MCA GALA CONCERT

SATURDAY, OCT 28, 4:30 p.m. 
Red Deer College Main Stage

featuring...

ALBERTA YOUTH CHOIR
Dr. Elroy Friesen, guest conductor
Tova Olson, pianist

soloists

​ABA WIND SYMPHONY
Jason Caslor, guest conductor
TICKETS

​Admission is included with delegate registration fees.

​​Non-delegate tickets are available for $20 (general admission) or $25 with post-concert reception.
ALBERTA YOUTH CHOIR

The Alberta Youth Choir is the province's honour choir for singers ages 16-22. AYC provides a unique opportunity for outstanding young singers from across the province to join forces in the pursuit of excellence in choral music under the direction of a renowned conductor.​ This year, 61 choristers from 29 different Albertan choirs  will come together under the direction of Dr. Elroy Friesen, director of Choral Studies at the University of Manitoba.

Following their three day residency and performance at Music Conference Alberta, AYC will embark on a tour to Saskatchewan.
ELROY FRIESEN, Alberta Youth Choir guest conductor

Described as “innovative, expressive, and dynamic,” Elroy Friesen is Director of Choral Studies at the University of Manitoba where he conducts numerous choirs, and teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting and music education.  He has recently been Artistic Director of Canzona, Winnipeg’s professional Baroque choral ensemble, and he actively researches Baroque performance practice.  Elroy has also published his research on the choral music of Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara and pursues his passion of study and performance of new Nordic repertoire – especially new Canadian works.  His award-winning ensembles tour nationally and internationally, and are frequently recorded and broadcasted by the CBC.  They enjoy collaborating with many outstanding local and national arts organizations, including the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Canadian College of Organists, WSO New Music Festival, Soundstreams Canada, Groundswell, Vancouver Chamber Choir, MusikBarock Ensemble, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, and the Latvian Radio Choir.
 
 Dr. Friesen studied at the University of Manitoba (B. Mus., B. Ed., M. Mus.) and at the University of Illinois (DMA) receiving numerous scholarships and grants from the Manitoba Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts, and the Foundation for Choral Music in Manitoba.  Elroy is a co-founder of fikamusik (an intensive professional choral conducting program), the founder and past Artistic Director of Prairie Voices, and has recently appeared as guest conductor with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. He is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator, and conductor throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe.
TOVA OLSON, Alberta Youth Choir Pianist

Tova Olson has been involved extensively in the Camrose Choral scene singing under the direction of Tom Spila and Dr. Marc Hafso, with whom she also studied conducting. She obtained a BTS (CLBI) and a BA in Music (Augustana) studying classical and jazz piano and hand drumming. Tova also holds her ARCT in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She has worked with children's, youth and adult choirs and also the mixed youth choir at MusicAlberta Camp. Tova has been with the Kokopelli choirs since 2004 as singer, accompanist and percussion coach. She is an experienced piano teacher and accompanist and is currently the worship and music coordinator and principal organist for Messiah Lutheran Church in Camrose, AB where she overseas numerous choirs and worship bands. Tova also sings with and arranges/composes music for Blue Thistle (a female vocal a cappella quartet).
ABA WIND SYMPHONY 
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The ABA Wind Symphony is comprised of outstanding band students from across the province of Alberta. One of the cornerstone programs of the Alberta Band Association, through this opportunity thousands of Alberta’s finest music students have had the chance to grow musically and to meet and perform with their peers.

Music educators have been able to meet and observe the work of some of the most outstanding band directors in the world. Many benefits have accrued to Alberta music programs from this valuable program of the ABA.

​Each year, an international guest conductor is selected to work with the group, providing these students with a unique opportunity to learn from a leading band director. The guest conductor selects the pieces of music that will be performed by the Honour Band based on his/her knowledge of music and the average level of past bands.
Jason Caslor, ABA Wind Symphony Guest Conductor

Dr. Jason Caslor is Assistant Professor of Music and Associate Director of Bands and Orchestras at Arizona State University (ASU). In addition to directing the Wind Ensemble and Philharmonia, he also mentors graduate conducting students, and teaches undergraduate and graduate conducting courses.

From 2010-2015, Caslor served as Assistant Professor of Instrumental Conducting at Memorial University in St. John’s, Newfoundland, Canada where he conducted the Wind Ensemble and oversaw the undergraduate and graduate instrumental conducting programs. Prior to that, he spent three seasons as Resident Conductor with the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra (TBSO). During his tenure with the TBSO, he conducted over 75 concerts (including a CBC Radio national broadcast) and recorded a full-length, internationally distributed CD with Canadian blues artist Rita Chiarelli. Recipient of an “Excellence in Teaching Award” from Memorial University’s Students’ Union in 2012, Caslor also spent several years teaching in the public school system as an instrumental and choral instructor.

In addition to numerous regional engagements, Caslor conducted the 2016 National Youth Band of Canada and has presented his research at the 2016 Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the 2015 WASBE International Conference, and the 2013 CBDNA National Conference. Upcoming opportunities include the 2017 Alberta Band Association's Wind Symphony, the 2018 Ontario Honour Band, and the 2018 South Dakota All State Band.

Caslor’s current research interests include developing a user-friendly iPad application that will allow for the transmission of high quality audio over the internet for the purposes of internet-based rehearsals/clinics and spontaneous improvisation as it pertains to both conducting pedagogy and large ensembles.

Caslor completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts (Conducting) at Arizona State University. Prior to earning a Master of Music (Conducting) degree from the University of Manitoba, Jason earned his Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Saskatchewan.
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More information can be found at www.jasoncaslor.com.