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Masterclasses and Residencies

Dozens of visiting artists, educators, composers and scholars from around the world bring global artistry and perspective each year. Many of these unique experiences offered to our students are open to the public to attend. 

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2025-26 Masterclasses and Residencies

Joining us on campus for an in-person event?  Please visit the Audience Information page before joining us on campus, and always check the Events Calendar on the day of the event for any schedule changes.
Download concert programs	Additional masterclass and residency events throughout the fall and winter terms are highly likely! Keep an eye on this page or subscribe to our monthly events email.

 

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September 15–19, 2025 
Composition/Contemporary Music Residency

Juantio Becenti, composer
Ian Cusson, composer
Lucy Fitz Gibbon, soprano
Zachary Mowitz, cello

Composer Juantio Becenti, soprano Lucy Fitz Gibbon (Bard College Conservatory), and cellist Zachary Mowitz (LA Philharmonic) join us for a residency that includes engagement with Contemporary Music Studio members, composition students, and graduate students in advance of joining Western faculty member Sharon Wei*, viola, for their Fridays at 12:30 concert entitled Currents of Change. 

Supported by the Music Undergraduate GiftFund and the Ivey Business School

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Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Stephan Moccio, piano

Western alumnus Stephan Moccio, piano, joins us at the Don Wright faculty of Music for a two-day residency. In recent years, the classically trained pianist, composer, producer and arranger has shown his melodic ingenuity in such iconic hits as Miley Cyrus’ seven-times-platinum Wrecking Ball, garnered three Grammy nominations and received an Oscar nod for co-writing The Weeknd’s seven-times-platinum Earned It—all while establishing himself as a highly esteemed recording artist.

The residency (details TBD) will cover a wide range of topics: 

• Composition (classical music, harmony, melody) 
• Composing for Film and Television
• Value of an Education
• The Misses (the failure and the lessons learned from failure) 
• Songwriting (how classical music makes you a better and more interesting pop songwriter) 
• Producing
• Marketing
• Social Media
• AI 
• Business of Music (publishing deals, record deals) 
• Psychology (the drive, the tenacity and the discipline) 
• Psychology of working with the world’s biggest artists (The Weeknd, Miley Cyrus, Céline Dion, Andrea Bocelli)
• Mental Health in the Age of Social Media
• The Breakdown of an Olympic Suite (composing the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Theme) 
• The Art of the Pitch
• How to Produce the Right Demo

A concert is part of the residency:

Wednesday, October 1, 2025 | 8pm | von Kuster Hall | 1.5 hours
General admission tickets: $50 in advance, $55 at the door (if available)
Student (with valid ID) and Senior (55+) tickets: $25 in advance, $30 at the door (if available)

Tickets

Proceeds from ticket sales will support Music student scholarships at Western.

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October 7–9, 2025
New Orford String Quartet Residency

New Orford String Quartet
   Jonathan Crow, violin
   Andrew Wan, violin
   Sharon Wei*, viola
   Joseph Johnson, cello

New Orford String Quartet, Western’s official Artists-in-Residence, join us for a three-day residency that includes includes masterclasses with current string students, all open to the public:

• Violin Masterclass | Tues., Oct. 7 | 6:30pm | von Kuster Hall | 2 hours
• Cello Masterclass | Wed., Oct. 8 | 7:00pm | von Kuster Hall | 1.5 hours

The residency concludes with the quartet joined by Dean Michael Kim* for a concert of works inspired by the Northern Tornadoes Project, including Mendelssohn's passionate Op. 13 string quartet and Schumann's exuberant Piano Quintet. 

• Concert | Thurs., Oct. 9 | 12:30pm | von Kuster Hall | 1 hour

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October 8–10, 2025
Contemporary Music Residency: Evan Ziporyn and ContaQt

This three-day residency with conductor/composer/clarinetist Evan Ziporyn and ContaQt is planned to include masterclasses, talks and a performance entitled Art Decade with Contemporary Music Studio. Details TBA. 

ContaQt is a hybrid chamber ensemble composed of cellist Mary-Katherine Finch, percussionist Jerry Pergolesi, pianist Allison Wiebe*, violinist Sarah Fraser Raff and guitarist Andrew Noseworthy who is a Western Music alumnus. 

Supported with funding from the Music Undergraduate GiftFund and Moscovich Innovation Fund. 

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Thursday, October 16, 2025 | 7pm | von Kuster Hall | 1 hour
Performance and Lecture: Social Media for Musicians wtih Gillian Derer

We excitedly welcome back alumna Gillian Derer—or @gill.flutes as you may know her on social media—for a wonderfully novel evening of flute performance and social media strategy for musicians. A 7pm recital with Angela Park*, piano, precedes the lecture, Social Media for Musicians, at 8pm. 

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October 17–18, 2025 
Western/OBA Intermediate Honour Band

The Western University/Ontario Band Association Intermediate Honour Band returns to Western University October 17-18. For information on how to get involved as a current student, visit the Western/OBA Intermediate Honour Band page or contact Dr. Colleen Richardson.

