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Tentative sample schedule:
PMR24 Guest Faculty
Guest Conductor: Dr. David Thornton
Dr. David Thornton is regarded as one of the foremost euphonium players and teachers of his generation and has a global reputation. His work as a soloist, conductor and educator is renowned throughout the brass playing world to have a distinct hallmark of extreme virtuosity, professionalism and an ability to connect with audiences like few others in his field.
His work within the brass band world has seen him at the top flight for almost twenty years. He has held solo euphonium positions with the Fairey Band (1997-2000), the Black Dyke Band (2000-2010) and the Brighouse & Rastrick Band (2011-2015) having won five National titles, three British Opens and one European Championship during this time. David is currently the solo euphonium player with the world famous Foden’s Band.
Born in Nottingham in 1978, David began his euphonium lessons at just eight years old and only five years later became the first ever euphonium player to gain a place at Chetham’s School of Music, one of the UK’s most prestigious institutions for specialist musical education.
Since then his success has earned him many awards, such as scholarships from the Countess of Munster Trust and the Yamaha Music Foundation of Europe, a hatrick of solo awards at the National Euphonium Conference 1995, 1997 and 1999, first prize at the Verso Il Millenio International Euphonium Competition, but most notably as the International Euphonium Player of the Year 2001.
David is constantly working to seek out new solo repertoire in as many different guises as possible. He has given world premieres by composers such as Philip Wilby, Peter Meechan, Simon Dobson, Torstein Aagaard-Nilsen, Peter Graham, Phillip Venables, Lucy Pankhurst, Richard Rock, Kit Turnbull and D. Edward Davis.
As a recording artist David has released four solo albums. His debut CD, ‘Three Worlds’, was awarded Solo CD of the Year for 2004 by the British Bandsman magazine. David released his second solo album, ‘Devil’s Duel’ in May 2007, Sempre Libera in January 2014 and Parallel Realities in March 2015. Furthermore, David features as a soloist on 30 different albums of band music, including ‘Epic Brass’ and ‘Jubilee Brass’ – live recordings of two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall.
Considering David’s relatively young age, his achievements in education are also quite remarkable. He tutors at the RNCM, the University of Huddersfield and Chetham’s School of Music. His current and former students already hold principal positions in many leading bands around the UK.
David is a course director for the Bolsover Brass Band Summer School and has been a course tutor for the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain, National Youth Brass Band of Wales, National Children’s Brass Band of Great Britain, National Youth Wind Orchestra of Great Britain, the International Brass Band Summer School (Swansea) and the Wessex Band Summer School. David is also a fully certified member of ABBA.
David Thornton is a Sterling Musical Instruments performing artist and consultant and plays exclusively on the Sterling Virtuoso Euphonium. He also holds an undergraduate degree from the Royal Northern College of Music and a DMA from the University of Salford.
Guest Soloist: Amy Ewen (Baritone)
Amy Ewen is the Principal Baritone for the Amersham Band.
She received a First Class Honours degree from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (2016 – 2020) under the tutorage of Matthew White and Philippe Schwartz. During her studies, she was a member of the Grimethorpe Colliery Band. She enjoys performing in prestigious venues such as Symphony Hall, Royal Hall and the Royal Albert Hall, and is most recently heard on the BBC Children in Need charity album “Got It Covered”. Amy also appeared as a guest soloist alongside Peter Moore and Philip Cobb at the Great Birmingham Brass Festival 2020, where she performed Peter Graham’s “Concerto for Baritone”.
Amy is the founding member of the tuba quartet, When Tuba Come One – winners of the 2019 International Tuba and Euphonium Association Ensemble Competition, the 2020 Bernard Brown Brass Ensemble Prize and the 2020 Town Hall Symphony Hall Prize. She is also a founding member of the brass quartet, Northern Quarters, where she continues to promote the baritone in unique instrumental settings. Amy also enjoys performing her baritone across other genres, such as orchestral pop with Ollie West & the Wildflowers and also in Birmingham Opera Company’s 2019 production of “Lady Macbeth of Mtsenk” with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.
Amy was the Principal Baritone for the world-famous Brighouse & Rastrick Band and became the first female baritone player to be appointed in the institution’s 140-year history, at the tender age of 21.
