Faculty - Classroom Instruction

Steve Kaldestad - Saxophone Ensemble

Steve Kaldestad photo by Brian Nation www.boppin.com

After 7 years with the world famous Regina Lions Junior Band, Steve left high school with a General Motors Award of Excellence to attend McGill University, where he studied with trumpet great Kevin Dean and Montreal bebop legend pianist/drummer André White, graduating with high distinction in 1994. That same year, Steve spent a month at the Banff Jazz Workshop with Kenny Wheeler, Mick Goodrick, Pat LaBarbera and John Clayton.

After spending 1995 in Toronto, Steve set up in Montreal again, recording a television special with singer Denzal Sinclaire as part of the 1996 Montreal Jazz Festival, and performing a concert with Maria Schneider at la Salle Gésu in 1997. He then spent a year in New York, taking lessons with jazz legend Lee Konitz and playing afternoon sessions with many great New York musicians.

Steve returned to Montreal in summer 1998 and enrolled in McGill University’s Masters Degree in Jazz Performance, this time studying with composer/pianist Jan Jarczyk. A highlight of this period would be when Steve was joined by guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel for a weekend at Upstairs Jazz Club. In May of 2000, Steve recorded an album of original music with fellow McGill alumni Tilden Webb, Dave Laing, Mike Downs, and Dave Mossing.

Steve moved to London, England in September 2000, where he played with many of the UK’s finest musicians, like Jamie Cullum, Humphrey Lyttelton, Steve Fishwick, Mike Carr, Jim Mullen, Geoff Gascoyne, Sebastiaan DeKrom, Tommy Whittle, Kate Williams, to name more than a few.

Steve is now based in Vancouver, British Columbia, where he is actively involved with the Jodi Proznick Quartet. The quartet was just named “Best Acoustic Jazz Group” at the 2008 Canadian National Jazz Awards and their album, “Foundations” on the CellarLive label won “Album of the Year”. “Foundations” was also nominated for Best Traditional Jazz Album at the 2008 Juno Awards. He leads his own quartet and will be recording a new CD in Spring of 2009. In
September 2008, Steve was thrilled to join the faculty of Capilano University as a saxophone instructor.

Mary Jo Bischoff - Ear Training

A gifted and versatile educator, Mary Jo specializes in voice technique, improvisation and ear training. She holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University, a Bachelor of Music in Composition from the University of Missouri, and a Music Diploma from Grant McEwan College.

Since 1984, Mary Jo has been performing coast to coast in the U.S. with her own Quartet and groups as diverse as the Kansas City Street Band, The Jim Weidner Orchestra, and the eclectic Chateau Debris. Her original blues fusion projects have earned grants, production awards, and radio and television appearances. She has also worked extensively in artist development, as a staff producer at Benchmark Sound Studios in Atlanta, and as a voice and song writing coach for LaFace Records artists.

Graham Boyle, Drum Set/Vibraphone/Percussion

In the classical field he has worked (for over 20 years) as an extra musician for the Vancouver Symphony. In addition, Graham was a founding member of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and has also performed with the CBC Orchestra and The New Music Society.

In the pop field, Graham has been heard on thousands of jingles, over a dozen film scores, numerous CDs and several television series including McGyver and Lonesome Dove. For his recordings with SIRE recording artist k.d. lang, Graham received Gold and Platinum Albums for both "Torch and Twang" and "Ingenue". This work with ms. lang led Graham to tour with her for almost a year, including appearances on the Johnny Carson Show, Jay Leno Show, two Arsenio Hall Shows, a PBS special, MTV "Unplugged", three BBC productions and the 35th Annual Grammy Awards Show as well as live "gigs" on stages throughout the world, including Radio City Music hall in NYC and the Royal Albert Hall in London. Graham also played drums on Canadian superstar Jann Arden's western Canadian tour which included five concerts with the legendary Bob Dylan.

Despite his busy schedule, Graham has remained active in Vancouver's very talented jazz community and is a regular performer at many of the local venues with a variety of this city's finest jazz musicians. He also created the Monday Night Big Band series at the Hollywood North Jazz Club. In 1985, Graham was honoured with the "Jazz Act of the Year" award at the CARAS Association's West Coast Music Award Show. Graham also feels fortunate to have accompanied a number of internationally famous jazz artists during their visits to Vancouver, including Barney Kessel, Gene Bertoncini, Don Thompson, Kenny Wheeler, Mark Murphy, Holly Cole, Bobby Shew, Pat Barbera, John Handy, Eddie Harris, John McNeil, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick Jr., and in what was a career highlight, Graham had the honour to accompany jazz legend Chet Baker on his last two visits to Vancouver.

