McGill University McGill University (french: link=no, Université McGill) is an English-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1821 by royal charter granted by King George IV,Frost, Stanley Brice. ''McGill University ...

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple-pe ...

Sherbrooke Street Sherbrooke Street (officially in french: rue Sherbrooke) is a major east–west artery and at in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of t ...

Seymour Schulich Seymour Schulich, OC ( , born January 6, 1940) is a Canadian businessman, investor, author, and philanthropist. Biography Schulich was raised in a Jewish family in Montreal, Quebec. Over 35% of the student body is international. At least 13 Grammy Award winners have been affiliated with the Schulich School of Music, including

George Massenburg George Y. Massenburg (born Baltimore, Maryland c. 1947) is a Grammy award-winning recording engineer and inventor. Working principally in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Macon, Georgia, Massenburg is widely known for submitting a paper to ...

, Estelí Gomez,

Serban Ghenea Șerban Ghenea (born October 13, 1969) is a Grammy award-winning Romanian-Canadian audio engineer and mixer. Early life and education Ghenea was born in Bucharest, Romania in 1969. In 1976 he moved to Montreal with his family. He later attende ...

, Steven Epstein, Jennifer Gasoi, Brian Losch,

Chilly Gonzales Jason Charles Beck (born 20 March 1972), professionally known as Chilly Gonzales, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and producer. Currently based in Cologne, Germany, he previously lived for several years in Paris. Gonzales is a musical polymat ...

,

Win Butler Edwin Farnham Butler III (born April 14, 1980) is an American-Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist. He co-founded the Montreal-based indie rock band Arcade Fire with his wife Régine Chassagne. Early life Butler was ...

, Nick Squire,

Leonard Cohen Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...

, Richard King,

Régine Chassagne Régine Alexandra Chassagne (; born 19 August 1976) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist, and is a member of the band Arcade Fire. She is married to co-founder Win Butler. Early life and career Régine Alexandr ...

, and

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...

.

History

Early history

Music teaching at the institution began in 1884, with a program reserved for women. In 1889, a teaching specialist was engaged at the request of the students by a gift from the university's Chancellor, Donald A. Smith, Lord Strathcona. In 1896, the Royal Victoria College for girls by Lord Strathcona was founded. In September 1899, the Royal Victoria College was opened, and pianist Clara Lichtenstein (1860–1946) arrived on the invitation of Lord Strathcona. In 1902, examinations of the Associate Board of the Royal Schools of Music of London were introduced.

McGill Conservatorium of Music

*1904 Introduction of the Licentiate diploma (LMus), Bachelor in Music degree (BMus), and Doctor in Music degree (DMus). *September 21, classes began in the Workman House with 426 students and 23 instructors. *October 14, official inauguration in the presence of the Governor General, Lord Minot, with a recital by violinist Albert Chamberland and pianist

Ellen Ballon Ellen Ballon (October 6, 1898 – December 21, 1969) was a Canadian pianist. The daughter of Jewish Lithuanian immigrants, she was born in Montreal, Quebec. A child prodigy, she gave her first concert at the age of five and began studying ...

. *1908 Appointment of Harry Crane Perrin, organist of

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the C ...

, as professor and director. *1908 McGill's first university symphonic ensemble is created. *1911 Charles Henry Mills receives the first DMus degree, for composition. *1917 Endowment through a generous gift from Sir William Macdonald permitting the establishment of a faculty of music.

Faculty of Music and Conservatorium of Music (1957–1989)

*1964 Helmut Blume named dean of the Faculty of Music. He served until 1979 and oversaw the school's early development into one of Canada's major music schools. *1966 The McGill Conservatorium of Music becomes the McGill Preparatory School of Music. *1970 The two institutions were separated, but remained under the same direction until 1978. *1971 Both institutions moved to the Royal Victoria College, which was renovated and renamed the Strathcona Music Building. *1978 The Preparatory School becomes the McGill Conservatory of Music. *1981 McGill becomes the first university in Canada to offer a BMus degree in

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major f ...

performance. *1989 The McGill Opera Studio is renamed Opera McGill, with Bernard Turgeon as director and Timothy Vernon as conductor.

