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Dr. John Brough - Choral
John Brough began music lessons at an early age, singing as a boy chorister with the Men and Boys’ Choir at Ottawa’s Christ Church Cathedral. John holds Associate diplomas with the Royal Conservatory of Music and The Royal Canadian College of Organists. He holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Ottawa and a Masters and Doctorate of Choral Conducting from the University of Alberta. Dr. Brough has been Artistic Director of Da Camera Singers since 2005. He has prepared the choir for numerous concerts with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and the Alberta Baroque Ensemble, as well as produced two recordings with the choir. This year, John is celebrating his twentieth year as Director of Music at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Old Strathcona, Edmonton. Dr. Brough travels throughout Canada as an examiner with Conservatory Canada, and as a choral clinician. He has appeared as an adjudicator in the disciplines of piano, organ, choral and voice in festivals across Canada, including Ottawa, Toronto and London, Ontario, as well as many locations within Alberta, and Whitehorse, Yukon. He has also adjudicated the provincial festivals of Ontario and New Brunswick, and for the choral classes of the National Music Festival. He is an adjunct professor and Manager of the School of Music at Concordia University of Edmonton, where he teaches music history and conducting, as well as appearing as guest conductor of their choral ensembles. John currently lives in Sherwood Park, Alberta with his wife, Kathleen, and their young daughters, Annie and Sadie.
Dr. Jacques Després - Senior Piano
Pianist Jacques C. Després has concertized for four decades on four continents through his recordings, performances as a soloist with orchestras, solo recitals and collaborative work. An intelligent, refined, highly sensitive and disciplined artist, Després’ performances and recordings are praised by critics who cite his “crystal-clear pianism,” and his abilities “to bring humanity, integrity and an enormous expressive range to the pieces.” His “pianistic control is flawless, the sonority magnificent, and the playing is utterly and consistently clear.” Since his 1978 debut with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Després appeared as a soloist with many orchestras under the baton of conductors including Otto-Werner Muller, Franz-Paul Decker, Jens Nygaard and Simon Streatfield. Després’ tours have included performances aired on CBC radio and at summer festivals in North American and Asia. Notable recordings include world premiere of the complete piano works of Joseph Martin Kraus and the Kraus’ complete chamber music works on the Naxos label, which received widespread critical acclaim and exposure. A leading lecture-performance artist on both period and modern instruments, Després has been invited to numerous schools in North America and Asia, including the Juilliard School, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University and the Central Conservatory of China (Beijing). Després completed his doctorate in performance at the University of Stony Brook. He holds a Masters degree from the Juilliard School of Music, a Unanimous First Prize from the Quebec Conservatory, and the Artist Diploma with High Distinction from Indiana University as a student of György Sebök. Other teachers include Adele Marcus, Gilbert Kalish, William Masselos and Christiane Sénart. He has been a Professor of Music at the University of Alberta since 2005.
Bill Dimmer - Band
Bill Dimmer has been described as a “cornerstone” of Edmonton’s music scene. The structural metaphor explains his selection as an Artist/Builder in Edmonton’s Arts and Culture Hall of Fame 2014. Between his arrival in 1971 and his retirement from the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in 2014, Bill served as a teacher, mentor, administrator, conductor, and performer, including a potential Canadian record 43 seasons as ESO assistant principal trumpet. Bill played a seminal role in creating the ESO’s educational concert series, which he was involved in for over 20 years and introduced a generation of Edmontonians to the orchestra. The ESO has been at the forefront of educational programming in North America and much of the credit is due to Bill’s talent for engaging young people – he‘s been known to don eye-popping theme costumes, from green cats to aliens, to win their attention. Bill has shared his musical knowledge with countless private students, teaching at post-secondary institutions such as the University of Alberta and Grant MacEwan University, acting as clinician and adjudicator at workshops and festivals in Western Canada, and, with students at the MusiCamrose summer music camp, where he served as managing director for several years. He has performed with several groups including the Tommy Banks Band and the Plumbers Union, and is music director of the Nova Musica Concert Orchestra and has recently conducted The Edmonton Youth Orchestra, The New Edmonton Wind Symphonia and the Mill Creek Colliery Band. A skilled pilot, he is an active air-crew member and instructor with the Civil Air Search and Rescue Association. He has been known to fly colleagues to remote northern communities as part of the National Arts Centre’s music outreach clinics.
Elaine Dunbar - Voice and Musical Theatre
Elaine Dunbar is a teacher and performer of music and theatre. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Alberta; an A.R.C.T. in singing performance from the Royal Conservatory; a B.F.A. in theatre acting from Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto; and has studied musical theatre at the Banff Centre. She is a member of the RCM College of Examiners and of the Canadian Actors' Equity Association. Elaine teaches privately, is a sessional faculty member in the theatre arts program at MacEwan university, conducts 3 choirs for Edmonton Columbian Choirs, is music director at Grace United church, is a vocal coach for Salisbury high school's musical theatre program, is co-founder of the children's theatre company "Dramatic Learning", and works as an examiner, adjudicator and performer.Elaine has performed as an actor throughout Canada, has sung 2 seasons with Pro Coro Canada, and was a member of the "Good Spirit" trio who performed at the Winspear in honour of the mayor's birthday in 2010. Elaine is grateful for her many fine teachers and colleagues, past and present.
Frank Ho - Strings
Violinist Frank Ho enjoys a multi-faceted career as a chamber musician, soloist, and pedagogue. His early training was at the Alberta College (now MacEwan University) Conservatory of Music. Further studies with Sidney Harth and Erick Friedman (Yale School of Music) and Yfrah Neaman (Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England) led to performance opportunities on three continents. Highlights include concerts at venues such the Royal Festival Hall and the Purcell Room in London; Weill Recital Hall, Alice Tully Hall, and Merkin Hall in New York City; and numerous campuses and concert series in western Canada. Many of his concerts have been featured on the CBC. He is currently a faculty member of the MacEwan University Conservatory of Music, where he also serves as their External Relations Consultant, and sessional violin instructor at King’s University. Frank is also an active adjudicator and a member of the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music. He is currently the concertmaster of the Concordia Symphony Orchestra. A sought-after teacher, many of his students are previous prizewinners of local, provincial, and national competitions; most recently, two of his students were chosen to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Frank makes his home in Edmonton with his wife and three children.
Maryan Threndyle - Junior Piano
Maryan Threndyle has a Master of Music degree in piano performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She completed undergraduate degrees in music and education at Mount Allison University in Sackville, New Brunswick. With a piano studio in St. Albert since 1983, Maryan's students at all levels from beginner to ARCT enjoy making music together in duets and small ensembles. She is so pleased for her students when they have received festival awards and other scholarships through the years. She is inspired by adjudicating at music festivals around the province and is looking forward to hearing your performance! Currently Maryan serves as Music Director at St. Matthew's Anglican in St. Albert. From 2003-17 Maryan was Festival Coordinator of the St. Albert Rotary Music Festival. This community service led to being recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow by Rotary International in 2008 and 2012. A strong supporter of the festival movement in Alberta and across the country, she is thrilled to be invited to Parkland as the 2018 season gets underway. Through the years, Maryan has valued the opportunity to sing with the Richard Eaton Singers, Edmonton's symphonic choir. Currently she is a member of Kappella Kyrie, Slavic Chamber Choir.
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