Music at Brock University

Music at Brock University

Brock University. Non-denominational university founded in St Catharines, Ont, in 1964 with undergraduate and graduate programs in arts, sciences, education, and administration.

Ronald Tremain, who taught at Brock from 1970 until his retirement in 1989, introduced music courses and organized a chamber choir and a collegium musicum. He was music head, becoming chairman when a Music Dept was officially established in 1975, and was succeeded by Thomas McGary 1978-82. In 1982 music became part of the Dept of Fine Arts; the music program was again headed by Tremain 1982-5, and by John Glofcheskie 1985-9. In July 1989 the Music Dept was re-established with Harris Loewen as coordinator. In 1990 it offered a three-year BA and a four year honours BA in music, and there were about 50 students enrolled as music majors, with 4 full-time and 12 part-time teachers.

Among the facilities are a two-manual Dowd harpsichord and a Casavant chamber organ. Ensembles in 1990 were the Brock University Mixed Chorale, the Women's Chorus, and the Chamber Choir. The faculty presents lunch-hour and evening concerts in the Brock University Theatre and the Martin Luther Chapel (Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary is affiliated with Brock). The Niagara Symphony Orchestra and Niagara Youth Orchestra also perform at the Brock Univeristy Theatre. Brock University has awarded honorary degrees to Elmer Iseler (D LITT 1972), Léopold Simoneau (LLD 1971), Edith Fowke (LLD 1974), Liona Boyd (LLD 1990), and Victor Feldbrill (LLD 1991).