Oboist Susan Butler (Morris) has been a member of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra since 1979: as English Hornist from 1979 to 1984 and as Principal Oboist from 1984 to the present.  Susan’s busy career as a freelance musician frequently includes performances with ensembles such as the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Thirteen Strings, l’Ensemble Prisme, and the Ottawa Choral Society.  As a chamber musician, Susan plays in The Harmonious Pigs Reed Trio with fellow OSO principal musicians Shauna Barker and Ben Glossop, and from 2004 to 2019 she was oboist of the Bel Canto Wind Quintet. Susan graduated from the University of Ottawa in 1980 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Oboe Performance. Her post-graduate studies were with the Orchestral Training Program of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

Susan is a dedicated teacher, working at Carleton University, in her private studio in Deep River, and having worked at the Kincardine Summer Music Festival from 1993 to 2002, the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy from 1999 to 2015, and Deep River’s Summermusic day-camp from 1993 to the present.

Susan is sponsored by Carleton University Music.

Named one of 2020’s “Rising Stars” by BBC Music Magazine, flutist ​Lara Deutsch​ was the recipient of the $125,000 Prix Goyer for 2019-2020. Lara was also a first prize winner of the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s 2014 Manulife Competition, at which she was awarded a total of seven prizes. She was the Grand Prize Winner of both the National Arts Centre Orchestra Bursary Competition (2014) and the Canadian Music Competition (2010), as well as a laureate of the Concours Prix d’Europe (2016).  She is member of the teaching faculty at Carleton University.

Lara performs regularly with the NAC Orchestra, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, she has performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra, the McGill Symphony Orchestra, and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada. Lara’s recent performance highlights include recitals for the National Arts Centre (NAC) & Facebook’s #CanadaPerforms initiative, CBC Radio’s CBC/McGill Series, the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal’s Virée Classique, Ottawa’s Music & Beyond Festival, and the Allegra Chamber Music series, of which she was Artist-in-Residence for the 2019-2020 season.​ ​Lara performs on a 14k gold Haynes flute, generously loaned by Canimex Inc. of Drummondville, Québec. She is incredibly grateful for the support of Mécénat Musica, the Canada Council for the Arts, and FACTOR in her ongoing projects.

Lara is sponsored by Carleton University Music.

Jocelyn is one of the best known and sought-after lead trumpeters in Canada. He has gained international recognition and respect within the music industry for his lead playing, well-rounded technical abilities and musicality. Born in Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada, he started playing the trumpet at the age of 10. Jocelyn studied at Vanier College in Montreal, followed by McGill University to get his master’s degree in Performance.  Jocelyn has accompanied many international artists on stage, such as Michel Legrand, Kenny Wheeler, Maria Schneider, Gino Vannelli, Patti Labelle, Céline Dion, Aretha Franklin, Deep Purple, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Lou Rawls, Bobby Vinton, Kenny Rogers, Lionel Richie, Petula Clark and Frankie Valli.

Today, Jocelyn teaches trumpet at three respected colleges in the Montreal area and McGill University. He continues to be an active member in major Montreal big bands like the Orchestre National de Jazz de Montreal, the Joe Sullivan Big Bad, the Vic Vogel Big Band, Christine Jensen Big Band, Uzeb and Altsys Jazz Orchestra.  Jocelyn’s nearest and dearest projects include his Maynard Ferguson Tribute entitled “MF Project”, as well as his brass band “Funkxie Groove” composed of top-notch Montreal musicians.

Jocelyn is sponsored by Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Dr. Scott Campbell has performed as a saxophone soloist in Australia, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, and throughout the United States. Has appeared with various ensembles, most notably the Dallas Pops Orchestra, Plano Symphony, Odysseus Chamber Orchestra and the Allen Philharmonic and performed with musicians such as The O’Jays, Martina McBride, and Ben Folds. Along with numerous solo recitals, Scott has given world-premiere performances at the North American Saxophone Alliance Biannual conference.

Scott has served on the faculty of Southwestern Adventist University and Mountain View College. His students have been accepted into the prestigious Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, Peabody Conservatory, the New School, University of North Texas, Berklee College of Music, and Interlochen Arts Academy.

Scott received his doctorate degree in saxophone performance from the University of North Texas where he served as Teaching Fellow of saxophone and taught a large studio of saxophone students.  Currently, he serves as Woodwind Category Manager for Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Scott is sponsored by Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Jason has performed with many diverse groups including Opera Cleveland, the Blossom Festival Band, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, Firelands Symphony and Ashland Symphony. He also has an extensive background in jazz, having performed with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and recorded with Sam River’s Rivbea Orchestra and the Grammy nominated Dan McMillion Groovin’ High Jazz Orchestra. He has performed at several European jazz festivals, including Montreux, Switzerland, Umbria, Italy, and Veinne, France.

