Westben Centre for Music

Get ready to journey FAR, FAR AWAY with an all-star cast bringing your favourite fairy-tale characters to life at Westben in just ONE MONTH! From ogre-sized laughs to heartwarming moments, this vibrant production is bursting with energy, music, magic, and unforgettable performances the whole family will love! Starring: Andrew Tees* as SHREK Kim Dafoe as PRINCESS FIONA Lauren Lafayette Brooks as DONKEY Patrick Shannon as LORD FARQUAAD Directed by the incredible Linda Kash* 🎬 *appears with the permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association Featuring the infectious talent of the Westben Youth & Teen Choruses and friends! 📅 June 12–21, 2026 🕑 2:00 PM & 7:00 PM Performances 📍 The Barn at Westben Step into the hilarious world of Duloc where fairy-tale misfits steal the spotlight and being yourself is the greatest adventure of all. 🎟️ Tickets are going fast — don’t miss this wildly fun musical experience! Link in bio. #ShrekTheMusical #Westben #MeetTheCast #FarFarAway #FamilyFun #LiveTheatre #MusicalTheatre #Shrek #TheBarn #SummerAtWestben

Hannah Georgas Special Guest: Farser Friday July 10, 2026 7:00 PM at The Barn Based in nearby Belleville, acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter Hannah Georgas crafts textured pop songs full of heartbreak, change, and irresistibly catchy hooks. Following her debut EP in 2009, Hannah has released four acclaimed full-length albums and become a household name in her native Canada, headlining festival stages across the country and garnering multiple nominations, including three Polaris Music Prize nods and five JUNO nominations from ‘Best New Artist’ to ‘Songwriter of the Year’. Hannah Georgas Bio Hannah Georgas is a Canadian songwriter with a gently quirky style that navigates the spaces between melancholy indie rock and brighter, anthemic alternative pop. After her debut EP in 2009, Hannah released five full-length albums to acclaim in outlets at home and abroad including The Guardian, The New York Times, Pitchfork and NPR Music. Her efforts cut paths leading to multiple Juno and Polaris Award nominations, #1 song’s in Canada, Top 20 charts in US College Radio and an album collaboration with friend and producer Aaron Dessner (The National, Taylor Swift, Sharon Van Etten). Alongside each of these releases, Hannah toured extensively worldwide, performing with the likes of The National, Sara Bareilles, Broken Social Scene, Emily King, Boy and Bear, Mother Mother and more. Rolling Stone describes her latest self-produced album I'd Be Lying if I Said I Didn't Care as "impressive and earnest songwriting" while AllMusic says it "stands as her best to this point in her career".

CC Duo - Classical Guitarists Friday July 10, 2026 2:00 PM at The Barn Pre-concert Chat with Barb Hobart | 1:15 - 1:45 PM Performing as CC Duo, classical guitarists Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan are redefining the guitar duo with their exquisite, refined artistry and acclaimed performances, commissions, and recordings that have garnered millions of streams. Winners of Classical Recording of the Year at the East Coast Music Awards for their album FOCUS in 2021, and second and third prize at the GFA International Ensemble Competition (2023, 2021), they bring a breathtakingly serene synchronicity to every performance. Cicchillitti teaches guitar at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, while Cowan holds the same position at McGill University in Montreal.

Kiran Ahluwalia Thursday July 9, 2026 7:00 PM at The Barn Kiran Ahluwalia is a two-time JUNO Award–winning vocalist who brings the great traditions of Indian and Pakistani music into a personal, boundary-breaking sound. With her masterful four-piece ensemble—featuring voice, drum kit and tabla, keys and accordion, and virtuoso guitarist and partner Rez Abbasi—she blends Sufi, Qawwali, Ghazal, and Punjabi folk with jazz, blues, rock, and African influences, creating intimate, groovy, and deeply resonant performances that transcend borders and explore beauty and justice for all. Bio Two-time JUNO (Canadian Grammy) winner Kiran Ahluwalia’s open-hearted vocals have established her as one of global music’s most compelling cross-pollinators. Her six-piece band is led by ace guitarist Rez Abbasi whose accolades include the Guggenheim Fellowship and frequent appearances on the Top Ten Guitarists of Downbeat’s International Critics Poll. Kiran and Rez are a real-life couple, one born in India, the other in Pakistan. Having grown up in the Diaspora they crossed ethnic and religious lines between their two warring motherlands to forge a musical and life partnership. Together they craft songs that are equal parts reflective and groovy and bring together the disparate traditions of Indian music, West African Blues and Jazz. Three continents come together in these songs so organically that they sound like nothing else - ethereal, raw, urgent and elegant at the same time. Over the course of eight albums, Kiran’s work has featured collaborations with leading musicians from the Celtic and Fado worlds, as well as Malian super group Tinariwen. Her reworking of the classic Qawwali tune Mustt Mustt has amassed over 3 million views online and the inspiration that drove her to create it continues to inform her music today.

Strings Under the Stars - Canadian Chamber Orchestra Sunday July 5, 2026 2:00 PM at The Barn Pre-concert Chat with Barb Hobart | 1:15 - 1:45 PM The Canadian Chamber Orchestra is a 14-piece string ensemble made up of some of Canada’s finest musicians. Creating powerful, intimate, and immersive musical experiences that connect deeply with audiences, the CCO performs everything from reimagined classics to rarely-heard gems including Schoenberg's Verklärte Nacht, Jessie Montgomery's Starburst, Marjan Mozetich's Postcards from the Sky as well as selections from Mozart's effervescent Ein klein Nachtmusik and more!

