About Alberta Winds
Alberta Winds was formed in 2003 by former Artistic Director Dr. Mark Hopkins. The ensemble was formed in recognition of the strong tradition of wind music within Alberta, and in response to a growing need for a high-caliber Wind Ensemble in Calgary. The ensemble has evolved over the years and has recently been under the direction of Artistic Director Dr. Jeremy Brown. Gareth Jones appeared as Guest Conductor during the 2008-2009 season and has recently been appointed the ensemble’s Artistic Director.
Committed to providing audiences with a wide variety of repertoire, this prestigious group performs music that spans all genres and appeals to music lovers young and old. The ensemble is comprised of some of the best wind musicians in Alberta, and includes freelance performers, private instructors, music teachers, and clinicians.
Committed to providing audiences with a wide variety of repertoire, this prestigious group performs music that spans all genres and appeals to music lovers young and old. The ensemble is comprised of some of the best wind musicians in Alberta, and includes freelance performers, private instructors, music teachers, and clinicians.
Gareth Jones
Artistic Director
Gareth Jones is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary and is the director of the University’s Symphonic Band. He was Assistant Principal Trumpet with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra from 1992 to 2007. Before that, he held the same position with the Tulsa Philharmonic Orchestra. He has studied conducting with the renowned pedagogues Jorma Panula, Gustav Meier, Michael Haithcock, and Michael Jinbo. He has conducted ensembles from across Western Canada as well as Mexico and Maine, USA.
Mr. Jones’s musical activities are greatly varied. He has appeared as guest conductor with orchestras and wind ensembles from across Western Canada, been featured on Juno nominated blues CDs, appeared on CBC radio as a soloist and chamber musician, been a guest lecturer with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and written compositions and arrangements in a wide range of musical styles. He can be heard playing chamber music, jazz, blues, and rhythm and blues with various groups around Calgary.
As a conductor he founded the Calgary Honour Band and the University of Calgary Brass Choir. He was also a founding member of the chamber ensemble “Rosa Selvatica” and has been a featured soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra on several occasions. He studied conducting at the Pierre Monteux Institute and Canada’s National Arts Centre and received his Master of Music in conducting from the University of Calgary. He studied trumpet at Northwestern University, where he won the prestigious concerto competition and a scholarship for performing excellence.
Mr. Jones’s musical activities are greatly varied. He has appeared as guest conductor with orchestras and wind ensembles from across Western Canada, been featured on Juno nominated blues CDs, appeared on CBC radio as a soloist and chamber musician, been a guest lecturer with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and written compositions and arrangements in a wide range of musical styles. He can be heard playing chamber music, jazz, blues, and rhythm and blues with various groups around Calgary.
As a conductor he founded the Calgary Honour Band and the University of Calgary Brass Choir. He was also a founding member of the chamber ensemble “Rosa Selvatica” and has been a featured soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra on several occasions. He studied conducting at the Pierre Monteux Institute and Canada’s National Arts Centre and received his Master of Music in conducting from the University of Calgary. He studied trumpet at Northwestern University, where he won the prestigious concerto competition and a scholarship for performing excellence.
