Conference Special Events & Friday Excursions

SPECIAL EVENTS
Wednesday Evening, 17 March
6:00 – 8:00p.m.
Opening Reception

Thursday Evening, 18 March
Concert of Improvised Music by Michael Snow and Jesse Stewart
8:00 – 9:00 p.m. (National Gallery of Canada)
A concert of improvised music featuring acclaimed pianist/visual artist/filmmaker Michael Snow and Ottawa composer/percussionist Jesse Stewart. At 80, world-class artistic polymath Snow is still making headlines with his films and installation art, which often feature his own music (and performance), while rising phenom Stewart has collaborated with such noted artists as Pauline Oliveros and George Lewis. The National Gallery is a short walk from the Westin Hotel.

Friday Evening, 19 March
Presentation of SAM 2010 Honorary Membership to R. Murray Schafer
and Performance of Contemporary Canadian Music
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. (St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts & Humanities)

A musical tribute to Canada’s dean of composers, featuring music by Canadian composers of the 20th and 21st centuries, including R. Murray Schafer, Claude Vivier, Kyle Werner and Frédéric Lacroix (world premier). Performed by leading artists from the Ottawa area, the concert represents a collaboration of SAM, Ottawa New Music Creators, Carleton University and the Canadian Music Centre. The Centre is within walking distance, but transportation will also be available.
A reception will be held immediately following the concert. All are invited!

FRIDAY AFTERNOON EXCURSIONS
Any tour that does not have sufficient numbers will be canceled and your money will be refunded. All costs are in US.

Soundwalk with R. Murray Schafer
Cost: $30.00 (limit of 25 regular registrants); $15.00 for students (limit of 10 student registrants)

An unforgettable experience with Canada’s leading composer. R. Murray Schafer will lead participants through the individual sounds of the city, explaining how they contribute to its unique soundscape. Bring your walking shoes and open ears and minds! No strenuous walking will be involved.

Read more about R. Murray Schafer

Guided Tour of Parliament Buildings, with Demonstration of Dominion Carillon
Cost: Free. Limited to 25 registrants, so advanced registration is required.

Led by a professional tour guide, we will have a chance to explore the historic seat of Canadian government, including the Parliament chambers (when not in session), followed by a demonstration of the nation’s carillon, the Dominion Carillon. The group will also visit the Peace Tower observation deck (enclosed from the weather), a few floors by elevator above the keyboard deck. The Parliament Buildings are within easy walking distance of the hotel.

Guided Tour of the Museum of Civilization, with Demonstration of Inuit Throat Singing
Cost: $30.00 (includes price of admission and honorarium for throat singers)

On this guided tour you will have a chance to explore the history of a nation, with an emphasis upon its aboriginal and Inuit cultures. The Grand Hall, designed in cooperation with Native elders and artisans, celebrates the aboriginal peoples of the Pacific Northwest, while the First People’s Hall showcases the diversity of their cultures. A demonstration of Inuit throat singing by Nukariik will cap off the visit. The museum is within walking distance of the hotel, but transportation will also be available.

Guided Tour, National Gallery of Art, with Thematic Emphases on Canadian Art and on Music
Cost: $20.00 (includes price of admission and fee for tour guide)

Canada’s premier collection of art. The professional tour guide from the NGA has a strong background in piano performance, so she has promised not only to take us through the highpoints of the collection, especially the collections of Group of Seven and Emily Carr works and of Inuit art, but also to lead us to artworks that prominently feature music (in performance, as title, etc.). Spend some extra time afterwards taking in the other artworks in the gallery! The gallery is within easy walking distance of the hotel.

For additional information, contact Mariana Whitmer at the Society for American Music.