BY JACK PARKINSON
Space music, debuting composers and university partnerships were all par
t of the announcements for the 2014-2015 Numus season at the Huether Hotel on Sept. 20.
Numus is an organization devoted to giving exposure to what they call “new music.”
“It’s music by living composers in the traditional Western classical style,” said artistic director Kathryn Ladano.
Founded in 1985 by composer Peter Hatch, Numus has always tried to give the average person an alternative to large concert halls and centuries-old music.
Ladano joined Numus as a board member in 2006 and has held a handful of positions since then. In November 2013 she took a position as interim artistic director but has agreed to stay on for the next couple of years.
On Sept. 20, Ladano and organization president Charles Morrison announced the schedule and tone of the 2014-2015 concert season. It will feature about a dozen concerts, but changes a lot from the formula of previous years.
This season Numus plans to offer three distinct series for listening: one will focus on established artists and styles (called the “main” series); the second on more experimental and improvisational music (the “mix” series); and the third will showcase student composers from Wilfrid Laurier University (the “university” series).
Traditionally, Numus offered a single series of concerts and no discount for repeated attendance. In recent years the organization has started offering a number of different subscription plans.
“We want to give people options,” Ladano said.
“I know that people are busy and sometimes they want to attend but can’t commit to dates. That’s fine.”
This is Ladano’s first season directing Numus and she wants to make it memorable. Part of her plan to make the new season interesting is to incorporate the work of past artistic directors. Each previous director will oversee one show in the coming season, which Ladano thinks will show off a wide range of influences and styles.
“We host mostly Western music, but Western composers often have international influences,” she said.
Tickets across all concert series range from $5 to $30. Full information can be found at numus.on.ca/tickets-contact/.
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