School renamed – new building

*2005 The New Music Building is opened and the Faculty of Music changes its name to the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. *2010 Inaugural season of the McGill International String Quartet Academy.

Degrees and programs

Performance

Undergraduate Programs in Performance

*

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...

(BMus) in Early Music (Instruments and Voice), Faculty Program (Jazz or Classical), Guitar, Jazz (Instruments and Voice), Orchestral Instruments (Brass, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds), Organ, Piano, Voice *Licentiate in Music (LMus) in Early Music (Instruments and Voice), Guitar, Jazz (Instruments and Voice), Orchestral Instruments (Brass, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds), Organ, Piano, Voice Double Majors and Double Degree Bachelor of Music students can add a second major or degree to their program, either within the School of Music or at other faculties at McGill University Music Performance Minors * Early Music *Conducting *Jazz Arranging and Composition *Jazz Performance *In addition to Music minors, B.Mus. students can add minors offered by other faculties at McGill University

Graduate Programs in Performance

* Master of Music (MMus) in Conducting, Early Music (Instruments and Voice), Guitar, Jazz (instruments and Voice), Orchestral Instruments (Brass, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds), Organ, Piano, Collaborative Piano, Voice and Opera * Graduate Diploma in Performance and Artist Diploma in Early Music (Instruments and Voice), Guitar, Jazz (Instruments and Voice), Orchestral Instruments (Brass, Percussion, Strings, Woodwinds), Organ, Piano, Voice and Opera *Graduate Certificate in Choral Conducting *

Doctor of Music The Doctor of Music degree (D.Mus., D.M., Mus.D. or occasionally Mus.Doc.) is a higher doctorate awarded on the basis of a substantial portfolio of compositions and/or scholarly publications on music. Like other higher doctorates, it is granted b ...

(DMus) in Performance Studies (Brass, Conducting, Early Music, Guitar, Jazz, Organ, Percussion, Piano, Strings, Voice and Opera, Woodwinds)

Music research

Undergraduate Programs in Music Research

*

Bachelor of Music Bachelor of Music (BM or BMus) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. In the United States, it is a professional degree, and the majority of work consists of prescr ...

(BMus) in Composition, Faculty Program (Classical or Jazz), Music Education, Music History/Musicology, Music Theory Double Majors and Double Degree Bachelor of Music students can add a second major or degree to their program, either within the School of Music or at other faculties at McGill University Music Research Minors *Composition *Music Education *Music Entrepreneurship *Music History / Musicology * Musical Applications of Technology * Music Science and Technology * Music Theory *In addition to Music minors, B.Mus. students can add minors offered by other faculties at McGill University

Graduate Programs in Music Research

* Master of Music (MMus) in Composition, Sound Recording *

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

(MA) in Music Education, Music History/Musicology, Music Technology, Music Theory *

Doctor of Music The Doctor of Music degree (D.Mus., D.M., Mus.D. or occasionally Mus.Doc.) is a higher doctorate awarded on the basis of a substantial portfolio of compositions and/or scholarly publications on music. Like other higher doctorates, it is granted b ...

(DMus) in Composition *

Doctor of Philosophy A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...

(PhD) in Composition, Music Education, Musicology, Music Technology, Music Theory, Sound Recording

Performing ensembles

Orchestras

*McGill Symphony Orchestra (MGSO) *Contemporary Music Ensemble (CME) *McGill Wind Orchestra *Baroque Orchestra *Beethoven Orchestra

Jazz

*McGill Jazz Orchestra I *McGill Jazz Orchestra II *McGill Chamber Jazz Ensemble *Jazz Rhythm Section Ensembles *McGill Jazz Choir *Jazz Combos

Choral

*McGill University Chorus *Schulich Singers *McGill Concert Choir *Cappella Antica

Opera McGill

Opera McGill was described by '' Opera Canada'' magazine as "the premiere program in Canada." Every year, Opera McGill produces at least three operas on the Pollack Hall stage. It collaborates with the Early Music Program at Schulich to produce a baroque opera (accompanied by period instruments and in period tunings). In 2016, the program celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Other