Jason was a finalist in the Larry Wiehe solo competition, sponsored by the International Trombone Association and a first prize winner in the Tuesday Musical Competition in Akron, OH. He was also guest soloist with Cleveland Chamber Winds, performing Jean Fracaix’s Concerto for Trombone and Winds. Jason received a Master of Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music and a Bachelor of Music in jazz performance from the University of South Florida.  Currently, he is Brass Category Manager at Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Jason is sponsored by Conn-Selmer, Inc.

Kevin Brunkhorst is Chair of the Music Department at St. Francis Xavier University.

He attended the University of North Texas 1983-87 (Bachelor of Music, Composition) and 2001-04 (Master of Music, Jazz Studies), where he was a member of the renowned One O’Clock Lab Band (1986, 2002-2004). He started at St. FX in 2004, teaching jazz guitar, jazz composition, and music technology.  In subsequent years, he also taught courses in music theory, modern jazz history, history of popular music, and the Beatles.  He also leads the Guitar Ensemble, in which guitarists learn a very high standard of performance and reading skills. He has released four CDs as a leader or co-leader (on Armored Records), produced recordings for several others, and written about 100 charts for guitar ensemble, many of which are published by UNC Jazz Press.

Kevin is sponsored by St. Francis Xavier University

Award-winning bassist Paul Rushka has engaged audiences throughout North America, Europe and Asia with his sonorous tone, assured confident pulse, and eloquent soloing since 1997. Active as a performer, jazz composer, arranger, and educator, Paul holds a Doctor of Music degree from McGill University.

Learn more about Paul at Paul Rushka

Paul is sponsored by St. Francis Xavier University

Kenji Omae is a Canadian Jazz saxophonist based in Nova Scotia, Canada.  He has been described as “a super-articulate virtuoso” (Peter Hum-The Ottawa Citizen) and “may be the most exciting tenor saxophonist to emerge in Canada in recent years” (Stuart Broomer-The WholeNote).  He has released three albums of original music as a leader; “Story Time” (2015), “Not So Deep” (2011), “Here For Now” (2007).  In addition to his own recordings, he is featured as a sideman on over thirty jazz CD’s.  From 2003-2017, he was based in Seoul as a full time instructor of saxophone (Dong-Ah Institute Of Media And Arts and Paek-Che Art College). He was an active contributor to the music scene of Seoul through his frequent performances and extensive teaching. In 2007, he won the first prize in the Jarasum International Jazz Festival competition.

Kenji has a Master of Arts Degree in Jazz Performance from CUNY/Queen’s College in New York.  He is currently on faculty at Saint Francis Xavier University where he maintains a Saxophone studio and teaches classes that include Jazz Improvisation, Jazz Harmony, and Jazz History.

Kenji is sponsored by St. Francis Xavier University

Montreal-born guitarist Adam Cicchillitti  a doctoral candidate at McGill University, studying with celebrated guitarist Jérôme Ducharme. Adam has received awards in national and international competitions, has performed extensively in Canada and the United States and regularly commissions composers for new guitar works. He is the founder of the guitar school at Ottawa Suzuki Strings.

There were several media accolades in 2017 and 2018 for Adam, Classical Guitar Magazine called him “a superb Canadian guitarist” and CBC Music included him on its list of Canada’s top thirty most promising young musicians in classical music, describing him as an “ardent ambassador for classical guitar.” His critically-acclaimed debut album with Analekta was financed by the Canada Council for the Arts and MusicAction, and he will release another album of brand new Canadian works with the same label in 2019.  Cicchillitti’s compositions and arrangements are published by renowned editor les Productions d’Oz

Experienced Musician, Band Director, and Arranger with a demonstrated history of working in the music industry. Skilled in Original Music, Electronic Music, Marching Arts, and Public Speaking. Strong arts and design professional with a Bachelors of Music focusing in Music Education.

Stephen frequently appears as soloist with many concertos in the standard repertoire as well as concertos written especially for him by Canadian composers such as Kelly-Marie Murphy (Blood Upon the Body, Ice Upon the Soul, 2006 premiere with Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony) and Glenn Buhr (Violin Concerto, 2000 premiere with Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony).  Stephen is a founding member of Trio Laurier, formed in 2007 with cellist Paul Pulford and pianist Leslie De’Ath, and is a regular participant in diverse chamber groups and festival events nationally and internationally with many of Canada’s finest musicians.  He is also a frequent performer with Toronto’s acclaimed the Art of Time Ensemble and Soundstreams, with which Stephen completed a tour in May 2012 to Taiwan and China, performing works by Tan Dun and R. Murray Schafer.