Guest Percussion Directors: Dr. Michelle Colton & Alejandro Céspedes (Oregano Percussion)
Dr. Michelle Colton
A versatile percussionist who has performed throughout North America, Asia, Europe, and Central America. She often performs with the Canadian Opera Company, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Soundstreams, Esprit Orchestra, Niagara Symphony, and her duo Oregano Percussion. She has also performed with NEXUS, Keiko Abe, and Dame Evelyn Glennie. Her solo album, Unpredictable Nature includes original compositions as well as works by TorQ Percussion members. She can also be heard on the JUNO Award-winning album, Detach. She earned her Doctorate and Master of Music degrees from the University of Toronto and her Bachelor of Music from the University of Iowa. She has directed steel pan ensembles at the University of Toronto, Royal Conservatory, and the Toronto District School Board. She has been guest faculty with the Birch Creek Percussion and Steel Pan Academy, Prairie Music Residency, and the Iowa Ambassadors of Music European tours. Dr. Colton directs the University of Toronto Percussion Preparatory Department and serves as the Ontario Percussive Arts Society President. She is an artist/endorser of Pearl/Adams and Dream Cymbals. www.michellecolton.com
Alejandro Céspedes, M.Mus
A percussionist and educator who studied at the University of Toronto and Amadeo Roldán Conservatory in Havana, Cuba. Céspedes performs classical percussion, body percussion, Latin percussion and steelpan. He is the principal percussionist of the Ontario Pops and Casa Loma Symphony Orchestras and has performed with the National Opera and Ballet Orchestra of Cuba, as well as the Niagara, Kingston, TO Live, and Toronto Symphony Orchestras. He has performed with Bobby McFerrin, Jane Bunnett, the Buena Vista Social Club, and was featured at the Toronto Body Percussion Festival. He was a musician/dancer/actor for Venom of Love and The Power of Harriet T! As an educator, Céspedes founded and conducted the steelpan ensembles at Music By The Lake (Toronto District School Board Music Camp) and the Regent Park School of Music, which performed with 2Cellos and events such as the Luminato and Toronto Jazz Festivals. He has also taught percussion at the National Music Camp of Canada, Manuel Saumell and Amadeo Roldán Conservatories in Havana. He has presented body percussion workshops at Lizt Alfonso Dance Company in Havana and McGill University in Montreal. Céspedes is an artist/endorser of Pearl/Adams Musical Instruments, and Humes & Berg.
Guest Ensemble: Little Brown Jug Brass
Little Brown Jug Brass is a quirky, joyful, exuberant brass band that revels in providing fun and unique perspectives on dance tunes.
Known as ‘the brass party band that everyone wants to dance to,’ this Calgary based group of classically trained, versatile musicians are as comfortable playing house concerts as they are playing in pubs or more formal occasions.
Using only horn and percussion instrumentation, LBJB is best known for their humour, high energy, and entertaining live performances. Mix that with their delightfully unpredictable arrangements of whimsical song choices, and you have a band that consistently appeals to everyone from children to octogenarians!
https://littlebrownjugbrass.com/
Dr. Kayla Solomon (Cornets)
Dr. Kayla Solomon (she/her) is a trumpet performer and educator based in Los Angeles, California, who finds deep fulfillment in sharing her passion for music and her commitment to sports and performing arts medicine.
In the summer of 2023, Dr. Solomon had the privilege of serving as the lead trumpet performer at Valleyfair, an experience that allowed her to connect with audiences through her love for music. Her journey in the world of music has included some notable highlights, such as her first-place win in the brass division of the 2017 Federation of Canadian Music Festivals competition and her successful participation in the 2019 UCLA All-Star Competition.
One of Dr. Solomon’s cherished memories was her contribution to the recording of Ian Krause’s Symphony No. 5 in Seoul, South Korea, as a member of the Seocho Philharmonia. Additionally, she co-founded Power of Two, a Canadian-based trumpet and piano duo, dedicated to showcasing the works of Canadian and underrepresented composers. The duo’s commissioned piece, “The Stars of November” by Kenley Kristofferson, received recognition when it won the Bronze Medal in the Emerging Artist category at the Global Music Awards in January 2022.
