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

Brian O’Kane was recently appointed Head of Brass Studies at Canada’s prestigious Humber School of Creative and Performing Arts.  A widely respected brass musician, Brian holds a master’s degree in jazz performance from the University of Toronto, and has played trumpet and flugelhorn with top domestic and international jazz artists, including the Kirk MacDonald Jazz Orchestra, Barbra Streisand, and Aretha Franklin. He is equally well known for his work with classical ensembles such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and True North Brass. He has extensive experience as a pit musician and was a member of the Shaw Festival Orchestra from 2013 to 2016. Brian is also in demand as a clinician and adjudicator at colleges, universities, and music festivals.

Sponsored by: Humber College

Toronto, ON

Ernesto Cervini is a drum instructor at the University of Toronto and a guest lecturer at Humber College and York University. In addition to his performing career, he founded Orange Grove Publicity in 2014 and quickly became one of the most sought-after jazz publicists in Canada. Guitarist Alex Goodman, saxophonist Allison Au and bandleader/composer Chelsea McBride’s Socialist Night School are just some of the many highly respected artists represented by Orange Grove.

Learn more about Ernesto at Ernesto Cervini

Ernesto is sponsored by the University of Toronto.

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 and performance 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 before been a professional ensemble dedicated to the dissemination of Afrocentric choral music. The response that The Chorale has received 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 completing a 25year tenure with The Orpheus Choir of Toronto. In addition he works frequently as a guest conductor, having appeared with organizations such as the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Nova Scotia, Hannaford Street Silver Band, Nova Scotia Youth Choir, Ontario Youth Choir, Central Manitoba Youth Choir and the New Brunswick Choral Federation Youth Sing. 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.

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 is a Master Teacher with the Toronto Board of Education, coaching teachers and students in conducting and choral technique, and was awarded an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from York University in Toronto for his contribution to education.

Mr. Blyden-Taylor is also in constant demand as a Clinician, Adjudicator and Lecturer both nationally and internationally, working extensively across Canada and the United States of America, as well as in Cuba and France. He has also been invited to deliver workshops in Japan, Turkey and Israel. In addition Mr. Blyden-Taylor is an active church musician, serving currently as Director of Music at All Saints Kingsway Anglican Church.

Toronto, ON

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. 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.

Matthew Chalmers holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Humber college, a school he attended since he was 3 as part of the Humber College’s Community Music program. Matthew also performed at MusicFest for many years and was the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including Zildjian Outstanding Young Drummer four times, the Music Industries Association of Canada (MIAC) scholarship, as well as the inaugural Lou Williamson Scholarship for Outstanding Drumset Player. In May of 2011, The Hnatyshyn Foundation awarded Matthew with the Oscar Peterson $10,000 Grand for Jazz Performance.

While continuing to play throughout Canada and US, Matthew is now an active film composer, writing for two network television shows as well as movies for the Lifetime network.

For close to 40 years, Ron Di Lauro has been one of Québec’s most in-demand trumpet players: from jazz to classical, from pop to world music, Throughout his career, he has accompanied renowned artists including Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods, Zoot Sims, John Scofield, Aretha Franklin, Tony Bennett, Michel Legrand, Oliver Jones and Vic Vogel, to name but a few.

As a soloist, he has performed with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal and the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, Laval, and Sinfonia de Lanaudière. He has appeared on numerous television and radio programs, Broadway musicals, film soundtracks and in advertising jingles, as well as on over 300 recordings, most notably with Cirque du Soleil.

Music festivals and cultural organizations regularly call upon him to act as a jury member. As an Associate Professor at Université de Montréal’s Faculty of Music, and Lecturer at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, he directs Big Band, Chamber Jazz Orchestra, as well as teaching jazz trumpet.  He was the recipient of the Oscar Peterson Prize at the 2014 Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Outremont, QC

Dr. Colleen Richardson is Coordinator of Bands, directs the Wind Ensemble, and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in conducting and instrumental music education at Western University in London, Ontario. In collaboration with Dr. Kevin Watson, she administrates the Western Young Winds program, which is a community band for students in grades six to nine, and supervises the undergraduate music education majors selected to rehearse and conduct the ensemble. Prior to her appointment at Western, Dr. Richardson was an Assistant Professor of Music Education and the Wind Ensemble Director at Converse College in South Carolina.

Learn more about Colleen at Colleen Richardson

Christine Hansen retired after 33 years as an Intermediate and High School music teacher. As head of Department at Canterbury High School in Ottawa, Christine helped initiate and administer the specialty music portion of the successful Eastern Ontario Programme of the Arts at Canterbury. After her retirement from secondary school teaching, Christine taught Intermediate and Senior Music courses in the University of Ottawa Education Faculty. She continues to guest lecture at the University, adjudicate at Music Festivals and conduct workshops and clinics with Concert Bands.

