Dominic C. Gregorio (Choir, Vocal) is the Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Choral Music at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan. Dr. Gregorio recently completed the first Doctoral dissertation on the choral music of Tarik O'Regan (b. 1978) and is interested in new movements in choral music, interdisciplinary performance, and exploring the broad spectrum of vocal ensemble music. Dr. Gregorio is studying the choral and vocal music of the Philippines and is interested in the choral music of Asia. In Los Angeles, Dr. Gregorio explored using music for social change with the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, with numerous high school presentations, a conference presentation and a published paper. As a baritone, Dr. Gregorio is interested in German lied and French chanson performance. Trained in the birthplace of yoga, Rishikesh, India, Dr. Gregorio teaches yoga for musicians and is interested in the benefits of yoga, meditation and breathing exercises for singers.
Dr. Gregorio is a former conductor of the McMaster University Choir, the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles, USC Thornton Opera, USC Thornton Apollo Men's Choir, Toronto Singing Out, Siren- the University of Guelph Women's Choir, and is a former assistant conductor of the Guelph Youth Singers, USC Thornton Chamber Singers, the Taipei Philharmonic Foundation and the University of Guelph Symphonic Choir.
Dr. Gregorio has won numerous awards including the Presser Music Award which enabled him to live and study for a semester in Vienna, Austria, the G. Nixon Leadership Award, the Carrow Teaching Award, the Edward Johnson Foundation Award, and is listed in the "Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities." In 2009, Dr. Gregorio was a semi-finalist in the ACDA Graduate Student Conducting Competition and in 2002 was the winner of the Westminster Choir College Graduate Voice Competition. Principal teachers include Dr. Jo-Michael Scheibe, Mr. Larry Livingston, Dr. William Dehning, Mr. Alan Harler, Dr. James Jordan, Dr. Marta McCarthy, Dr. Christine Anderson, Mrs. Patricia Harton-McCord and Mr. Glyn Evans.
Rick Lett (Ensembles, Bands) spent 10 years with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, one year with the Taipei City Orchestra (Taiwan) and four years with the NewWest Brass, touring Western Canada, recording for CBC national broadcasts, playing numerous school and Arts Council Concerts, and receiving a Canada Council grant for the recording of a number of Canadian compositions for brass quintet.
He has taught for the University of Saskatchewan Music Department and as a public school band director for many years. Some of his students have performed with the National Youth Orchestra, some are now band directors and university professors of music, some are professional players in orchestral or jazz settings, and many are simply still enjoying the music.
He performed, recorded, and taught jazz guitar and bass for over 30 years. He has studied guitar at the University of Saskatchewan, at various jazz workshops, and through the Berklee School of Music. He is in demand as a clinician and performer, and frequently records for music and film projects, as well as performing in standard jazz venues and in house bands for Broadway style musicals, variety shows, and talent competitions, which showcase a wide variety of styles besides jazz.
Born and raised in Grenfell, Brian Unverricht (Woodwinds, Band) attended the University of Saskatchewan, majored in piano, and graduated with the first Bachelor of Music class in 1971. He pursued further studies in New Jersey, Australia, Strasbourg (France), and the University of Calgary. He has taught band, choral, guitar, fine arts, and jazz studies to students from grades seven through twelve, including several years at the U of S as a sessional instructor for low brass and four years as assistant term professor in music education and conductor of the Concert Band. His teaching career has taken him from Australia to the DND schools in Germany to Prince Edward Island to Saskatoon. For many years he was the fine arts program coordinator at Evan Hardy Collegiate in Saskatoon, where he directed 16 school musicals.
While at Hardy, Brian commissioned eight composers from Saskatoon to write music for the concert band, choir, and jazz band. As a writer he has had articles published in Canadian Winds and Cadenza, as well as reviews in the International Trombone Association Journal. He was editor of the Sask. Band Association journal, contributed to local and provincial music curricula, and wrote a high school guitar course.
Outside of school, Brian has been, at varying times a low brass clinician, a director and coordinator for band camps, brass days, or Jazz Days at Hardy, and an adjudicator for music festivals in Saskatchewan and Alberta. He served on the SBA board of directors and was the regional rep for the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association. In 2004 he was presented with the "SMEA Outstanding Achievement Award" that recognizes outstanding accomplishment and an ongoing dedication to excellence in music, and in 2012 he received the Sask. Band Association's "Distinguished Band Director" award for his musical leadership in our province.
