The Short story
Brent is a freelance saxophonist (doubling on flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet and bassoon), composer, arranger and director of music. Known for his ability to direct various music ensembles in Guelph and the surrounding area, Brent is the founding director of the Centre Wellington Youth Band, the Guelph Youth Jazz Ensemble, the Village Band at the Village by the Arboretum and the New Horizons Band for Guelph. He is also the music director for the Cambridge Concert Band.
Brent has a solid career as a Jazz Educator and Performer. Recipient of Guelph’s Forty under Forty award for making a difference to the community, Brent also has performed across Canada on the saxophone, clarinet and flute at music festivals, concerts and various other gigs. He performs in a wide variety of jazz, world, Latin and improvised music ensembles. He has a great deal of experience with leading and teaching to achieve excellent musical performances.
The Long Story
Brent is a freelance saxophonist (doubling on flute, piccolo, clarinet, bass clarinet and bassoon), composer, arranger and director of music. Known for his ability to direct various music ensembles in Guelph and the surrounding area, Brent is the director of the Centre Wellington Youth Band, the assistant conductor of the Guelph Concert Band, is the Director of a new band program at The Village by the Arboretum and leads two youth jazz ensembles at his own teaching studio in Guelph. He was the assistant musical director for the PITP production of Grease held at the River Run centre in 2002, in 2003 was the musical director for Footloose and in 2004 for Bye Bye Birdie.
Growing up as the youngest member of a very musical family, Brent discovered jazz when he entered high school and joined the stage band, playing the baritone saxophone. At sixteen, he joined a professional jazz group that played various gigs in Guelph and the surrounding area. Upon leaving this group Brent co-founded an ensemble known as the Neobe Trio that played original material, classic jazz standards and contemporary music with a varied selection of world music influences. While playing in these groups Brent attended the University of Waterloo completing a Math degree.
Life after math led Brent to pursue his true calling in Humber College’s Jazz program. There he studied improvisation, composition and arranging with Pat Labarbera, Don Thompson, Brian Lilos, Mark Promane and Alex Dean and Phil Dwyer. He has completed both the Music diploma programme and the Bachelor of Music, Jazz Studies degree at Humber college.
Brent has a solid career as a Jazz Educator and Performer. He performs on the saxophone, clarinet and flute at music festivals, concerts and various other gigs. He performs in a wide variety of jazz ensembles ranging from straight ahead small groups to traditional big band groups, also exploring his musical creativity within the art of free jazz and original compositions. He has a great deal of experience with leading and teaching to achieve excellent musical performances.
Education
Performances
Directing
Teaching