As an arranger, Stephen has arranged music for the Emperor Quartet (over 20 arrangements of show tunes and popular songs), Quartetto Gelato (Octosca) and the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony (Canadian and Italian national anthems).

Stephen was just awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal, a nomination submitted by the National Yourth Orchestra, where he is a faculty member.  Stephen is also on the faculty of Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Toronto’s Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music, and is a frequent mentor for Hamilton’s National Academy Orchestra.  He has taught at the Banff Centre for the Arts, was an instructor at the University of Manitoba, and has maintained an active private studio.

Paul is a Full Professor of music at St. Francis Xavier University, where he teaches jazz trumpet, jazz history, and arranging. He has also served on the faculties of San Jose State University, Chabot College, Nova Scotia Honor Jazz Program, and University of North Texas Summer Trumpet Workshop and is a past co-director of the Acadia Summer Jazz Workshop. Paul received his Masters in jazz studies from University of North Texas where he was a teaching fellow in jazz improvisation, large jazz ensembles and a member of the Grammy-nominated One O’Clock Lab Band.

As a jazz recording artist, Paul has appeared on over sixty recordings, as a trumpet player, composer, arranger, and/or producer along side such musicians as Lynn Seaton, Marcus Wolfe, Stockton Helbing, David Braid, Aaron Lington, Joel Fountain, Bobby Selvaggio, Kenny Werner, Kenny Wheeler, Dan Haerle, Ben Street, and Jamey Haddad. His recordings as a leader have won numerous ECMA awards. He co-leads the “BiCoastal Collective”, with Grammy winning saxophonist Aaron Lington. The ensemble is dedicated to performing new jazz composition across North America.  Paul has released ten recordings as a leader/co-leader on the Origin/OA2, Armored, and NohJoh labels.

Paul is an Edwards Trumpet and Flugelhorn Artist, and is sponsored by St. Francis Xavier University

Canadian saxophonist Mike Tremblay has more than 30 years in the music industry as a woodwind specialist, and educator.

He is an associate performance faculty member at Carleton University where he teaches saxophone, ensembles, jazz improvising, and is the co-founder and director of the annual Carleton University Jazz Camp. He adjudicates for Musicfest Canada and the Kiwanis music Festival. Mike also founded and directs the annual Ottawa Saxophone Camp. Mike frequently performs with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and many other ensembles around the Ottawa Area, including the Cosmos Saxophone Quartet.

Mike frequently performs with he National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra, the Cosmos Saxophone Quartet, and many other groups around the National Capital region.  Some of his performance credits include: Natalie Cole, Alanis Morrissette, Lou Rawls, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Mark Ferguson, John Geggie, Dave Young and Terry Clarke.

Mike is sponsored by Carleton University Music.

Erica Phare-Bergh obtained her M. Mus. in Choral Conducting from McGill University. A native of Montreal, Phare-Bergh formerly conducted the Vanier College Choirs and the McGill Conservatory Choirs. In Calgary, she directed the William Aberhart High School Choirs, Westwinds Green Choir, and the Savridi Singers. She is in demand as an adjudicator, workshop leader and presenter (ChoralFest, MCA, Podium, MusicFest, BCCF) and was the guest conductor for the 10^th Anniversary of the CBC-McGill Youth Gala. In 2008, she spearheaded the Montreal première of Oratorio Terezin, a large-scale work involving 270 performers at Place-des-Art. She and her husband, Rick, live in Victoria, BC. Together, they write children’s books (A Song with Every Story Series) in which Erica incorporates both original songs and classical music into children’s stories. She has numerous arrangements published with Cypress Choral Music and currently directs three Voices in Motion Choirs – multigenerational research choirs for people with Alzheimer’s, their caregivers and high school students.

Website: www.ericapharebergh.com (under construction)

Music: http://cypresschoral.com/Composers/Phare.html

In 1983 he was nominated for a GENIE Award  for his original soundtrack for the movie “Les Doux Aveux “. Marois moved to British Columbia in 1988. Just recently retired, Réjean Marois taught at Capilano University for the Jazz Studies Program for thirty years. He conducted vocal ensembles, jazz ensembles and taught improvisation and instrumental/vocal arranging.

Furthermore, Réjean has been involved for the last 20 years as arranger/ conductor for the Cap Jazz Series concerts featuring renowned jazz artists from around the world. In May 2012, he received an Award for Excellence In Empowering Learning from Capilano University.       Réjean is an Associate Composer to the Canadian Music Centre, a member of the Canadian League of Composers and a member of the Society Of Composers Inc. His is also on the board of directors for Vancouver Pro Musica.

His compositions and arrangements has been performed in Canada, U.S.A and in Europe; he has been in demand throughout Canada and the U.S. as a clinician, adjudicator, conductor, music advisor and arranger. His vocal adaptation of Maria Schneider’s  “Winter Morning Walks “       will be soon published on www.mariaschneider.com.

