Westwinds Directors and Collaborative Artists
Choir Directors
Anne Gray
Director
Joined
2001
Choral Ensemble
Tour Choir
Anne Gray began her post-secondary studies at the University of North Texas, and holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Calgary. Her experience includes teaching a Kodaly-based music program for grades 3-6 with the Calgary Board of Education, pre-school Kodaly classes at Mt. Royal Conservatory, past director of Westwinds Music Society's Green Choir and Women's Choir and current director of its Choral Ensemble, and thirteen years of high school choir teaching at Central Memorial High School. She currently teaches music at WO Mitchell elementary school. Anne also works as a guest clinician, conductor and adjudicator with school and community choirs.
Anne's passion as a choir conductor and teacher is to help choirs discover a path to improving vocal technique, musical literacy, performance expression, and appreciation of music's rich offerings.
Recently Anne was presented the 2021 Con Spirito Award by Choir Alberta. "Presented annually, the Con Spirito Awards recognize the spirit and dedication of individuals and their commitment to choral music in their local communities."
Nicole Hounjet
Director
Joined
2013
Treble Choir (formerly Women's Choir)
Nicole Hounjet is a music educator with the Calgary Board of Education. Her choirs have performed in Vienna, Salzburg, Vancouver, in Ottawa on Canada Day, and have repeatedly been recognized for their artistry and performance. An accomplished saxophonist, pianist, and vocalist, Nicole has studied conducting with Gregory Boers, Richard Nace, Rodney Eichenberger, James Jordan and Deborah Cairns and received the Royal Conservatory of Music Silver Medal in voice performance under Elaine Case. Nicole has served on the Choir Alberta Board as Vice President: Programs and Projects.Choral music is a huge passion of Nicole’s and she believes strongly that there is nothing more exciting than when voices come together to create something beautiful. As an educator, Nicole empowers her singers to use multiple musical strategies – theory, solfege, vocal technique, and conducting–to more fully engage in the music. Nicole also believes that it is the mutual trust that builds among the ensemble that takes a piece of music from being an enjoyable sing to a truly moving experience. Recently Nicole was presented the 2021 Con Spirito Award by Choir Alberta. Presented annually, the Con Spirito Awards recognize the spirit and dedication of individuals and their commitment to choral music in their local communities.
Justin Macosky
Director
Joined
2024
Mixed Choir
Justin Macosky loved choral music from a young age. He spent 11 years singing with the Mount Royal Family of Choirs, touring across Canada and to Mexico. During his time with the Mount Royal Youth Choir, he was a student at Central Memorial High School in the Performing and Visual Arts Program in vocal music as a countertenor.
Starting in 2006, Justin was the choral director for Forest Lawn United Church, directing both the adult choir and children’s choir. He also served as Artistic Director and Conductor for the Ismaili Muslim Youth Choir from 2009-2012.
From 2010-2021 Justin was the Director of Choral Programming at Hillhurst United Church and served as the Southern Alberta Programming Assistant for Choir Alberta (formerly Alberta Choral Federation) from 2012-2015, organizing ChoralFest South, and Alberta Youth Choir 2013.
Justin graduated from Mount Royal University in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Child Studies with a minor in Early Learning and Child Care. Justin taught children’s music and play classes for 0-6 years through Gymboree Play and Music of Calgary from 2014-2019. Currently, Justin is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Airdrie Community Choir, Choral Director of McDougall United Church in Calgary, PAC member for Choir Alberta, and is a preschool teacher with P.L.A.Y. Daycare in Kensington Calgary.
Justin has been involved with Westwinds as a Choral Ensemble chorister since 2013, and is delighted to be joining the artistic team!
