Dan Manley
Arts Council~ Haliburton Highlands presents...
'Featured Artist'
Highlands Brass Academy founder enthusiastic about organization's future
By Mark Arike, Marketing Associate
After going through a successful first year, the Highlands Brass Academy (HBA) is heading into its second season with a similar program, but with a few minor adjustments thrown into the mix..jpg)
“We’ve got more teachers this year,” said Dan Manley, founder of the not-for-profit organization. “This year we have eight days of workshops, whereas last year we had five. There’s also going to be evening recitals and master classes that will be open to the public.”
Manley founded the HBA because he saw a need in the community for something that would provide serious, semi-pro and amateur brass musicians an intense learning experience in the art of brass music.
“I had some brass players show their interest and I realized that we could offer them something a little extra,” said Manley.
In his travels, Manley got the idea for the workshops from a friend who attended something similar.
“A friend of mine went to a trumpet symposium in Japan … after he told me about that I thought it would be great to have something similar here,” explained Manley, adding that he was further motivated to get something going after spending 11 days playing at the Summer Brass Institute in San Francisco.
This summer’s workshops, which are running from Saturday, Aug. 7 to Saturday, Aug. 14 at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre, Lions Hall and Archie Stouffer Elementary School in Minden, are geared towards musicians playing at an advanced level or better. For students, the program consists of large and small ensemble rehearsals, sectional workshops, recitals, master classes and optional private lessons.
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To lead the workshops, Manley acquired a roster of top-knotch, professional Canadian orchestral musicians who will be sure to challenge players and test their skills. Some of the brass professors were picked up at last summer’s Forest Festival, while others were acquaintances of Manley’s from university.
Because this year’s course is at a more advanced level, Manley had to ensure that the students signing up would be able to keep up.
“I did reference checks with the applicants’ teachers,” said Manley. “It was really helpful.”
Of the sixteen students that signed up this summer (three more than last season), most are enrolled in a college or university music program.
“One just finished a masters and most are in undergraduate programs or about to start,” said Manley, adding that a few students from last year’s program are returning this year.
Manley, who works as a computer programmer, is an experienced brass musician himself.
“I went to the University of Ottawa for a year-and-a-half for music,” he said, pointing out that he had to withdraw from the program due to financial reasons.
While focusing on a job that wasn’t music-related, Manley continued to play, spending time in various ensembles, orchestras and quintets.
Though his main focus continues to be the tuba, he’s played a number of other instruments.
“I played the French horn for about eight months … part of it was curiosity because I liked it since high school,” he said.
Manley has been out of school for over a decade, but this fall at the age of 34 he’ll be making his return, this time at the University of Toronto.
“This past winter I auditioned for U of T and I got into second year [in performance],” said Manley, indicating that this is a big step for him. “This is a growing thing for me because before I went in for theory and I didn’t even consider performance. Looking back it’s kind of surprising, but I’ve worked really hard on it and I’ve practiced a ton.”
As for the future of the Highlands Brass Academy, Manley has a few plans in mind.
“There are a couple of different directions that I could go, one of which would be to host an orchestra camp. You’d have strings, brass and percussion players who would come up here for two or three weeks to work on specific things,” he explained.
He and the board of directors also intend to turn the HBA into a charitable foundation so that more funds can be generated for additional programming and operational expenses.
If you’re interested in catching the HBA’s final concert on Saturday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre, tickets will be available at the door. For further information contact Manley directly by email at info@highlandsbrass.org or call 705-455-9674.