For fourteen years, he was the artistic coordinator of the Jazz Singing Workshop at Domaine Forget, St. Irénée in the magnificent Charlevoix region of Québec. Born and raised in the province of Québec, he worked as a composer, arranger, trombonist, publisher, educator and performed all across North America and Europe.

Lorne Lofsky is an internationally recognized jazz guitarist. Born and raised in Toronto, he has been playing professionally for the last 42 years. He has played/toured or recorded with a who’s who of the jazz world, includingOscar Peterson, Ed Bickert, Rob McConnell, Chet Baker, Joey DeFrancesco, Pepper Adams, Ray Brown, Neils Henning Orsted  Pederson,Rosemary Clooney, Kirk MacDonald, Dave Holland, and many other respected members of the international jazz community.

In addition, he has been a faculty member at York University’s Fine Arts/Music Program since 1978 and also teaches at the Humber College Community Music Program. Lorne is a mainstay of the Toronto jazz scene and performs extensively in the Greater Toronto Area. He has also given clinics/concerts at St. FX University in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and McGill University in Montreal.

Steve Haines is an active double bass player who has played extensively with Chad Eby, Wycliffe Gordon, Joel Frahm, Ralph Bowen, Joe Chambers, Joey Calderazzo and Fred Wesley; and has recorded with Jason & Branford Marsalis, Peter Bernstein, and Jimmy Cobb, among others. His recent March 29 release Steve Haines and the Third Floor Orchestra: Becca Stevens, Chad Eby, and Joey Calderazzo features his compositions and arrangements in the singer-songerwriter genre for symphony orchestra which is available online.  He teaches at the Miles Davis Program in Jazz Studies at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and is very grateful for the performing opportunities and clinics he received at MusicFest during his years as a student at J.S. Woodworth S.S. in Ottawa.

Frank Gnandt has been apart of the music world for many years as a professional music, vocal and keyboard instructor, and choral director. In the choral realm he has conducted groups in both traditional choral and jazz styles. His groups have been apart of a myriad of choral festivals and conferences performing for such prestigious venues as the Vatican, Carnegie Hall, and the Sapporro Concert Hall. His choral groups have toured across North America and to Europe and Japan with the focus of sharing the joy of excellent choral music. He has been the recipient of the Excellence In Teaching Award from the Alberta Government and the Mathieson Trophy for Most Outstanding High School Choral Group in Canada! His groups have been requested as guest performers for such events as the Candian Rocky Mountain Music Festival, Musicfest Canada, Association of Canadian Choral Conductors and the International Association of Jazz Educators.

Frank is past Director of the Lethbridge Collegiate Institute and Chinook High School Chamber and Jazz Choirs. He is presently director of Caritas Chamber Choir and continues instruction in classical and jazz voice and piano in his private studio. He is frequently requested as choral evaluator and workshop facilitator. He is the past Chairman of the Choral Division of Musicfest Canada, and a past member of the Alberta Choral Federation.

Philip Hornsey is a graduate of McGill University where he studied with Pierre Béluse and D’Arcy Gray and the University of Montreal where he studied with Julien Grégoire and Robert Leroux. He has also benefited from studies with Louis Charbonneau, David Kent, Alexander Lepak, Michel Udow and Fujimoto Yoshikazu. In Montreal he plays with a variety of ensembles, including the SMCQ, Bradyworks, and the Sixtrum percussion ensemble. As a freelancer he has worked with the Orchestre Métropolitain, I Musici de Montréal and the Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, among others. His musical adventures have taken him across Canada, the United States, Asia and Europe. He has participated in numerous recordings for the National Film Board, the Canadian Broadcasting Company as well as many commercial projects. He has worked in dance with Van Grimde Corps Secrets and Système D and in theatre with Marcelle Hudon.

Mark Ferguson is an Ottawa based pianist, trombonist, composer, arranger, producer, and music educator. He has performed with many of the world’s great artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Gil Evans, Nelson Riddle, Dionne Warwick, Natalie Cole, Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdink, Rosemary Clooney, Carol Channing, Rob McConnell & the Boss Brass, Holly Cole, Manteca, The Funk Brothers and the National Arts Centre Orchestra.

As a composer, his credits include the CBC television series Life & Times, Cottage Country, and On the Road Again. Mark’s original compositions are featured in Treehouse Television’s series Toy Castle, advertising jingles for radio and T.V. and in the recordings of various artists.  Mark has written musical arrangements for a wide range of groups including the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the RCMP Band, the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces, the HMCS Stadacona Band, the Winnipeg and Edmonton Armed Forces Bands, and his own Latin-jazz ensemble Los Gringos.  He is a professor at Carleton University’s department of music and directs the Carleton Jazz Ensemble.