As a trombonist, Brian has been a member of the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra since the late sixties, and has performed with various brass quintets and jazz ensembles over the years. He can also be heard performing with the Metro Jazz Ensemble and the Saskatoon Klezmer band. Recently he has conducted the Saskatoon Symphony in music for their Silent Movie event at the Roxy Theatre and for a unique concert at TCUP geared to school musicians. His musical arrangements can be heard at such diverse events as the Saskatoon Children's Choir, Yevshan dancers, and special music concerts in Marysburg Assumption church.
Dale Malden (Brass, Bands) started his musical training with the Moose Jaw Lions Band Program under the direction of Frank Connell. He started his teaching career with private music lessons in the Lions Band Program while in high school.
Upon graduating from high school, he spent six years in the retail music business at Hatton's Music in Regina and at that time, he also taught private lessons and sectionals with the Regina Lions Band program, the Regina Police Boys Band program and directed the community band in Craik and Strasbourg, SK. In 1976, he graduated from the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Education Degree, with a major in music and a minor in Social Studies.
In 1976, he became Director of Bands for the Prince Albert Rural School Division #56, a position he held for 13 years. In 1989, he moved to Melfort to become Director of Bands for the Melfort School Division #100- North East School Division #200, where he continued to teach until his retirement at the end of June 2011. During the past twelve years his focus of instruction has been with the Grade 7 and 8 Band Program at the Melfort Unit and Comprehensive Collegiate.
Dale bas been active as an adjudicator and clinician and has worked as Program Entry CoCoordinator for the Melfort Music Festival Association for the years 2002-2005 and has scheduled the band section of the local music festival yearly, since 1989.
During the years 1985 to 1989, he was the coordinator of the Saskatchewan Band Association Regional Band Camp in Prince Albert, Sask. Dale served on the board of the Saskatchewan Band Association during his teaching career in many capacities. He was a member at large in 1987, President in 1988, Past President from 1989 - 1990. After a short break, Dale again became a member of the board of the Saskatchewan Band Association, as a member at large for the term 2003-2004, prior to becoming the SBA's treasurer for the term 2004 to 2008 and then serving as its interim Past-President for the 2009 - 2010 year. He has also been a committee member for the Saskatchewan Junior Band North Program in 2009, 2010 & 2011. He also chaired the SBA Regional Areas/Membership Consultation Committee for three years.
Dale was honored to receive the "Distinguished Band Director Award" from the Saskatchewan Band Association at the Saskatchewan Music Conference 2011.
In his retirement, Dale continues his love of band work, by playing in the Melfort Community Band, by being a substitute teacher, adjudicating, doing band clinics and teaching private lessons.
Bonnie Nicholson (Piano) is a pianist, teacher and chamber musician from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Her degrees include a Bachelor of Music (Performance) and a Master of Arts Degree from the University of Saskatchewan, as well as an A.R.C.T. in Piano Performance from the R.C.M. Teachers and influences are varied and include mentor, Robin Harrison.
For 25 years, Bonnie has served as a Sessional Lecturer in Piano at the Department of Music, U of S, in Saskatoon. As part of her solo and teaching career, she has received the Florence Bowes Piano Pedagogy Scholarship (1993), the Dwaine Nelson Teaching Award for Excellence from the U of S Association of Student Musicians (2000) and the Sylvia Wallace Award for Sessional Teaching Excellence at the University of Saskatchewan (2004). In their recommendations and evaluations, students and colleagues have commented on Bonnie's "innovative and insightful teaching methods", and her "enthusiasm and encouragement". Ms. Nicholson's students consistently excel at competitions, festivals and exams, locally, provincially and nationally.
From April to June of 2009, Bonnie served as an adjudicator for the National Tour of the Canadian Music Competitions. In June 2012, Bonnie fulfilled a life long dream to tour and teach in China, visiting Universities in five major Chinese cities with saxophonist Dr. Glen Gillis.
Bonnie Nicholson appears on CD with Bass-Baritone Henri Loiselle, the Saskatoon Children's Choir, the Saskatoon Fireside Singers, trumpeter Dean McNeill's disc entitled "Melange", and saxophonist Glen Gillis' disc entitled "Sax Spectrum". She is the pianist for the Saskatoon Fireside Singers under the direction of Marilyn Whitehead.
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