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Sunday, October 19, 2025 | 10am | von Kuster Hall | 2 hours
Parsons and Poole Masterclass featuring Sir Stephen Hough, piano

Watch Western Music piano students work with Sir Stephen Hough in a masterclass following the Parsons and Poole concert that takes place the evening before.

Note: paid tickets are required for the Saturday concert but not for this Sunday-morning masterclass.

Funded by the Parsons and Poole Concert and Masterclass Fund. The Parsons and Poole Concert and Masterclass was created by alumni to honour Margaret Parsons and Clifford Poole, and to bring world-class musicianship to Western. 

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Friday, October 24, 2025 | 2:30pm | von Kuster Hall | 2 hours (duration TBC)
Voice Masterclass: Adrianne Pieczonka

Following her Fridays at 12:30 concert, acclaimed soprano and Western alumna Adrianne Pieczonka joins us for a masterclass with Western voice students. Free and open to the public. 

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Monday, November 17, 2025 | 10am | von Kuster Hall | 2 hours
Piano Masterclass: Pierre-Laurent Aimard

Following his concert the day before, join us to observe a masterclass with Pierre-Laurent Aimard as he works with current piano students from the Don Wright Faculty of Music. Piano students will have the opportunity to work with critically acclaimed pianist, Paul Lewis. All are welcome to join this free, public masterclass.

Note: event pre-registration is required for the Sunday concert, but not for this Monday morning masterclass.

This concert and masterclass is made possible by the Moscovich Fund for Innovation in Music, established with a visionary gift from Jim and Barbara Moscovich.

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December 5–7, 2025 
Early Music Residency: Members of Tafelmusik

Members of the world-class Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra—Johanna Novom, violin and Charlotte Nediger, harpsichord—join us to work with Early Music Studio members. The residency concludes with a Sunday afternoon concert alongside Early Music Studio students and Western Music faculty members. 

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Saturday, January 10, 2026 | 10am | von Kuster Hall | 2 hours
Piano Masterclass: Vancouver Recital Society Visiting Artist Series featuring Paul Lewis

The morning after his Saturday evening concert, come watch as Western Music piano students are provided an opportunity to work with critically acclaimed pianist Paul Lewis. 

Note: pre-registration is not required for this free, public Sunday morning masterclass.

This masterclass is part of the Vancouver Recital Society Visiting Artist Series, made possible with a generous gift from alumna Elaine Adair.

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Saturday, January 17, 2026 | 10am | von Kuster Hall | 2 hours
Fred Pattison Piano Masterclass: Michael Berkovsky

Join us as Michael Berkovsky, guest adjudicator for the 2026 Fred Pattison Piano Award Competition, leads a piano masterclass with the top finalists the day after the final round of the competition.

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Sunday, February 1, 2026 | time TBD | von Kuster Hall | duration TBD
Flute Day Masterclass: Robert Atiken

Join us as renowned Canadian flautist, composer and educator Robert Atiken—joining us for Flute Day 2026—works with Western Music flute students in a free and public masterclass. 

Supported with funding from the Music Undergraduate GiftFund 

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March 4–6, 2026
Music Education Residency: Jason Noble

We are thrilled to welcome Jason Noble: conductor, educator, researcher, and consultant whose lifelong dedication to music has made waves globally. With over two decades of diverse and broad experience in P12 schools, undergraduate, and graduate teaching and learning, Dr. Noble has received international acclaim for his innovative approach to conducting and music education.

• Open Rehearsal: Wind Ensemble | Wed., March 4 | 3:30pm | MB27 | 1h50m
• Open Rehearsal: Symphonic Band | Thurs., March 5 | 3:30pm | MB227 | 1h50m
• Open Class/Presentation | Wed., March 4 | 8:30am | MB27 | 1h50m
• Open Class/Presentation | Fri., March 6 | 10:30am | MB27 | 50m

This three-day residency is supported by the Music Undergraduate GiftFund. All workshops and classes that are part of this residency are free and open to the public.

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*Western Music faculty member

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

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Past Visiting Artists

 