Erica Phare-Bergh
Director
Joined
2023
Green Choir
Young Adult Choir
Erica Phare-Bergh is delighted to be back with Westwinds after a 5-year hiatus in Victoria, BC. Originally from Montreal, Erica obtained her MMus from McGill in Choral Conducting. She directed a number of choirs in Montreal (namely PSBGM Chorale, McGill Conservatory Choirs, and Vanier College Choirs). She married and moved west to Alberta in 2010 where she directed the Savridi Singers, the Westwinds Green Choir, Kairos Young Singers and was a choral sub at William Aberhart High School. She and Rick moved to Victoria in 2017 where they ran the Voices in Motion Choirs – intergenerational research choirs for people with dementia, their caregivers, friends and students.
In addition, she directed the Vancouver Island Chamber Choir, Newcombe Singers and was Music Director at the historic Church of Our Lord in downtown Victoria. Now back in Cochrane, Alberta (because she and Rick missed their grandkids way too much), she conducts the choirs at the Calgary Classical Scholé, Westwinds Green Choir and Young Adult Choir and plays piano for the Cochrane High School Choir. She is in demand as a choral clinician and presenter on dementia and music. She and Rick write children’s books (A Song with Every Story). She’s also a published arranger with Cypress Choral Music and in particular has arranged a lot of French choral repertoire (La série enchantée).
Concert Band Directors
Scott Campbell
Director
Joined
2019
Silver Concert
Scott Campbell joined the Calgary Board of Education in 2006 and the staff of MidSun School in the fall of 2007, where he led a very successful music program until June 2019. Throughout his tenure at MidSun, his concert and jazz bands were awarded numerous awards, including the Floyd Williamson Trophy for Most Outstanding Junior High Concert Band in 2010 and 2014, and the Quan Le Directors' Choice Award in 2018 at the Alberta International Band Festival in Calgary. Also active in Calgary’s community band scene, he was the Director of the Sherwood-Like-To-Play Community Band for 7 seasons until 2017 and joined the Westwinds Music Society in 2019, where he directed the Green Band for one season, and most recently is director of the Blue Jazz Band. Mr. Campbell has previously served on the Board of the Alberta Band Association, where he coordinated the Southern Alberta Junior Honour Band Program for 6 years.
He is in demand as a saxophone clinician and guest conductor, including serving as the saxophone instructor for the Vic Lewis Festival in Canmore for approximately 12 years, and working with the Calgary Regional Summer Band Workshop since 2008. Mr. Campbell was inducted as a member of the prestigious Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters Fraternity in 2018 and was nominated by the parents and administration at MidSun for the Alberta Excellence in Teaching Awards in 2014. Mr. Campbell was also nominated for the 2023 “Music Educator of the Year” in the YYC Music Awards.
Since 2019, Mr. Campbell has been the Band Director at Lord Beaverbrook High School, where he was tasked with rebuilding the music program. Since his hiring, the band program has grown from 29 musicians to over 75 registered music students in the 2022-23 school year, this growth all taking place throughout the Covid Pandemic. The LBHS Symphonic Band was awarded the Robert Eklund Trophy for “Most Outstanding High School Concert Band” at the 2023 AIBF Calgary Festival.
Mr. Campbell holds a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance from the University of Alberta and Bachelor of Education from the University of Calgary.
Chris Herard
Director
Joined
2012
Bronze Concert
Chris Herard is a highly sought after educator, conductor, performer, clinician, adjudicator and producer from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. He has been involved in music education for over 25 years as a performer, instructor, director and choreographer. He is currently Director of Bands at Bishop Carroll High School and also directs for the Westwinds Music Society.
Chris’ ensembles have won numerous gold medals at top-level events around the world. Chris holds bachelor degrees in Music and in Education from the University of Calgary, a Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Hawaii and has presented at many conferences and workshops.
