New Marshal

UBC Reports | Vol. 49 | No. 12 | Dec.
4, 2003

There’s a new Marshal in town, a new University Marshal
to be exact.

Music professor Nancy Hermiston has been appointed UBC’s
first university marshal. Starting Jan. 1, she will take over
the ceremonial duties performed for the last 13 years by the
retiring Director of Ceremonies, Chuck Slonecker.

“It’s a great job. I love it,” said Prof.
Hermiston. “I’m really going to enjoy it.”

Hermiston was appointed to the U.B.C. faculty in 1995 as
coordinator of the voice and opera division. Her operatic
career has taken her throughout Canada, the United States
and Europe. Her New York début took place in Carnegie
Hall with Marilyn Horne and Mario Bernardi. Her European début
led to a permanent engagement with the prestigious Nürnberg
Opera. She has held numerous appointments as voice teacher,
and as stage director at the Meistersinger Konservatorium,
Nürnberg, and the University of Toronto opera and performance
divisions.

Her Opera Ensemble, created in 1995, has performed in Europe
five times and has begun an association with the Opera House
in Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic, for regular summer performances
there. They have also toured British Columbia, Saskatchewan
and Ontario and collaborated with Vancouver Opera, the Vancouver
Symphony and various community groups.

This new role she will fill is modeled after a similar position
at Harvard University. The University Marshal that takes the
lead role at graduation ceremonies — selecting and directing
marshals and mace-bearers and directing the Chancellors procession.
The Marshal also acts as MC at major university events such
as building openings, recognition events and the UBC annual
general meeting. The Marshal will always be a full-time UBC
faculty member appointed for a five-year term.

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