Christine, an Ottawa native, obtained her Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario and her Master of Music Education at State University, Potsdam, New York. She is an affiliate of member of C.M.E.A.,O.M.E.A.,C.B.D.A.,O.B.A. and Phi Beta Mu.

Currently Christine performs on French Horn with the National Capital Concert Band and the Manotick Brass Ensemble in Ottawa.

Dr. Andrew Scott’s professional work has impacted many aspects of the music industry. As a guitarist/arranger and composer, Andrew has amassed a considerable discography and gigography performing and/or recording with a diverse roster of groups and players that includes Gene DiNovi, Jim Clayton, Four80East, Jackie Richardson, Bernie Senensky, Archie Alleyne, Mike Downes and Marc Jordan. Andrew is the recipient of the, Toronto Independent Music, Canadian Urban Music, and four Canadian “Smooth” Jazz Awards. Andrew’s compositions have been heard in such films and television shows as Pretend We’re Kissing, Cubicle Warriors, Old Stock, Pop Switch, Mothers and Daughters, CBC’s The Border. As a scholar, Andrew, who earned his PhD in 2006, has lectured at universities and for conferences across North America. He has been published in the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz and many other journals. As a culmination of these diverse interests and experiences, Andrew is Acting Dean of the School of Creative and Performing Arts at Humber’s  where he oversees the Music Business and Music Marketing areas and acts in the capacity of Humber Music’s Academic Advisor. Andrew, an advocate for interdisciplinary applied research and work that lies at the nexus of Music and Business, is currently serving as the Acting Director (2014/2015 academic year) for Humber College’s Bachelor of Music Degree.

Sponsored by: Humber College

• Location: Etobicoke, ON

Trumpeter Jason Logue has grown to be one of Canada’s finest musicians and composers. He has performed or recorded with such jazz artists as Sam Rivers, The Woody Herman Orchestra, Dave Brubek, Phil Nimmons, Dave Grusin, Louis Belson, Kenny Wheeler, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Guido Basso, Jim McNeeley and Rob McConnell.
Jason is currently on the Faculty at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario and The University of Toronto.

Learn more about Jason at Jason Logue

Jason is sponsored by the University of Toronto.

Gordon Foote recently accepted a position at the University of Toronto as a Professor in the Jazz Studies Program of the Faculty of Music. The most important element of this portfolio will be to direct the University of Toronto Jazz Orchestra (UTJO). Previous to that, Gordon spent 26 years as a Professor in the Jazz Studies Program at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec. He served as Dean (interim), Associate Dean (Academic and Student Affairs), Chair of the Department of Performance, Director of Graduate Studies and Chair of the Jazz Area, as well as 6 years as a professor at St. FX University in Nova Scotia. Gordon is one of the pioneers of jazz education in Canada, being instrumental in the development and implementation of the first undergraduate and graduate university jazz studies programs in the country.
As a saxophonist and clinician for Conn-Selmer, Gordon has performed in Canada, Europe and the United States.Professor is in demand as a conductor, clinician, adjudicator, and jazz educator/performer in Canada, Musicfest Canada being a long standing event.

Sponsored by: Conn-Selmer

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Dennis Beck earned two undergraduate degrees from Western University, and completed a graduate program in conducting from the University of Calgary. In addition to teaching experience at the junior and senior high school levels, he has been a sessional lecturer for the Faculty of Education of the University of Toronto, conducted at Alberta College Conservatory in Edmonton for several years, and has been a faculty member at the Don Wright Faculty of Music at Western University in London, Ontario, where he was conductor of the Symphonic Band and taught music education and conducting.

Learn more about Dennis at Adjudicators – Celebration Youth Music Festival (CYMF) (google.com)

Stephen Wick is the CEO of Denis Wick (London) Products Ltd.  He earned his Bachelor of Music (Honours) at the University of Surrey (Guildford, England) in 1976.  Stephen plays tuba in the Anima Eterna Brugge orchestra, based in Bruges, Belgium.  He was a member of the Oslo Philharmonic, and has performed with leading orchestras from Berlin, Hamburg, Paris, Milan, Helsinki and Amsterdam. He teaches serpent, ophicleide and tuba at the Royal Academy of Music, and at The Purcell School in Bushey, England, the oldest specialist music school in the UK. 