*Chamber Music *Early Music Ensembles *Song Interpretation *Guitar Ensemble *Piano Ensembles *Percussion Ensemble *Tabla Ensemble

Facilities

The Schulich School of Music has two main buildings on campus – the Strathcona Music Building and the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building. The Strathcona Music Building was originally home to Royal Victoria College, the women's college of McGill University. Presently, the building has two wings – referred to as the Center Wing and the East Wing. The Center Wing is home to a concert hall (Pollack Hall), a small recital hall (Clara Lichenstein Recital Hall), a large lecture room, teaching studios, class rooms and ensemble rehearsal spaces. Pollack Hall is the largest performance venue at the Schulich School of Music with over 600 seats. The East Wing is situated in the middle of the Center Wing of the Stracona Music Building and the New Music Building. The basement of the East Wing is home to the Music Undergraduate Students' Association office, the students' newspaper office (''The Phonograph'') and a student cafeteria. The second, third, four and fifth floors house the teaching assistants' offices and the practice rooms for instrumentalists, pianists and vocalists. The Elizabeth Wirth Music Building (EWMB; previously the New Music Building) was built in 2005 thanks to a $20 million gift from McGill grad Seymour Schulich. The building has 8 floors above ground and two below ground. The bottom floor is known as -2 (minus 2) and is home to the Wirth Opera Studio (named after Manfred and Eliza Wirth), the Music Multimedia Room (MMR) as well as smaller recording studios. The first floor is home to a spacious lobby. On the first and the second floor are entrances to Tanna Schulich Hall, an intimate performance venue which seats 187 people. The third, fourth and fifth floor of the EWMB are home to the Marvin Duchow Music Library. The Gertrude Whitley Performance Library and the Music Student Computer Room, which was updated during the fall of 2008, can also be found on the fifth floor. The sixth floor is reserved for faculty office spaces. The seventh floor is the home of the Schulich School of Music administration and the 8th floor is home to CIRMMT. On April 30, 2015, the building was officially inaugurated as the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building, thanks to a donation of $7.5 million from McGill alumna Elizabeth Wirth. Recitals and concerts are also frequently held at Redpath Hall on McGill University's main campus. The Schulich School of Music occupies 148,650 sq. ft. of space. This includes: * 113 practice rooms * 13 classrooms * 10 ensemble rooms * Four performing halls: Pollack Hall, Redpath Hall, Tanna Schulich Hall, Clara Lichtenstein Hall * A state-of-the-art Music Multimedia Room * Wirth Opera Studio * The Marvin Duchow Music Library * The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology (CIRMMT) 817 instruments are available for student use at the Schulich School of Music. This includes: * 117 pianos * 55 electric pianos * 160 percussion * 485 woodwind, brass and string instruments

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology

The Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology is known as CIRMMT. CIRMMT is a multi-disciplinary research centre involving researchers at McGill University and other institutions. The centre has research labs in New Music Building. The Centre's research axes are: * Instruments, devices and systems * Music information research * Cognition, perception and movement * Expanded musical practice

Reputation

McGill University's Schulich School of Music is highly competitive in terms of admissions and has consistently ranked in the top music schools worldwide, including renowned programs in orchestra, opera, jazz, early music and contemporary music. It has consistently ranked as the top ranked music school in Canada and was ranked 31st globally according to the 2022

QS World University Rankings ''QS World University Rankings'' is an annual publication of university rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). The QS system comprises three parts: the global overall ranking, the subject rankings (which name the world's top universities for the ...

.

Notable people

Alumni

* Ayal Adler, Israeli composer * Peter Allen, Canadian composer, organist, and keyboard player * Lydia Ainsworth, composer, producer and singer * István Anhalt, Hungarian-Canadian composer *

Darcy James Argue Darcy James Argue is a jazz composer and bandleader known for his work with his 18-piece ensemble, Secret Society. Biography Argue was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He studied at McGill University in Montreal from 1993–1998, and in 2000 ...

, jazz composer and bandleader * David Atkinson, Canadian baritone and New York Broadway actor/singer *

Serban Ghenea Șerban Ghenea (born October 13, 1969) is a Grammy award-winning Romanian-Canadian audio engineer and mixer. Early life and education Ghenea was born in Bucharest, Romania in 1969. In 1976 he moved to Montreal with his family. He later attende ...

