UBC welcomes T. Patrick Carrabré as new director of the school of music

The University of British Columbia welcomes T. Patrick Carrabré as the new director of the school of music. An internationally renowned composer, teacher, and media personality, Carrabré will assume the role starting July 1.

“I am delighted that Dr. Carrabré will take on the leadership of the school of music. His impressive track record as an artist and administrator at the highest levels will make him a tremendous asset to our students, to our renowned school of music, and to the UBC arts and culture district as a whole,” said Gage Averill, dean of the faculty of arts at UBC. 

Carrabré comes to UBC from Brandon University, where he has served as dean of music and vice-president, academic and research. He takes over at the school of music for acting director Alexander Fisher.

“We all look forward to working with Pat as we embrace the many opportunities in front of us,” said Fisher. “Times of transition always involve some uncertainty, but Pat’s steady hand and brilliant mind give all of us confidence that we will have great years ahead under his leadership.” 

Carrabré joins the UBC school of music at a time of growth and excitement. With a 110-student symphony orchestra, ambitious opera, choir and band ensembles, and thriving musicology and theory programs, it is one of the largest and most exciting music schools in Canada. Every year the school graduates artists, scholars, producers, and educators who go on to win international awards and perform on some of the world’s biggest stages.

“I feel privileged and excited to take on this role of supporting the outstanding faculty, students and staff in the school of music,” Carrabré said. “I’m also looking forward to developing connections with Vancouver’s vibrant artistic community.”

Carrabré is an acclaimed artist-researcher in his own right. Construction of identity is a long-term theme, manifesting in his compositions, concert and radio programming, and administrative activities. The creation of shared musical spaces with Indigenous and non-western musicians has also been a significant theme of his work since before the dawn of the truth and reconciliation era.

For well over a decade, he worked closely with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, including six seasons as composer-in-residence and co-curator of the orchestra’s New Music Festival. Carrabré’s best known compositions include Inuit Games, for throat singers (katajjak) and orchestra, Sonata No. 1, The Penitent, for violin and piano, From the Dark Reaches, and A Hammer For Your Thoughts….

Together these works have earned two Juno nominations, a recommendation at the International Rostrum of Composers (2003), a Western Canadian Music Award (Best Classical Composition) and two other WCMA nominations.

Also active in the media, Carrabré served two seasons as the weekend host of CBC Radio 2’s contemporary music show The Signal.