Throughout the academic year, the Schulich School of Music hosts concerts by the McGill Symphony Orchestra, Opera McGill, the McGill Baroque Orchestra, McGill Contemporary Music Ensemble, McGill Choral Ensembles (Cappella Antica, Concert Choir, Jazz Choir, University Chorus, and the Schulich Singers), the McGill Wind Orchestra, McGill Jazz Orchestra I and II and the McGill Chamber Jazz Ensemble. There are also several competitions open to the students.

Many of the concerts are webcast, so you can watch a live stream at home. The complete list of concerts is available in the online calendar: https://www.mcgill.ca/music/events/calendar. The highlights of the season are presented in an easy-to-follow bilingual brochure that includes approximately 150 of the 600 events. The brochure is available at the school, online, and as a downloadable pdf.

Among the varied concert programs at Schulich, many will be of interest for many of our readers. The noon concerts in Tanna Schulich Hall are just 45 minutes long, and timed so the most people could catch the concert during their lunch break. There is also the McGill Noon-Hour Organ Series to consider at Redpath Hall, which takes place at 12:30pm. Upcoming performances are scheduled for January 18 and 25, February 1, 8, 15, 22 and March 1.

The 5 à 7 concerts take place in the lobby of the Elizabeth Wirth Music Building at the corner of Sherbrooke & Aylmer, with a cash bar open at 5pm, followed by the concert at 5:30pm. The next free concerts are scheduled on January 31, February 28 and March 28.

Opera McGill will perform Mozart’s Die Zauberflote on February 1, 2 and 3 at Monument-National, Ludger-Duvernay Hall. The performances will be directed by Patrick Hansen, the university’s larger-than-life and charismatic Director of Opera McGill and Opera Studies, who will also conduct the McGill Symphony Orchestra. It’s not too early to purchase tickets, available at the Monument-National box office: 1182 boul. Saint-Laurent, 514-871-2224. Also available online: https://monumentnational.tuxedobillet.com

For a schedule of the most of the concerts, please visit: www.mcgill.ca/music/events. The majority of the concerts start at 7:30pm, so it’s not a late night. The printed brochures are available in the lobby of the McGill Strathcona Building (home to Pollack Hall) at 555 Sherbrooke St. West, H3A 1E3, and within walking distance of the McGill Metro station. You can order and pay for tickets online or by phone: 514-398-4547. The link to the online box office is included in each of the events on the school’s online calendar. Enjoy!