Join us every Friday as guest speakers will highlight and discuss the intersections between music and health

Stephen Preece (1:30 p.m.) “Story of a Music Startup"

In addition to being Associate Professor in the Business School at WLU, Stephen Preece is Founder and current President of the Grand River Jazz Society, operating The Jazz Room in UpTown Waterloo at the Huether Hotel on Friday and Saturday nights (September to June).  Since 2011, the society has presented over 700 professional jazz headline acts to over 50,000 audience members. The Jazz Room is considered one of Canada’s leading jazz venues drawing revenues from ticket sales, annual passes, government grants, corporate sponsors and individual donations.  Come hear the story behind the startup of this unique cultural venue. 

Janice Jo Lee (2:30 p.m.) "Folk Songs: Affirming Struggle and Creating Collective Power"

As a folk artist, it is my role to capture and convey the contemporary struggles of our time. Wielding my abilities in melody, poetry, embodied performance, and audience engagement, I aim to create a joyful communal experience. Through storytelling and music, we can affirm our struggles and create a channel to unleash our collective power. In this workshop, I will deconstruct the parts that make up this project.