Chris often adjudicates and guest conducts at many local, national and international events. Through his appointment to the International Judging Bureau of the World Association of Marching Showbands he has judged the European Championships (Germany), National Championships in Taiwan and Hong Kong and numerous World Championships held in the USA, Brazil, Denmark, Malaysia, and Taiwan. In 2014, Chris was appointed to the Board of Directors of WAMSB International. His work as an educator, conductor, adjudicator and musician has also taken him to Japan, Thailand and throughout North America . Chris has been appointed to the “Sudler Shield” jury, an international panel of the John Phillip Sousa Foundation which awards excellence in band worldwide.
As a performer, Chris has travelled around the world as a multi-instrumentalist and singer and has well over 20 recordings to his credit. His band - the Heebee-jeebees, have received numerous CARA awards and nominations - the “Grammys” of A Cappella. (Their music is available around the world on iTunes.) Chris was inducted into the Canadian A Cappella Hall of Fame in 2009. He has also produced many recordings for other artists, and has composed and recorded many jingles and commercials.
Chris is very passionate about music education and its benefit for students. Chris is a founding member, and sits on the board of CADME, the Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education, an organization that has proudly granted over $1,000,000 to local music education initiatives over the past decade. A highlight for Chris was coordinating and directing the largest band ever assembled in Calgary – close to 4000 students celebrating music education at the Juno awards. Chris was also appointed to the Alberta Education Arts Curriculum Working Group charged with re-developing the curriculum for K-12 students in Alberta.
Chris is a member of Phi Beta Mu, the Alberta Band Association, The Canadian Academy of Arts and Sciences, The American Federation of Musicians, the National Association for Music Education, the World Association of Marching Show Bands, and sits on the board of the Alberta International Band Festivals.
Chris resides in Calgary with his wife, two young children and a chocolate lab.
Jenine Maystrowich
Director
Joined
2023
Green Concert
Jenine Maystrowich is proud and honoured to direct the Green Concert Band for the 23/24 season. Originally from Burlington, Ontario, Jenine developed her passion for music at a young age through her involvement in various musical ensembles within her high school and by being heavily involved in multiple marching bands, including the Burlington Teen Tour Band for many years.
Jenine continued her passion for music by receiving her Bachelor of Music – Honours of Music Education and Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario, in London, ON. During the summer months away from university, Jenine was hired by the Canadian Armed Forces in Ottawa to perform in the Band of the Ceremonial Guard for three years.
After finishing her musical education, Jenine decided to pick up her bags and move west to Calgary. For the past seventeen years, Jenine has taught band with the Calgary Board of Education. She started her career as the director at Vincent Massey School. During her time there, Jenine’s various bands were given many awards including “Most Outstanding Junior High Jazz Band” and “Most Outstanding Junior High Percussion Award”. Jenine’s bands have been awarded locally, provincially and nationally. Jenine then moved to Woodman School to help develop and grow the program. In 2023, she accepted the Director of Music position at Ernest Manning High School and has loved the new challenge of teaching more advanced repertoire, building the program from 44 students to now over 100 in just one year, and developing new relationships with her students.
Jenine has also led other instrumental groups in the city. She decided to revisit her early musical roots by accepting the musical director position with the Calgary Round-Up Band. She enjoyed her time with this group by incorporating movement with music and watching her students develop that love for marching bands.
As a performer, she has played clarinet with several local bands, including Alberta Winds and the Calgary Concert Band (now known as the Calgary Wind Symphony). She also played bass trombone, beside another Westwinds director: Jane McLauchlin, in the Bronze Jazz Band. She is currently learning how to play the Bagpipes in hopes of joining the Calgary Police Band.
Ross McIntyre
Director
Joined
1992
Wind Orchestra
Ross has been teaching music for The Calgary Board of Education for the past 25 years. He is currently enjoying his 16th year as director of bands at Lord Beaverbrook High School. Mr. McIntyre has worked extensively with junior and senior high school groups and honor bands throughout western Canada. In addition to his busy schedule Ross co-directs a beginning adult band with the Westwinds Music Society.
