UPEI Department of Music

Big congratulations to our student Seth Cudmore-Gallant (trombone) for placing 2nd in the Brass category at the 2026 FCMF National Music Festival! This is a wonderful achievement and great recognition for all your hard work!

Congratulations to all of the competitors selected from PEI, including UPEI Music students Amy LeBlanc (flute), James Ronahan (voice), Emi Smith (voice), and Nathan Wright (saxophone).

Special mention also to PEI musicians Holly Arthur (musical theatre) and August Wang (percussion), who placed 1st in their respective categories in the Developing Artist Stream.

Five of our UPEI Music students* will be representing PEI at the National Music Festival later this month. Before they go, three of them will be performing their competition repertoire here at UPEI on Monday, July 20th at 7:00pm! Donations will help defray their expenses to attend the National Festival.

Venue: Steel Recital Hall, UPEI campus

*Seth Cudmore-Gallant (trombone)
Amy LeBlanc (flute)
James Ronahan (voice)
Emi Smith (voice)
Nathan Wright (saxophone)

The UPEI Department of Music extends heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Carl B. Mathis, a beloved faculty member at UPEI from 1972 to 1997.

Carl was an exceptionally kind and caring educator, choir director, and mentor to generations of UPEI students; a well-respected colleague; and a tireless and encouraging leader of various choirs across PEI. His witty sense of humour and penchant for story telling will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

His legacy as a musician and pedagogue will be carried on by all who benefitted from Carl sharing his passion for vocal and choral music.

https://theguardian.remembering.ca/obituary/carl-mathis-1093881169

Celebrating our graduates!

Congratulations to Jacob Reddin, a B.Mus.Ed. trombone major who won the David Austin O'Malley-Keyes Memorial Award and the Lena C. McLure Music Scholarship!

Jacob says: "My favourite part about my time as a music student at UPEI was that I was encouraged to explore different parts of my musical identity. I had opportunities as a composer, researcher, and performer, and participated in genres outside of traditional classical music like jazz, pop, and theatre."

Jacob will begin a Master of Music degree in Performance at Western University this Fall. We wish you all the best, Jacob!

Celebrating our graduates!

Congratulations to Megan Ferguson, a B.Mus.Ed. classical guitar major from Windsor, ON.

Megan says: "Looking back on my time at UPEI, my favourite part of my degree was directing the UPEI guitar ensemble. The ensemble provided a creative space for collaboration, musical exploration, and building a shared passion for music with like-minded people. Rehearsals were always the highlight of my week."

Megan plans to teach elementary music on the Island and start a Master of Education degree at the University of Windsor. We wish you all the best, Megan!

Celebrating our graduates!

Congratulations to Zoe Sullivan, a B.Mus.Ed. violin major from Charlottetown, and winner of the Long & McQuade Award of Excellence!

Zoe says: "One thing I learned during my time at UPEI and would share with a younger version of myself is that trust in yourself is often all that you need; you are capable of so much more than fear of failure might convince you! I love that my time at UPEI provided me the space to learn this, especially within the Music Department’s ever-supportive circle of classmates and faculty. In a place where competition could so easily have been the center of our lives, I was instead surrounded by a ‘family' who uplifted and supported my every performance, regardless of its size or nature."

Zoe, we wish you the best as you dive into your career as an elementary music teacher!

Celebrating our graduates!

Congrats to Dre Knowles, a B.Mus.Ed. piano major from Nassau, The Bahamas, who won the Joan Doreen Thompson Memorial Music Award!

Dre says: "One thing I love about my time at UPEI is the openness and friendliness of the faculty and students of the Department of Music."

Dre plans to continue to build his private teaching studio, substitute teach in the school system, and prepare for graduate studies in piano performance. We wish you all the best, Dre!

Congratulations to the Class of 2026!

Bachelor of Music
Timothy (Shing Chun) Luk | Hong Kong (piano)

Bachelor of Music Education
Megan Ferguson | Windsor, ON (classical guitar)
Dre Knowles | Nassau, The Bahamas (piano)
Jacob Reddin | Charlottetown (trombone)
Becca Rose | Halifax, NS (piano)
Zoe Sullivan | Charlottetown (violin)

Photo, L to R: Dre Knowles, Becca Rose, Zoe Sullivan, Megan Ferguson, Jacob Reddin

Huge congratulations to our piano professor Magdalena von Eccher on her fantastic performance with the PEI Symphony Orchestra yesterday! It was a world class rendition of Claude Debussy's rarely performed Fantaisie for piano and orchestra. We are so proud to have Magdalena on our faculty, and our piano students are incredibly lucky to have her as their teacher.