With a balance of national and local talent, our concert series showcases innovative and exceptional chamber music performances.
This series of concerts has been curated by Richard Hornsby (CMA Director), Nadia Francavilla (Musician-in-Residence), and Steven Peacock (long-time friend of the Centre), and promises to inspire and impress audiences of all backgrounds. We will host award-winning performers from across Canada, with a special focus on the Maritimes.
Come enjoy classical chamber music at its finest, in the beautiful Memorial Hall auditorium.
Peter Allen and Richard Hornsby, two of Atlantic Canada’s most experienced performers, present a concert on piano and clarinet of works not originally written for their instruments, some of which are considered major repertoire.
For centuries, composers themselves have transformed their own works for uses in different settings and to benefit from sales of their music following trends. In fact, the great composer Beethoven was particularly successful in creating many different versions of his most popular works so that different individual and ensembles could access his music.
In the case of some instruments, there are periods of history where not a great deal of repertoire was created due to historical trends. Adapted music can fill the holes of music history and allow repertoire of certain composers to be accessed by more instrumentalists.
Join us for a unique recital by pianist Dr. Dotan Nitzberg, who recently obtained his PhD from UNB Faculty of Education. He will perform beloved works by Bach, Mozart, Chopin, and Liszt, along with his own composition written as part of his thesis, titled “Theatrical Suite, op.1 for Piano Solo: An Arts-Based Autoethnographic Study of Teaching, Learning, and Life Within the Fields of Music and Education- Perspectives of a Twice-Gifted Autistic Adult”.
This recital is the perfect way to start your week.
Pay-What-You-Can
Memorial Hall Auditorium
Monday, Oct. 28 | 12 noon
In his own words:
The performance that the audience is about to hear is a non-verbal musical performance for educational purposes. I consider it as such, given that after giving several recital-lecture presentations in which I play and speak, I believe the time has come for me to see how I can communicate my ideas to the audience with very few verbal cues (if any), and rather, let the music speak mostly by itself.
Considering my activity as a musician and researcher entails performance, writing, and creativity, it seems to me most logical to include pieces of my favorite standard piano literature (more explicitly, Bach, Mozart, Chopin, and Liszt) as well as my own original composition (in tandem with projecting the visual presentation accompanying it).
Generally, all pieces (or rather, compositions) included at this recital program were chosen, discussed, and used in my research for the sake of exploring, demonstrating, documenting, reflecting upon, and testing some of the working tactics I use as a musician of 2GA (Twice-Gifted Autism) throughout the process of coping with, learning, and polishing pieces of music. This statement refers to the pieces to be played on this recital, as well as to any other pieces I choose to handle.
In other words, I consider this recital a significant opportunity for me to play those pieces in public not only for the mere intention of giving them a run-through on stage with the presence of live audience, but also to demonstrate what type of journey I, as an individual and musician of 2GA, go through whilst coping with challenges related to the learning of musical text, technique, musicianship, and interpretation in creative and at times idiosyncratic manners.
AIRE y TIERRA is a musical tribute to the stories of our ancestors and the never-ending search for belonging. Living far from our ancestral homes has been a journey of self-discovery - a pilgrimage through the landscapes of foreign lands.
In the process, we've forged a new version of ourselves, one that helps us stay connected to our roots. Through the diverse music of Canadian and Ibero-American composers, we share narratives through song in an innovative recital format merging classical music, audio effects and storytelling.
By featuring composers from Alice Ping Yee Ho to Ginastera, we hope to connect with audiences from all walks of life and experience the one fundamental element that binds us all: our shared humanity.
Pianist Yolanda Tapia and singer Camila Montefusco co-founded the Obsidiana Duo with a clear mission: To celebrate the vibrant tapestry of Ibero-American musical culture and give voice to composers who have been historically overlooked.
Renowned internationally as a prize-winning collaborative pair, the duo has been featured in CollabFest and Collabaret 2020, and the International Keyboard Collaborative Arts Society in 2021. Recent achievements include a first prize at the Puerto Rico Collaborative Piano Competition, a fellowship with the Toronto Summer Music Festival, and an artistic residency at the Banff Centre.
Highlights of their previous season include their inaugural national tour with Prairie Debut and the debut of ‘Circular Sky’ - a commissioned piece by composer Alice Ping Yee Ho and writer Madeleine Thien, supported by SOCAN, Prairie Debut, and the Canada Council for the Arts. This collaboration sparked ‘AIRE,’ a thematic exploration of immigration and belonging within their repertoire. Looking ahead to the 24/25 season, they look forward to touring ‘AIRE y TIERRA’ with Debut Atlantic.
Camila and Yolanda call Toronto home, where they explore meaningful routes of their artistic ventures. Creating sincere and purposeful connections with their audiences is what drives them forward.
The NB Contemporary Music Festival is dedicated to exploring the intersections between classical concert music, electronic music, and other contemporary idioms, and to providing the public with access to artistic programming not available elsewhere in the Atlantic provinces.
For 2024, “Echoes" touches on the overlapping ripple effects of cyclical world events and personal displacements, asking: how can contemporary composition and performance convey the isolation, grief and chaos of loss, while offering hope for community and a better future?
This 6th edition of the Contemporary Music Festival brings a more intimate dimension by highlighting works for solo instruments alongside the ensemble works that continue to form the core of the festival experience. Two world premieres will be performed during the festival: “Call me Mother” from emerging composer Matthew-John Knights (they/them) and “Jackpine” from the acoustic ambassador of the Canadian subarctic, Carmen Braden (she/her).
The 2024 festival will include the following three concerts, taking the audience on a journey of discovery and offering a meditation on the imperfect perfection of life:
Nov. 22 | 7:30 p.m.