, 19 Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards winning audio engineer and mixer *

Burt Bacharach Burt Freeman Bacharach ( ; born May 12, 1928) is an American composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist who composed hundreds of pop songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, many in collaboration with lyricist Hal David. A six-time Gra ...

, Grammy and Academy award-winning composer, songwriter, record producer, and pianist *

Ellen Ballon Ellen Ballon (October 6, 1898 – December 21, 1969) was a Canadian pianist. The daughter of Jewish Lithuanian immigrants, she was born in Montreal, Quebec. A child prodigy, she gave her first concert at the age of five and began studying ...

, classical pianist * Jill Beck, American dancer, scholar, administrator and educator, former president of

Lawrence University Lawrence University is a private liberal arts college and conservatory of music in Appleton, Wisconsin. Founded in 1847, its first classes were held on November 12, 1849. Lawrence was the second college in the U.S. to be founded as a coeducati ...

*

Paul Bley Paul Bley, CM (November 10, 1932 – January 3, 2016) was a jazz pianist known for his contributions to the free jazz movement of the 1960s as well as his innovations and influence on trio playing and his early live performance on the Moog and ...

, jazz pianist * Alexander Brott, Canadian conductor, composer, violinist and music teacher, founded and directed the McGill Chamber Orchestra * Donna Brown, Canadian soprano opera singer *

Busty and the Bass Busty and the Bass is a Canadian electro-soul and hip hop band from Montreal, Quebec. The band is known for its unique brand of music, which incorporates two vocalists, a horn section, and a diverse range of musical genres. Having met while ...

, Canadian electro-soul and hip hop band wherein the members met while in school *

Rufus Cappadocia Rufus Cappadocia is a Canadian-American cellist best known for his cross-cultural recordings and performances. He has released albums in collaboration with guitarist David Fiuczynski, singer Bethany Yarrow, Stellamara with Sonja Drakulich, mult ...

, Canadian-American cellist * Albert Chamberland, Canadian violinist, composer, conductor, music producer, and music educator *

Régine Chassagne Régine Alexandra Chassagne (; born 19 August 1976) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, musician, and multi-instrumentalist, and is a member of the band Arcade Fire. She is married to co-founder Win Butler. Early life and career Régine Alexandr ...

, singer, songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist, and member of

Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member Sa ...

* Taylor Brook, composer and musician *

Peter Butterfield Peter Butterfield is a Canadian conductor and classical tenor. In 2003 he founded the VancouverVoices and since 2009 he has been the director of the Victoria Philharmonic Choir. As a singer he has performed throughout Europe, Asia, and North Ame ...

, Canadian conductor and classical tenor, director of the Victoria Philharmonic Choir * Suad Bushnaq, Jordanian-Canadian film and concert composer * John Austin Clark, American music director and keyboardist, founder and current director of Bourbon Baroque * Francis Coleman, conductor and television producer and director * Jonathan Crow,

Toronto Symphony Orchestra The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Toronto, Ontario. Founded in 1906, the TSO gave regular concerts at Massey Hall until 1982, and since then has performed at Roy Thomson Hall. The TSO also manages the Toront ...

concertmaster * Marvin Duchow, composer, teacher and musicologist, expert on Renaissance music and the music of eighteenth century France * Clifford Ford, composer, editor, music educator, and author * Estelí Gomez, multiple Grammy award-winning American musician *

Chilly Gonzales Jason Charles Beck (born 20 March 1972), professionally known as Chilly Gonzales, is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and producer. Currently based in Cologne, Germany, he previously lived for several years in Paris. Gonzales is a musical polymat ...

, Grammy award-winning pianist and singer *

Donna Grantis Donna Grantis is a Canadian guitarist, best known for performing and recording with Prince & 3rdeyegirl. On September 30, 2014, Prince and 3rdeyegirl released their debut album, '' Plectrumelectrum'', which reached #1 on the Billboard Rock chart ...

