Desautels Concert Series

Balanchine and Gerswhin

An afternoon of jazz and movement, as dancers from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet perform Who Cares?,  a Balanchine® Ballet, set to the irresistible tunes of George Gershwin, including beloved classics such as The Man I Love, My One and Only, and I Got Rhythm. The dancers are joined by Will Bonness (piano), Karly Epp (voice), Karl Kohut (bass), and Fabio Ragnelli (drums).

The performance of Who Cares?, a Balanchine® Ballet, is presented by arrangement with The George Balanchine Trust and has been produced in accordance with the BalanchineStyle® and Balanchine Technique® Service standards established and provided by the Trust.

Sunday, September 27, 2026 | 2:00 p.m.

Buy tickets here

Far and Familiar

Viðarneistí presents a program exploring stories of people—who we are, where we come from, and the experiences that shape us—through a vibrant blend of memory, myth, and musical storytelling. Featuring works commissioned by and arranged for the duo, the concert celebrates real and imagined folk traditions, reimagined through the distinctive sound world of Victoria Sparks (marimba) and Catherine Wood (clarinet).

Sunday, October 25, 2026 | 2:00 p.m.

Buy tickets here

A Reunion with Beethoven

Minna Rose Chung (cello) is joined by two alumni of the DFoM, Gregory Lewis (violin, BMus/17) and Paul Williamson (piano, BMus/18), for a musical reunion. The program includes Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 70 No. 2, often praised for its warmth and subtle charm, anchoring an afternoon of musical connections and conversation. 

Sunday, November 29, 2026 | 2:00 p.m.
 

Buy tickets here

A Prairie Boy's Life

John Greer, one of Canada’s finest vocal composers and a Desautels Faculty of Music alumnus, will join Tracy Dahl and Monica Huisman (sopranos), Lizzy Hoyt (mezzo-soprano, PB Dip/18), Jamie MacLennan (tenor), Mel Braun (baritone), and Laura Loewen (piano) in a performance of Greer's A Prairie Boy’s Life, based on the writings and illustrations of Canadian-Ukrainian painter and poet William Kurelek. This work was commissioned by former DFoM Dean Edmund Dawe to be performed in the Desautels Concert Hall, and this will be the work's first performance in this space. 

Sunday, January 24, 2027 | 2:00 p.m.

Buy tickets here

Tutti Pianisti

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see works for up to four pianos(!), presented by the DFoM's complete line-up of piano faculty: David Moroz, Judy Kehler Siebert, Laura Loewen, Stephen Runge, Will Bonness, and Darryl Friesen. The program will includes works from Bach and Rossini, to Ravel and Gershwin.  

Sunday, February 7, 2027 | 2:00 p.m.

Buy tickets here

Melody McKiver and Guests in Concert

Melody McKiver (Lac Seul First Nation), an Anishinaabe violist and composer, celebrates the release of their sophomore full-length album,  continuing McKiver’s trajectory as an “Anishinaabe musician changing the way we think about the viola” (CBC Music). Performing on electrified acoustic viola and a custom 3D-printed five-string viola, McKiver bridges Western classical performance practice with post-rock inspired effects and Anishinaabe methodologies. McKiver will be joined in performance by Ottawa-based pianist and composer (and yes, mother!) Beverley McKiver (Lac Seul First Nation), the celebrated Wolostoq artist Jeremy Dutcher – the only multiple recipient of the prestigious Polaris Prize, and Métis drummer Daniel Roy.

Sunday, March 14, 2027 | 2:00 p.m.