Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra & Clyde Mitchell
Biography Vancouver Contemporary Orchestra & Clyde Mitchell
Sarah Jackson
has held the position of Piccolo for the Los Angeles Philharmonic since 2003. Prior to this, in 1993, she joined the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (British Columbia, Canada) as Second Flute. Ms. Jackson then moved on to take the position of Assistant Principal Flute and Piccolo with the same orchestra. Ms. Jackson also taught flute and piccolo at the University of British Columbia.
Sarah Jackson is a much sought after piccolo and flute teacher, and she attracts students from around the world. Sarah is also an active chamber musician, soloist, clinician, and freelance artist, and has played for numerous films, CD recordings, and TV and radio broadcasts. In addition to orchestral playing and teaching, Sarah Jackson has frequently been engaged as soloist and/or clinician on both flute and piccolo in Venezuela, Belgium, The Netherlands, Japan, the Czech Republic, Canada, and the U.S.
Sarah received her Bachelor of Music Degree in Flute Performance from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. In addition to taking private voice lessons, she specialized in flute and piccolo, studying with Camille Churchfield, former Principal Flute with the Vancouver Symphony. Sarah attended McGill University in Montreal, Quebec for Graduate Studies with Tim Hutchins, Principal Flute of the Montreal Symphony. While studying there, she auditioned for and won her first professional position as 2nd Flute with the Vancouver Symphony.
Clyde Mitchell
Canadian-American Conductor Clyde Mitchell studied piano, organ, and French Horn before deciding to pursue a career in music. Music Performance degrees from Louisiana State University (B. Mus.) and Cal. State U-Northridge (Master of Arts in Music) led to a performing career in Bogotá, Colombia, Tucson, Arizona, and Montreal, Quebe. In Montreal, he was Associate Principal l Horn in the prestigious Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit, and was Professor of Horn and Chamber Music Studies and Conductor of the Brass Choir at McGill University.
Conducting studies at CSU-Long Beach (Master of Music) and USC (Artist Diploma) led to Music Director positions in Canada and the US, including Resident Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony. Clyde has won several important conducting awards and competitions, including Canada’s Heinz Unger Award as “Canada’s Most Promising Conductor” in 1995, and the US National Conductor’s Award in 1991. Clyde’s guest conducting appearances include all of Canada’s major orchestras, as well as many other orchestras and opera companies including Houston, Rochester, South America, Asia, Europe, US, and Canada.
Clyde Mitchell is an outspoken advocate for music education, and regularly conducts and holds workshops for Honour Bands and Orchestras across North America. A fun additional career sees Clyde as a guest speaker and host for classical music radio and television shows.
Clyde is founding Conductor and Music Director of Lions Gate Sinfonia and the new Lions Gate Youth Orchestra. He recently moved to Los Angeles, where his wife, Sarah Jackson, plays Solo Piccolo with the world-famous Los Angeles Philharmonic. Sarah and Clyde love their two cats, and enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures, languages, food, and wine.
Christopher Tyler Nickel
With his music being heard in over 160 countries, award-winning composer Christopher Tyler Nickel has made a name for himself as a successful writer of concert music, music for theatre, as well as film and television music.
A graduate of the University of British Columbia School of Music with a degree in composition, Christopher studied with renowned Canadian composer Stephen Chatman. Upon graduation, he continued his studies in both New York and Los Angeles.
“Epic without being at all overdone… with thrilling orchestral textures… Riveting” (BBC Music magazine),
Nickel’s music is full of life: imagination, invention, variation – a deep understanding of the craft of composition. This is composition at its best – arresting and masterful. I was struck by Nickel’s extraordinary melodic flair, a satisfying blend of repetition and variation. (Allan Pulker, the Whole Note, Excerpts from “Music for Woodwind Choirs” Review)
