A fair amount of music perception and cognition research has been done on single line melody, but less on the interweaving of multiple melodic lines as in musical counterpoint. Prof. Beckett will discuss a variety of studies, including her own, that try to shed light on how the human mind hears counterpoint. Dr. Christine Beckett teaches in Concordia’s Music Department and is a founding faculty member at BRAMS lab.

Charles Ellison leads fellow jazz faculty members in a memorable evening of spontaneous creation. Hear these experienced musicians play off one another, inspire each other to new lines and rhythms, a new take on tunes from the well-known to the hot-off-the-press. This is jazz at its finest.

Two choirs in one evening! Jean-Sébastien Allaire leads the largest performing ensemble in the university in this popular concert of choral music. The university choir, made up of students, staff and the community, give their all to celebrate the end of the semester. Christopher Jackson directs the chamber choir in a program for a smaller, more intimate choir, singing repertoire from the Renaissance to the present day. The act of singing is one of the most unifying human abilities – both for the singers and the audience. Listen, breathe, and enjoy.

Renowned jazz singer Jeri Brown leads the jazz vocal ensemble in an evening guaranteed to move you. Accompanied by the wonderful Chris Tauchner, the jazz choir and soloists will knock your socks off!

Jazz improvisation is a skill as individual as each performer as they navigate complex chords and rhythms, styles and their fellow students' input. Gary Schwartz directs these small combos playing a variety of music to show off their growing skills as improvisers and creators. These fresh sounds will inspire you to do as well in your own work, whatever it may be.

Charles Ellison puts the advanced improvisation students through their paces in this fascinating performance showing off each student and their ensembles as they add new voices to the jazz tradition. Hear intricate lines created on the spot, drawing on the growing wealth of ideas and skills of these students in the specialization in jazz studies.

Music by today's composers to get your blood pumping, your minds calmed and everyting in between.

Concordia's Eclectic Ensemble is just what it sounds like. This concert showcases a sometimes wild variety of sounds, playing jazz tunes crafted for them by some of today's hottest arrangers. Gary Schwartz has created one of the music department's most surprising ensembles, and their performances are always a delight, not to be missed!

Step back into the jazz age with Dave Turner and the Concordia Big Band. The closing concert of the semester will send you out with that great brass and reed sound in your ears, some fabulous singers in your mind's eye, and wishing you had brought your dancing shoes. Swing into the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall for an unforgettable evening.

Voice Recital Gabrielle Émard (Irene Feher) and Journey Gault (Beverly McGuire)

Voice Recital Stéphanie Brassard (Irene Feher) and Jessica Eckstadt (Beverly McGuire)

Virginia Moussa Yaya, piano (Gregory Chaverdian) and Chris Wiley, trombone (Mike Wilson)