Volume 1, Issue 3
May 2011

Notices

The end of the school year is fast approaching, so good luck to all members with their year-end concerts! We hope that you have a wonderful restful summer holiday.

If there is an ABA member that you know of that deserves recognition, email us and we will feature that person in an upcoming Musicom.

If you have events happening in your area let us know and we will make mention of the music activities that you have happening.

Brian Thorlacius inducted into John Philip Sousa Foundation Legion of Honor

Friday, December 17, 2010
Mid-West Band Clinic | Chicago, Illinois

A special award of The John Philip Sousa Foundation, the Bandworld Legion of Honor was established in 1989 to honor, over the course of a year, eight of the finest band directors in our business.

Recipients have taught for at least fifteen years, have maintained a very high quality concert band program, and have contributed significantly to the profession through dedication to bands and band music.

Each is honored at the annual Sousa Foundation awards ceremony during the Midwest Band Clinic in Chicago, Illinois.

Chairman of the Legion of Honor Committee is Terry Austin, Virginia Commonwealth University.

Brian Thorlacius

Brian Thorlacius has been a music educator with the Calgary Public School Board for the past thirty years. His philosophy is, “I believe first and foremost that we need to be positive and encouraging with our students and try to instill the passion of music within each of them. We need to expose them to quality literature, regardless of the genre. I feel that we should always work in a positive manner to build that relationship between the conductor and our players.

I feel that we need to expand our curriculum to include those extras like tours and camps and workshops with professionals, and expose them to professional performances and recordings.”

Brian has received numerous awards, including the 1997 Tommy Banks Award from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the 2009 Vondis Miller Legacy Award from the Alberta Band Association. Under his leadership, the Queen Elizabeth Bands have received overwhelming I ratings.

Brian says, “I feel that having mentors such as Vondis Miller and Butler Eitel to help guide my performance years directly affected my decision to become a band director.”

He also continues to give back to his by profession by serving on the Alberta Band Association’s executive Board. Throughout his teaching career Brian has been an active committee member in assisting the Calgary Board of Education music educators with the development and revision of the provincially approved, locally developed music courses.

2011 Alberta Band Association Provincial Festival of Bands May 16 – 27, 2011 | Red Deer, AB

The Alberta Band Association is thrilled to announce that the 2011 Provincial Festival of Bands is absolutely filled this year with 160 concert bands performing at Red Deer College from May 16 – 27, 2011. The first week of our festival is primarily Middle School and Junior High School bands, and the second week is for the most part high school groups.

Bands are attending the festival from throughout the entire province, and we look forward to an exciting and educational two weeks. We have an outstanding panel of adjudicators who we are certain will make the experience positive and encouraging for all students.

Our adjudicators for 2011 are:

MusiCamp Alberta

July 24 – August 13, 2011 | Red Deer, AB

Be sure to bring MusiCamp Alberta to the attention of your students. This outstanding summer Music Workshop offers programs in band, choir, jazz choir, musical theatre and piano. We offer one– or two– week residential programs at Red Deer College from July 24 – August 13, 2011. Visit www.musicampalberta.com for more information and to view our promotional video.