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Welcome to Taylor Centre Online
A place to keep us virtually connected with our community
Be an arts ambassador
The Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts is where the arts and academia meet. We believe that an investment in the arts is an investment in our community, and we’re proud to champion both local and international talent. Supporting small business is no different, which is why we love working with Local Laundry for its excellence in all aspects. Watch this video about our latest collaboration.
Taylor Centre x Local Laundry
Shop the latest collectionmade in collaboration with Local Laundry. Crewnecks come in two designs – confetti or black – and are made from premium high-quality cotton that’ll last a lifetime. Limited edition Bella Blue toques are also part of the collection and feature custom double sided patches so you can show your pride no matter which way you wear it – slouchy or beanie style. Check it out and shop now!
Learn more about why we made this limited-edition line of merchandise. We talk with the general manager for the Taylor Centre and Chief Folding Officer at Local Laundry.
Bella Live From Your Couch
Dan Mangan brought his indie rock, folk sounds to the Bella Stage in April 2022. He was joined by a few special guests, including Isaac, Jewel, Robert and Matthew from the MRU Conservatory, for a special rendition of his song Lay Low. Watch the full episode!
Watch the incredible Land’s End Ensemble perform live at the Bella back in September 2021. It was the first attended performance at the Bella Concert Hall since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The video includes a special welcome from MRU President and Vice-Chancellor Tim Rahilly, PhD.
Watch local country singer Matt Masters bring the honky tonk to the Bella Concert Hall in an intimate performance from July 2021. The video includes a special introduction from Brent Mann, director of Event and Theatre Services.
The Bella Concert Hall was host to the Honens Pro-AM 2021 competition in November 2021, welcoming incredible pianists from around the world. This live-streamed performance was hosted by local singer and performer, Jonathan Love.
The Heebee Jeebees: A Christmas Booster is a classic feel-good performance familiar to the Taylor Centre Concert Series with several past concerts at the Bella. Watch the Heebee Jeebees perform holiday favourites in this BLFYC presentation from December 2021.
Sweater Season
In response to the pandemic, the Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts, in concert with Local Laundry, launched Sweater Season. This unique content series includes interviews, videos, playlists and more, sharing different perspectives on what it means to Centre the Arts.
Listen to a podcast episode with Connor Curran, Local Laundry's chief laundry folder, Phil Cimolai, general manager of the Taylor Centre for the Performing Arts, and Brad Mahon, dean of the faculty of Continuing Education and Conservatory talk about the process to create the Centre the Arts campaign, why a local collaboration was important, the significance of the sweater and toque design, as well as what it means to Centre the Arts as an organization.
We had a conversation with Calgary Folk Fest about how it has stabilized the arts community amidst a global pandemic, the challenge of pushing forward with virtual events and what’s next for the festival. Folk Fest fans can read more in our interview with Sara Leishman, Executive Director of Calgary Folk Music Festival.
Listen to Revv52's Sweater Season playlist and read about the group's experience finding inspiration, well-being and community through music during COVID-19. We interviewed artistic director John Morgan along with performers Ken Wilson and Manuella Scotton who share their journeys with Revv52.
We spoke with Wordfest's CEO and Creative Ringleader, Shelley Youngblut, about taking the virtual plunge and diving into the world of online events with huge success. Read the full story and find out what your favourite literary leaders are up to.
Watch a special performance by Calgary Youth Orchestra tuba player, Aine Kay Sison. Aine Kay defines what it means to Centre the Arts and shares her learnings with young musicians, along with the advice she received from Øystein Baadsvik, a Norwegian professional tuba soloist.
Hear from Dean Brad Mahon who gives a unique perspective on the beauty of the Bella and shares the Taylor Centre's definition of what it means to Centre the Arts, along with how the campaign came to life.
We were thrilled to chat with Kate Stevens, Calgary-based R&B/soul singer-songwriter, MRU Conservatory alumna and YYC Music Awards Solo Artist of the Year. She shares her journey creating music during COVID-19 and how surviving a global pandemic doesn't need to be a productivity contest. Read the whole story.
Mary Kate Aquino is a local singer-songwriter and a fourth-year public relations student at Mount Royal University. Mary Kate shares her experience of performing at the Bella Concert Hall and delights us with two original songs, Shadow Home and Your Eyes. Watch her interview and listen to her tunes!
Honens International Piano Competition President & CEO, Neil Edwards, talks with the Taylor Centre about overcoming pandemic-related hurdles and unexpected outcomes. Read what he has to say and discover their new podcast!
Stories
The MRU Conservatory welcomes a new director, Dr. Terry Clark, PhD. Clark comes to MRU from the Centre for Performance Science at the Royal College of Music in London, England, where he has been a Fellow for the past seven years. The Calgary native brings unique work experience with a specific focus on performance psychology, as well as his own personal, storied experience at the Conservatory after studying there in his youth. Read the full story.
Despite his global experience and international success, Canadian conductor and Mount Royal Conservatory alumnus Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser considers himself to be an Albertan through and through. Having lived and thrived in the province for 30 years before relocating to pursue work as a professional orchestral conductor, Bartholomew-Poyser has always challenged industry norms, particularly around consumers and performers of orchestral music. Read our story about his journey!
If you haven’t heard about JANN, the half-hour, hit CTV comedy is a quasi-fictionalized reflection of the life of Calgary-based singer/songwriter Jann Arden. The show filmed on Mount Royal University’s campus for seven days in October 2019, in addition to multiple visits during the scouting and organizing process. The creators of the show were so taken with the colour of the upholstery of the seats in the Bella Concert Hall that they sprinkled it throughout the show’s episodes.
Throughout the pandemic, Mount Royal University Conservatory Advanced Performance Program students Luka Coetzee and Typhen Chan gave unique one-on-one performances over the phone at two Calgary seniors’ residences as part of a project organized by United Active Living.
MRU Conservatory and Ambrose University established a partnership to allow Conservatory students to complete Bachelors of Music at Ambrose University. Under this agreement, MRU Conservatory’s Advanced Performance Program students will be able to apply for and complete their Bachelor of Music.
Inspired by the beauty of The Bella? Watch a behind-the-scenes video that looks at the architecture and process that went into creating our world-class concert hall.
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