, Canadian guitarist, known for work with

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

& 3rdeyegirl * Jennifer Grout, American singer of Arabic and Amazigh (Tashelhit) music * Aaron Harris, American drummer and percussionist for the band

Islands An island (or isle) is an isolated piece of habitat that is surrounded by a dramatically different habitat, such as water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, skerries, cays or keys. An island ...

*

Sinjin Hawke Alan Stanley Soucy Brinsmead, better known by the stage name Sinjin Hawke, is a Canadian-American electronic music producer and DJ. Career In late 2011, Sinjin Hawke released his first EP, "The Lights" on the Belgium-based Pelican Fly label and ...

, Canadian-American electronic music producer and DJ * Timothy L. Jackson, American professor of music theory at

University of North Texas The University of North Texas (UNT) is a public research university in Denton, Texas. It was founded as a nonsectarian, coeducational, private teachers college in 1890 and was formally adopted by the state 11 years later."Denton Normal School," ...

*

Kelly Jefferson Kelly Jefferson is a Canadian jazz saxophonist (born March 4, 1970 in Regina, Saskatchewan), he has recorded and performed with numerous jazz musicians and bands. Jefferson has a Bachelor of Music degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, ...

, jazz saxophonist * Christine Jensen,

Juno Award The Juno Awards, more popularly known as the JUNOS, are awards presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music. New members of the Canadian Music Hall ...

-winning composer, conductor, and saxophonist *

Alessandro Juliani Alessandro Juliani (born July 6) is a Canadian actor and singer. He is notable for playing the roles of Tactical Officer Lieutenant Felix Gaeta on the Sci-Fi Channel television program ''Battlestar Galactica'', Emil Hamilton in ''Smallville'', J ...

, Canadian actor and singer * Gillian Keith, soprano * Richard King, multi

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

award-winning recording engineer * Veronika Krausas, composer * Robert Silverman, Canadian pianist and piano pedagogue * Caroline Leonardelli, French concert harpist * Jens Lindemann, trumpet soloist * Michel Perrault, composer, conductor, music educator, and percussionist *

Earl MacDonald Earl MacDonald (born July 26, 1970) is a Canadian pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, recording artist, and educator specializing in jazz. Described as "a magical, musical alchemist of hip hybrids", MacDonald's compositional work frequently d ...

, director of Jazz Studies at the

University of Connecticut The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a public land-grant research university in Storrs, Connecticut, a village in the town of Mansfield. The primary 4,400-acre (17.8 km2) campus is in Storrs, approximately a half hour's drive from Hart ...

, former musical director and pianist with

Maynard Ferguson Walter Maynard Ferguson CM (May 4, 1928 – August 23, 2006) was a Canadian jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He came to prominence in Stan Kenton's orchestra before forming his own big band in 1957. He was noted for his bands, which often serv ...

*

Martin MacDonald Martin MacDonald (born ca 1977) is a Canadian conductor. Early life He was born on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, MacDonald is the youngest of 12 children, and started to play cello when he was six years old. He participated in the family's ...

, resident conductor with

Symphony Nova Scotia Symphony Nova Scotia is a Canadian orchestra based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Their primary recital space is at the Dalhousie Arts Centre's Rebecca Cohn Auditorium. History Symphony Nova Scotia began in 1983 with 13 full-time musician ...

* Charles Henry Mills, English-American composer and director of the

University of Wisconsin–Madison A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, the ...

School of Music * Robin Minard, composer and installation artist * Simon Morrison, scholar and writer specializing in 20th-century music *

Karina Gauvin Karina Gauvin is a Canadian soprano who has made several recordings and is especially recognised for her interpretation of Baroque music. ''Opera News'' stated that, "Gauvin knows how to rivet an audience in opera and concert. She has been a queen ...

, Canadian soprano * Helga Rut Guðmundsdóttir, professor of music education at the

University of Iceland The University of Iceland ( is, Háskóli Íslands ) is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' s ...

* Dorothy Morton, pianist and instructor *

Geoffrey Moull Geoffrey Moull is a Canadian professional conductor. He was principal conductor of the Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra and music director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Education Geoffrey Moull was born in London, Ontario, Canada an ...

