ITEC 2001 Artists

John Griffiths is one of Canada's leading brass soloists. His solo artistry has been heard in major halls all over the world including Italy, Russia and Japan and in many major North American universities. A recent 13,000 k U.S. tour included the Universities of Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Kansas, Texas A & M, Southern Mississippi, North Carolina, Tennessee Tech, Rhode Island, Michigan State, Texas Christian. A fall, '99 tour took him to the Moscow Conservatory, and the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg Russia. This year's itinerary also includes Eastman, Arizona State and the University of Florida as well as being a guest artist with the United States Army Band ("Pershing's Own") in Washington D.C. where he premiered a new concerto with the band, the eighth major work that has been written for his playing. His performances receive rave reviews and spontaneous standing ovations wherever he plays not only for the pyrotechnic quality, sound and musicality but for his abilities as an entertainer as well.

From Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada and the Director of the University of Regina's Conservatory of Music and Dance and principal tuba (and first call bass trombonist...) of the Regina Symphony, John is also Acting Dean of the University's Continuing Education faculty this year. He performed multiple world premieres at the International Tuba-Euphonium Conference in Riva del Garda Italy in July '97, the only Canadian guest artist invited. He repeated that scenario at ITEC '98 in Minneapolis playing to rave reviews and will host ITEC 2000 in Regina from May 30-June 3, 2000. The newly updated version of his book, "The Low Brass Guide" first published in the 80's has just come off the press. It is designed as a brass pedagogy text. Griffiths recorded his first solo CD entitled "Canadian Chops" in '97. The T.U.B.A. Journal called the CD "... a wonderful album by an incredibly talented tubist, a master of the instrument... an album that should be in every tubist's library." All works on the album are by Canadian composers Elizabeth Raum and David McIntyre and all were commissioned for Griffiths' playing. With the assistance of the Saskatchewan Arts Board, he will record his second solo CD in June, 2000, this time with the Orchestra of the Chapel of St. Petersburg (Russia) playing three concertos by Elizabeth Raum. The disc will be titled "CD Raum".

John's been a featured soloist with the RSO three times, twice recording concertos for CBC national's "Mostly Music", featured artist at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and has played in a wide range of productions from world premieres of oratorios to many performances as bass trombonist of Phantom of the Opera. Recent performances include being a featured artist at the B.C. Music Educators' Conference (to an instant and sustained standing ovation) and a guest artist at the Southeast Regional Tuba-Euphonium Conference in Lexington, Kentucky as part of his tour. He played the Canadian premiere of Frigyes Hidas' "Concerto for Tuba" with the National Youth Band in Vancouver in '98. He is an active adjudicator, soloist and educator.

John began his professional career from high school winning the audition (at the age of 19) as solo tuba of the (now unfortunately defunct) RCMP Band in Ottawa. He went from there to the University of Regina where he earned a B.Mus. Ed. (with Distinction) and directed the university's jazz band, to the University of Michigan where he was Abe Torchinsky's grad ass't and a featured soloist with the University Symphony (graduating with a double major M.Mus.). He studied bass trombone with Glenn P.Smith while there. He later taught at Humber College in the early 80's and then returned to Regina to teach at both the U.of Regina and the U.of Saskatchewan.

As an artist/clinician for Yamaha Canada, John plays three YAMAHA tubas: YFB 621S (F), YCB 621 (3/4 size CC) and YCB 661 (large CC) and a Yamaha 613H bass trombone. He lives in Regina with his wife, Nadine, daughter Kelly and son, Ryan.

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