Love Songs centers on a new composition for flute and piano by up-and-coming New Brunswick composer and 2024 Maria Anna Mozart Award recipient Matthew-John Knights. “Call me Mother” explores a first-person perspective on queer nonbinary identity, opening the conversation on 2SLGBTQIA+ experiences of inclusion, acceptance and love. Flanking this important new work, Hildegard Westerkamp’s 20-minute solo cello and mixed media meditation “Liebes-lied/Love Songs” and other exquisite and experimental solo works from Cassandra Miller and Anna Höstman.
Performers
Nov. 23 | 7:30 p.m.
Perfect Offering presents an intimate program of works for piano, violin, string quartet and winds by Cassandra Miller (b. 1976), Abigail Richardson-Schulte (b. 1976) and Kaija Saariaho (1952-2023). Personal and introspective, the pieces on offer demand careful attention, as a gentle persistence and curiosity from the listener reveals their layered themes. Among these: care and restraint; patience and perseverance; surrender and grief.
Performers
Nov. 24 | 7:30 p.m.
Women of the North wraps up the 2024 festival with a new commissioned work by Yellowknife composer Carmen Braden for violin, piano, voice, and video, drawn from personal experiences of displacement in the 2023 NWT wildfire season. Works by Canadian composers Cassandra Miller, Anna Höstman and Juliet Palmer round off the program
Performers
Come enjoy the Chorale’s end or term concert in the beautiful Memorial Hall auditorium.
The UNB Chorale is comprised of students, staff, and faculty from UNB, as well as members of the larger community.
Directed by Kathrin Welte, accompanied by Thomas Gonder.
Performing a variety of pieces this year, the concert band expands its repertoire into video game music, performed alongside Hannukah and Christmas music.
Enjoy their end of term offering in the beautiful Memorial Hall auditorium. The UNB Concert Band is comprised of students, staff, and faculty from UNB, as well as members of the larger community.
Directed by Hugh Kennedy.
Classsical guitarist Steven Peacock and bassist Howard Baer explore a number of ways in which the classical and the jazz idioms can intersect in music for these two instruments, not only stylistically but also in terms of form, melody, harmony and technique.
Audiences can expect a few swing, blues and latin jazz standards (such as How High the Moon, Bags Groove and Blue Bossa) along with new arrangements of primarily South American repertoire for classical guitar and several compositions (such as Ghislaine, Cassie's Song and Rondo alla bossa) by the guitarist.
A certain classical sensibility, an improvisatory energy and immediacy, and an unmistakeable latin flair join forces in what promises to be a unique and innovative program.
Flute and guitar duo, Duo Beija-Flor, presents a dynamic and accessible repertoire of classical works inspired by the many diverse cultures found around the world.
This fresh and modern style they call ethno-classical highlights the emotions and experiences we all share, expressing them through the lens of music.
Introducing a new series featuring string quartet and guest.
This year, the Saint John String Quartet is teaming up with clarinetist Richard Hornsby to present works by Coledrige-Taylor and leading twentieth-century Afro-American composer William Grant Stills.
Rounding off the program is Florence Price’s 2nd string quartet in A minor, bringing to light a forgotten musical treasure.
Step into a world where tradition meets rebellion—a realm where groundbreaking composers transformed personal adversity into stirring works of art.
In the shadow of Finnish icon Jean Sibelius, this unique concert celebrates the early 20th century with an evocative program that spans intimate chamber music and solitary reflection.
Enjoy the dynamic energy of piano trios by Helvi Leiviskä and Laura Netzel, whose innovative voices broke through the barriers imposed by gender discrimination. Adding another layer to the narrative, experience a compelling solo piano piece by Cecilia Damström, whose artistry speaks to both vulnerability and defiant strength. The program is further enriched by the unmistakable spirit of Arvo Pärt, whose timeless compositions bridge past and present. Together, these works honor a generation of artists who redefined their era, challenging societal norms with resilience and creative brilliance.
Join us for an unforgettable afternoon that celebrates musical innovation, personal courage, and the enduring power of artistic expression.
Come enjoy the Chorale’s end of term concert in the beautiful Memorial Hall auditorium.
The UNB Chorale is comprised of students, staff, and faculty from UNB, as well as members of the larger community.
Directed by Kathrin Welte, accompanied by Thomas Gonder.
Performing a variety of pieces, enjoy their end of term offering in the beautiful Memorial Hall auditorium.
The UNB Concert Band is comprised of students, staff, and faculty from UNB, as well as members of the larger community.
Directed by Hugh Kennedy.
Admission by donation.
Tickets can be purchased in advance by appointment or at the door via cash or card. Please email musicart@unb.ca to schedule a time to come in.
Regular $30
Students $15
Family pass or date night (two adults + any children) $50
Regular $20
Student $10
Regular $40
Sstudent $20
Our work to provide accessible, high-quality music has been made possible in large part by our donors and patrons, for whom we are deeply grateful. If you’re able, please consider contributing to our efforts. Note, you will receive a tax receipt for your donation.
For decades, UNB has provided the university and the broader community with quality concerts by both regional and other Canadian artists. We typically use our acoustically fine, Memorial Hall on the UNB campus.
Experiencing live classical music can be a revelation. An opportunity to get up close to the musicians provides an experience where you can feel the musical vibrations, here the rosin as the bow moves across the strings of a violin and be fascinated at the facial expressions and other forms of communication that musicians use in order to be in perfect synchronicity.
All this can be experienced by participating in the "MusicUNB" concerts in our intimate and acoustically fine Memorial Hall, on the UNB campus. We bring in the finest musical artists from the area and region and sprinkle them with some visiting artists from farther afield to provide quality concerts at reasonable ticket prices.
The concerts cover a large variety of styles and eras. There is something for everyone. Join us as a pass holder (best deal) or a single ticket buyer. Come be entertained and inspired.