, music director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, mentor of the Opera Program at

Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University (commonly referred to as WLU or simply Laurier) is a public university in Ontario, Canada, with campuses in Waterloo, Brantford and Milton. The newer Brantford and Milton campuses are not considered satellite campuse ...

* Natasha Negovanlis, actress, writer, producer, and singer * Charles O'Neill, Canadian bandmaster, composer, organist, cornetist, and music educator * Donald Patriquin, Canadian composer, organist, and choral conductor * Mauro Pezzente, co-founder of

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Godspeed You! Black Emperor (sometimes abbreviated to GY!BE or Godspeed) is a Canadian post-rock band which originated in Montreal, Quebec in 1994. The group releases recordings through Constellation, an independent record label also located i ...

* Jimmie LeBlanc, Canadian composer and guitarist * Boris Brott, Canadian conductor and composer * Eldon Rathburn, Canadian film composer who scored over 250 films * Jay Reise, American composer * Matthew Ricketts, classical composer * Richard Roberts, Montreal Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, professor of violin *

Elizabeth Shepherd Elizabeth Shepherd (born 12 August 1936) is an English character actress whose long career has encompassed the stage and both the big and small screens. Her television work has been especially prolific. Shepherd's surname has been variously ren ...

, singer, songwriter, pianist and producer * Philippe Sly, bass-baritone and opera, oratorio and recital singer * Grant Stewart, Canadian jazz saxophonist * Donald Steven, composer,

Juno Award for Classical Composition of the Year The Juno Award for "Classical Composition of the Year" has been awarded since 1987, as recognition each year for the best classical music composition in Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada ...

, Jules Léger Prize for New Chamber Music * Nora Sourouzian, Armenian-Canadian mezzo-soprano * Daniel Taylor, countertenor, director of the Theatre of Early Music, adjunct professor at the Schulich School of Music * Maja Trochimczyk, American music historian, writer and poet * Robert Turner, Canadian composer, radio producer, and music educator * Alexandra Stréliski, neo-classical composer and pianist *

Rufus Wainwright Rufus McGarrigle Wainwright (born July 22, 1973) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and composer. He has recorded 10 studio albums and numerous tracks on compilations and film soundtracks. He has also written two classical operas and set ...

, singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer * Ella May Walker, composer and organist * Marguerita Spencer, Canadian pianist, organist, composer and educator * Charles Richard-Hamelin, concert pianist * Pauline Donalda, Canadian operatic soprano * Alfred Whitehead, English-born Canadian composer, organist, choirmaster, music educator, painter *

Gino Vannelli Gino Vannelli (born June 16, 1952) is a Canadian rock singer and songwriter who had several hit songs in the 1970s and 1980s. His best-known singles include "People Gotta Move" (1974), " I Just Wanna Stop" (1978), " Living Inside Myself" (1981) ...

, rock singer and songwriter * Frédérique Vézina, soprano *

John Oliver John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. Oliver started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom. He came to wider attention ...

, composer and organist * Nina C. Young, American electro-acoustic composer of contemporary classical music

Current and past faculty members

* István Anhalt, Hungarian-Canadian composer *

Andrew Dawes Andrew Dawes (February 7, 1940 – October 30, 2022) was a Canadian violinist. He was known for his performances with the Orford String Quartet. Early life and education Dawes was born in High River, Alberta.Curtin Call: A Photographer's Cand ...

, Canadian violinist * Alfred De Sève, Canadian violinist, composer, and music educator *

Claude Champagne Claude Champagne (27 May 1891 – 21 December 1965) was a French Canadian composer, teacher, pianist, and violinist. Early life and education Born as Joseph-Arthur-Adonaï Claude Champagne in Montreal, Quebec, Champagne began piano and theo ...

, French Canadian composer, teacher, pianist, and violinist * Douglas Clarke, English organist, conductor, composer and academic, conductor of the Montreal Orchestra *

Ira Coleman Ira Coleman (born April 29, 1956) is a French-American jazz bassist. Educated at the Berklee College of Music, he appears on four albums by Paris-based pianist Laurent de Wilde Carr, Ian; Fairweather, Digby and Priestley, Brian''Rough Guide ...

