Already an incredibly accomplished performing and touring musician at this point, jazz clarinettist, composer, and band leader Phil Nimmons started teaching a course in jazz techniques at the the Faculty in 1973.

Phil was known for his band Nimmons ‘N’ Nine that start in 1957. In 1965 it expanded to Nimmons ‘N’ Nine Plus Six. Check out his press kit from 1975 [pdf]. Phil was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1993.

Phil Nimmons N’ Nine Plus Six perform Bird Burger, 1970:

Last June Phil turned 95 years old and he still comes to the Faculty of Music each week to teach an improvisation class.

On Monday, October 1 we are excited to have Phil Nimmons in Walter Hall with pianist David Braid (BMusPerf 1998) for “Nimmons ‘N’ 95”, hosted by Heather Bambrick (BMusPerf 1997).

Phil Nimmons performing in Toronto, photo by Bruce Litteljohn.

David Braid is a graduate of the Faculty of Music and jazz piano instructor.

Below is a photo of David from 1999 when he performed at an U of T Alumni Association event at the President’s House. Behind him is Dr. John Lawson, a long time supporter of the Faculty of Music and Chair of the Faculty of Music Dean’s Advisory Board in the 90s and early 00s, and on the far right is Marilyn Genovese Brown, who worked in the Faculty of Music’s Development and Alumni Relations Office. Other members in the photo were part of the U of T Alumni Association.

David Braid John Lawson Marilyn Brown 1999 UTAA event

We are two weeks into the academic year and classes are in full swing.

This is a photo of Professor Maria Rika Maniates teaching a history and literature class in 1988.

Born in 1937, Prof Maniates began studying piano at the RCM at the age of 3 and went on to receive her PhD in musicology, specializing in renaissance music from Columbia University in 1965. She joined the Faculty of Music that same year and later went on to contribute to the Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies at Victoria College, University Toronto, holding positions with numerous musicological organizations, as well as becoming Vice-Dean of Graduate Studies at U of T in the early 90s before her retirement in 1995. She passed away in October 2011 in Toronto.

More info on her career can be found at the Canadian Encyclopedia.

“Music in the university is a very old tradition, but it is constantly changing. We are now trying to represent serious musical action. Our task is to keep up with or even ahead of what’s happening – representing as effectively as possible what is taking place in music.” – Dean John Beckwith, 1970

In 1970, the Faculty kicked off its academic year with new hires Charles Daellenbach and John Hawkins.

This year, we welcome Prof Remi Chiu (photo above), a Renaissance specialist, who comes to us from Loyola University Maryland as well as violinist Prof Mark Fewer. Prof Sarah Gutsche-Miller and Prof Ellen Lockhart moved to full-time tenure-track positions, and Prof Kenneth McLeod moved from UT-Scarborough campus to St. George campus. We are very pleased to welcome Remi to U of T Music and these other colleagues to their new roles.

Ivory Tower Mentality Vanishes Globe article 8 Sept 1970

Welcome back to school everyone! Back in 1999 Frosh Week had a barbeque on the quad south of the Edward Johnson Building. Photo above: Music Theory Prof Mark Sallmen enjoying the afternoon with organist Prof William Wright. Prof Sallman had joined the Faculty three weeks prior to this photo. In 2014, he received the Faculty of Music’s Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Prof Dennis Patrick with students Frosh Week 1999

On August 23, 2018, Professor Emeritus Eli Kassner passed away. Prof Kassner was a giant in classical guitar studies in Canada. His students went on to perform and teach around the world.

After forming the Guitar Society of Toronto in 1956, Eli began teaching guitar at U of T in 1959.  In 1975 he organized Guitar ’75, an international guitar festival at the Faculty of Music. Over 500 attendees converged and led to additional festivals in 1978, 1981, 1984, and 1987.

Prof Kassner also was a huge proponent of commissioning new works for classical guitar. As of late 1980s he and the Guitar Society of Toronto commissioned about 70 new works. As told to Harold Levy in the Eli Kassner 65th Birthday Tribute Program (held in Walter Hall on May 27, 1989), composer Harry Somers outlines his first composition for Eli:

GUITAR CANADA: Did it take very long before you were writing some compositions for the guitar, Harry?

HARRY SOMERS: Well, it took a few years, and it really came about as a result of the instigation of the Guitar Society. They asked me to do a composition for them, so I wrote a sonata for fifty bucks.

G.C.: And what was it called?

H.S.: Well, Eli Kassner called it the Sonata for Fifty Bucks.

G.C. At least the Guitar Society got its money’s worth.

H.S. True, but maybe I should have done fewer movements!

Eli and his wife Ann (who passed away in 2017) were a vital part of our music community and they will be deeply missed.

In August 22 years ago, Professor Stephen Chenette completed an 80 day bike trip across the USA. He made stops along the way to perform trumpet duets that he commissioned for this trip.

Stephen Chenette bicycle trip article 4 August 1996

The Edward Johnson Building officially opened on March 2, 1964, despite activity taking place in the building since July 1962. The delay was primarily due to having to rebuild the balcony in MacMillan Theatre to offer sightlines to the stage. The first work performed that evening was “God Save the Queen”, arranged for chorus and orchestra by Sir Ernest MacMillan.

The second piece performed on that opening program evening was the overture for England: An Ode by Swinburne, set to music by Sir Ernest MacMillan.

Guess what the U of T Symphony Orchestra is opening their performance season with on Saturday, September 29? You guessed it, the overture from England: An Ode.

In 2014, the U of T Women’s Chamber Choir had the opportunity to perform at Lincoln Center in New York City. Bravo!

A champion of Canadian music and music education, Victor Feldbrill was the Resident Conductor at the Faculty of Music from 1968-1982.

Dundern published his biography in November 2010.

This was not too long ago, just in 2017, but we really like this photo featuring Sarah Amelard and Joel Allison in a scene from Handel’s Imeneo. Directed by Tim Albery, in an intimate setting the performers and audience were all on MacMillan Theatre stage. We may still be finding sand on stage from this production.

Imeneo March 2017 Sarah Amelard, Joel Allison by Richard Lu