BLUES IN CHICAGO
“I caught me some Blues in Chicago.” It was the 30th annual Blues Festival... more.
About Brian
Brian Farrell is a Calgary educator,
vocal coach and artistic mentor.
Backstage with Ed Robertson of the “Barenaked Ladies”
Brian began his music studies at age 9 – his teacher was a painter, musician, astrologer and adjudicator – a renaissance man who influenced the way Brian thinks as a musician. Brian’s great grandfather performed on vaudeville stages and his uncles toured the country as musicians.
In Calgary, Brian has built strong vocal and performing arts programs at: Crescent Heights High School, Sir Winston Churchill High School and Master’s Academy and College. As Artistic Director, he has helped establish the performance group REVV52 as a unique Canadian entity that “pushes the boundaries of choral music”. Recent concerts celebrate the music of Motown, Ray Charles, Gospel, Pop, Soul, Blues, the Beatles, Beach Boys, piano singer/songwriters, Meaghan Smith, Jimmy Rankin, the music from Greenwich Village, Memphis and the British Experience. Revv52 performed in the world premiere oratorio through One Yellow Rabbit Theatre about homelessness.
Collaborations
Brian has collaborated with Dr. Ben Hu who is professor and head of Division of Experimental Neurosciences, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Alberta Health Services – their work focuses on Parkinsonism and the brain. Brian directs a choir of Parkinson patients and their caregivers who have participated in Alberta Parkinson’s conferences in Calgary. At The Warehouse recording studio in Vancouver, Brian collaborated with musician/producer Ashwin Sood (drummer with Sarah McLachlan, Jason Mraz) to record the female vocal group Aliqua and worked as Musical Director in Theatre Calgary’s production of OUR TOWN. With respected music manager Neil MacGonigill, they have established TURNTABLE CREATIVE, an environment for artists to share their music and interact about the current state of music.
Teaching
Backstage with Paul Brandt
Brian has taught many successful arts professionals by encouraging strong connections between the arts, the marketplace and life. Session guests have included the casts of Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Grease, actresses Didi Conn and Allegra Fulton, actors Ted Dykstra, Richard Greenblatt, Jeff Lillico, Dudley Moore, managers Neil McGonigill and Ed Harris, musicians/songwriters: Jann Arden, Paul Brandt, Jason Carter, Lindsay Ell, Denis Grady, Bob Halligan, Kit Johnson, Anne Loree, Raghav Mathur, Sarah McLachlan, Steve Pineo, Pierce Pettis, Kalan Porter, Jimmy Rankin, Ashwin Sood, Meaghan Smith, Tim Williams, jazz singers Vivianne Cardinal and Janet Lawson, pianist Gloria Saarinen, raconteur Lister Sinclair, principal dancer Laura Graham, vocal coach Brett Manning, Theo Fleury and triple threat performer Sutton Foster. Former students include: Ashwin Sood (producer, musician), Raghav Mathur (Mobo Award winner, 7 hit singles on the UK charts, #1 hit single Canadian charts summer 2011), Paul Brandt (most awarded Canadian country male artist in history), Kalan Porter (Canadian Idol winner), Lindsay Ell (guitarist/singer/songwriter Nashville/Calgary), Jeff Lillico (actor with Soulpepper, the Shaw and Stratford Festivals) and many others who have dedicated their lives to working in or promoting the arts.
Education
Juno Singer/songwriter Meaghan Smith and Brian backstage
Brian received his Bachelor of Musical Arts (Honours) and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Western Ontario. He also studied at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, The University of Western Michigan and completed his Master of Arts at San Diego State University. Brian is included in the recent volume of “The World’s Who’s Who In Jazz, Cabaret, Music and Entertainment”.
Home Life
Brian is married to Susan who is a financial planner. Their son Ryan completed a Masters in Epidemiology at Ohio State University and currently attends Rush College of Medicine in Chicago. Lauren, their daughter who recently graduated from the University of Arizona is a producer/actor in New York City.