VCC music school celebrates 40th anniversary
Music enthusiasts will gather at Vancouver Community College on Saturday to celebrate
It's been 40 years since Canadian French horn player Robert Creech founded the School of Music at Vancouver Community College. Since then, the program has grown to include classical, world, pop, rock new music and jazz studies.
To mark the department's 40th anniversary, the college will put on a special concert featuring faculty, students and alumni on Saturday night.
“For more than 40 years, VCC has been the music school of choice for a great many musicians," said department head Ken Morrison.
"All over the world and in a myriad of musical styles, graduates of our program have used the skills they learned at VCC to become artists and mentors in their own communities. This is the continuing legacy of VCC music.”
Over the years, some of B.C.’s best jazz musicians have studied and helped shaped VCC's music program.
Dave Robbins
Legendary trombonist, composer and bandleader Dave Robbins founded the Jazz Studies program at VCC.
Robbins, who was a principal trombonist with both the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the opera, was considered a cornerstone of Vancouver's jazz community for nearly 50 years.
He died in 2005.
Alan Matheson has been teaching at VCC since 1985.
A trumpeter, pianist, composer and arranger, Matheson has mentored jazz musicians like Brad Turner, Malcolm Aiken and Craig Scott.
Kate Hammett-Vaughan
A three-time Juno nominee, Kate Hammett-Vaughan is known as one of Canada’s most individual and creative jazz vocalists. She has taught at VCC since 1998.
The concert begins Saturday at 7 p.m. at Vancouver Community College.