Movement in the Meadow - Thursday Yoga Series 5:30 - 6:30 PM in The Meadow Join EAST Studio in the meadow for an outdoor Yoga-inspired class designed to strengthen your body, calm your mind, and reconnect you to the present moment. Rooted in Eastern movement traditions and guided by modern, science-informed practice, this class is welcoming, empowering, and open to all levels. Led by Caren Cooper-Bridel, Founder of EAST Studio, with 20+ years of experience in yoga, Pilates, and rehab-based movement. All levels welcome. Mats can be provided upon request.

Gino Quilico, baritone with Andrea Núñez, soprano and Brian Finley, piano Saturday July 4, 2026 2:00 PM at The Barn Pre-concert Chat with Barb Hobart | 1:15 - 1:45 PM Celebrated Canadian baritone Gino Quilico returns to Westben in the company of the radiant and versatile young soprano Andrea Nuñez with Brian Finley at the piano. Expect a captivating musical dialogue, of solo performances and intimate duets drawn from a richly diverse repertoire of Broadway, popular song, and classical masterworks. Program highlights include selections from: Carmen, The Barber of Seville, La Bohème, West Side Story, The Phantom of the Opera, and more!

The Longest Johns Friday July 3, 2026 7:00 PM on Willow Hill Grab a pint and let your feet find the beat! The Longest Johns are an a cappella folk music band, passionately brimming with traditional folk songs and shanties. Hailing from Bristol in Southwest England, they rock rugged maritime songs alongside more unusual, less traditional folk tunes. Whether performing hundred-year-old songs or their own original creations, the Johns bring new waves of stompingly great music wherever they go. You’ll be happy to be alive!

Echoes from East to West - Annette Bauer & Ran Wang Thursday July 2, 2026 7:00 PM at The Barn Musicians Ran Wang (guzheng) and Annette Bauer (sarod, recorders, duduk, pipe & tabor)—alumni of Westben’s Performer-Composer Residency program—take us on a musical journey along the Silk Road, from ancient China to Renaissance Europe. Their program, Echoes from East to West, blends rich Asian and European traditions into a spellbinding live experience. Ensemble Bio: Meeting for the first time as creative partners in a six-week residency at the "Centre des Musiciens" in Montreal Quebec in 2024, the two musicians Annette Bauer and Ran Wang have developed together a wide-ranging repertoire inspired by the historical and geographical silk road from China to Europe. Continuously learning about each other’s musical styles and backgrounds, much of the magic in their performances stems from presenting their audiences with new and surprising combinations of their respective instruments and musical repertoire. Above all, their journey is a musical conversation between the sounds of their instruments, giving room for improvisations, as well as an exploration of the unknown. Program Description: In their musical encounter, musicians Ran Wang (guzheng) and Annette Bauer (sarode, recorders, duduk, percussion) traverse the silk road from East to West. Their journey invites the audience along a geographical route from China via India to Italy, weaving together different historical time periods by presenting music from the ancient Han dynasty (200BC-9AD) to music from the emerging Renaissance in 15th century Europe. They invite their listeners to reimagine the sonic soundscapes along this ancient trading route.

Natural Balance Saturday June 27, 2026 7:00 PM around The Campfire A special evening around the Westben Campfire with our friends from Alderville First Nation. Enjoy an intimate and evocative evening of music, art and storytelling featuring past-Chief Dave Mowat along with Clayton Yates, JUNO award winner Jordan Mowat, Ansley Simpson, Cale Crowe and others.

Exciting things happening here at the Schoolhouse!

Ben Finley & Weaving Locus Thursday June 25, 2026 7:00 PM at The Barn Bassist and composer Ben Finley brings together a close-knit ensemble of collaborators to the Westben stage for an evening of genre-bending original songs. With music drawn from their upcoming album Winter Homes, expect an inviting, spacious sound world inspired by Joni Mitchell, Radiohead, Ólafur Arnalds, Ravel, and the adventurous spirit of Charles Mingus. Ben Finley, bass Belinda Corpuz, voice Rashaan Alwood, piano Luan Phung, guitar Ian Wright, drums Belinda Corpuz is an award-winning Filipina-Canadian actor, singer, musician, composer, theatre creator, producer and educator based in Toronto, Treaty 13. Her EP, All I Am, has garnered national radio-play, including features on CBC Radio. Her voice has been featured on film soundtracks including Robert Eggers’ The Witch, and Netflix’s In the Tall Grass. She has played various festivals and notable venues including Massey Hall, the Rex Hotel, Harbourfront Toronto’s Music Garden, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, and Sofar Toronto and Waterloo. Belinda is a member of multi-award-winning group, Tita Collective. As an actor she has worked with various companies in Ontario including Soulpepper, Crows, Factory Theatre, Nightwood, Cahoots, Port Hope’s The Capitol Theatre, and the Toronto International Film Festival - Writers Studio. Belinda is a graduate of the the University of Toronto-Faculty of Music (BMus in Performance - Jazz Voice) and the 2024 Soulpepper Academy. She is a recipient of Dora and BroadwayWorld awards. @belindacorpuz /