Calgary Festival 2008
ADJUDICATORS

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Concert Band Adjudicators

• Dr. Denise Grant
• Nadine Ghiglione
• Dr. Gerald King
• Benjamin Schneider
• Pierre Simard
• Connie Turner

Jazz Band Adjudicators

• Jim Brenan
• Matt Harris
• Bret Zvacek

Grade 1 Festival Adjudicators

• Sarah Drew
• Patricia MacFarlane
• Ross McIntyre

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CONCERT BAND ADJUDICATOR
Dr. Denise Grant

 

 

Dr. Denise Grant is a freelance artist who has guest-conducted ensembles across Canada, the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Asia. She has earned a reputation from composers and audiences for her innovative programming and sensitive interpretations of a wide variety of works, eliciting performances grounded in the composer's intent.

In 2004 she was the Music Director for the National Youth Band of Canada. Dr. Grant has held conducting positions at the University of Toronto, University of Regina, and most recently, at Portland State University in Oregon. She is currently teaching at Wilfrid Laurier University. Her professional activities are grounded in a strong conviction to support music education and she adjudicates festivals frequently across Canada.

A native Canadian, she earned her PhD at the University of Minnesota and studied conducting under Craig Kirchhoff. She has also studied with noted conductors at intensive workshops and audited the Tanglewood Music Center's summer conducting program. She is the co-founding editor of the national journal for the Canadian Band Association, Canadian Winds, and is currently writing a biography on Canadian jazz legend Phil Nimmons.

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CONCERT BAND ADJUDICATOR
Nadine Ghiglione

 

 

Nadine Ghiglione has been a band director with the Regina Separate School Division since 1990. She is the director of the Regina Catholic South East Area Grade 6 and Grade 7-8 Bands and the Regina Catholic Senior Jazz Band. Nadine graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree. She became very involved playing saxophone with the University Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and Saxophone Quartet.

Prior to moving to Regina, Nadine taught elementary, junior and senior high school band in Yorkton, Kindersley, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She has served as a treasurer and member of the Saskatchewan Band Association. Nadine is an active clinician and enjoys performing with instrumental groups throughout the Regina community.

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CONCERT BAND ADJUDICATOR
Dr. Gerald King

“Conductors/teachers must be humanist leaders who guide each individual and ensemble to reach their own creative potential.”

Dr. King is Professor and Director of the School of Music at the University of Victoria where he serves as the conductor of the UVIC Wind Symphony. He is also the conductor of the South Island Wind Ensemble. Considered one of Canada’s most respected conductors and educators, he is the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Order of the Phoenix by the Western International Band Clinic where Dr. King has made 5 separate conducting appearances. His most recent honor was being elected into the prestigious American Bandmasters Association. Dr. King is currently 1 of only 5 Canadians in the ABA. In March 2004 he was formally inducted into the ABA when he served as a guest conductor for the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own” from Washington, DC.

Dr. King’s background is varied. Although he is primarily recognized as a conductor of wind bands, he is equally comfortable conducting orchestras and choirs. A former student of internationally-renowned conductor Maestro Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Dr. King’s professional career has taken him throughout Canada, the United States, Great Britain, Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Japan, Mexico and most recently Hong Kong. Dr. King will return to Mexico and Hong Kong in 2008.

In addition to his passion for making music he is also widely recognized as an expert for his ability to link theory and practice in the field of teaching and learning. Dr. King has recently completed a DVD — The Craft of Conducting and is currently working on a handbook to accompany it. Among his many recordings and publications is a chapter in the book, Creativity and Music Education written by seventeen authors from the United States, Canada, Israel, Australia, Great Britain, Spain and Scotland. The book includes a forward by noted author on creativity, Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi.

Over the past 17 years in his capacity as a guest conductor, adjudicator and clinician he has worked with over 10,000 bands, choirs and orchestras representing more than 500,000 musicians.

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CONCERT BAND ADJUDICATOR
Benjamin Schneider

The Jamestown College Director of Bands and Orchestra, Ben has conducted youth performances at festivals in Australia, Austria, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand and across Canada and the United States. He recently completed a doctoral residency in conducting at the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Prior to post-graduate study, he served for two years on the State University of New York at Fredonia music faculty, teaching theory, conducting, music education, saxophone classes, and directing ensembles.

Mr. Schneider pursued graduate school following degrees in music and education from the University of Calgary, and teaching K-12 music in the Calgary Catholic schools. During his master’s residency at SUNY Fredonia, he was Assistant Conductor for a Hillman Opera production of Strauss’ Der Fledermaus, and a Fredonia Symphony Orchestra recording of Corigliano’s Clarinet Concerto. Later a Fredonia faculty member he conducted scenes from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Schwantner’s In Evening’s Stillness for the composer, and Damn Yankees. Mr. Schneider is an enthusiastic member of consortia that commission new works, and holds membership in a number of both professional and honorary organizations promoting music and music education worldwide.