, French-American jazz bassist * Steven Epstein, 16 Grammy Award-winning American record producer * Marina Goglidze-Mdivani, professor of piano *

Matt Haimovitz Matt Haimovitz (born December 3, 1970) is a cellist based in the United States and Canada. Born in Israel, he grew up in the US from the age of five. He plays mainly a cello made by Matteo Goffriller in 1710. Family, musical education and ear ...

, professor of strings and cello * Melissa Hui, Chinese-Canadian composer and pianist * Oliver Jones, jazz pianist, organist, composer and arranger * Suzie LeBlanc, soprano and professor of voice *

Daniel Levitin Daniel Joseph Levitin, FRSC (born December 27, 1957) is an American-Canadian cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, writer, musician, and record producer. He is the author of four ''New York Times'' best-selling books, including '' This Is Yo ...

, American-Canadian cognitive psychologist, neuroscientist, writer, musician, and record producer *

Matt Haimovitz Matt Haimovitz (born December 3, 1970) is a cellist based in the United States and Canada. Born in Israel, he grew up in the US from the age of five. He plays mainly a cello made by Matteo Goffriller in 1710. Family, musical education and ear ...

, professor of strings and cello * Bengt Hambraeus, Swedish organist, composer and musicologist *

William Caplin William E. Caplin (born 1948) is an American music theorist who lives and works in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he is a James McGill Professor at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University. Caplin served as president of the Society for Mu ...

, American music theorist, former president of the

Society for Music Theory The Society for Music Theory (SMT) is an American organization devoted to the promotion of music theory as a scholarly and pedagogical discipline. It currently has a membership of over 1200, primarily in the United States. In the 1970s, few school ...

* Theodore Baskin, Principal Oboe of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra * Charles A. E. Harriss, English impresario, educator, organist-choirmaster and conductor, founding director of the McGill Conservatorium of Music (today the Schulich School of Music) * Brian Jackson, British-Canadian conductor, organist and pianist * Kelsey Jones, Canadian composer, pianist, harpsichordist, and music teacher * Alcides Lanza, Argentinian composer, conductor, pianist, and music educator *

Hugh Le Caine Hugh Le Caine (May 27, 1914 – July 3, 1977) was a Canadian physicist, composer, and instrument builder. Le Caine was brought up in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay) in northwestern Ontario. At a young age, he began making musical instruments. In yo ...

, Canadian physicist, composer, and instrument builder * Philippe Leroux, French composer * Clara Lichtenstein, Hungarian pianist * Camille Thurman, American jazz musician, composer, and member of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra * Rémi Bolduc, Canadian jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer * John Rea, composer, former dean of the Schulich School of Music of McGill University *

Kent Nagano Kent George Nagano GOQ, MSM (born November 22, 1951) is an American conductor and opera administrator. Since 2015, he has been Music Director of the Hamburg State Opera and was Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 2006 to 202 ...

, American conductor, opera administrator, and ex-conductor of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra *

Kenneth Gilbert Kenneth Albert Gilbert (December 16, 1931 – April 15, 2020) was a Canadian harpsichordist, organist, musicologist, and music educator. Biography Born in Montreal, Gilbert studied at the Conservatoire de musique du Québec à Montréal und ...

, Canadian harpsichordist, organist, musicologist, and music educator *

Ellen Ballon Ellen Ballon (October 6, 1898 – December 21, 1969) was a Canadian pianist. The daughter of Jewish Lithuanian immigrants, she was born in Montreal, Quebec. A child prodigy, she gave her first concert at the age of five and began studying ...

, classical pianist *

George Massenburg George Y. Massenburg (born Baltimore, Maryland c. 1947) is a Grammy award-winning recording engineer and inventor. Working principally in Baltimore, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Macon, Georgia, Massenburg is widely known for submitting a paper to ...