In the jazz field, he has played in bands led by such greats as John Dankworth and Kenny Wheeler. He has played tuba on hundreds of film scores, from John Huston’s ‘The Man who would be King’ in 1975 to modern films such as Alien, Rambo, Batman, Gladiator and Star Wars. He has also recorded with Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney, Frank Zappa and Led Zeppelin.  

Retired, after 37 years in music education, Brenda has worked as an instrumental and vocal teacher, department head and consultant. Her career path was with the Hamilton, Waterloo and York region boards, and several years of teaching the vocal additional qualification courses at the University of Toronto/OISE. Brenda is currently artistic director of the Cambridge Male Chorus, and is founding artistic director of her chamber choir, Kokoro. Brenda enjoys freelance work as a musical director for community music theatre companies and is often invited to be a clinician, adjudicator, guest conductor and workshop presenter.

Learn more about Brenda at Brenda Uchimaru

With an established reputation as one of Canada’s leading saxophonists, Kirk MacDonald cut his first record at the age of thirteen. Throughout his career, he has received numerous awards, and has worked with many leading musicians in a variety of musical genres. Kirk also leads the Kirk MacDonald Jazz Orchestra (KMJO), a 19-piece all-star ensemble dedicated to performing his original compositions and featuring arrangements by leading Canadian and U.S. Writers. The KMJO released its debut recording Deep Shadows in March 2011, and in May of 2012. His latest recording Vista Obscura was released in 2014 and features jazz legend Harold Mabern and special guest saxophonist Pat LaBarbera. Kirk has been active as an educator for 27 years at leading jazz studies programs such as at the University of Toronto and McGill University. Kirk is presently a full time professor at Humber College in Toronto, where he holds a cross appointment in the Music Degree Program and the Community Music School. Kirk also acts as the Artistic Director for the “Youth Jazz Canada” project and directs the “National Youth Jazz Combo”. This project also hosts a 2 week workshop in the summer for high school and post-secondary students.

Sponsored by: Humber College

• Location: Toronto On.

Mike Downes is the Bass Department Head at prestigious Humber College in Toronto. Bassist, composer, author and educator Mike Downes has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s finest jazz artists. His bass playing has delighted audiences worldwide, including tours through western and eastern Europe, Iceland, Japan, South Korea, Brazil, Mexico, the United States and throughout Canada.
Mike’s extensive discography highlights his work as a bassist, composer and arranger. He has released five recordings as a leader to critical praise. His most recent recording Ripple Effect features his trio with masterful musicians Robi Botos and Ethan Ardelli. Mike has been a (guest-concert) artist, adjudicator, clinician, and educator many times at Musicfest Canada.

Sponsored by Yamaha Canada Music Ltd.

Toronto, ON

Now head of the keyboard department at Toronto’s Humber College, Dickinson is a graduate of the Humber Music Program and holds a Masters in Music (with distinction) degree from the New England Conservatory in Boston. He is the author of a respected book on ear training, entitled The Ears Have Walls (published by Advance Music of Germany). Brian Dickinson has been a fixture on the Canadian Jazz scene since the early 1980’s.he has performed and recorded with many jazz greats including Pat Labarbera, Lee Konitz, Kirk MacDonald, Kenny Wheeeler, John Abercrombie and Tom Harrell. He won a Juno Award for best jazz recording in 1991, and was also a member of the University of Toronto Faculty for twelve years.

Sponsored by: Yamaha Canada Music Ltd.

Jonathan enjoys an active career as a composer and arranger for wind orchestra. His compositions are included in many North American concert band music festival syllabuses, and are currently published worldwide by Alfred Music, Hafabra Music and Eighth Note Publications.

Learn more about Jonathan at Jonathan Dagenais

Prior to his 2001 appointment as Humber’s Director of Music, Christianson taught at McGill University, Concordia University, the University de Montreal, John Abbott College, and Centennial Academy. His jazz portfolio is no less impressive. His credits include performance and recording sessions with jazz greats J.J. Johnson, Kai Winding, Carmen McRae, Sarah Vaughn, Tony Bennett, Michel Legrand, and many others.

Sponsored by: Humber College

Etobicoke, On

Bob holds a Bachelor of Music, Teaching certificate for the University of B.C., and a Master of Music at Western Washington University. While an undergraduate, Bob was involved in performances as a clarinettist, pianist, and percussionist. His main post-graduate activity was the writing of and extensive manual for the development of the young jazz rhythm section. He has continued to write curriculum in the areas of jazz rhythm section, jazz rehearsal techniques, jazz improvisation and concert band percussion. For 33 years, in the North Vancouver School District, Mr. Rebagliati directed many award winning junior and senior high school ensembles in both concert band and jazz. Since 2012, Bob has conducted the Metro Vancouver Firefighters Band.