In 1993, Ross received the "Excellence in Teaching Award" from the Alberta government and in 2001 received the "Tommy Banks Award" for contribution to jazz education in Alberta. In 2006/07 Ross was honored to be chosen as one of the University of Calgary's "Top Forty Alumni". Ross along with co-producer, Samantha Whelan Kotkas and students from Lord Beaverbrook received funding from the Canadian Space Agency to create "From Blue To Red" - a hard cover children's book and interactive online e-book. "From Blue To Red" features the narration of Jazz legend, Diana Krall and three Canadian astronauts: Dr. Robert Thirsk, Julie Payette and David Saint- Jacques. Hard cover copies of "From Blue To Red" are available through Lord Beaverbrook High School and may also be viewed online at www.frombluetored.net or www.dubleuaurouge.net. "From Blue to Red" is the Winner of the 2013 Award for "Best Children's and Young Adult Book of the Year" from Alberta Publishers. Most recently Ross was honoured with a "2013 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence".
Jane McLauchlin
Director
Joined
2013
Blue Concert
Jane McLauchlin knew at a young age she wanted to be a teacher. Along with growing up in a house full of music, the decision to pursue a career as a music teacher became clear during a Grade 7 band class. Since then, she has had a successful career teaching Junior High School Concert and Jazz Band, Elementary and General Music and African Drumming in Calgary for 30 years.
Although now retired from full time teaching, her school bands regularly received ‘Superior’ rankings, won numerous awards, and travelled extensively throughout Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. She has been guest conductor at the Calgary Summer Band Workshop, for Chinook Winds Junior and Senior Honour Bands and the Northern Alberta Junior High Honour Band as well as adjudicator for the ABA Festival of Bands and the Southern Alberta International Band Festival. She also now serves as Artistic Director for the Vic Lewis Band Festival in Canmore as well as for Westwinds and is a regular clinician and guest conductor for the MRU school music program.
She became involved in the Westwinds Music Society by joining several of the bands to try out life on the ‘other side of the baton’ and plans to continue to participate as a player. She has toured and performed in China and Eastern Europe with Westwinds and has been directing the dedicated and very fun group of adults in the Blue Concert Band since 2018. Jane is honoured to be able to step back into the position of Artistic Director following a one-year hiatus.
Kevin Willms
Director
Joined
1993
Symphonic Band
Tour Concert Band
Kevin Willms is thrilled to be part of the dynamic Artistic Team of the Westwinds Music Society. He is proud to have served the organization as Artistic Director for 23 years. Other past contributions included founding the Choral Program in 1993 when he joined Westwinds as a director and directing various ensembles over the years. These included the Mixed Choir, Women’s Choir, Green Band, Gold Jazz North, Red Jazz, and others. It was his vision to create the Symphonic Band for the 2018/19 season. Mr. Willms is also proud of the performance-based travel opportunities that he led on behalf of Westwinds to destinations that included Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, Cuba, China and New Orleans and to continue this tradition in organizing the 2025 trip to Germany and Austria together with Anne Gray in July, 2025.
In June of 2018, he “graduated” from public education after teaching instrumental and choral music for the Calgary Board of Education for 31 years. His ensembles consistently performed at “Superior” levels and received much recognition for their outstanding performances at local and international music festivals. Kevin has served the board of the Alberta International Band Festival in various roles, including Chair, Jazz Coordinator and Scholarship Coordinator since 1993. He is the Founding President of the Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education (CADME) and continues to serve this amazing organization.
Mr. Willms is active as a clinician, guest conductor, educational consultant and adjudicator. He is a contributor to the renowned publication, “Teaching Music Through Performance in Jazz”. Kevin has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the “Elkhorn Award” from the Alberta Band Association, “David Peterkin Memorial Award” from Phi Beta Mu, Pan Canadian Students Choice Award, Alberta Excellence in Teaching Award and the Tommy Banks Award, recognizing his long-term contribution to music education in Alberta. In 2018, he was inducted to the John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor at the MidWest Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago.
