MEET DARRYL FERGUSON

Darryl Ferguson is a music educator based in Regina, SK. He received a Bachelor of Music (Applied Trumpet) from Brandon University, a Master of Music (Trumpet Performance) from the University of South Florida, and a Bachelor of Education (After Degree) from the University of Manitoba.

He taught at Acadia Junior High School in Winnipeg, MB for eighteen years. During his tenure at Acadia, the school's band program consistently received recognition for outstanding performance at festivals across western Canada and the northern United States. During these years, the school's elective band program consistently saw high student enrolment, with students participating in one or more of the school's grade level bands, wind ensemble, jazz ensemble, or chamber groups. He taught music education courses and trumpet lessons as a sessional instructor at Canadian Mennonite University and served as the conductor of the Rupertsland Brass Band. Darryl has served as the musical director for the Winnipeg Youth Wind Ensemble and is a co-director of the Soho Sound Canadian Junior Honour Band through MusicFest Canada, an initiative for outstanding young musicians from across Canada.

Passionate about music education, particularly at the junior and intermediate band level, Darryl is a frequent adjudicator at local and regional festivals across Western Canada. He has guest conducted many honour bands, including the Manitoba Junior and Intermediate Honour Bands, the Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra Honour Band, Canadian Association of Mennonite Schools Junior Honour Band, the Manitoba Provincial Junior Honour Jazz Band, as well as local and regional honour bands.

Darryl is active as a presenter of professional development sessions, with topics ranging from recruiting and retention, establishing and maintaining a thriving band program, enhancing literacy in the band room, developing student leadership in the band room, and techniques for developing a young jazz ensemble. Sessions have been presented for music educators across Canada at divisional, regional, provincial and national professional development events.