Dr. Solomon’s academic journey has been marked by dedicated study under esteemed mentors. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and has benefited from the guidance of renowned teachers such as Ronald Romm, Dr. Amy Gilreath, and Tito Carrillo. She also holds a Master of Music degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, where she studied with Jens Lindemann, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University, Canada, where she studied with Dr. Edward Bach. Her ongoing mentorship with Dr. Carole Dawn Reinhart, Professor Emeritus from the Vienna School of Performing Arts, has played a vital role in her artistic growth.
Dr. Solomon’s dedication to education is an extension of her love for music. She has had the privilege of teaching grade 6-12 students at Killarney School, including math instruction for grade 9 students. As an adjunct trumpet instructor at MusicFit Academy, she is committed to nurturing the talents of students of all ages through both online and in-person private trumpet lessons.
Beyond her musical pursuits, Dr. Solomon’s interest in sports medicine has led her to focus on overuse embouchure injury prevention for trumpet players. Her research reflects her dedication to the well-being of fellow musicians. In addition to her scholarly pursuits, she is a well-rounded athlete who has been part of various sports teams, including the Brandon University Women’s Volleyball team, the UCLA Club Sports Volleyball team, and the University of Illinois Waterski team. Dr. Solomon’s commitment to the performing arts has also led her to become certified in the Essentials of Performing Arts Medicine by the Performing Arts Medicine Association.
Dr. Solomon uses Pickett mouthpieces, Soulo mutes, and is a Robinson’s Remedies endorser.
Cathy Stone (trombones)
A freelance musician for over 25 years, Cathy has served as an extra or substitute trombonist with all of the major orchestras in southern Ontario, including the National Ballet Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic and numerous productions at the Stratford Festival. She also performs regularly on trombone and baritone with the Hannaford Street Silver Band. Formerly, she was a tenured member of the Albany Symphony Orchestra in central New York, and a founding member of the Trillium Brass Quintet, which performed dynamic concerts, education shows and choir collaborations across Ontario and the United States for over 20 years. Cathy serves as a low brass specialist for several private schools and arts-focused public high schools, and maintains a private teaching studio. Cathy is a sessional lecturer in the Music Education department at the University of Toronto. She lives in Toronto with her two sons.
Michael Eastep (Tubas)
Michael Eastep, Tuba, attended Florida State, North Texas State, and the University of Calgary, as well as working privately with Arnold Jacobs, of the Chicago Symphony. He belonged to the Fellowship Program at Tanglewood and performed with the American Wind Symphony. From 1975-1982 he was Principal Tuba with the Winnipeg Symphony and the CBC Winnipeg Orchestra, also working with the Winnipeg Brass Ensemble during this time. In 1982 he became Principal Tuba with the Calgary Philharmonic and held the position until he retired in 2016. He taught Tuba and Euphonium at the University of Calgary until moving to the Edmonton area in 2019. Since that time, he has embraced the opportunity to perform on Eb Tuba with the Mission Hill Brass Band and the Mill Creek Colliery Band.
Stacey Mortenson-Spokes (Horn)
Stacey Mortenson-Spokes holds the position of 4th horn in the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, serves as a sessional lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan, and is the music director at Evan Hardy Collegiate, where she conducts the concert bands, jazz bands, drumline, choir, and several jazz combos. Stacey’s teaching career began 29 years ago in Lloydminster, where she spent a decade teaching with Lloydminster Public School Division and Lakeland College. Returning home to Saskatoon in 2006, Stacey has since taught music at Centennial Collegiate, Walter Murray Collegiate and Evan Hardy Collegiate. Stacey’s ensembles perform often and have traveled extensively across Canada, consistently receiving top awards at festivals, including the National Festival (Musicfest Canada). Stacey enjoys guest conducting and adjudicating in Saskatchewan, and in the fall of 2013, she founded the Saskatoon Serenade, Saskatoon’s first all-female concert band of 40+ lovely musicians. Stacey is a proud recipient of the Keith Mann Outstanding Canadian Band Director Award at Musicfest Canada (2016) and the Saskatchewan Band Association’s Distinguished Band Director Award (2017). Ms. Mortenson-Spokes is passionate about music education and its value in shaping students’ lives. Her Master of Music Education research thesis highlighted post-pandemic band programs and the value of continuing music programs through adversity.