Jared Burrows

Jared Burrows Photo: Steve Bagnell

Dr. Jared Burrows is a guitarist and composer educator based in Vancouver. He leads the Jared Burrows Trio and Quartet, co-leads the East Van Jazz Orchestra and is involved with a huge variety of other musical projects including Djangophilia, Sukha Trio, the Knotty Ensemble, Colin MacDonald's Pocket Orchestra, Len Aruliah Quartet, the Indo-jazz fusion band Ta Ki Ta and the Chinese music/jazz fusion group Koan to name a few. He currently teaches at Capilano University, Simon Fraser University, Douglas College, and the Stanford Jazz Workshop and serves as the Artistic Director of the South Delta Jazz Festival and Jazz Workshop programs. He holds a Ph.D. in Education from Simon Fraser University and a M.Mus. in Jazz Studies from the University of Oregon, where he taught in the Jazz Studies department. In addition to performing and composing, his research interests include cognitive theories applied to improvisation and Confucian, Taoist and Sufi philosophies applied to problems in music education. His work has been published in a variety of periodicals and has been presented at conferences across North America and the UK.

For more information please visit Jared's website - www.jaredburrows.com

Bill Coon

Guitarist, composer and arranger Bill Coon has shared the stage with several jazz greats including Jimmy Heath and Eddie Daniels. Although best known for his collaboration with award winning vocalist Denzal Sinclaire, he is now gaining recognition with his own ensemble the Bill Coon Trio.

Bill performs with some of Canada's top musician's including Ross Taggart Campbell Ryga, and Oliver Gannon. He appears on CD's with Sinclaire, Karin Plato, Mike Allen, Steve Maddock, Wow Jazz Orchestra, Altsys Jazz Orchestra and the Jill Townsend Big Band. He is also a sought after arranger/composer and has had his works performed by the NAC Orchestra, the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and Woody Herman.

A former faculty member of Montreal's Concordia University, Bill presently teaches guitar and composition at Capilano University. He has studied with guitarist Jim Hall and composer Neil Chotem, in part thanks to the Canada Council.

Linda Falls - Class Piano

Born in Vancouver, Ms. Falls took her degrees in piano performance at the University of British Columbia where she studied with Barbara Custance, Bob Rogers and Dale Reubart. Further coursework was done in Kodaly and Orff methodologies at UBC as well as piano methodology at Teacher's College, Columbia University (New York) and post-graduate coursework in Music History and piano at the University of Southern California.

Ms. Falls has taught theory, history, piano, ear training and pedagogy. She has considerable administrative experience as a past music co-ordinator and private music facilitator. Professionally Ms. Falls continues her performance activities in chamber music and instrumental and vocal accompaniment. Ms. Falls is interested in computer applications in music and continues to explore this interesting field.

Kate Hammett-Vaughan

Nova Scotia-born, Vancouver-based singer Kate Hammett-Vaughan is one of Canada's preeminent jazz vocalists. Equally acclaimed for her interpretations of jazz standards and for her improvising work with avant-garde groups such as the NOW Orchestra, she has received two JUNO nominations since 1994. Her performing and recording career spans more than two decades and a half a dozen record labels. Hammett-Vaughan's diverse musical projects include guest hosting of CBC television and radio shows and collaborations with modern dance and performance artists. http://katehv.com/index.php

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. - Paul McCartney Peace is the greatest treasure under heaven. - Lao Tzu

For more information on Kate Hammett-Vaughan and her music, please visit her website at http://www.katehv.com

Allen S. Hawirko - Commercial Relations in music

Publicly known as "Al Harlow" for his work as a founding member of the international recording group PRISM, Al Hawirko's two JUNO awards and six platinum-selling LPs speak for his profile on the Canadian music scene.

Actively writing in the music industry, Al has sat on the Board of Directors at the Pacific Songwriters' Association and is now an Honourary Member, lecturing at PSA workshops.

Ihor Kukurudza - Small Ensemble/Improvisation

Ihor holds a regular faculty position in the Jazz Studies Program at Capilano University as an instructor of Improvisation, Small Ensemble, and Private Music for guitar. He has also held the positions of Facilitator of Private Music Instruction for the Music Department and has served as Coordinator for the Jazz Studies Program.

Although already an accomplished jazz guitarist, Ihor has chosen in recent years to make a focused commitment to refining his skills and further developing his personal approach. He performs regularly with his trio, and has recently completed the production and release of his first featured CD, As It Was. He also continues to perform in a free-lance capacity where, in addition to work with Phil Nimmons, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and CBC Television, he has to his credit several major Broadway productions, and has performed with Harry Connick Jr., Skywalk, Juno Award winners Fraser MacPherson, Brad Turner, Hugh Fraser, and PJ Perry; recording artists David Foster, Bernadette Peters, Shari Ulrich, and Jerry Reed, and was a contributing performer on the Canadian Anthology of Jazz CD.

Ihor initially began developing his diverse musical skills in Toronto, working in a number of recording studios, CBC and CTV television variety shows, and CBC Radio. His experience there also includes performances with such jazz notables as Ed Bickert, Don Thompson, Phil Nimmons, Pat LaBarbera, Dave McMurdo, and Pepper Adams.

Steve Maddock

Steve was a student at Capilano University from 1990-1993 and has been instructing at the college since 1996. He freelances as a jazz, pop and classical vocalist, having performed on radio and television, and at numerous festivals and concert venues both at home and abroad. He is also an active member of Vancouver's thriving theatre industry. Some recent shows include The Sound of Music, Annie, South Pacific and two lengthy runs of My Fair Lady with the Arts Club Theatre Company. Steve recently recorded a jazz album of show tunes with Bruno Hubert (piano), Andre Lachance (bass), Paul Townsend (drums), Bill Coon (guitar) and Campbell Ryga (sax).

