Chinese academy sparks course

 

Vice-Dean Liselyn Adams reports that the Faculty of Fine Arts is working with the Academy of Traditional Theatre in Beijing on a major project.

“We had agreed to exchange performances as part of our activities, but I thought it was expensive and a bit of a waste simply to bring their group over here, see a couple of performances, and then send them home again.”

Instead, a three-week group of courses will be built around the visit by a delegation from the Academy. Concordia students will be able to earn academic credit depending on how many modules they take.

“Community members will be welcome simply to pay for the workshops they want to attend. There will be courses in performance, design, theory and history. Now all we need is the money!”

In October, Concordia’s side of the exchange will see the ensemble-in-residence Bradyworks, going to Beijing to perform and do a bit of teaching.

“They'll be performing Tim Brady's Three Cities in the Life of Norman Bethune,” Adams said. “It is a song cycle for baritone and six instruments that premiered in Montreal last fall. They will be touring in Asia at that point, so we're hoping they have their funding and will be able to include this stop on their itinerary.

The Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema had one of the Academy’s professors, He Fei, in the Film Animation department this year, and Concordia animator and teacher Chris Hinton taught at the Academy in November 2003.