Resident Conductor
Alan Dickson Photography
Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser is extremely pleased to have been offered the position of Resident Conductor of the Thunder Bay Symphony Orchestra. Born in Montréal, Quèbec, he has primarily been a resident of Calgary, Alberta. While in Calgary, Daniel has been Artistic Director of Players Chamber Ensemble, Assistant Conductor of the Calgary Civic Symphony, Director of the University of Calgary All-City Wind Ensemble, Orchestral Director of Ambroe University College and teacher of music at Glenmore Christian Academy.
Daniel has worked with some of the foremost conductors of this generation, among them Dr. Glenn Price of the University of Calgary, Mark Hopkins of Acadia University, Clark Rundell of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Baldur Bronnimann of National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia and, most recently, Rolf Bertsch of the Calgary Philharmonic. His studies at the University of Calgary earned him the Faculty of Fine Arts Gold Medal from which he went on to complete a Bachelor of Education and a Diploma of Fine Arts in Advanced Wind Conducting. After teaching for four years, Dan studied at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester England, where he earned the Royal Northern College’s James Kershaw Memorial Scholarship, Brierley Conducting Prize, David Frederick-Baker Memorial Prize and the degree, Master of Philosophy in Music Performance. While at the RNCM, Daniel completed a thesis on the compositional aesthetics of the Second Viennese School, studying with Dr. Douglas Jarman, Urtext Editor of the Berg Violin Concerto. Upon returning to Calgary, Daniel was appointed Assistant Conductor of the Calgary Civic Symphony, Director of Orchestra at Ambrose University College and re-appointed Artistic Director of Players Ensemble and Director of Bands at Glenmore Christian Academy. He has guest conducted the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and most recently, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
Daniel’s musical journey began in Montréal, where he studied Piano, and continued in Calgary, where he subsequently studied the Tuba and the Cello. Daniel has performed as a founding member of Calgary’s Cascade Quintet and as a soloist with the University of Calgary Symphony Orchestra, University of Calgary Wind Ensemble and Alberta Winds. He is regularly a guest lecturer and soloist at the Vic Lewis Band Festival, Calgary Regional Band Festival in addition to adjudicating at music festivals around the province. Daniel began his Cello studies while in University, studying with Amanda Forsyth and subsequently with Kirill Kalmykov, John Kadz and Andrea Case. As a cellist, Daniel performs frequently with both modern and classical chamber groups, as well as with the Calgary Civic Symphony and First Alliance Orchestra.
In addition to performing, Daniel has been a pedagogue with most of the major music institutions in Calgary including Ambrose University College, Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary. Daniel’s introduction to teaching as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets eventually led to him spending nine wonderful years teaching music and a host of other subjects at Glenmore Christian Academy, a Fine Arts focussed school in the Palliser School District of Southern Alberta. He has been Conductor of the Warrington Youth Orchestra, Junior RNCM String Symphony, and guest conducted the Calgary Youth Orchestra and Pfalzische Kreisjugend Orchester. He has continually volunteered with students whether in Canada or overseas; under the auspices of Teach Beyond, he has also worked in French and German, directing English camps in Switzerland and Germany.
Daniel’s tenure as Resident Conductor of the TBSO is made possible only by the gracious assistance of the Canada Council for the Arts.
