Martín Chambi.
Friday, Mar 17 | 12:30pm
von Kuster Hall
LightBreak - The Human Condition: Exploration
LightBreak, featuring clarinetists Jana Starling* and Wesley Ferreira, is an electronic and multi-media clarinet duo that takes the intrepid path towards intensifying the human experience through the arts. With audio, visual and theatrical elements, “Exploration” considers the societal drive to explore boundaries, push limits, and the inherent conflicts therein. Talking Music follows this concert.
Friday, Mar 24 | 12:30pm - FINAL "FRIDAYS" CONCERT OF 2022-23
von Kuster Hall
Celebrating Mahler
Mezzo-soprano Carmen Specht and baritone Todd Wieczorek* join forces with Simone Luti*, piano, to perform selections from Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This concert is part of a weekend-long Mahler Celebration event, including a performance by Western University Symphony Orchestra. Funding for this concert has been generously provided by the Jeffrey Distinguished Visitors Fund.
Friday, Mar 31 | 12:30pm - CANCELLED
von Kuster Hall
Kinton Plays Beethoven - THIS PERFORMANCE HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO 2023-24
Join pianist Leslie Kinton* as he performs Beethoven’s 33 Variations on a Theme by Diabelli, op. 120 to finish Fridays season!
*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