Mark is sponsored by Carleton University Music.

Jamie Holmes has been an active member in the Ottawa music scene for the past 5 years. with over 15 years of experience as a drummer, Jamie has gained a vast amount of knowledge and experience playing in most styles of music ranging from jazz, Latin and funk to rock, pop and hip-hop. During his school years studying music performance at Carleton University, Jamie was able to hone in on his musicality even deeper while being taught by and eventually working with some of the city’s top players. While you may find Jamie performing locally with just about any musician in the area, he is most commonly heard with his jazz group The HML Trio, performing funky hip-hop fusion with his power quartet The Chocolate Hot Pockets or filling up the dance floor with renowned blues and rock and roll artist JW Jones. To date, music has taken Jamie all over North America, over to Europe and as far as away as Australia and the South Pacific Islands. On top of playing in small combos as well as large ensembles, Jamie is also very comfortable working in the studio as a session player, working on musical productions, working on cruise ships, composing his own music and teaching. Jamie’s philosophy on teaching is that it needs to be equal parts fun and education. “If the student isn’t enjoying what they are learning, there will be no incentive for them to work hard or practice.” While he does have a teaching plan for
learning the drums, he also realizes that each student is different and has their own sets of strengths and weaknesses and each lesson must be specifically tailored to the individual in order to achieve the best results.

Sponsored by Ludwig

Edward Lister is a U.K born trumpeter, composer & educator who has been playing professionally since the age of 15. Edward graduated with a 2:1 BA Hons degree in Jazz performance & composition studies from Leeds College of Music (U.K). Edward has been based out of Ottawa, Canada since 2011 and currently runs 7 of his own ensembles as well as performing in a further 15. To date, Edward has recorded on over 30 albums in the Ottawa / Ontario region. Edward also owns and operates an entertainment agency called ‘London Gentleman Records’ which represents and works with local Ottawa talent. Edward has toured the globe and shared the stage with some of the best.

Sponsored by Ludwig

François Dorion has been the Director of Music of the Regimental Band of Les Voltigeurs de Québec since 1997 and of L’Harmonie de Charlesbourg, which he founded in 1993. He is also a published composer of music for beginning bands. M. Dorion has conducted and recorded works for both symphony orchestra and string ensemble. He is the conducting instructor for reservists at the Canadian Forces School of Music, and teaches the Master’s Degree in Conducting program at Université Laval. Champion of new music, he commissioned many works from renowned composers including Jan Van der Roost and Philip Sparke. 

François Dorion est directeur musical de la Musique régimentaire des Voltigeurs de Québec depuis 1997 et de L’Harmonie de Charlesbourg qu’il a fondée en 1993.  Lui-même compositeur, M. Dorion a publié plusieurs de ses œuvres de musique pour groupes débutants. Il a de plus dirigé et enregistré des œuvres pour orchestre symphonique et ensemble à cordes. François enseigne la direction d’orchestre pour les réservistes à l’École de musique des Forces canadiennes ainsi qu’au niveau de la maîtrise à l’ Université Laval. Champion de musique nouvelle, il a commandé de nombreuses œuvres à des compositeurs de renom dont Jan Van der Roost et Philip Sparke. 

Learn more about François at François Dorion

Dr. Karen Gustafson, a native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, is currently residing in Red Deer, Alberta with her husband and several furry family members where she enjoys camping and spending time gardening and continues teaching at Burman University. She taught at Red Deer College where she conducted the Symphonic Winds taught Trumpet, Winds Master Class, Chamber Music, and The Business of Music She retired as Associate Professor of Music at the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 2016. There, she was director of the Wind Symphony and Trumpet Studio, Brass Ensembles, and taught Women in Music. She has been fortunate to extend her career across the USA and Canada as well as in Asia and Australia to work with ensembles of varied skill level, from beginner to college. She has performed from Italy to Malaysia to Australia and across the Americas as a trumpet soloist and with the Borealis Brass as well as an orchestral and chamber musician. Currently she performs with the Central Alberta Chamber Players and regularly performs in professional ensembles in the area such as the Red Deer Symphony, Rocky Mountain Symphony, and Altius Brass. Other performance credits include performing at the International Alliance of Women in Music, the Bach Chamber Players of St. Paul (Minnesota), and the Minnesota Orchestra. Dr. Gustafson has also performed and/or presented clinics at the Alberta Music Educators Conference, UNESCO World Forum on Music (Los Angeles), the International Women’s Brass Conference, and the International Trumpet Guild Conference. Unique and original music for brass and chamber ensemble are released on albums “Pacific Crossings” (2017, featuring Malaysian gamelon) and the Borealis Brass “Roman Holidays” (2010, world music by women composers.)In July 2019 she performed at the International Trumpet Guild Conference in Miami, Florida presenting new works from the Estonian Trumpet Literature. During these COVID times the Central Alberta Chamber Ensemble has performed numerous outdoor concerts in all styles, from classical to pop to country, in Red Deer for the community. Dr. Gustafson holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Minnesota, a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University (Illinois,) a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Victoria (B.C.), and a diploma in Orchestra Performance from The Royal Conservatory, Toronto.

