The Music Program at Dr. E.P. Scarlett is run by the talented and enthusiastic duo of Mr. Paul Brown and Mr. Jonathan Bell. They are best contacted via e-mail at PJBrown@cbe.ab.ca and JIBell@cbe.ab.ca.
Mr. Paul Brown
Email: pjbrown@cbe.ab.ca
Paul James Michael Brown started his musical journey in Calgary, the city he was born and raised, as a piano and choral student of Deborah Finkleman. Paul’s grandfather, a vocalist, noticed that Paul had an ear for pitch early on, and donated a piano to the Brown family living room. Lessons with Deborah began shortly thereafter. Deborah’s passion for music and exceptional skill, fostered in Paul a love for this art form that continues to influence his practice to this day. Jr. High school brought the trombone into his life and a change in the way music making was experienced. Paul continued to enjoy the solitary study and practice of the piano, but it was the shared expression and camaraderie found in band that would be his new passion.
Paul later joined the Stampede Showband under the direction of Robert Eklund and continued to travel the world with them while taking his Bachelor of Music at the University of Calgary. While there, he studied trombone performance with James Scott and conducting from Dr. Glenn Price. Paul volunteered to help the Calgary Round-up Band and discovered his true calling. He finished a second degree in Education and began teaching with the CBE at A.E. Cross Jr. High in 1995. After eight fantastic years, Paul accepted a position at Dr. E.P. Scarlett were he continues to enjoy working with some of the finest student musicians in the city.
Paul Brown has also spent much of his career on staff with the Round-up Band and Calgary Stampede Showband, and for 19 years, he has volunteered for of the Alberta International Band Festival in the capacity of a board member. Paul has been a member of the Westwinds Jazz Orchestra, “A Band of Outriders”, the Stampede Brass Quintet. He continues to enjoy the trombone and currently performs with the Westwinds Wednesday Gold Jazz Band. Paul met his beautiful wife Terri-Lynn in the Stampede Showband, and now with children Lucas and Annika, much time is spent skiing, camping, and making music at home.
Mr. Jonathan Bell
Email: jibell@cbe.ab.ca
Mr. Jonathan Bell joined the Dr. E. P. Scarlett Music team in September 2006. Since then, Jazz Bands and Choirs under his direction have won numerous first place finishes and gold/platinum awards both at the national and international level. Big Bands under his tutelage have shared the stage with Maria Schneider, Ingrid Jensen, Wycliffe Gordon, Victor Goines, Marcus Printup, Gary Smulyan, Luis Bonilla, Terell Stafford, Dick Oatts, and Ted Nash to name a few. Prior to his Scarlett posting, Mr. Bell spent six years developing the music program Fairview Junior High. He completed his Bachelor of Education at the University of Calgary, received his Bachelor of Music at Queen’s University, and a Diploma in Jazz Studies (Performance) from Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton.
Mr. Bell has had extensive musical experience playing in over a dozen professional musicals, numerous private and public dates, in addition to working with Carnival Cruise Lines as a Showband musician and arranger.
Mr. Bell has been actively involved developing curriculum for the Calgary Board of Education’s Locally Developed Courses and been an advocate and participant in the Jazz at Lincoln Centre’s Essentially Ellington competition. In addition, he plays an active role on the board of the Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education (CADME) heading up the All-Ages Jam that is partnered by the new National Music Centre. He approaches each ensemble with a passion for discovery and has a soft spot in his heart for the old school and music that sounds good.
As father to his son Austin, and daughter Addison, Mr. Bell enjoys spending time with his wife Tracy, their dog Kona and witnessing the creation of new and innovative moves on swings, slides, skis and bikes!
