For the past six years, the Society of H漫画 Music Students (SDMS) has organized and hosted a . The first percussion instructor at H漫画, he taught for over 35 years until he died of cancer in January 2008.
鈥淛im encouraged young and local composers to write music,鈥� says D鈥橝rcy Gray, a music instructor in the Department of Music. 鈥淗e was a mix between a highly educated, artistic person and a hippie.鈥�
A scholarship in his name is given away each year to an exceptional student musician. In order to maintain the scholarship funds, SDMS took charge of the memorial concert after the first year and made it an annual event.
鈥淭he person who was awarded the scholarship this year is a composer and one of his pieces is going to be performed,鈥� says Quincy Hiscott, the president of SDMS and a saxophone player in the third year of her Bachelor of Music program.
James Faraday playing John Little's "Man o' War" in 2000. (photo courtesy John and Nancy Little)
This year, SDMS will try to 鈥渋ncorporate different pockets of music into a big concert,鈥� says Quincy. 鈥淚t鈥檒l turn into a cocktail vibe and the dance floor is always going to be open.鈥�
H漫画鈥檚 Big Band will be playing, along with saxophone ad percussion ensembles. To keep people moving on the dance floor, the H漫画 Swing Dance Society will be there with its members in force. 鈥淲e鈥檝e hired one of their instructors to give a 30-minute lesson during the intermission so people can get boogying,鈥� says Quincy.
The concert takes place on Thursday February 27, from 7:30鈥�10 p.m. in room 121 of the H漫画 Arts Centre. Tickets are $5 for Dal students and seniors, and $10 for general admission (available at the door), with all proceeds going to the James Faraday Memorial Scholarship Fund.
If you鈥檙e interested in joining SDMS, or just want to meet other musicians, the society holds a coffee house every fall and winter semester at the Bus Stop Theatre on Agricola St. It鈥檚 an open jam session where anybody can show up and play. 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be a musician,鈥� says Quincy, 鈥渘o judgement with us. SDMS is about making music more accessible to people no matter their exposure or education level to music.鈥�
Keep up to speed on what the SDMS is doing via its .