Jazz Band Directors
Jonathan Bell
Director
Joined
2019
Gold Jazz North
Jonathan Bell has been teaching students from grades 5-12 with the Calgary Board of Education since 2001. Concert Bands, Jazz Bands and Choirs under his direction have consistently received gold/platinum awards both at the national and international level. Big Bands under his tutelage have shared the stage with Luis Bonilla, Ingrid Jensen, Victor Goines, Wycliffe Gordon, Bryan Lynch, Ted Nash, Dick Oatts, Marcus Printup, Maria Schneider, Terell Stafford, and Gary Smulyan to name a few. Jonathan completed his Bachelor of Education at the University of Calgary, received his Bachelor of Music at Queen’s University, and his Diploma in Jazz Studies from Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton.
In addition to his work as a clinician and adjudicator, Jonathan has been actively involved in developing curriculum for the Calgary Board of Education's Locally Developed Courses since 2005. He is on the executive of Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education (CADME), heading up their All-Ages Jam Series in addition to other initiatives. He joined the Westwinds Artistic Team in 2019. More recently, Jonathan was awarded The Alberta Band Association’s “Outstanding Jazz Educator Award” for 2022 and was recognized by The Alberta Music Advocacy Alliance in June 2023 for his outstanding achievement and commitment to excellence in music education. He approaches his ensembles with a passion for discovery and has a soft spot for quality repertoire and music that sounds good.
Nathan Gingrich
Director
Joined
2012
Bronze Jazz
Nathan Gingrich received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Regina. Continued studies led him to Weimar Germany where he received his advanced artist’s diploma in classical trombone performance and another degree in jazz and pop trombone performance from the Hochschule fuer Musik “Franz Liszt”.
While in Germany, Mr. Gingrich co-founded a number of ensembles – travelling around Germany, France, Belgium, Austria and even to China to perform.
He taught trombone and jazz music theory at the Musik- und Kunstschule Jena for 4 years before moving to Calgary in 2006 to begin teaching music within the CBE at Thomas B. Riley Jr. High. In the fall of 2009 Nathan began teaching at William Aberhart High School.
Mr. Gingrich directs all bands and jazz bands at Aberhart. He has also taught Musical Theatre, Choir and Strings in the past.
Mr. Gingrich began directing Westwinds Bronze Jazz Ensemble in the fall of 2012.
Mr. Gingrich can be seen regularly playing with a variety of ensembles in and around Calgary as well as leading masterclasses and workshops. Playing experience has seen him perform with the Prime Time Big Band, Calgary Jazz Orchestra, Calgary Creative Arts Ensemble, The Calgary Trombone Quartet and Altius Brass, among others.
Mr. Gingrich is involved in several community music organizations including the Calgary Association of Music Education (CADME), co-ordinator of the annual “Holiday TubaFest” and “Slide Into Spring: Calgary’s Trombone Day to celebrate International Trombone Week” and is a proud member of Phi Beta Mu International Bandmasters’ fraternity.
Mr Gingrich is also a Conn-Selmer artist and clinician.
Jeremy Legault
Director
Joined
2013
On Hiatus
Currently, Jeremy is the Director of Bands and Choirs at St. Mary’s High School in Calgary Alberta. The St. Mary’s Music Program has received both local and international accolades, and is active in Calgary’s music community, frequently working with local professional musicians and clinicians, as well as world renowned CADME guest artists.
Since 2013, Jeremy has been the director of the “Silver Jazz Band”, one of 5 jazz ensembles within the “Westwinds Music Organization”. He is a performing member (Trumpet) with the “Alberta Winds” Wind Ensemble and is very active within the Calgary music community. Jeremy is a member of the AIBF band festival committee in the role of “Honour Band Coordinator”, and is an active member of the executive committee for CADME. Jeremy is often working as an adjudicator for local and regional music festivals, and is frequently guest conducting at band camps, including frequent visits to the “Rocky Mountain Retreats” in Banff, Alberta and the Calgary Regional Summer Band Workshop each August.
