UPEI Department of Music

10/06/2026

Anyone connected in any way to the Department of Music at UPEI between 1970 and 1997 will have fond memories of Dr. Alan Reesor, faculty member and Chair of the department for 19 of those years. Tomorrow he will be honoured posthumously at UPEI's Recognition of Founders Ceremony, and all are welcome to attend.

"Recognizing our Founders is an opportunity to honour those who have worked diligently and passionately to build the University into the highly regarded institution of higher education it is today. The award is presented to those who have played a direct role in supporting the vision, reputation, and continued success of the University."

A complete list of past honourees (including Professor Emerita Dr. Frances Gray, and former faculty member and chair Bert Tersteeg) can be found at the link below:

https://www.upei.ca/about-upei/history/upei-founders

10/05/2026

This is a really nice article about Department of Music alumnus Mark Parsons (Class of 1992). Mark has had a wonderful career as a musician and teacher on PEI, and has made a significant impact in the lives of many young musicians. Mark has come full circle in a couple of ways: 1) getting his start as a trumpet player in the band programs on PEI and then returning to teach; and 2) graduating from UPEI and returning to teach here as a sessional lecturer. He is currently an excellent mentor to our four trumpet majors!

Mark Parsons lives and breathes music education: he teaches at Charlottetown Rural and UPEI Island and he is also the Music Director of the Holland College

10/05/2026

We are very proud of Dr. Betty Anne Younker (Class of 1978) who was recently recognized with a 2026 UPEI Distinguished Alumni Award. Very well deserved indeed!

Betty Anne's career achievements and community impact are almost too extensive to summarize, but do read the citation (linked below) which was read at the awards ceremony on September 29th. The list of her accomplishments as a musician, educator, scholar, and administrator are inspiring.

https://files.upei.ca/citations/distinguished_alumni_bayounker.pdf

After graduating with a Bachelor of Music degree at UPEI in 1978, Betty Anne returned to PEI in the 1980s to teach in the public school system, and again from 1991 to 1997 to teach as a lecturer in the UPEI Department of Music. She has been a long-time financial (and moral) supporter of our department, and has also served on the Board of Directors of the UPEI Alumni Association, including as president and past president.

In 2022, Dr. Karem J Simon (now UPEI professor emeritus) interviewed Betty Anne in our Distinguished UPEI Music Alumni video series on YouTube. Please (re)watch this excellent conversation here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faUmc4W7rxw

Congratulations, Betty Anne, and thank you for everything you've done for UPEI, the Department of Music, and the Island music community!

08/07/2026

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.

07/17/2026

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)

07/02/2026

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

05/18/2026

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!

05/17/2026

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!

05/16/2026

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!

05/15/2026

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!