Music Director

Music Director

Sandi Chasson is the past Director of Music at St. Andrew’s College, where she conducted their prize winning Wind Ensemble and taught instrumental music. She has studied at Queens University and The University of Toronto and represented Canada as a bassoonist at the Stravinsky Festival, performing with the Vienna Philharmonic in Vienna, Austria.  She has been teaching Instrumental Music for the past 42 years at Regent Park, Havergal College and currently at St Andrews. In addition to developing strong band programs, Sandi had adjudicated at music festivals and lectured in the US and Canada on gender issues in Music Education. Recently, she was honoured with the Conductors Excellence Award by the Ontario Band Association. Sandi’s association with the band since January 2020 has endeared herself to the membership, and we look forward to a bright future under her leadership and her signature “pink baton.”

 

 

 

 

Past Music Director

Nick Arrigo received his Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario and his Honours Specialist from the University of Toronto. He has been a loyal, trusted and dynamic member of the Country Day School Faculty for 23 years. He made a dream a reality by assembling the School’s first jazz band in 1993, and the program has since flourished into two different levels, which now include Senior Jazz (9-12) and a Middle School Jazz Band (Grades 7 and 8). Nick teaches in every level of the School, including team teaching the beginner program with Department Head, Nancy Promane. He has also been a proud member of the Canadian Forces 7th Toronto Regiment, Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery for the past 26 years. He carries the rank of Lieutenant and occupies the role of Director of Music for the 7th Toronto Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. In his capacity as military musician, he will still get to play clarinet and alto saxophone in the show band, and tenor player in the dance band. Mr. Arrigo delights in sharing his talents, enthusiasm and love of music with his students every day.  As a conductor, Nick has been also directing community bands for the past seven years. He has been conducting the Malta Band in Mississauga, and joined the Richmond Hill Concert Band in September, 2015.
 
 
 
 
 
Past Music Director
 
Denny Ringler was raised in Mississauga, Ontario, where he attended Streetsville High School. Upon graduation, he joined the Canadian Armed Forces (regular) as a trombonist. He studied trombone with Harry Stevenson, Jerry Kuhl and Ted Griffith. While in the regular forces, Denny was able to complete his Bachelor of Music at McGill University with his major concentration in education, trombone and conducting. He completed his Bachelor and Master of Education degrees at the University of Saskatchewan, where he also conducted the concert band and university jazz ensemble. Returning to Toronto in 1980, he worked for the North York Board of Education prior to taking the position of Director of Music at Toronto’s prestigious Crescent School for Boys from which he retired in 2003. In 1982, he rejoined the Canadian Armed Forces (reserve) where he conducted the 411th Squadron Band at Downsview and in 1987 was appointed Director of Music for the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada. Denny was the director of the Oakville Concert Band for eight years, was the past president of the Canadian Band Association (Ontario), and was also the musical director of the Mississauga Pops Concert Band and the 48th Highlanders of Canada. He is currently the Music Director of the Thornhill Community Band.
Denny was the first conductor for our Band. We were indeed fortunate to have had a music director with such expertise and teaching skills. We wish him well in his retirement to many years of continued health and musicianship.