Dang Thai Son, piano
Patrick Sheridan, tuba soloist and music educator
HAAS - Natalie and Brittany Haas
David Jaeger, composer and Christina Petrowska Quilico, piano
Carmen Grant, actor
Angela Schroeder, conductor and educator
Kenneth Tse, saxophone and Casey Dierlam Tse, piano
Joo Won Kang, baritone
Tafelmusik musicians Christopher Verrette, violin, and Keiran Campbell, cello
Natalie Loughran, viola from Musicians from Marlboro
Melissa Scott, oboe
Steven Osborne, piano
Kerson Leong, violin
Voice masterclass with Marion Newman-Nege’ga
Flute masterclass with Susan Hoeppner
Piano masterclass with Yekwon Sunwoo
Piano masterclass with Stephen Runge
Trombone masterclass with Vanessa Fralick
Viola masterclass with Beth Guterman Chu
Saxophone masterclass with Carrie Koffman
Clarinet masterclass with Christopher Kirkpatrick
Piano masterclass with Joel Sachs, Professor emeritus, The Juilliard School
Violin masterclass with Tafelmusik members Patricia Ahern and Christopher Verrette
Pedagogy residency with Danielle Gaudry, McGill University
Lecture with Leonardo Lacerda, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Piano masterclass with Shoshana Telner
String masterclass and residency with New Orford String Quartet
Piano masterclass with Janina Fialkowska
Trombone masterclass with James Miller
Voice masterclass with Welsh baritone Jeremy Huw Williams
Workshop with Ensemble Paramirabo
Residency with jazz bassist Rodney Whitaker
Violin masterclass with Bénédicte Lauzière
Music Industry Summit with singer-songwriter Falana, songwriter/producer/performer Gary McAuley, concert promoter/marketer Jay Panaseiko, and London music development officer Richard Gracious
Composition residency with Katahj Copley
Piano masterclass with Jon Kimura Parker
Voice masterclass with mezzo-soprano Lucia Cervoni
Piano masterclass with Li Wang
Voice masterclass with Brett Polegato
Piano masterclass with Stewart Goodyear
Piano masterclass with Asami Hagiwara
Collaborative pianist Liz Upchurch
Voice masterclass with soprano Jane Archibald
Violin masterclass with William Herzog
Clarinet masterclass with Marie Picard
Open band rehearsals with Christopher Morehouse
Open band rehearsals with Carolyn Barber
Masterclass with Boccheriniana, baroque quintet
Piano masterclass with Sofya Bugayan
Saxophone and composition masterclass with Quasar Saxophone Quartet
Open band rehearsals with Lauren Reynolds
Brass masterclass with Gábor Tarkövi, trumpet
Chamber music masterclass with members of the St. Lawrence String Quartet
Brass masterclass with Jarrett McCourt
Piano/composer masterclass with Stephen Moccio
Voice masterclass with Russell Braun
Violin masterclass with Helmut Lipsky
Piano masterclass with Jean Marchand and Brigitte Poulin
Piano masterclass with Yael Weiss
Violin masterclass with Jennifer Orchard
Viola masterclass with Michael Ouzounian
Guitar masterclass with Johannes Möller
Voice masterclass with Adrianne Pieczonka
Parsons & Poole (piano) masterclass with Sara Davis Buechner
Voice masterclass with Michele Capalbo
Clarinet masterclass with  Jean-Guy Boisvert
Saxophone masterclass with Jonathan Nichol and Jeffrey Loeffert
Clarinet masterclass with Marie Picard
Parsons & Poole (piano) masterclass with Charles Richard-Hamelin
Voice masterclass with Brett Polegato
Viola masterclass with Daniel Scholz
Brass masterclass with Canadian Brass
Piano masterclass with Ilya Poletaev
Viola masterclass with Teng Li
Piano Masterclass with Fred Pattison Piano Competition adjudicator Enrico Elisi
Voice masterclass with Johannes Debus, Music Director, Canadian Opera Company
Woodwind masterclass with Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet
Voice masterclass with Liz Upchurch
Clarinet masterclass with Kornel Wolak 
Parsons & Poole (piano) masterclass with John O’Conor
Voice masterclass with Kathleen Kelly, opera conductor and coach.
Viola masterclass with David Rose.
Masterclass with Duo Concertante: Nancy Dahn, violin; Timothy Steeves, piano
Violin masterclass with Marie Bérard, Canadian Opera Company Orchestra concertmaster
Piano Masterclass with Fred Pattison Piano Competition adjudicator David Jalbert 
Saxophone masterclass with Jeffrey Heisler, part of Heisler-Yeh Duo
Piano masterclass with I-Chen Yeh, part of Heisler-Yeh Duo
Violin masterclass with Elissa Lee, Ensemble Made in Canada
Horn masterclass with Adam Unsworth, Associate Professor of Horn, University of Michigan 
Piano masterclass with Peter Vinograde, interpreter of J.S. Bach and contemporary composers
Saxophone and drum set masterclass with Noa Even and Stephen Klunk
Parsons & Poole masterclass with James Anagnoson, Dean of The Glenn Gould School 
Voice masterclass with Canadian soprano Edith Wiens 
French Horn and chamber music masterclass with Radovan Vlatkovic
Violin masterclass with violinist/conductor Victor Yampolsky, Northwestern University 
Voice workshops and masterclasses with Kathleen Kelly, University of Michigan School of Music 
Voice Masterclass with music theatre/pop music master teacher and distinguished alumna Elaine Overholt 
Masterclass with renowned Canadian pianist Jimmy Brière 
Piano preparations/Extended techniques masterclass with pianist Sandra Joy Friesen
Masterclass with saxophonist Allison Balcetis
Masterclass with saxophonist Justin Massey 
Masterclass with flutist Lisa Nelsen
Two masterclasses with violinist Fernando Pereira, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Masterclass with violist Teng Li, Toronto Symphony Orchestra principal viola 
Masterclass with saxophonist Phil Pierick 
Lecture and Masterclass with composer and conductor Sir James MacMillan, visiting from Scotland 
Masterclass with Quasar Quatuor de Saxophones
Masterclass with visiting composer John Beckwith