Jeremy received a Bachelor of Music from the University of Calgary (1999) and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto (2001). After completing a Diploma in Wind Conducting from the University of Calgary (2003), Jeremy completed a Master of Music Degree, specializing in Wind Ensemble Conducting, while studying with Dale Lonis, Fraser Linklater and Earl Stafford at the University of Manitoba (2005-2006).
Kathie Van Lare
Director
Joined
2019
Gold Jazz South
Kathie Van Lare received her B. Mus. (“With Distinction”), Teacher Certification
and Dip. F.A. in Wind Band Conducting, all from the University Of Calgary. Born
and raised in Calgary, she has been teaching music in the Calgary area for 35
years, and though now retired, she continues to be active as a guest conductor
and adjudicator throughout much of Western Canada for both concert and jazz
bands. She also currently serves as the Musical Director for the Foothills Music
Society Concert Band, the Westwinds Music Society Gold Jazz South and the
Calgary Women’s Jazz Orchestra.
Kathie has participated on various committees for the Alberta Band Association,
the Alberta International Band Festival and JazzYYC. She is currently Vice-
President of the Band Masters Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu and is the Past - (Co)
President of Women Band Director’s International - Alberta Chapter. She has
presented at the Calgary Teacher’s Convention, JazzYYC’s Tune In, Tune Up,
Conference as well as the “Women-Led” Jazz Symposium in Winnipeg. She has
also taught at the Calgary Regional Summer Band Workshop and the
International Music Camp at the International Peace Gardens.
Through her affiliation with WBDI-Alberta Chapter, Kathie also serves as Co-
Organizer of "Girls in Jazz”, a program created in Calgary in 2023 to encourage
and support women of ‘all ages and stages’ in furthering their study in jazz, with
the ultimate goal of creating gender parity on professional jazz stages of the
future.
Bands under Kathie’s direction have been the recipients of several local,
provincial and international awards and she has been the recipient of various
personal awards: Alberta Band Association’s “Elkhorn Award” as the Band
Director of the Year; Alberta Band Association’s “Vondis Miller Legacy Award”;
Laureate in John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor at the MidWest Band and
Orchestra Conference in Chicago. Women Band Directors International, “Scroll
of Excellence”; and an Honorary Lifetime Membership from the Alberta Band
Association.
Kathie continues to be active as a free-lance musician (trumpet) and has
performed with many groups including among others, the Calgary Philharmonic
Orchestra, the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, Prime Time Big Band,
Alberta Winds, and most-recently with the Calgary Jazz Orchestra and Altius
Brass.
Besides music, Kathie enjoys woodworking, horseback riding and is an avid
baseball fan. Go Cardinals!
Jeff Graham
Director
Joined
2024
Blue Jazz
Silver Jazz
Jeff has been teaching music in Alberta and Nova Scotia since 1996. He
received a B.A. in Jazz Studies from the St. Francis University and his B.Ed from
the University of Alberta.
Jeff has been a professional musician for 30+ years playing many musical styles
including jazz, blues, rock, country and Celtic. His primary instruments are guitar
and drums. He is also a private instructor, adjudicator, clinician and guest
conductor. Jeff has been fortunate to share the stage with some great musicians
including the boys from HAGGIS, the infamous Celtic band, Jerrold Dubyk, Jim
Brennan, Mark Adam, Sandro Dominelli, Al Muirhead, and Reginald J Thomas to
name a few. Most recently Jeff performed at the Havana Jazz Festival 2024 with
the Jerrold Dubyk Quartet.
