Fall Flourish Music Concert –- The Music and Culture program at UTSC

The Music and Culture program at UTSC organizes end-of-semester events and performances. Characterized by their distinct methods of promoting music creation and performance among students, the program explores music in relation to diverse cultural, social, and historical events.

As a mentor in the Department of Arts, Culture, and Media I was required to volunteer at the Fall Flourish Music Concert, an annual end-of-semester event hosted by the Music and Culture program. Walking into AC224, I was astonished to see the chairs filled up, comprising students in the Music and Culture department, faculty staff, family members of performers, well-wishers, and students at UTSC. The sound of classical music, like Vulnerable Joy by Jodie Blackshaw, provided a sense of calmness and serenity in moments of tension and stress during the weeks leading up to exams. Mickey Hart, an American percussionist of the Grateful Dead, captures this experience in one of his sayings: “There’s nothing like music to relieve the soul and uplift it.”

The Music and Culture program at UTSC organizes end-of-semester events and performances. Characterized by their distinct methods of promoting music creation and performance among students, the program explores music in relation to diverse cultural, social, and historical events. Roger Mantie, a Music and Culture professor, recounts the healthy growth in the department over the years. “The Music program has grown by 100 per cent since I arrived here,” said Mantie. 

Over the years, the Music and Culture program has organized concerts, both in the fall and winter semesters, showcasing the skills and expertise of students in the program. Alongside the major performances which consist of the concert band, concert choir, and spring orchestra, the program also organizes smaller ensembles tailored towards showcasing other genres of music like jazz, funk, and R&B, amongst others. On Nov. 30, 2024, the department hosted the Fall Flourish Music Concert at the ARC hall (AC223) from 3:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. 

String Orchestra. Fall Flourish Concert 2024. Photo Credit: ACM’s photographer.

Preparations for the concert usually begin at the start of a new semester, where students are introduced to the repertoires planned for the concert. Paolo Cabral, a third-year student double-majoring in mental health studies and music, explains that students in performance classes like the concert band, concert choir, and string orchestra continue to work on different sections of the repertoires as the semester progresses. Cabral also mentions that students gather in smaller groups outside class time to practice more on the repertoires, which shows the hard work and dedication that students invest into perfecting their parts for the concert. Another aspect of preparation from students, as emphasized by Michelle Chen, a fourth-year student double-majoring in human biology and music, is that members of the concert band arrive early to set up instruments and equipment needed for the concert. Students also help with the takedown of the instruments used. 

The preparations made by the faculty are divided into two aspects: pedagogical and logistics/rehearsal as reiterated by Prof. Mantie. However, he expresses the challenges that the program experiences due to the lack of facilities from the university. “The ARC has limited seat space, and the stage isn’t quite big enough to contain the performers,” said Mantie.

“Putting on a concert is a big undertaking, given the fact that the facilities available are not designed to host a concert,” he adds. 

Concert Band. Fall Flourish Concert 2024. Photo Credit: ACM’s photographer

The concert was divided into two parts, with the first part held between 3:00 P.M. and 4:30 P.M. It comprised performances from the concert band and the string orchestra. Directed by Prof. Lynn Tucker, the concert band performed seven repertoires which include Tectonic Plates by Adrian B. Sims, As the Moon Whispers by Benjamin Yeo, and Stormbreak by Jim Kasella, amongst others.

Chen expresses that her favourite of the performances was Flight of the Griffin by Brian Balmages because pictures were displayed on the projector, which elevated the playing experience. The concert band consisted of 65 students who were divided into 15 musical categories: trumpet, flute, clarinet, trombone, alto saxophone, percussion, oboe, bassoon, string bass, tenor saxophone, french horn, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone, euphonium, and tuba.

The string orchestra which directed by Prof. Tony Leong performed five repertoires, including Sanseneon by Robert S. Frost, A Christmas Festival by Leroy Anderson arr. Michael Story, and Music from Wicked by Stephen Schwartz arr. Ted Ricketts, amongst others. The concert band consisted of 43 students who were divided into five musical categories: violin I, violin II, viola, cello, and double bass.  

The second part of the concert began at 7:00 P.M., and comprised performances from the concert choir. Directed by Prof. Patrick Murray, the group performed seven repertoires. Some of them include Peace I Leave With You by Amy Beach, TaReKiTa by Reena Esmail, and Fix You by Coldplay arr. George Chunk. The concert choir was composed of 121 students who were divided into soprano, tenor, alto, and bass. Overall, 229 students performed in the Fall Flourish Concert 2024. 

Concert Choir. Fall Flourish Concert 2024. Photo Credit: ACM’s photographer

Mantie gave a positive evaluation of the performance, saying “Even though each semester starts afresh, you could hear the development among the students as the semester unfolds,”. Paolo also commented on the joys of seeing and performing in front of the audience. 

However, when asked about some areas of improvement, Cabral mentioned that more promotions could have been made towards the concert. This could have created more awareness among UTSC students and increased the turnout of the audience.

This connects to the limitations that the department is currently experiencing: A lack of visibility among the general UTSC population. “Because of the nature of our campus and our location on the third floor of the Arts and Administration Building, many students who would be interested in the music program are not aware of it,” said Mantie. Cabral also voices his thoughts on the constraints faced by the department when he mentions the limited storage and practice rooms for students in the program. He admits that “it’s hard to create a solution at the moment because getting a new building takes months and years of building and development.” 

Performance classes in the Music and Culture program like the string orchestra, concert band, and concert choir are available to students from other departments and campuses, a feature not common among programs at UTSC. Some other music-making opportunities available to students include the weekly programs held by Soundlife Scarborough: This Uke’s for U-TSC, Steel Pan, and Brazilian Marakatu. These opportunities are available to all students in every department and campus. Guests also have access to these opportunities.