The VIU and CBC present the 12th annual Indigenous Speakers Series featuring Marion Newman
When: Wednesday, November 18, 2026
Where: VIU’s Malaspina Theatre (Building 310 on the Nanaimo campus) or online.
Who: Marion Newman is a critically acclaimed mezzo-soprano of Kwagiulth and Stó:lō First Nations with English, Irish and Scottish heritage. Through her storytelling and performance roles, she is a driving force for truth and reconciliation within the context of classical music.
In her talk, she will examine the role music can play in the discourse on our reconciliation journey. Song can be a powerful way to tell stories and share perspectives. Marion will demonstrate the power of voice by performing select pieces, including her own original work.
Through her roles in academia and as a national CBC program host, Marion works to elevate, empower and promote new voices, particularly from Indigenous and other equity-seeking communities. She will discuss these efforts and her leadership around creating conversations about why it is important to tell our stories, including the joyful ones, through music.
Her talk is followed by a question-and-answer period facilitated by Nahlah Ayed, host of CBC's Ideas.
Biography:
Marion Newman is one of Canada’s most accomplished singers, with a repertoire ranging from Charpentier to Current and a range of operatic roles. Born in Bella Coola, she grew up in Sooke, BC, immersed in and embraced by her community and culture.
As a voice professor at the University of Victoria and host of CBC’s Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, Marion helps develop and create new avenues for talent and bring the work of fellow artists to listeners across Canada and beyond.
She was nominated for a Dora Award and performed on the Juno-nominated recording of the opera Missing. Her career spans opera, orchestral performances and contemporary music, from established works to new operas and compositions written specifically for her. Marion’s work includes performances and collaborations with leading Canadian opera companies, orchestras and composers.
About the Indigenous Speakers Series:
VIU's Indigenous Speakers Series, delivered in partnership with CBC Radio's Ideas program, began in 2015 to mark the release of the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. It is held every fall at the Nanaimo campus, on the traditional territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.
Media contact:
Jenn McGarrigle, External Communications Manager, Vancouver Island University
C: 250.619.6860 | E: jenn.mcgarrigle@viu.ca | W: news.viu.ca
The VIU community acknowledges and thanks the Snuneymuxw, Quw’utsun, Tla’amin, Snaw-naw-as and Qualicum First Nation on whose traditional lands we teach, learn, research, live and share knowledge.
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