Jeff loves teaching the spirit of music too young and old. He has been the
director of music at 4 award-winning schools; Okotoks Jr. High, in Okotoks
Alberta, Highwood High School in High River, Alberta, Cobequid Educational
Centre, in Truro, Nova Scotia and the Alberta High School of Fine Arts, in
Okotoks, Alberta. His bands are consistently awarded Superior awards at local,
national and international festivals. A few major awards include; Rose Bowl for
Most Outstanding Jazz Performance (AIBF 2005), Most Outstanding Jazz
Combo (AIBF 2006) Most Outstanding Concert Band at the Atlantic Music
Festival (2013), Most Outstanding Jazz Band (AIBF 2018) and Adjudicator
Choice Award for Most Outstanding Concert Band, at Alberta Band Association
Provincial Festival (2022).
He has been the co-founder/organizer for the Chinook Jazz and Concert Band
Festivals. He is a founding board member of the Calgary Association for the
Development of Jazz Education (CADME), committee member of Mount Royal
Conservatory curriculum development board, and was recently inducted into the
International School Bandmaster Fraternity, Phi Beta Mu. He also authored the
Jazz Junction for the Alberta Band Association music journal. Most recently Jeff
has become a founding member of TeachJazz101.com an instructional Jazz
website that used by people all over North America and abroad.
String Directors
Heidi Behrenbruch
Director
Joined
2023
Green Strings
Heidi Behrenbruch was born in Calgary but grew up in the Netherlands and Australia. With more than 25 years’ experience, she has enjoyed a diverse music career as a teacher, guest clinician, soloist, chamber musician and orchestra player. Performance and teaching opportunities have taken her to Australia, Vietnam, Japan, Poland, Romania, Germany, Illinois, Toronto, and British Columbia.
Here in Calgary, Heidi is an elementary string specialist for the Calgary Catholic School District, where she will be teaching strings at two schools this year. She continues to enjoy being an active freelancer and has recently been seen performing in The Firebird Symphony and Chorus. Past performance highlights include subbing with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and playing in the orchestra for The Festival Chorus. Heidi has also performed in a CBC television special for the Canadian Country Music Awards.
Heidi holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana, and a Master’s level Advanced Certificate in Performance from the University of Toronto. She recently completed her Bachelor of Education (Honours) from St. Mary’s University and was awarded the Jason Lang scholarship for her academic accomplishments as well as the Steve and Irene Groch education excellence award for her interest and involvement in the areas of fine arts and music.
Heidi is very passionate about teaching strings and loves working with all levels and ages, including adults. As a lifelong learner, she is always interested to learn more about current practices in pedagogy and teaching to inspire the students she works with. Heidi has attended and participated in the violin and viola intensive string pedagogy retreats at University of Indiana Bloomington, the Magic Mountain Music Farm practice marathon retreat for artist musicians and teachers in upstate New York, and the Juilliard, Starling- Delay violin teaching symposium. Through these opportunities Heidi has had the privilege of learning from some of the most respected teachers in music education: Brian Lewis, Rebecca Henry, Mimi Zweig, Brenda Brenner, Burton Kaplan, and Kurt Sassmannshaus.
Heidi is very much looking forward to working with the adult string players of the Westwinds Music Society.
Christina Visy
Director
Joined
2023
Blue Strings
Canadian music educator Christina Visy is honoured to be invited to direct the Westwind Society's Blue Strings this year. Christina holds Violin Performance and Education degrees from the University of Western Ontario and the University of Toronto respectively and has undertaken post-graduate studies in string pedagogy at Indiana University.
Her principal mentors include Elizabeth Ganiatsos, Igor Markstein, Mimi Zweig, Brenda Brenner and the late Lorand Fenyves. As concertmaster of the California-based Celebrant Singers, Christina has travelled to over 45 countries throughout Eurasia, the Middle East, and North, Central and South Americas, and has performed for St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta, and the late St. Pope John Paul II.