Lance Ouellette is currently the Associate Concertmaster for the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony and the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.   While attending the University of Toronto and Wilfrid Laurier University, Lance received the top awards at the national finals of the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals and the Canadian Music Competition.

As an educator, Lance is teaches violin for the University of Waterloo, is an orchestral coach for the KWS youth orchestra program, teaches privately, and has adjudicated across Canada for the FCMF and CMC.

Career highlights include tours of Canada, Europe, Asia, and Carnegie Hall.

Lance is an avid angler who also enjoys golfing, table tennis, and everything outdoors.

Waterloo, ON

Angela Rudden received a B. Mus in Kingston Ontario and went on to complete her Masters in Viola Performance in Munich.  While in Germany Angela played regularly with the Stuttgart Philharmonic, the Tibor Varga Chamber Orchestra as well as both the München and the Kölner Chamber Orchestras.

She has performed both as soloist and as chamber musician throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Japan.

Angela is currently Principal Viola of the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra, where she often appears regularly as a soloist at the Four Seasons Centre and most recently at the National Arts Centre.  She has also played in the Canadian Opera Orchestra, Les Violons du Roy, the Toronto Symphony, Esprit Orchestra and Aradia Ensemble.

Angela is a viola coach at Cardinal Carter Performance High School, as well a violin/viola teacher at Dixon Hall Music School.  She has been playing and coaching chamber music in Prince Edward County at Music at Port Milford Chamber Music Camp and Festival for the past 20 some years.

Toronto, ON

Brainerd Blyden-Taylor is the Founder, Artistic Director and conductor of The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Canada’s first professional chamber choir dedicated to the creation, performance, and preservation of Afrocentric music of all styles. Born in Trinidad & Tobago, Mr. Blyden-Taylor immigrated to Canada in 1973. He founded The Chorale in 1998, in response to a musical void in Canada; there had never been a professional ensemble dedicated to the diffusion of Afrocentric choral music. Response toThe Chorale in Canada and the United States since its inception has certainly given credence to Mr. Blyden-Taylor’s vision.  Mr. Blyden-Taylor has conducted several university, youth, and concert choirs, most notably a 25-year tenure with The Orpheus Choir of Toronto. He also works frequently as a guest conductor, having appeared with organizations such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, Hannaford Street Silver Band, The Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Chamber Choir, Ontario Youth Choir, Nova Scotia Youth Choir, and the Central Manitoba Youth Choir. He has also worked as artistic director and advisor for the Algoma Festival Choir, the Nova Scotia Mass Choir, and the Chatham-Kent Roots Festival. He launched The North Star Festival in August 2017, in partnership with the Yale Alumni Chorus and the Harriet Tubman Institute at York University. Mr. Blyden-Taylor has served as a member of the teaching staff of the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto and the Faculty of Music, Queen’s University. He has served as a Master Teacher with the Toronto Board of Education, coaching teachers, and students in conducting and choral technique, and was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from York University in Toronto for his contribution to education. Mr. Blyden-Taylor is also in frequent demand as a Clinician, Adjudicator and Lecturer both nationally and internationally, and is an active and dedicated church musician.

Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt is Director of Choral Activities and Professor of Conducting at the University of Toronto where she was named the inaugural Faculty Teaching Excellence Award winner in 2013.  She holds the Elmer Iseler Chair in Conducting.  She is also Artistic Director of Exultate Chamber Singers, a semi-professional ensemble in Toronto.  Raised in Nova Scotia, she earned degrees from the University of Toronto, the University of Illinois, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  She holds an ARCT in piano performance.  She has conducted choirs at divisional and national conferences of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), and conducted the University of Toronto MacMillan Singers at Podium, the national conference of Choral Canada.  She has led choral festivals in Europe, and at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center in New York.   In 2009, she conducted the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in a live broadcast of “Music and the Spoken Word.”  She has directed all-state choruses in more than 35 states and conducted both the 2011 Ontario Youth Choir and the 2014 National Youth Choir of Canada. A frequent conference presenter, she often does conducting masterclasses and has participated in several university conducting residencies.