Darrell Bueckert (Percussion)
Darrell first played with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra as a section
percussionist in the spring of 1980 while he was still in high school. That
fall he joined the orchestra as Timpanist, and played here for four seasons
before moving to Winnipeg for studies. He returned to the Timpanist
position in Saskatoon in 1989, and has been anchoring that spot ever
since. While Darrell was in Winnipeg he performed regularly with the
Winnipeg Symphony, the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Orchestra and the
Manitoba Chamber Orchestra as a section percussionist. Following his
studies in Winnipeg Darrell returned to Saskatoon for two more years of
university (1986-1988), during which time he served as Principal
Percussionist for the SSO.
As an orchestral percussionist Darrell has played for numerous
internationally known conductors and performers, Broadway musicals and
touring ballets, as well as local choirs and theatre groups. Darrell also
performs with other ensembles using a variety of instruments he has
collected over the years. On any given weekend he might be found
around the city busking, performing as a soloist on marimba, playing
drum set for a local band, or performing the music of Central and South
America on hand percussion.
When Darrell is not performing he is busy teaching percussion, both at
home in his private teaching studio, and as Applied Percussion Instructor
and Sessional Lecturer in Music Education at the University of
Saskatchewan. His home studio is also where he runs a small recording
business (Seashell Sound Productions). Over the years Darrell has helped
many local artists record and produce their work.
Darrell has also released two of his own CDs: Out of the Blue (2002), a
collection of his own hymn arrangements, and Seashells & Turtles (1999), a
collection of Mexican and Guatemalan folk songs for marimba which he
recorded with this friend Scott Tunison under the name Rosewood
Marimba Duo. Both recordings were nominated for outstanding
instrumental recording at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Darrell’s
performances, compositions and arrangements have also been recorded
by CBC radio and featured on CBC radio Saskatchewan.
Darrell is a graduate of the University of Manitoba (B.A.) and the
University of Saskatchewan (B. Mus. Mus. Ed. and M. Ed. in instrumental
music).
Dr. Sofia Mycyk – Faculty Recital Accompanist
Dr. Sofia Mycyk has performed as soloist with orchestras in Canada, the United States and most recently with the Stratford Symphony Orchestra. She has been featured at the Landowska Harpsichord Society in Chicago, Thursday Musical recital series in Minneapolis, the Lyell Gustin Recital Series, and the Ritornello Chamber Music Festival. Performance highlights include the Lakes Area Music Festival, PianoFest in the Hamptons, as well as a performance of Colin McPhee’s Piano Concerto in Ted Mann Concert Hall, as winner of the University of Minnesota concerto competition. Her first album, titled Hutsulian Watercolours, features solo piano music by Ukrainian composers.
As a collaborative pianist Sofia performed with soprano Katya Khartova in a live streamed recital “Ukrainian Art Song on a Starlit Night” presented by the Saskatoon Opera. In further collaboration with local arts organizations, Sofia taught a series of online lectures titled ‘On Bach’s Time – His Life in Music’ presented by the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra.
Dr. Mycyk earned her degree of Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Minnesota where she held a Teaching Assistantship in Collaborative Piano. Currently she serves as a Sessional Lecturer in the Department of Music at the University Saskatchewan. Sofia resides in Saskatoon; teaching, performing and collaborating.
Dean McNeill (Cornet/Trumpet )
Downbeat magazine award winning Canadian trumpet player/composer Dean McNeill is
a Full Professor at the University of Saskatchewan where he has taught applied trumpet,
trumpet choir, jazz history, jazz ensemble, jazz materials, jazz improvisation, jazz
pedagogy, and jazz arranging for many years. Dean holds music degrees from the
University of North Texas (Masters), McGill University (Undergraduate), and Grant
MacEwan College (Music Diploma). Dean has recently released two critically acclaimed
CDs respectively entitled Prairie Fire: Large Jazz Ensemble Music of Dean McNeill and
Mélange: New Music For Trumpet and Piano (http://www.msrcd.com/1294/1294.html).