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CONCERT BAND ADJUDICATOR
Pierre Simard

 

 

 

Resident Conductor with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Pierre Simard pursues a career as conductor and composer-arranger that has led him to Belgium, France, Mauritius and Réunion islands, Ukraine, the USA and throughout Canada.

All the while fiery, elegant and intense, his love for music is shared with an uncommon enthusiasm. His warm personality, exceptional charisma and deep knowledge of the orchestral repertoire have granted him repeated praise from critics and audiences alike. As guest conductor he performed with major orchestras in Milwaukee, Toronto, Ottawa (National Arts Centre), Okanagan and Hamilton. In his native Québec, he has worked with Les Violons du Roy, the Orchestre Métropolitain and the Bradyworks Ensemble. In Calgary, he is Artistic Director of the Spiritus Chamber Choir.

Recipient of many honours, Pierre Simard was awarded the Canada Council’s Jean-Marie Beaudet Award in Conducting, recognizing his work on a national scale. He is also grantee of the Québec Music Council, the Québec Arts Council, Ville de Laval and the Montreal Mayor’s Foundation. A passionate defender of orchestral repertoire, Pierre Simard devotes himself to reinventing traditional concert formulas, combining fantasy and humour to music. He holds a Master’s degree from the Peabody Institute in Baltimore and five Prizes from the Montreal Conservatory of Music. His teachers and mentors include Raffi Armenian, Frederik Prausnitz and JoAnn Falletta.

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CONCERT BAND ADJUDICATOR
Connie Turner

 

 

 

Connie Turner teaches conducting and music education at the University of Manitoba and is a member of the teaching faculty of the Canadian Wind Conductors’ Development Program offered each summer in Winnipeg. Connie also founded and conducted the U of M Concert Band for nine years.

She completed her formal music training in North Dakota, receiving a Master of Music Education degree from the University of North Dakota. Connie had an illustrious career as a music educator in the public school system for 34 years, developing highly acclaimed and nationally recognized ensembles in both instrumental and choral music; most notably, the Tec Voc High School Jazz Band was named the Most Outstanding Jazz Band in Canada in 1987 at MusicFest Canada.

Connie is in demand as an adjudicator and guest conductor throughout Canada and the United States. She presents workshops and professional development sessions to music educators across the country, and works as a music education consultant in the music industry. Connie has most recently been appointed to the position of Teachers’ Professional Development Program Coordinator at the Canadian Rocky Mountain Festival held each spring in Banff, Alberta. A member of the Board of Directors of the International Music Camp, Connie served as its Canadian Representative for nine years and as a guest conductor for several summers, most recently June 2007. She conducted the Manitoba Summer Band Camp for fifteen years.

In recognition of her career achievements as an educator and conductor, Connie Turner was awarded the Manitoba Band Association Award of Distinction for Outstanding Contribution to Music Education and in 2007 was recognized for Excellence in Teaching at the University of Manitoba.

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JAZZ BAND ADJUDICATORS

JAZZ BAND ADJUDICATOR
Jim Brenan

 

 

 

Jim Brenan established himself as a top-notch performer and educator in the Canadian jazz community before accepting the position of Coordinator of Jazz Studies at The School of Creative and Performing Arts at the University of Auckland. His time was well spent in the south pacific, having performed and recorded with new Zealand's most talented jazz musicians. After completing two years in new Zealand Jim decided to return to Canada and accept the position of Coordinator of Credit Music at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta.

Mr. Brenan holds a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Studies from St. Francis Xavier University and a Master's degree in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University in New Jersey, where he studied with renowned master saxophonist Ralph Bowen.

Jim has recorded two CDs under his own name, the most recent titled The Spectre. The new CD features Western Canada's best jazz musicians; Chris Andrew, piano; Rubim de Toledo, bass; and Ron Samsom, drums; with compositions by all members of the band.

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JAZZ BAND ADJUDICATOR
Matt Harris

 

Matt Harris graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor's degree and from the Eastman School of Music with a Master's degree in Jazz Composition. Matt moved to Los Angeles after touring with jazz greats Maynard Ferguson and Buddy Rich.

In addition to his devotion to jazz education, Matt's versatility as a writer, arranger and performer keep him very busy in the L.A. studio scene. His music can be heard on numerous jingles, film scores, CDs and live productions. Matt has two CDs of original music, two published piano books, and more than 150 pieces of music published by Kendor Music, Walrus Music, Heritage JazzWorks and UNC Jazz Press. He has been commissioned to write music for bands from Australia, New Zealand and Japan, and many high schools and colleges throughout the country. His first solo piano CD titled From the Heart will soon be available with an accompanying book that includes lead sheets as well as fully notated piano scores.

