Participants in the 2006 International Saito Workshop - Saskatoon, SK, Canada

July 23 to 29, 2006

Latest update August 1, 2006

Aaron

Aaron Sivertson is a Winnipeg-based music educator. He has taught grades 1-12 music, choir, band, and jazz band in rural and city school divisions in Manitoba, with the bulk of his experience in grade 6-12 band and jazz band. He has also filled several roles in public school administration. He holds Bachelor's degrees in music and education from the Brandon University School of Music, and an Master of Music degree in conducting from the University of Manitoba. At the U of M, Aaron was able to study conducting, music education, and educational psychology with Dale Lonis and Fraser Linklater, and has also studied conducting with Earl Stafford (Royal Winnipeg Ballet), Glenn Price, Joe Missal, and Gary Hill. Aaron was principal trumpet of the U of M Wind Ensemble during his graduate conducting assistantship. He is in demand in and out of Manitoba as a brass and band clinician and guest conductor, and will be conducting one of the Saskatchewan Band Association summer band camps this summer. He currently holds an administrative position as the Facilities & Events Coordinator for the U of M Faculty of Music and will be pursuing Ph.D. studies in music education, conducting, and educational psychology in the near future.

Brendan

Brendan McKeen is a music student at the University of Manitoba where he studies flute. He was a member of the 2006 National Youth Band of Canada.

Chris

Chris Harper is in his sixth year as the Director of Bands for Screven County High School located in Sylvania, Georgia. He earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Valdosta State University. He has studied advance brass repair from the late Victor Zajec at the VanderCook School of Music in Chicago Mr. Harper is very active as a consultant and guest conductor for many marching and concert band programs throughout the state. As a musician, Mr. Harper has performed with the Albany Symphony Orchestra, Statesboro Symphony Orchestra, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, the Jekyll Island Musical Theatre Festival, and is active as a church musician throughout the region. He has performed with musical personalities such as Doc Severinsen, Ken Trimmins, and John Fedchock. Mr. Harper holds professional affiliation with Music Educators National Conference, Georgia Music Educators Association, National Band Association, and Professional Association of Georgia Educators. Mr. Harper is listed in editions of Who’s Who in America, the World, and in American Education.

Curtis

Curtis Krammer is a newbie to conducting, and teaches at a First Nations School west of Calgary. Two years ago, administration decided to start a Wind Band Program. With one summer conducting course from the University Of Calgary under the tutelage of Craig Kirchoff, Curtis now teaches 100 students from Grades 6 to 9 in Wind Band, as well as 300 Elementary students in General Music classes. This is Curtis's 9th year at Morley, and this Saito conducting course should prove to be exciting and challenging.

Daniel

Daniel Gilbert is a free-lance violinist in Memphis, Tennessee. He plays with the Memphis Symphony, Arkansas Symphony, and is Concertmaster of the Corinth Symphony in Mississippi. He is former member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra, where he also received a B.M. in Violin Performance from Roosevelt Unversity. He also holds a B.A. in Music/Liberal Arts from Indiana University and a Masters in Violin Performance from the University of Memphis.

Donald

Donald Lee is an Alberta band director currently teaching in Kuwait.

George

George Charpentier studied the Kodaly Concept in Hungary, the Orff Method and the Saito Method of Conducting method in addition to pursuing instrumental studies on piano, clarinet and voice. He taught instrumental music in schools, as well as privately. Additional experience includes teaching classroom music from kindergarten through Grade 12, and lecturing at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Alberta. Mr. Charpentier is the Co-ordinator of Instructional Services for Arts Education and Social Studies for the Saskatoon Catholic Schools, and an Associate Director of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra. He is also the conductor of the Saskatoon Concert Band and Saskatoon Philharmonic Orchestra.

Gerald

Born in Toronto where he studied at the University of Toronto, Gerald van Wyck has lived and worked in Vancouver since 1987. He is Head of Choral Activities at Vancouver Community College, where he also lectures in Music History. He is Music Director at West Vancouver United Church and Conductor of the Pacific Spirit Choir. He is also Assistant Conductor to Sinfonia Orchestra of the North Shore, under Clyde Mitchell, and the Vancouver Island Symphony Orchestra, under Marlin Wolfe, and is Music Director of the Vancouver Island Opera.

Jim
Master Warrant Officer James E. Tempest CD
Bandmaster, Band of the Fifteenth Field Artillery Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
Master Warrant Officer Jim Tempest joined the Band of the Fifteenth Field Regiment, RCA in 1985. During the twenty years he has been in the unit, he has worked as the band’s bass trombonist, leader of the dance band and assistant conductor. Over the years, he has participated as a student and later as an instructor in several summer music schools operated by the Canadian Forces Reserves in British Columbia and from 2001-2004, taught trombone at the Canadian Forces Music Training Company in Borden, Ontario. In 2003, MWO Tempest assumed the position of Bandmaster of the band and assumed the position of primary assistant to the director of music.
Jim holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance from Western Washington University and a Master of Arts Degree in Music Education from the University of British Columbia. He is active as a freelance musician in Vancouver and has taught at Vancouver Community College since 1995. In addition, Jim has a very active career teaching private lessons to young trombonists.