Réjean Marois

As a faculty member of the Jazz Studies program, Réjean conducts two vocal jazz ensembles, NiteCap and Capital Jazz, as well as the University's "A" Band. He also teaches vocal improvisation, arranging and composition, and conducting. Réjean's involvement with the Capilano University Jazz Series concerts has included performances of NiteCap and "A" Band with internationally renowned jazz artists. These include: pianists Kenny Werner and Cedar Walton; arrangers Bob Mintzer, Fred Stride and Dave McMurdo; vocalists Kurt Elling, Ranee Lee, Dee Daniels, Denzal Sinclair and Nnenna Freelon. Réjean has published original works for jazz band, choir, jazz choir and concert band. For more than 15 years, he has been in demand throughout North America as a clinician, adjudicator, conductor, music advisor and arranger.

Rob McKenzie - Theory, Small Ensemble

Composer, conductor, performer and teacher, Rob McKenzie brings to his work a lifetime of experience in the Vancouver music scene. His interest in composition stems from early experimentation with pop, rock, and jazz improvisation. This lead to jazz and classical training in Vancouver, Los Angeles, and Toronto, culminating in a Masters degree in music composition from the University of British Columbia.

McKenzie's works, among them Indigo, Bala de Plata, Veils, Fiddlehead Shuffle, and Vicious Circle have been recorded and performed on CBC Radio, Pro-Musica's Sonic Boom series, as well as the Vancouver and Montreal International Jazz festivals and the 2002 Festival Vancouver.* Recent completed works include commissions for the Festival Vancouver Jazz Orchestra, the Little Chamber Music Series That Could, Richmond Secondary School, and the North American Saxophone Alliance. He is an Associate member of the Canadian Music Centre and his works are published by Warwick Music.

As a trombonist, Rob has performed with orchestras, chamber ensembles, big bands, jazz and rock groups, played in concerts, musicals, with touring groups and on studio sessions for television and radio with Phil Woods, Bud Shank, Maynard Ferguson, Slide Hampton, Bill Waltrous, Louie Bellson, Muhal Richard Abrams, Clark Terry, Kenny Wheeler, Natalie Cole, Hugh Fraser, Phil Nimmons, Phil Woods, Bud Shank and Rob McConnell.* A regular with the Alan Matheson Septet, he also leads his own group Solid Brass, a jazz nonet featuring five of the West Coast's finest trombonists.

In his role as educator, Rob has taught composition, trombone, theory, world music, jazz pedagogy, large and small ensembles at Capilano University since 1989.

Grace McNab

Grace McNab, coordinator of Jazz Studies at Capilano University, has been a college and university lecturer for over twenty-five years and is acclaimed for her imaginative theory teaching and versatile musicianship. Her broad training and professional experience includes a Master's degree in music theory and work in classical piano performance, visual art and composition.

Bradshaw Pack

Bradshaw Pack is the recipient of numerous commissions and awards including the 2002 Joseph Stauffer Prize as awarded by the Canada Council for achievements in music. Bradshaw holds a Master of Music from the University of British Columbia and has since augmented his studies with David Lang in New York, and Kees Boeke in Italy. He has composed works for Lori Freedman, Francois Houle, Vancouver New Music, the Standing Wave Ensemble, Kate Hammet-Vaughn, Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Talking Pictures, Sal Ferreras, and is currently working on pieces for the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble and the Turning Point Ensemble. Pack's CD Alogos was released by Spool Records in 2001, and was unanimously described by critics as "innovative" and "thrilling."

Brad Turner

Brad Turner's phenomenal talents as a trumpeter, pianist, drummer and composer make him one of Canada’s most in-demand and highly esteemed musicians. Brad has performed and/or recorded with such artists as Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, John Scofield, Michael Moore, Reneé Rosnes, Jimmy Greene, Ingrid Jensen, Dylan van der Schyff, Mike Murley, Seamus Blake, Charles McPherson and Michael Blake. Brad's groups have opened for McCoy Tyner, Roy Haynes, Wayne Shorter, Clark Terry, Diana Krall and Tony Bennett.

As a leader, Brad has released six albums, five as a trumpeter with his quartet, the most recent being the 2007 release Small Wonder.

What Is, released in 2005, won Best Jazz Album, at the 2006 Western Canadian Music Awards. As a pianist with his trio, the 2004 release, Question the Answer was nominated for a 2005 Canadian Urban Music Award, and a 2006 Canadian Indie Music Award.

In 1997 and 1998 Brad won Juno Awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Album recognizing his work in the internationally established electric jazz group Metalwood.

Winner of National Jazz Awards for Jazz Composer of the Year (2000 and 2002), Brad was awarded Musician of the Year for 2005, and was a recipient of 2006 Victor Lynch-Staunton Prize for excellence in musical achievement.

Brad took home National Jazz Awards this year for Trumpeter of the Year and Producer of the year.