, multiple Grammy Award-winning recording engineer and inventor * Bruce Mather, Canadian composer, pianist, and writer * Paul Pedersen, composer, arts administrator, and music educator * Harry Crane Perrin, British cathedral organist and academic, served as the first dean of music at McGill University * Alexis Hauser, Austrian conductor * Jan Simons, Canadian baritone, music teacher and administrator * Axel Strauss, German violinist * Joel Quarrington, Canadian double bass player, soloist, teacher, and the former Principal Double Bass of the

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

* Richard King, multi

Grammy The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

award-winning recording engineer * John Hollenbeck, American jazz drummer and composer known for his work with

The Claudia Quintet The Claudia Quintet are an American jazz ensemble formed in 1997 by drummer and composer John Hollenbeck. The ensemble was formed as successor to an ensemble called "the Refuseniks" with Hollenbeck and Quintet member Ted Reichman, and the quintet ...

and

Bob Brookmeyer Robert Edward "Bob" Brookmeyer (December 19, 1929 – December 15, 2011) was an American jazz valve trombonist, pianist, arranger, and composer. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, Brookmeyer first gained widespread public attention as a member of Ge ...

*

Geoffrey Moull Geoffrey Moull is a Canadian professional conductor. He was principal conductor of the Bielefeld Philharmonic Orchestra and music director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Education Geoffrey Moull was born in London, Ontario, Canada an ...

, music director of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra, mentor of the Opera Program at

Wilfrid Laurier University Wilfrid Laurier University (commonly referred to as WLU or simply Laurier) is a public university in Ontario, Canada, with campuses in Waterloo, Brantford and Milton. The newer Brantford and Milton campuses are not considered satellite campuse ...

* Christopher Jackson, Canadian organist, harpsichordist and choral conductor * Denys Bouliane, Canadian composer and conductor * Boris Brott, Canadian conductor and composer * Brian Cherney, Canadian composer *

Lina Pizzolongo Lina Pizzolongo (January 25, 1925, Montreal - September 21, 1991, Toronto) was a Canadian vocal coach and concert pianist. She was married to baritone Louis Quilico and was the mother of two children Donna and Gino Quilico, also a baritone. Car ...

, vocal coach and concert pianist * Raymond Daveluy, composer, organist, music educator, and arts administrator

History of Deans

* Clara Lichtenstein 1886 - 1904 * Charles A. E. Harriss 1904 - 1920 * Harry Crane Perrin 1920 - 1930 * Douglas Clarke 1930 - 1955 * Marvin Duchow 1955 - 1963 *Helmuth Blume 1963 - 1976 * Paul Pedersen 1976 - 1986 * John Rea 1986 - 1991 *John Grew 1991 - 1996 *Richard Lawton 1996 - 2001 *Don McLean 2001 - 2010 *Gordon Foote 2010 - 2011 *Sean Ferguson 2011 - 2016 *Brenda Ravenscroft 2016 - 2022 *Sean Ferguson 2022 - Present

Special events and conferences

*During the 2015-2016 concert season, the Schulich School of Music put on over 700 performances. *For 30 years, the McGill/ CBC concert series has delivered music to audiences across Canada. It is reported to be the longest university/radio concert series in Canadian history.https://www.mcgill.ca/music/files/music/11.nov_.cbc-mcgill-press_release.eng_.pdf *From 2004-2010, the school hosted a contemporary music festival called the ''MusiMarch Festival''.

Photo gallery

Image:Schulich_McGill_Music_Buildings.JPG, The Strathcona Music Building (foreground) was built in 1901; a new music building (background) was opened in 2005. File:McGill faculty Music department.JPG, McGill faculty Music department File:Strathcona music building (McGill University) 2005-10-21.JPG, Strathcona music building (McGill University) 2005-10-21 File:Strathcona Music Building 05.JPG, A statue of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previo ...

sits outside the Strathcona Music Building.

History

Early history

McGill Conservatorium of Music

Faculty of Music and Conservatorium of Music (1957–1989)

School renamed – new building

Degrees and programs

Performance

Undergraduate Programs in Performance

Graduate Programs in Performance

Music research

Undergraduate Programs in Music Research

Graduate Programs in Music Research

Performing ensembles

Orchestras

Jazz

Choral

Opera McGill

Other

Facilities

Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Music Media and Technology

Reputation

Notable people

Alumni

Current and past faculty members

History of Deans

Special events and conferences

Photo gallery

See also