Karen

Dr.Karen Kress, clarinetist, clinician and teacher begins a job this fall as a high school band director.

Katharine

Katharine Rapoport is a violinist and violist living in Toronto. She has performed professionally for over 25 years as soloist, in chamber groups and in orchestras throughout Europe and N. America. Currently a member of Esprit Orchestra, an ensemble devoted to performing new music, her recent solo performances have included violin recitals in Calabria, Italy, a viola recital celebrating the Shostakovich Centenary on the Thursday Noon Series in Walter Hall, University of Toronto, and three lecture-recitals on the Beethoven Violin Sonatas at the Royal Conservatory of Music.
In addition to her performing commitments, Katharine teaches violin, viola and chamber music at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto, and at the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Her publications include serving as Series Editor for the Encore Series, a progressive six-volume collection of contemporary Canadian violin music. She has also compiled and edited several Violin and Viola Syllabi and Violin Albums for RCM Examinations and the Frederick Harris Music Company, the most recent of which is the Third Edition (2006), for which she also compiled a new graded Orchestral Excerpt book for violin, the first of its kind.
Katharine Rapoport has been the conductor of the RCM Chamber Orchestra since 2003. She received her M.A. from Cambridge University and her postgraduate Certificate of Advanced studies in Violin from the Guildhall School of Music, London. She pursued further postgraduate studies in viola at the Nordwestdeutsche Musikhochschule Detmold and Vienna Hochschule and in contemporary chamber music at the Accademia Chigiana, before coming to Canada in 1982. Her principal instrumental teachers were Yfrah Neaman, Bruno Giuranna and Hatto Beyerle, who was the founding violist of the Alban Berg Quartet.

Kemuel

Kemuel Wong is a music student at the University of British Columbia.

Michael

Michael A. Britcher is currently a student at the Boyer College of Music of Temple University, where he is pursuing a PhD in Music Education. His duties at the University include serving as a teaching assistant in Conducting, Brass Pedagogy and Instrumental Methods classes.
Prior to assuming his position at Temple, Mr. Britcher taught in the public school systems of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. Mr. Britcher has taught instrumental music at all levels, from elementary through college. Ensembles under his direction have consistently earned the highest ratings at adjudicated events throughout North America. Additionally, groups under his direction have performed at some of the most prestigious events in the nation, including the "National Invitational Concert Band and Orchestra Festival", presented by Heritage Festivals and the Bands of America "National Concert Band and Percussion Ensemble Festival".
Mr. Britcher has received numerous accolades for his teaching, including multiple listings in "Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers". He has been listed in Marquis "Who’s Who in America", for career accomplishments. In 2003, he was named the Cavalcade of Bands Association’s Director of the Year. He has been nominated for Disney’s "American Teacher Awards", and is a recipient of the "Ray A. Kroc Teacher Achievement Award", presented nationally by McDonald’s. Mr. Britcher has received four Citations of Commendation from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.
Mr. Britcher is an active member of the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s Association (PMEA), and currently serves as the District 12 President. He is a Life Member of Kappa Kappa Psi, the honorary band fraternity.

Michael

Michael Gilbert is director of the Music Masters Course in Kazusa, a chamber music course held in Japan near Tokyo. Each year he directs an orchestral course in La Coruna, Spain. For many years he was a violinist with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. He had a conducting lesson last year with Professor Okabe and looks very much forward to the course in Saskatoon.

Paul

Paul Arnold is from Kingston, Ontario. He writes "I am looking forward to the Saito workshop because it breaks down the conducting technique into a detailed system of movements. I think it will be very usual as a basis for my conducting technique. In the near future, I am starting full-time employment at Xanadu Music in August in Kingston. I am also hoping to complete an MFA program in conducting with Harold Farberman at Bard College in 2007-08 (which I am currently saving up for). I look forward to meeting all of you."

Paul Arnold completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, where he specialized in Composition. He is the founder and Music Director of the Spectrum Philharmonic and Divine Voices, based at Queens University in Kingston. He has studied conducting with Harold Farberman at the Conductors Institute at Bard College in New York as well as Jorma Panula at the National Arts Centre Programme in Ottawa. In Kingston, he has studied with Glen Fast and conducted the Kingston Symphony, Kingston Choral Society and Kingston Community Strings. Paul has produced and recorded 4 CDs of various choral and instrumental mediums. He also performs and teaches the classical guitar and cello in Kingston.

Stephen

Stephen Johnson studied composition at McGill University.

