Performing arts students enrich downtown Montreal cultural scene

Music, theatre and contemporary dance students forge new community links in Quartier Concordia

Media invited to tour new facilities

MONTREAL, Jan. 19, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - What a difference a thousand square metres make! When Concordia University's music, theatre and contemporary dance departments moved to the downtown Sir George Williams campus from the west end Loyola campus, they gained 16% more space and countless new opportunities for teaching, research and community involvement.

The new facilities in the downtown Quartier Concordia will be officially inaugurated on Thursday, January 19 at 5 p.m. on the 7^th floor of John Molson School of Business (MB Building), 1450 Guy St.

"Concordia's Faculty of Fine Arts has developed a well-earned reputation for excellence and creativity through its research and teaching," says Frederick Lowy, President and Vice-Chancellor of Concordia. "Our graduates have been recognized worldwide for their success in harnessing the creative energy of our university and our city and channelling that energy into their artistic output."

The departments of Contemporary Dance and Theatre were relocated to the 7th floor of the John Molson School of Business (MB) Building in August 2009, a first step toward realizing the Faculty of Fine Arts' long-standing goal to consolidate facilities downtown.  The Department of Music joined them on the Molson Building's 8^th floor a year later. Theatre design classrooms and faculty offices for all three departments are housed in the Guy-Metro (GM) Building, across the street.

The stunning new facilities feature state-of-the-art equipment, sprung floors specially-engineered to absorb the impact of dancers' movements, and sophisticated lighting, sound and recording systems. In addition, the D.B. Clarke Theatre in the Henry F. Hall Building, one of the university's premier performing spaces, has been beautifully refurbished.

The new infrastructure is supported by $11 million in funding from Industry Canada and Quebec's Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport under the federal government's Knowledge Infrastructure Program.

The move consolidates all departments in the Faculty of Fine Arts downtown in Quartier Concordia and brings the performing arts departments closer to Montreal's centrally located cultural organizations.

"Our Faculty has a long history of building strong and rewarding connections with Montreal's artistic communities," says Catherine Wild, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts. "These new, state-of-the-art facilities have created more opportunities for our artists to strengthen and initiate collaborations with thriving cultural organizations both locally and internationally."

Students, faculty and the community are benefitting from the relocation in the following ways:

• The "smart" classrooms have given a boost to teaching by using Internet connections and integrated projection systems to connect students to the global performing arts community, including a recent five-city live musical improvisation with laptop orchestra and live musicians connecting Concordia with San Diego, New York City, Belfast and Hamburg;
  
  
• Due to the exposure from public performances in the new spaces, such as the Department of Contemporary Dance's monthly showcase Studio 7, students are finding employment as performers and choreographers with top artists such as Dave St-Pierre and gaining valuable production skills with festivals such as the St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival;
  
  
• Community organizations and artists who have used the new spaces and refurbished D.B. Clarke Theatre for rehearsals and performances include the annual summer Suzuki Institute, Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir, and a National Film Board production involving internationally-renowned choreographer Crystal Pite;
  
  
• The new facilities have accommodated several international performing arts conferences such as the Canadian Association of Theatre Research conference at the Congress 2010 of the Humanities and Social Sciences and Understanding Visual Music and Balance/unBalance in Fall 2011, generating higher visibility for faculty research and industry collaboration; and,
  
  
• Music students and professors have started giving regular performances to senior citizens at La Résidence Fulford Residence on Guy Street.

Members of the media are invited to attend a celebration of the completion of the new facilities:

WHEN: Thursday, January 19, 2012 - 5:00 p.m. to 7 p.m.
WHERE: John Molson School of Business (MB Building), 1450 Guy St., 7^th floor.
WHAT: Official remarks and performances from music, theatre and contemporary dance
students will be followed by a 20-minute tour.

Related links:

• Video and full details -  new performing arts facilities and D.B. Clarke Theatre
• Concordia University's Faculty of Fine Arts

For further information:

Fiona Downey
Media Relations Advisor
Concordia University
Tel.: [phone] ext. 2518
Cell.: 514-518-3336
[e-mail]
twitter.com/fiodow
concordia.ca/now