UBC Reports | Vol. 49 | No. 6 | Jun.
5, 2003
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
June Goldsmith BA’56
Classical music concerts usually conjure up images of well-heeled
audiences, furrow-browed intellectuals and black-tie formality.
But June Goldsmith has succeeded in airing out this stuffy
image and making classical music fun and accessible. Eighteen
years ago she founded Music in the Morning, a non-profit organization
that arranges and promotes classical music concerts at various
venues in Vancouver including the Chan Centre. It thrives
in a cash-strapped Arts scene by offering quality performances
to daytime audiences.
What singles out the performances is the communication between
artist and audience, and the casual, coffee-morning atmosphere.
Before performing, the artists will offer their commentary
on the piece, the composer, or their experiences as a musician
— giving their audience a refreshing perspective, and a new
way to appreciate the music when it is performed. Another
key to the program’s success is variety. Chamber music,
ballet, opera — all have been examined by a voracious and
growing following.
Goldsmith introduces the concerts and has also presented
on-stage conversations with the likes of Judith Forst and
Karen Kain. This year saw the introduction of Rush Hour at
the Vancouver Art Gallery: one-hour concerts for downtown
workers to catch before heading home. Goldsmith hopes to tap
a younger audience and, to this end, the organization also
holds workshops at local schools.
Before founding Music in the Morning, Goldsmith taught music
appreciation for UBC’s Continuing Studies. She holds
an MA in Music from Stanford and was inducted into the B.C.
Entertainment Hall of fame in 2000.
