OBA Concert Band Festival - Adjudicator Bios
Colin Clarke
Colin Clarke is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra program, and maintains an active career as a sought-after conductor, clinician, and adjudicator.
A recipient of the Clifford Evans Award for Conducting at the University of Western Ontario, he completed further studies in conducting at the University of North Texas and at the Manhattan School of Music in New York. He was a recent participant of the International Conducting Workshop in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he conducted the symphonies of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky with the highly celebrated New Symphony Orchestra of Sofia, and studied with noted pedagogues Gustav Meier and Rossen Milanov. Colin made his Carnegie Hall debut last spring with the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra, and has been invited to return to Carnegie in 2011.
With a passion for music education and outreach, Colin maintains a commitment to working with young people and the community. He has conducted several all-city bands, orchestras and choirs across Ontario, and has lead the Provincial Honour Bands of Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island. In the spring of 2008 he will serve as conductor of the National Youth Band of Canada.
Richard Fischer
Dr. Richard Fischer, Distinguished Professor of Music, is in his 34th year as director of bands at Concordia University Chicago, River Forest, Ill. He received the bachelor of music education and master of music degrees from De Paul University and the doctor of musical arts degree from Michigan State University. He has also studied at Cornell College and the University of Northern Colorado.
Fischer conducts the Wind Symphony and University Band. He teaches basic and advanced level conducting courses as well as various music education courses. Fischer also observes student teachers.
Since Fischer's arrival in 1974, the Wind Symphony has played concerts and church services in 43 states and Canada. In May 2001, the Wind Symphony toured Germany, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary and Slovakia. During May, 2005 the ensemble toured China for three weeks. This ensemble performed at the 24th National Conference of the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), the 2003 Illinois Music Educators Conference and has recorded ten internationally sold compact discs of sacred wind music. The Wind Symphony has commissioned and premiered numerous major wind compositions. In the fall of 1995, the ensemble was invited to perform two concerts at Orchestra Hall in Chicago.
Fischer is in demand internationally as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator. He was named to the "A Team" of University Professors by the Chicago Tribune in 1994. He has held positions with numerous professional organizations, such as the communications director for the World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles in preparation for the 1995 conference in Hamamatsu, Japan. Since 1989, Fischer has served as music director for Ballet LeGere's production of the Nutcracker Ballet. For 17 years, he served as the assistant conductor of the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest.
Fischer's professional affiliations include the College Band Directors National Association, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Music Educators National Conference, Illinois Music Educators Association, and the National Band Association.
Dr. Richard Fischer has been a member of Concordia University Chicago's Foundation Board since 2003. He resides in River Forest, Illinois. He is married to Kathy ('77 CUC grad) and his children are Joy, Julie and Jonathan.
Sharon Fitzsimmins
Sharon Fitzsimmins, Mus. Bac, B.Ed, is a respected educator, international adjudicator, clinician and conductor. She is past president of The Ontario Music Educators' Association (OMEA) and currently co-editor of The Recorder, conductor at National Music Camp of Canada and examiner for The Royal Conservatory of Music. She has received numerous teaching, professional development and leadership awards. In November 2006, Sharon received the highest award from the OMEA, an Honorary Life Membership. Sharon is proud to have taught for thirty years at Barrie North Collegiate where she conducted award winning bands and choirs. Her book, Just one more time... was released in October 2004 and her resource manuals, An Earful, and Everything but the Kitchen Sink, have been well received by music educators in the past two years. Sharon is the editor of Best of The Recorder 2000-2007.
Ardith Haley
Ardith Haley received her Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Education degrees from Acadia University, Wolfville Nova Scotia. She was recently appointed Arts Education Consultant for the Department of Education of the Province of Nova Scotia, responsible for the delivery of education programs in drama, visual arts, dance and music. As a part-time faculty member at Acadia University, Ardith conducts the Acadia Symphonic Band and teaches music education courses. She is the Director of the Acadia Summer Band Camps, New Horizons Band, and is active as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator. A passionate and widely respected music educator, Ardith is well-known for her innovative teaching strategies, and students as well as teachers, benefit from her engaging workshops and professional development sessions. She is a recipient of the Musica Viva Award, in recognition of significant and continuing contributions to music education in Nova Scotia. Before moving to the Department, Ardith enjoyed a 27-year teaching career, successfully teaching instrumental and choral music to students in elementary, middle and high school.
Jennifer McAllister
Jennifer McAllister is on a maternity leave from Aden Bowman Collegiate in Saskatoon, SK. She has been a sessional lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan and is active as a guest conductor, clinician, adjudicator and flutist across Western Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Universities of Alberta, a Bachelor of Education from the University of Saskatchewan and a Masters degree in conducting from the University of North Texas. Jennifer has been President of the Saskatchewan Band Association and Vice-President of the Canadian Band Association and continues to work as a contributing editor of the Canadian Winds Journal. Third flute in the Saskatoon Symphony, she teaches flute privately. Before moving to Saskatchewan in 1998, Jennifer taught at Berkner High School in Richardson, Texas and was a teaching fellow at the University of North Texas. Jennifer and her husband Dean are enjoying their first child, nine month old, Phoebe.
John Phillips
John Phillips received his Music and Education degrees from the University of Western Ontario. He is presently completing his Masters of Music Education at Boston University.
John has been an active adjudicator, clinician and guest conductor across North America, Europe, Japan and the Caribbean for over 20 years. Earlier this year John adjudicated the Bands of America Grand National Championships and the U.S. Open Brass Band Championships. He is presently the judge administrator for Drum Corps International and is responsible for the training and supervision of over 150 adjudicators for some 160 events across the U.S. each summer.
John is currently serving as an Education Officer at the Ministry of Education leading the curriculum review for the Arts. He also acts as Principal of the in-service teacher training programs for the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto. John has been an instructor for both the University of Toronto and York University in the faculties of education and music. Prior to leaving teaching in the public system, John was a music department head at three major high schools in the York Region District School Board.
John's musical leadership has been extensive throughout Ontario. He served as Music Course Manager for the Ontario Educational Leadership Centre for 13 years. He served on music curriculum advisory and development teams for the Ministry of Education. He has been a board member for both the Ontario Music Educator's Association and the Ontario Band Association. He has written articles for the OMEA journal The Recorder, the CMEA Journal, the OBA newsletter In Harmony and the Ontario College of Teachers journal Professionally Speaking. John is a founding member of Phi Beta Mu, Lambda Iota Chapter.
As a performer, John has played in the London Symphony Orchestra, Brantford Symphony and the Forest City Brass Quintet. He spent two summers at the Banff School of Fine Arts under the leadership of the Canadian Brass, studying trumpet with Ronald Romm and Fred Mills.
He has guest conducted honour bands across Ontario as well as Illinois and Alabama. This year he will conduct the Eastern Kentucky Honour Band and the Manitoba Honour Band. Each summer, John conducts the Wind Ensemble at the National Music Camp of Canada.
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 ten years.
Connie Turner 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.
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 for Long & McQuade Music. 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.