Matt is currently Director of Jazz Studies at California State University Northridge, directing the award-winning Jazz "A" Band and teaching jazz arranging, improvisation, combos, jazz harmony, class piano, and private piano instruction. Matt often performs as a guest soloist and clinician at various Universities and High Schools.
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JAZZ BAND ADJUDICATOR
Bret Zvacek

 

 

Bret Zvacek is Professor of Music and Director of Jazz Studies at the Crane School of Music, Potsdam, New York, and has also served as an adjunct faculty member of the Jazz Studies department at McGill University, Montreal.

Bret was a member of the Jazz Studies Faculty at the University of North Texas where he taught improvisation and ensembles, and founded the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra. He is also president of the New York State unit of the International Association for Jazz Education. Bret's newly-released CD Day in May features all original music in a small group format. As a published composer and arranger for large jazz ensembles, Bret Zvacek has numerous compositions and arrangements to his credit, published by the University of Northern Colorado Jazz Press and Walrus Music.

Bret’s music has been performed and recorded by professional groups including the Count Basie Orchestra, the UMO Jazz Orchestra, the Army Jazz Ambassadors, the Air Force Band of Flight Night Flight Jazz Ensemble, and also by leading college and university groups at the Manhattan School of Music, University of North Texas, University of Northern Colorado and McGill University.

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GRADE 1 FESTIVAL ADJUDICATORS

GRADE 1 FESTIVAL ADJUDICATOR
Sarah Drew

 

 

Sarah Drew (B.Mus., Ed. Certif. Diploma of Fine Arts in Wind Band Conducting) has been involved in music and music education all of her life. Ms. Drew spent the last nine years at Elboya School in Calgary teaching ECS through Grade nine music. This involved a full Jr. High band program of concert bands and jazz ensembles as well as elementary music classes. Over the years, students and parents have nominated Sarah for the Teaching of Excellence Award and the Pan Canadian Teacher’s Choice Award and her band program received recognition from the Calgary Board of Education as a Program of Excellence.

She has co-written a beginning band method called Kodaly for Band which is in use in many schools across Canada and the USA, and is frequently invited to speak on this topic. Sarah has directed bands at the University of Calgary Summer Band Workshop, MusiCamrose as well guest conducts and adjudicates across the province. Ms. Drew’s love of music also extends to adults as she is the Founder and Artistic Director of the “Sher-Wood-Like-To-Play” adult community band in Calgary. Sarah lives in Cochrane, Alberta and is enjoying her new role as a freelance conductor and teacher in the Cochrane and Calgary areas.

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GRADE 1 FESTIVAL ADJUDICATOR
Patricia MacFarlane

 

Patricia MacFarlane has worked as a music educator in Calgary for 28 years. Under the direction of Mrs. MacFarlane the St. Stephen and St. Monica Junior High School bands achieved numerous local, provincial and national awards including three Gold awards from MusicFest Canada. Pat has worked as a teacher, guest conductor, guest speaker and adjudicator.

As an educator she has received a Teacher Plus Award from the Calgary Catholic School Board, the Alberta Band Association's Elkhorn Band Director of the Year Award and The C.O.A.T.S. Excellence in Teaching Award from the Province of Alberta. Pat is also a member of the Phi Beta Mu Fraternity.

Mrs. MacFarlane has performed with the Cosmopolitan Music Society and the Westwinds Music Society. She has worked as a conductor for the Calgary Round Up Band, the Mount Royal College Junior Regional Band and the Westwinds Music Society.

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GRADE 1 FESTIVAL ADJUDICATOR
Ross McIntyre

 

 

Ross McIntyre received his Music and Education degrees from the University of Calgary, completing his studies in 1987.

He is currently enjoying a teaching position as part of the music team at Lord Beaverbrook High School. Prior to his posting at Lord Beaverbrook, he taught at Bishop Pinkham Junior High School. Mr. McIntyre works extensively throughout western Canada as a clinician and as a guest conductor. In addition to his busy schedule, Ross is also the director of the Westwinds Jazz Orchestra.

In 1993 Ross was one of twenty teachers across the province to receive the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Alberta government and in 2001 he received the Tommy Banks Award for his contribution to jazz education in Alberta. In 2004 he was inducted into the Alberta Chapter of Phi Beta Mu. Most recently, in celebration of the University of Calgary’s Fortieth Anniversary, Ross was one of forty alumni selected as the University’s Top Forty Alumni for outstanding contribution to the community.

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