Dr. Apfelstadt is a prolific author, having published multiple articles in professional journals, as well as chapters in two books:  Wisdom, Wit and Will: Women Choral Conductors on their Art (GIA, 2009) and Conducting Women’s Choirs: Strategies for Success (GIA, 2012).  She is a contributing author to Teaching Music in Performance Through Choir, volume 4 (GIA, 2017) and is co-editing volume 5 (to be published in 2019). A member of the Editorial Board for the ACDA Choral Journal, she also write s a regular choral column for The Canadian Music Educator. Her book on Canadian composer Ruth Watson Henderson, entitled I Didn’t Want It to be Boring, was released by Prism Publishers in the fall of 2017.

Toronto, ON

James Sparks (Jim) is adjunct professor at the UBC School of Music (conducting), lecturer in Arts Education at SFU, senior advisor for choral music for Music Mentors International, and former director of vocal music at the Langley Fine Arts School (LFAS) in Langley British Columbia. With an undergraduate degree in piano and voice (University of British Columbia), a Masters Degree in choral conducting (University of Arizona), and a PhD in philosophy (Simon Fraser University), Jim has continued his teaching in school, university, and community contexts for over three decades.

In his roles as researcher, conductor, and singing leader, Jim connects active research with music learning, music performance, and professional music leadership. With support from the Canada Council, the Canadian Music Educators Association, the AIRS collaborative initiative and Simon Fraser University, Jim has pursued collaborative singing research with several choral leaders in the world: Alina Orraca, Havana, Cuba (Schola Cantorum Coralina); Joseph Muyale Inzai, (National Boys Choir of Kenya); renowned Ukrainian choral conductor, Anatoliy Avdievski in Kiev, Ukraine (Veriovka Choir); Wes Janzen, (Kiev Symphony Orchestra and Chorus); and Helle Hoyer in Aarhus, Denmark (Aarhus Pigakor Choir). Jim is the recipient of the Profession Music Educator Award from the BC Music Educators Association, the 2009 recipient of the Willan Award from the BC Choral Federation and Simon Fraser University President’s PhD Award for 2014. Jim is in demand as an adjudicator, lecturer, and guest conductor and has continued his international research and conducting engagements in Europe, Kenya, Cuba, and Brazil.

Langley, BC

Colleen Allen is one of Canada’s most in-demand musicians for live concerts and recording sessions. Based in Toronto, the acclaimed and versatile multi-instrumentalist has performed all over Canada, the U.S. and Europe with world class jazz and pop artists including Molly Johnson, David Clayton-Thomas, Holly Cole, Emilie-Claire Barlow, Rik Emmett, Marc Jordan, Andrew Craig and Jackie Richardson, to name a few. She works frequently with Brian Barlow’s Big Band, Cirque du Soleil, is a resident artist at Soulpepper Theatre, and a member of Manteca, Canada’s premier fusion jazz big band. She has been in the house band of the Toronto Blues Society’s Women’s Blues Revue since its inception in 1986.  Colleen is a beloved mentor and teacher of music for 15 years now at Humber College and a regular adjudicator/clinician for musicfest, and the TD jazz education festival in Picton.

Colleen’s first CD “Colleen Allen” displays her talents as instrumentalist, arranger, bandleader and producer. Her sophomore release “Flashlight” features bassist George Koller, guitarist Rob Piltch and Snarky Puppy drummer Larnell Lewis.

Toronto, ON

Elaine McLeod began her cello studies in Winnipeg, and pursued further studies at Queens University and UWO, supplemented by summers at the Banff School of Fine Arts and the National Youth Orchestra. She holds a Bachelor of Music Performance from Queens University, a Masters of Music performance and Literature from UWO and a Bachelor of Education Fine Arts with a specialization in Music from York University.
She has recently retired from teaching Strings in the TDSB.  As part of her commitment to excellence in school string playing, Elaine teaches and adjudicates at a variety of workshops, festivals and symposia. She enjoys all aspects of cello playing, and performs chamber and orchestral music.

Elaine plays with the Mississauga Symphony and is an avid chamber musician. She also enjoys swimming, yoga and literature. Elaine and husband Norm have four adult children: Alex and Rory began their studies with Etobicoke Suzuki Music and now play viola professionally. Alex is the Academic Manager and Parkdale Centre Director for Sistema Toronto. Daughter Brynne sings with the Semperopera in Dresden, Germany. Cameron is in Prince George BC studying Environmental Engineering.

Dan is often called on by local jazz musicians and choirs to play acoustic and electric bass for their groups in performance and recordings. Dan’s percussive bass playing style is very complimentary to the sound of the New Vibes Jazz Quartet, a group he co-founded in 1990 and already boasts two other percussionists. While Dan is classically trained, he grew up playing everything from rock to R&B, classical to jazz. Dan continues to play with the Waterloo Chamber Players as well as the NVJQ. He has recently retired from teaching the strings program at Waterloo Collegiate, where he got many local musicians off to a great start in their musical careers.

