Brandon University Celebrates 20 Years of Da Capo Conference

The Brandon University School of Music celebrated a significant milestone on January 20, 2024, as it hosted the 20th annual Da Capo Conference. The event attracted around 100 educators, students, and alumni, marking the highest attendance in the conference’s history. Taking place at the Queen Elizabeth II Music Building, the conference has become an essential gathering for music education professionals across the Prairies and beyond.

Wendy Zander, a professor in the joint Department of Music Education and a dedicated supporter of the conference, expressed the importance of this gathering. “We’ve been doing this the third weekend in January for 20 years, and today we’re really celebrating music education,” she stated. The event drew participants from provinces such as Alberta and Manitoba, showcasing the vibrant community that has developed over two decades.

Engaging Sessions and New Initiatives

Organized by the Brandon University Student Music Educators Association (BUSMEA), the conference featured a keynote session followed by hourly presentations. Topics included elementary music, choir, community music-making, band, jazz, and inclusive education. Zander highlighted the significance of these sessions in reflecting the contributions of music education to schools and communities.

“It’s about celebrating the learning that goes on in our communities and the ways that music education contributes to the communities and schools in which we live and work,” she noted. This year’s conference coincided with the 40th anniversary of BUSMEA and introduced the Beginning Band Composition Competition in partnership with the Westman Band Directors Association. The competition received an impressive 33 submissions from across Canada, with the top prize awarded to “Twilight on the Prairies” by Brent Violini Pierce from Okotoks, Alberta.

The event also recognized notable compositions, with “Heartwood” by Lee Whitehorne from York, Ontario, and “Attack of the Drones” by Ryan Meeboer from Burlington, Ontario receiving accolades. Honourable mentions included works by Chris Byman from Winnipeg and Andrei Gueco from Abbotsford, British Columbia. The winning pieces were performed during the final session, further enriching the conference’s offerings.

Fostering Community and Future Leaders

Zander remarked on the sense of community that has characterized the Da Capo Conference. “We have grads from the 1990s all the way up to grads from last year,” she said. This blend of experience underscores the conference’s role in supporting both current and future music educators.

While the conference welcomes practicing teachers, its primary audience remains pre-service educators. Many attendees are still in university, preparing for their future careers in music education. “This conference is planned by students, for students,” Zander explained. “It’s an important part of helping pre-service educators feel more confident, especially when they may be the only music teacher in a school, and helping them not just survive but thrive.”

Zander also emphasized the vision for Da Capo moving forward. “This has been the first 20 years of Da Capo,” she said. “We foresee that it will continue to be an important part of the development of students in the School of Music, and that it will thrive and survive for decades to come.”

The Da Capo Conference remains a testament to the enduring importance of music education, providing a platform for collaboration, innovation, and community-building among educators across Canada.