Weaving through the crowds far enough to make it to B- building is not easy on AC Day 1. But if you managed to pass by between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. you may have been drawn by the melodic tones coming from singer-songwriter Danielle Allard.
Allard offered a set of acoustic covers and originals to a crowd of about 50 during a performance held in the B Rotunda for the 2016-2017 orientation day at Algonquin.
“It’s so nice to see everybody this excited,” says Allard. “It propels you energy-wise.”
This is Allard’s fourth year returning to Algonquin, but not just as a musical guest.
If Allard seems to look familiar, perhaps you recognize her from taking a different sort of stage, one that lands her at the front of the classroom.
As a full-time communications professor here at Algonquin, Allard wears two hats: one as a hardened teacher responsible for grading your finals, the second as a musician performing everything from The Neighbourhood’s “Sweater Weather” to originals such as “Goodbye” from her most recent album Chameleon for students and colleagues.
“The Students’ Association are wonderful to me,” said Allard. “I did orientation last year but I was sort of under the radar. I was more background music.”
Allard offered a tranquil relief from the bass-pumping beats in the Commons but quickly got the crowd interacting with short commentary and conversational breaks between songs.
“I don’t know if all the faculty get the chance to be apart of orientation day, so I’m happy that I’m here to be able to see it,” says Allard. “It gets better every year.”
Allard is eager to get the semester started and is particularly excited for the Technology Research fair that showcases student projects via public presentation in November.