Whetham, Scott

Teacher and tuba player who started out with the North Vancouver Youth Band and the National Youth Orchestra of Canada until attending the Eastman School of Music on a Canada Council Arts Grant.

He was soon putting his education to work by freelancing with the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru, the Vancouver Ballet Orchestra, the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, a variety of brass groups, and a touring production of Annie. In 1984, he landed a steady gig as the Principal Tuba for the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

He and bass trombonist, Christopher Taylor, premiered Malcolm Forsyth’s “Two Gentil Knyghtes” at the University of Alberta’s Convocation Hall in Edmonton on 2^nd June 1985.

A decade later, he started up the Mill Creek Colliery Band, a small orchestra of twenty-five musicians, based on the model of the British brass bands. He has also been active with the euphonium/tuba ensemble, Albertasaurus, formed in 1996, and they released a self-titled album in 2000. In June of 2001, they went on a mini-tour of Alberta with stops at Gaetz Memorial Church in Red Deer and Hope Lutheran Church in Calgary. Other groups with which he has been active include Bass Line Road, the Edmonton Wind Ensemble, the Ergon Brass Octet, and the Tarragon Tea Orchestra.

On 23^rd January 2004, he was the guest soloist in a concert with The New Edmonton Wind Sinfonia, a double bill comprising “Scherzo for Tuba and Band” by Kevin Norbury and the “Tuba Concerto” of Bruce Broughton at Convocation Hall. He was one of a handful of musicians selected to perform in a program entitled Bach, Bernstein & Beaulojais at All Saints’ Anglican Cathedral on 25^th May 2007. Members of that makeshift group, including Scott, returned to the cathedral in November for an advent concert.

He was a member of the Applied Faculty at the 2008 Cantando Festival, held at the Winspear Centre in Edmonton. On 3^rd June 2008, his original composition, “Spotted Bear and the Death Lodge”, was premiered at the International Trumpet Guild Conference. He has also participated in the University of Alberta’s noon music series, including a recital on 25^th January 2010 of music by Deegan, Gershwin, Schumann, Sulek, and Wilder.

In the field of music education, he has taught at The King’s University College and The University of Alberta.

Edmonton Wind Ensemble recordings
Snake Fence Country (Howard Cable)
CBC Records 5165 (Snake Fence Country)
Conductor – Harry Pinchin

Sources:

Whetham, Scott

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