A passionate string music educator, Christina has taught music from K- 12 in Toronto and London, ON and served on faculty at Calgary's Rocky Mountain College as Assistant to the Chair of the Arts and Director of Music, where she taught string pedagogy and directed the college orchestra. Christina is currently the Director of Strings at Bishop Carroll High School where she directs four award-winning string orchestras who consistently receive festival Gold placements with Superior rankings.
Her string orchestras have performed at the national Education Research & Development Corporation (ERDI)/Superintendents' conference in Banff, the Mayor's Arts Luncheon at the BMO Centre, Music Conference Alberta in Edmonton, The Midwest Clinic in Chicago, and toured to Whistler, NYC, China and Italy. Christina also currently directs the Junior Sinfonia and Preparatory Strings in Mount Royal University Conservatory's orchestra program.
She is honoured to be the 2021 recipient of the National Arts Centre Orchestra/MusicFest's Douglas Payson Sturdevant Outstanding Orchestra Director Award, and is looking forward to working with the passionate adult string community in Calgary!
Collaborative Artists
Lori Chang-Shivji
Collaborative Artist
Joined
2023
Treble Choir (formerly Women's Choir)
Lori was born and raised in Calgary and describes her personal style as ‘all black and kitty glitter’. She was a piano student of Dale Jackson and part of the MRU Conservatory Academy program. When her hands stopped growing at the age of 14, and her future as a concert pianist seemed unlikely, she started teaching piano and theory with the goal of making music fun for all students. Lori has achieved her ARCT Performance and Teacher diplomas.
In her late teens, she was introduced to the art of piano accompaniment by Judith Lebane-Kane and Stan Kane, and fell in love it immediately.
Over 30 years later, Lori is well-known as a collaborative musician with private voice and string studios in and around Calgary, the Concino Chorus, and Fish Creek United Church. In her 'spare time', she works full-time as a manager at Hedgerow Software, loves to travel with her husband, spend time with family/friends/cats and decorate their maximalist home.
Ethan Hill
Collaborative Artist
Joined
2021
Choral Ensemble
I am a composer and keyboardist from Western Canada. In addition to my interest in artistic undertakings, I am also interested in and draw inspiration from other fields such as cognitive psychology and historical linguistics. I often find myself considering these areas of study in connection with artistic practices; find myself considering motivational and exploratory functions of cognition in a musical context. In the past few years, I have focused on the subtle variations in context resulting from extended just intonation and plan to explore this domain of interest further.
I studied composition with Anna Höstman and piano with Bruce Vogt at the University of Victoria (BMus 2019), where I also held an organ scholar position at St. John the Divine Anglican Church and performed with groups such as Victoria Boroque and the University f Victoria Orchestra. In 2019, I relocated to Montreal to study the organ with Hans-Ola Ericcson at McGill University (Grad. Dip. 2020) and work as an organist at Christ Church Cathedral. Currently, I work in arts administration with the Quatuor Bozzini and as a musician with companies like the Alberta Ballet, Westwinds Music Society and the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.
Clara Bon Ribera
Collaborative Artist
Joined
2024
Mixed Choir
Clara has been passionate about music from a young age, playing piano both as a
soloist and in various ensembles. Over time, she discovered that what she enjoys most
is sharing the experience of making music—whether through singing, collaborating with
choirs, or performing in a band.
She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Piano Performance from the Joaquín Rodrigo
Conservatory in Valencia and also earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education
(Music) from the University of Valencia. Clara also spent an exchange year at the
Malmö Academy of Music in Sweden, an experience that broadened her artistic
perspective and enriched her collaborative skills.
For the past 10 years, Clara has worked as a music teacher, sharing her love of music
with students of all ages. She has also sung and directed in several musical
associations in her hometown of Valencia. Now living in Calgary for the past year, Clara
is not only thriving as a collaborative musician but also enjoying another of her great
passions—spending time outdoors exploring the beautiful landscapes of Alberta.
Gavin Caldwell
Collaborative Artist
Joined
2024
Young Adult Choir