Uffe

Uffe Vors was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and immigrated to Canada in 1978. He lives in a town called Tisdale, situated in north east Saskatchewan. After teaching in the Sask school system for 20 years, he retired four years ago. He has studied and played music all his life, concentrating mostly on flute and saxophone.He has conducted and played in a Jazz Big Band and Concert Band, and has also conducted various school bands. Presently, he conducts the Tisdale Lions Community Band (30+ members of varying levels of ability) and two smaller youth ensembles in neighbouring communities. As a conductor he is mostly self taught, but has participated in many workshops over the years, and is always eager to learn more. Look forward to meeting you all!

Will

Will Happaniemi, native of California, is currently studying violin in New York.

Yvonne

Yvonne was born in the state of Montana, USA and raised in Yorkton, Saskatchewan. Yvonne's father Phil was a band /music teacher. Always part of the music programs of Yorkton through the years, Yvonne participated in the Fort San, SK jazz camps as a trombonist before studying music at the University of Regina. After earning a B.Mus.Ed, Yvonne worked as a professional trombonist with many groups big and small in a variety of genres, mostly jazz, classical and folk. She's worked with the Saskatchewan Express as a musician in the band, with the Bob Moyer Big Band, Poltava Orchestra, and assorted others. Passionate about community groups and teaching young people, she has worked with the Regina Police Band and Regina Lion's Band as an instructor. Yvonne has been teaching band, arts ed, guitar and choir in Regina Public schools since 1997. Yvonne has been the conductor with the Regina Community Orchestra since 1998 and the Regina Mandolin Orchestra since 2000. Currently Yvonne teaches at Martin Collegiate in Regina, SK.

Pianists

Bonnie
A native of Prince Albert, Bonnie Nicholson received her Bachelor of Music and Masters of Arts degrees from the University of Saskatchewan. She has studied extensively with Robin Harrison and has taken master classes from Claude Savard and Mark Westcott. Students from Bonnie's studio have consistently excelled at the provincal and national level. A much sought after accompanist, Bonnie performs frequently with baritone, Henri Loiselle, the Saskatoon Children's Choir, and with fellow pianist Diane Gryba "Les Quatre Mains". She servers as a sessional lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan and has performed as a guest artist with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra.

Dianne

Dianne Gryba, B.Mus, M. Arts, RMT, resides in North Battleford, Saskatchewan where she works as a teacher, accompanist and choral director. She holds a Master of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan where she studied piano with Robin Harrison. As a collaborative artist Dianne plays as often as possible with her duo partner, Bonnie Nicholson. She is regularly heard throughout the province as an accompanist for singers, instrumentalists and choirs.
Ms. Gryba has a great love of choral music, and she conducts an adult choir in the Battlefords, as well as directing a children's choir program involving over sixty young people. The senior auditioned group, Kamala, has been honored with a number of local and provincial awards since its formation in 2000. Dianne adjudicates festivals and facilitates workshops in the prairie provinces.

Former student and guest of Prof. Okabe

Kenneth

Canadian Conductor Kenneth Hsieh has emerged as one of Canada's rising young conductors to watch. The winner of the 2005 Heinz Unger Prize Award in conducting, Ken is currently the Conductor-in-Residence/Assistant Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Music Director/Principal Conductor of the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra.
Remaining dedicated to promoting young artists; Ken is also the Principal Conductor of the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra. The orchestra provides opportunities for young professional musicians to perform and work with local artists in professional settings. This past summer, Ken returned to Japan to conduct the Japan Junior Philharmonic Orchestra in a series of concerts that includes a benefit concert for the United Nations (World Food Program) with violinist Ryu Goto in the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space.
Ken is a graduate of both the Royal Conservatory of Music and the University of British Columbia where he majored in piano and percussion. He completed his post-graduate studies in orchestral conducting in Japan at the Toho Gakuen School of Music and the Senzoku College of Music on a full scholarship. Ken's conducting professors include: Kazuyoshi Akiyama, Morihiro Okabe, Yuji Yuasa, and Jorma Panula.
During his studies, Ken came to the attention of Seikyo Kim and was appointed as his assistant. He was subsequently appointed Assistant Conductor of the Pacific Music Festival (founded by Leonard Bernstein) where he worked with the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra and the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra. Prior to this appointment, Ken prepared the Geidai Philhamonia for the Martha Argerich Festival in Beppu (later conducted by Antonio Pappano). He has served as an assistant and collaborator to Bernard Haitink, Edo de Waart, Krzysztof Penderecki, Boris Brott Wen-Pin Chien, Bramwell Tovey, Yutaka Sado, Ken Takaseki, among others.
Previous posts have included positions with the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra, National Academy Orchestra and the Vancouver Sinfonietta Orchestra. In addition, Ken has been a guest conductor with orchestras in Europe, Finland, Taiwan, Canada, and Japan.