His love for music of many kinds has led to a diverse career that includes orchestral and choral conducting and performing, West African drumming, jazz vocals, musical theatre, and composing music for film, television, stage and the concert hall. Brian has twice received Vancouver’s Jessie Richardson award for original theatre music and his choral music is performed worldwide.
As a vocalist, Brian has performed at festivals, clubs, and in concert. Brian directs Vancouver’s 100-voice City Soul Choir and gives choir workshops internationally. He is currently on the faculty of Studio 58, Langara College’s professional theatre school, and previously taught at the Banff Centre for Leadership Development, where he used music and theatre as tools for organizational training. Brian is a regular instructor at “Songroots” music camp on Gambier Island every July, and “BC Swing Camp” in Sorrento every August.
As a facilitator and teacher, Brian is known for his insight, humour, and compassion. He created “Free Your Voice” as a workshop for anyone who wanted to use singing as a way to explore their creativity, build their confidence, and connect powerfully with others. Brian has been offering this workshop in many forms for over 20 years.As a speaker and facilitator, Brian takes the elements of creativity, intuition, and improvisation found in the performing arts and transforms them into powerful, interactive group experiences to develop leadership, innovation and teambuilding. His programs include groundbreaking work such as using musical improvisation to enhance leadership and teams, and the use of the voice as a tool for personal development. Brian brings spontaneity, humor, and originality into all of his presentations, allowing participants to experience growth and success not only in their work, but in all areas of their lives.
Brian lives in historic Strathcona, Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood, with his wife Patricia and their dog Finn.