Musicians
CWJC seeks to give opportunities to a variety of players.
However, there is a strong committed core.
Some of our members are professional gigging musicians,
others are music educators, and many more work in a variety of fields.
Each of us, however, has a passion for music.
Kathie Van Lare (dIRECTOR)
Kathie Van Lare, born and raised in Calgary, has been teaching music in the Calgary area for 35 years. Now retired from full-time teaching, Kathie continues to direct the Foothills Music Society Concert Band, the Westwinds Music Society Gold Jazz South Big Band and the Calgary Women's Jazz Collective. Past President of Women Band Directors International - Alberta Chapter, Kathie is active as a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout much of Western Canada and has also served on faculty with MusiCamrose and the Calgary Regional Summer Band Workshop.
Bands under Kathie's direction have been the recipients of several awards and she has been the recipient of various personal awards: Alberta Band Association's "Elkhorn Award" as the Band Director of the Year; Alberta Band Association's "Vondis Miller Legacy Award"; Laureate in John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor at the MidWest Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago; Women Band Directors International "Scroll of Excellence"; and has an Honorary Lifetime Membership from the Alberta Band Association.
Kathie continues to be active as a free-lance musician (trumpet) and has performed with many groups including the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, Prime Time Big Band, Calgary Jazz Orchestra, the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, Prime Time Big Band, Calgary Jazz Orchestra, Alberta Winds and Altius Brass, among others.
Besides music, Kathie enjoys woodworking, horseback riding and is an avid baseball fan. Go Cardinals!
Other musicians who have performed with CWJC: