Instrument: Trombone
Joined WSO: 1983
Hometown: Born in Winnipeg,MB;  grew up in Vancouver B.C.

Who was your idol growing up?
As a kid I didn’t really have what you would call “idols.” I suppose one person I remember as a hero would be Gary (Suitcase) Smith who played goal for the Canucks in the mid 70’s. I dreamt at that time of being a NHL goalie. But of course things change as we grow (and goalies get traded), so I discovered soccer and the Vancouver Whitecaps. I loved that team; they even won the horrifically named “SOCCER BOWL” as NASL champs in 1979. Those were heady days indeed.

I didn’t start playing trombone until I was 11 or 12, so musical heroes came a bit later for me. One player I wanted desperately to emulate was Dennis Brain, the great English French Hornist, Dennis Brain (not his cousin the French English Hornist, hahaha…) My parents had an LP (MONO!) of Mr Brain playing Mozart’s concerti, with von Karajan conducting the Philharmonia. It’s still a benchmark recording. I wanted to play trombone the way he played horn.

What is one of your most memorable live performances?
Having played in the WSO for parts of 4 decades, there are many concerts that I remember, some for their intensity, some for their brilliance, and some for their humourous moments. I think that the Boreyko era will always stand out as the musical highpoint in my career, with so many great performances of Mahler, Shostakovitch, and the numerous new works he introduced us to in the NMF.

What are some of your hobbies?
When I’m not playing trombone, I’m probably teaching others how to. I have been teaching at Brandon University since 2001. I’ve been become quite adept at winter highway driving as a result. I also enjoy messing with electronics and computers. My Android tablet is great source of time wasting and occasional moments of brilliance. I have also managed to Father 4 daughters, all of them wonderful in many different ways. It’s amazing and amusing to see your own self mirrored in the qualities of your children. (enough said!)

What or who inspires you?
When my career in the WSO is finished I will always carry with me the memory of my wonderful friends and colleagues. If I need inspiration, I need look no further than the people next to whom I am so privileged and honoured to sit.