
What happens when a lonely lighthouse decides to stop shining to make a new friend?
A School of Music-commissioned opera aims to answer just that.
Memorial University’s Opera Roadshow/Opéra en Tournée presented the world premiere performance of Le Phare, a new French-language children’s opera commissioned by the school’s Dr. Caroline Schiller and written by Québécois composer Laurence Jobidon and Ukrainian-Canadian librettist Maria Reva on April 29.
In May, the production took the story of light, friendship and teamwork to primary and elementary schools in the St. John's area and Central Newfoundland.
Read more about it in the MUN Gazette.

We’re thrilled to welcome Sarah Comerford to the MUN Bands team as the new Director of MUN Concert Winds, beginning September 2025!
An accomplished conductor, music educator, and flutist — and a proud Memorial University alumna — Sarah brings a wealth of experience and passion to the podium.
We can’t wait for our campus community to learn and grow under her leadership!
Sarah Comerford is a musician and music educator based in St. John’s, NL. She holds degrees in flute performance, music education, and instrumental conducting from Memorial University. Sarah teaches at Macdonald Drive Junior High, where she leads six ensembles, including concert band, string ensemble, and jazz band.
An active contributor to the local music community, she adjudicates festivals, coordinates the MUN Junior Band Camp, and chairs the Newfoundland and Labrador Band Association.
As a performer, Sarah sings with the award-winning Lady Cove Women’s Choir and plays flute and piccolo with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra.

Paige Sargent, fourth-year voice performance major, recently stopped by the CBC Radio studio to speak about her experience at the School of Music the past four years, her diagnosis with cancer at a young age, and what's next as she continues her studies with a focus on opera performance.
Read Paige's CBC interview here or listen to her CBC WeekendAM interview here.
Paige graduates this spring with a Bachelor of Music degree with a Major in Performance. Congratulations, Paige!