Wendy Grasdahl is a conductor, trumpet performer, educator and adjudicator.  Her professional work encompasses teaching at university and college levels across Canada, military band work and private instruction.

As an officer in the Canadian Naval Reserve, Wendy has conducted military bands in Alberta, B.C., Ontario and Nova Scotia. She is in demand as a clinician and guest conductor for school programs, as well as summer music programs, including 12 years at the International Music Camp at the Peace Garden on the Manitoba/U.S. border where she received the  Distinguished Service Award for conducting and promoting band in North America. Wendy received the  Faculty Association Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of P.E.I., the City of Edmonton Salute to Excellence Citation Award in Arts & Culture in 2014 and in 2019 the Alberta Band Association awarded her the “Vondis Miller Legacy” Award.

Having appeared as a trumpet soloist and in professional ensembles across Canada, Wendy is a founding member of the brass quintet “Five of a Kind”, and has played Solo Cornet with the Mill Creek Colliery Brass Band.  She is the founder, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Festival City Winds Music Society which is now in its 25th season. Wendy currently teaches trumpet and is Director of Bands at Concordia University of Edmonton, and teaches Instrumental Conducting at The King’s University, Edmonton. She has adjudicated festivals at local, regional, and national levels in 8 provinces to date.

Ms. Grasdahl holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music History from the University of Alberta, a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Calgary, and a graduate level Fine Arts Diploma in Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble Conducting and Literature from the University of Calgary.

Alain Cazes is a Professor at McGill University, where he conducts the Wind Orchestra and teaches conducting. He has been director of the Orchestre Métropolitain Choir and is curently Musical Director of the Montreal Pop Orchestra. He is also principal tuba of the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montréal under Yanick Nézet-Séguin.

Learn more about Alain at Alain Cazes

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds is recently retired from the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, where he conducted major ensembles and taught trumpet, conducting, Jazz education and history as well as chamber music for over 40 years.  He holds a Ph.D. in the philosophy of music education and a Master of Music in trumpet performance.  Dr. Reynolds has performed and recorded many orchestral, chamber and solo performances.  Dr. Reynolds is the author of a trumpet pedagogy book titled Trumpet for Dummies, has recently completed the compilation of trumpet repertoire for the Royal Conservatory of music, along with Dr. Gillian Mackay, and contributes articles to several journals. He was recently honoured with Lifetime Membership from the Ontario Band Association.

Jeffrey Reynolds a récemment pris sa retraite de la Faculté de musique de l’Université de Toronto où il a dirigé de grands ensembles et enseigné la trompette, la direction d’orchestre, l’éducation et l’histoire du jazz ainsi que la musique de chambre pendant plus de 40 ans.  Titulaire d’un doctorat en philosophie de l’éducation musicale et d’une maîtrise en interprétation de la trompette, le Dr Reynolds a joué et enregistré de nombreuses performances orchestrales, de musique de chambre ainsi qu’en solo.  Il est l’auteur d’un livre pédagogique sur la trompette intitulé Trumpet for Dummies, a récemment terminé la compilation du répertoire de trompette pour le Conservatoire Royal de Musique, avec le Dr Gillian Mackay, et rédige des articles dans plusieurs revues. On lui a récemment octroyé le titre de membre honoraire à vie de l’Ontario Band Association.

Learn more about Jeffrey at Jeff Reynolds

Dr. Sommer Forrester serves as an Assistant Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Education at the University of Massachusetts Boston. She teaches undergraduate music education courses in instrumental music and conducting, advises undergraduate music majors, conducts the UMass Boston Orchestra, and oversees all aspects of the Music Teacher Licensure Program. A former classroom teacher, Forrester taught instrumental music for eight years in three different countries: Kuwait, Israel, and Canada.

Learn more about Sommer at Sommer Forrester

Mary Schneider is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Bands at Eastern Michigan University, where she conducts the Wind Symphony, teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in conducting and music education, directs the Music Now Contemporary Music Festival, and oversees and guides all aspects of EMU’s comprehensive band program.  Prior to her appointment to EMU in the fall of 2008, Dr. Schneider served for three years as the Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Minnesota.  She holds a doctor of musical arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin. She has also earned degrees in horn performance and music education from the New England Conservatory of Music and the University of Connecticut.

Active nationally and internationally as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator, Dr. Schneider brings a diverse background to the podium and to her students in the classroom.  Schneider’s career teaching experience includes many years as a public school music educator in northern New Jersey, where she also maintained a busy performing schedule as a hornist.  An elected member of the American Bandmasters Association, Dr. Schneider is currently Vice-President of the North Central Division of the College Band Directors National Association, and has served two terms as President of the Mid-American Conference Band Directors Association. Additionally, she maintains professional affiliations with the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, National Band Association, and the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association.