Jack Brownell

An accomplished and respected musician in both classical and popular genres, Jack Brownell is also widely recognized as a multi-instrumentalist and arranger/composer.
Jack grew up in Truro, NS, and upon completing an undergraduate degree at Acadia University, spent two years playing with Symphony Nova Scotia. Following a residency at the Banff Centre School of Fine Arts, Jack was invited as a scholarship student by Daniel Perantoni to pursue graduate studies at Arizona State University where, as a Dean’s List student, he completed his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts (performance) work with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Additional private studies ‘of great influence’ took place with renowned Hollywood studio musician Jim Self, and Dennis Miller, Principal Tuba of the Orchestra symphonique de Montreal.
While chamber music is his genre of choice, having long been involved in professional brass quintets in both Germany and the United States, he has been found in Canadian, German, and American symphony orchestras, performing with touring Broadway productions, and enjoying an eclectic mix of work – from playing the world premiere ‘live’ performance of the orchestral music from the movie Batman with its composer (Danny Elfman), working with famed American composer Gunther Schuller, or playing as an invited guest performer at the 1990 International T.U.B.A. Symposium in Sapporo, Japan.
Following performance endeavours in Japan, the USA, and Europe, Jack returned to his native province where he combined his professional performing and music creation with involvement in academia: he currently serves on the faculty of Dalhousie University’s Fountain School of Performing Arts, having also taught at St. FX, Acadia, and Arizona State universities, as well as the Université de Moncton. His applied instrumental students (tuba, euphonium, trombone, horn, and trumpet) — and those he has coached — have gone on to enjoy successful careers as professional performing musicians, earn significant entrance scholarships to major graduate schools, won positions in the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, l’Orchestre Metropolitain de Montreal and other similar ensembles, and become prominent music educators.
A featured guest artist at Scotia Festival in 1999, he returned in 2004 for the 25th anniversary gala orchestra performance of Olivier Messiaen’s landmark Turangalila Symphony, playing principal tuba alongside Charles Schlueter (principal trumpet, Boston Symphony), James Sommerville, (principal horn, Boston Symphony), and Alain Trudel (solo trombone artist).
A musician of great versatility and ability, Jack has shared the stage with some of the world’s finest musicians, including Doc Severinsen, Ray Charles, members of the Summit Brass, Tommy Johnson (top LA studio tubist), Patrick Sheridan and Daniel Perantoni (internationally renowned tuba soloists), David Hickman (solo trumpet artist and Past-President of the International Trumpet Guild), Mark Lawrence (principal trombone, San Francisco Symphony and formerly Empire Brass).
As a composer / arranger, Jack writes in a wide variety of idioms (both classical and non-classical styles) and for an even wider variety of ensembles. Representative projects include:

• Publishing of arrangements for the multiple-Grammy award winning Latin/Jazz musician Paquito D’Rivera by Mr D’Rivera’s publisher, International Opus.

• Collaborating with three-time Juno winner (and Grammy-nominated) Canadian musician/alternative rapper K-OS. Following the CBC-sponsored documentary of his work with the CBC Vancouver Radio Orchestra, and in preparation for the upcoming ‘Atlantis’ album on the EMI label, Jack was commissioned to write arrangements for five diverse tracks, and then also conducted his string colleagues from Symphony Nova Scotia for the recording sessions. The project garnered five Juno nominations.

• CSI-Miami (CBS TV Series) inclusion on soundtracks: Season 5, Episode 19 “Bloodline” / Season 5, Episode 17 “A Grizzly Murder”

• Composed two commissioned works for the Installation Ceremony of the 33rd Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, The Honourable Arthur J. LeBlanc. In appreciation and thanks, Jack received an invitation to a Government House luncheon with Their Honours, Arthur J. and Patricia LeBlanc.

• The publishing of a number of brass quintet, brass ensemble, and solo materials for world-wide distribution.

• A number of commissioned arrangements for the Stadacona Band of the Royal Canadian Navy, the CAF’s east coast full-time military band based in Halifax, Nova Scotia

• Commissioned by the Nova Scotia Provincial Government to create the closing musical finale for the 1987 Canada Winter Games