Leadership

Donna is thrilled to be a part of the leadership team at New Horizons Band of Toronto.  As a music educator for over 26 years, Donna has taught university and high school classes in Ontario and Texas.  She graduated from the University of North Texas with a Master of Music degree.  

As a bassoonist, she has performed with the San Angelo Symphony and the University of North Texas Faculty Winds.  Her favorite music includes anything by Aaron Copland, Keith Jarrett or Sting.

Donna is a member of the team at The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award–Ontario to promote service and leadership in the non-profit sector.  She also teaches aquatic leadership for the Red Cross and Lifesaving Society. Her recent research includes repertoire based instruction for young bands, assessment and evaluation in performing ensembles, and the use of technology as a vehicle in music instruction.

Garry holds Honours music degrees in Trumpet Performance, Academics and Teaching from the Birmingham Conservatoire of Music and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London, England. He immigrated to Canada in 1997 at which point he became a member of the Stratford Festival Orchestra. Garry is active as a freelance performer, teacher, adjudicator, clinician, university lecturer, and examiner

Garry has performed as soloist at Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts, Roy Thomson Hall, and Massey Hall, River Run Centre, Guelph and in the U.K., at Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Kensington Palace, and Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

Garry is the founder and Principal Trumpet of the award-winning Brass Pages Quintet and trumpet and organ duo Page Two. Artistic Director and Principal Trumpet of Kingsway Brass. Academy, Juno nominated and winning recordings include numerous soundtracks for the motion picture and video game industries, EMI, Decca, Hyperion, CBC, Sony, and Naxos classical discs, pop, jazz-fusion, Latin and blues for Blue Note and Verve. He has broadcast for national and local radio stations in the U.K., Europe, Asia, U.S. and Canada with appearances on BBC, Central, Global, CBS, PBS, ABC and CBC television networks as well as BBC and CBC radio.

Garry is an award-winning music educator who has had articles on music published by the Royal Conservatory of Music, Conservatory Canada, Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music and has written music critiques for local and national newspapers. 

For eight years, Garry was tutor of brass at Kingsway College School, Etobicoke and was Director of the KCS Kool Cats Jazz Ensemble. He has served as interim Head of Music for Greenwood College School, Toronto. Garry has twice conducted the Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival All-Star Jazz Band at Roy Thomson Hall and is enjoying his tenth year association with St. Andrew’s College, Aurora, currently serving as itinerant music faculty member and Director of Bands. In 2016, Garry received an Education Community Service Award for twenty years as the Royal Conservatory of Music Centre Representative for Stratford, Ontario.

Marianne recently retired as a classroom teacher from the York Region District School Board. She holds an Honours Music Degree from Western University and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Toronto. Throughout her career, Marianne has pursued a passion for conducting and studied with Professor Dale J. Lonis at the University of Manitoba, Professor Denise Grant at the University of Toronto, and Professor Mark Hopkins at Acadia University. She also actively participated at various conducting symposiums offered by the Ontario Music Educators Association, Ontario Band Association and Ontario Vocal Association.

During her 32 years as a professional educator she had the opportunity to teach all grade levels, kindergarten to grade 12; and has taught band, vocal, guitar, recorder and piano. Marianne has produced many school musicals under the title of musical director. She enjoys teaching students of all ages. 

During her last 12 years, Marianne held the position of Head of Music at Thornhill Secondary School. Her bands and choirs have performed all over Canada. In her spare time, Marianne enjoys running marathons, reading, and volunteering at the Toronto Zoo.

Marianne continues to use her musical and education, experience and knowledge to encourage adults in their pursuit of making music. She is thrilled to be a part of the NHB Toronto team.

Patricia has performed throughout North America with artists that include Michael Burgess, Patty Page and Regis Philbin.  She is a longtime member of the JUNO Award® winning Neufeld-Occhipinti Jazz Orchestra, and has contributed to the pit orchestra of the Shaw Festival Theatre through several productions. 

Her compositions and arrangements have been performed by big bands, concert bands, choirs and soloists.  Her debut album, “The Absolute Faith Orchestra”, was called “an astonishing recording” by the Toronto Star music critic, Geoff Chapman. 

Patricia holds a B.F.A. (Honours), M.A. and a PhD in music and teaches at Centennial College and Ryerson University. We are most fortunate to have Patricia as our “jazz” teacher.