A recipient of the U of S Department of Music’s Dwaine Nelson Teaching Award Dean
has performed and adjudicated throughout Canada and the United States and has
performed both classical and jazz repertoire on CBC Radio. Dean has performed on the
Western Canadian Music Awards Classical Showcase concert and he was recently the
guest soloist with both the National Youth Band of Canada and the New Edmonton Wind
Synfonia.
In 2011 Dean will record with the New Edmonton Wind Synfonia, Allan Gilliland’s solo
trumpet/wind ensemble piece entitled ‘Kalla’. Kalla was premiered by Dean and the 2008
National Youth Band of Canada.
Dean has composed and arranged music for symphony orchestra, wind ensemble, large
and small brass ensembles, jazz combo, and large jazz ensemble. Dean’s arrangements of
the jazz standard All of You won an award from Downbeat Magazine for University
Student Arrangement of the Year.
Prairie Fire CD is a complication of McNeill’s arrangements and original compositions
orchestrated for large jazz ensemble, as performed by an outstanding all-Canadian jazz
ensemble which includes Hugh Fraser, Campbell Ryga, Mike Rud, Ted Warren, Kelly
Jefferson, Mike Heriott, Brian O’Kane, Mike Downes, Greg Gatien, and many others.
Mélange: New Music for Trumpet and Piano CD is a jazz/classical hybrid (i.e. a
mixture of western Canadian classical repertoire) as performed by McNeill and
acclaimed Canadian pianist Bonnie Nicholson with the jazz repertoire performed by
McNeill and two-time Juno award winning Canadian jazz pianist Jon Ballantyne.
In the jazz idiom Dean has performed with the Banff Centre Jazz Orchestra, Vancouver
Jazz Orchestra, Birth of the Cool Repertoire Project, Art Blakey Tribute Project, Art
Pepper + 11 tribute project, and with the likes of Kenny Wheeler, Pat LaBarbera, Michael
Cain, Denzal Sinclaire, P.J. Perry, Bobby Caldwell, Carol Welsman, Hugh Fraser, Tommy
Banks, Bob Mintzer, Rob McConnell, Brad Turner, Campbell Ryga, Kelly Jefferson,
Robert Younge, among others.
Dean currently directs the Metro Jazz Ensemble of Saskatoon http://
www.deanmcneill.com/music/ metrojazz.html and has led many of his own jazz combotouring projects throughout Western Canada. He has performed as a featured guest artist
with the Edmonton Jazz Orchestra, Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, Washington State Jazz
Ensemble 1 (Pullman, Washington), Crane School of Music Jazz Ensemble 1 (Potsdam,
New York), Brandon University Jazz Ensemble 1 (Brandon, Manitoba), and the
University of Manitoba Jazz Ensemble 1 (Winnipeg, Manitoba).
In the classical idiom Dean has been a member of the Saskatchewan Brass Quintet
(Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), the Blue Bonnet Brass (Fort Worth, Texas), and the Red Deer
(Alberta), Irving (Texas), and Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) Symphony Orchestras. He has
performed as a soloist in numerous classical recitals (e.g. University of Alberta
(Edmonton, Alberta), Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama), Oklahoma State University
(Stillwater, Oklahoma), University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan)), and at
the 2007 Western Canadian Music Awards (Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan).
Dean’s administrative service includes serving on the board of Jazz Canada (i.e. the
Canadian chapter of the International Association of Jazz Education), Canadian Music
Centre (i.e. Prairie Region Board), Saskatoon Jazz Society board, and as Head of the
Department of Music at the University of Saskatchewan. Dean has been the Musical
Director of the Texas Lone Star Film Awards, the Edmonton Jazz Society’s Little Bird Big
Band, and the Edmonton Jazz Society’s Jazz Works music workshop. On multiple
occasions Dean has been an adjudicator for the Western Canadian Music Awards, Alberta
Foundation for the Arts Scholarships, Canadian Juno Awards, International Trumpet
Guild’s Jazz Trumpet solo competition, and, the Saskatoon Community Foundation.
Dean has been a Yamaha Canada artist for many years. He currently plays the Yamaha
YTR835RG (Bb Xeno), the YTR8445G (C Xeno), YTR9830 (Piccolo), TFH6310Z
(Flugel horn), TR9610 (Eb/D), and the TCR-731 (Cornet).
For more information on Dean’s current performance activities and published articles
please visit www.deanmcneill.com..