Faculty - Piano

Lorne Kellett

A native of Vancouver, Lorne lived and performed in Toronto throughout the 70's and 80's working in a variety of musical settings as well as arranging and composing music.

A graduate of U.B.C. (B. Music) and U. of Toronto (B. Ed), he was fortunate to study with Gordon Delamont while living in Toronto. Since returning to Vancouver he has been active in local clubs and studios, musical theatre and the DuMaurier International Jazz Festival.

Lorne's compositions have been performed on CBC radio (HOT AIR and JAZZ BEAT). His latest CD "Family Treasures", features his own compositions and arrangements of standards and jazz classics.

Alan Matheson

Alan Matheson is a Canadian trumpeter, pianist, composer and arranger. He studied with Vincent Cichowicz at Northwestern University in Chicago and graduated with a degree in performance.

Alan currently teaches trumpet and jazz piano at Vancouver's University of British Columbia and teaches in the Jazz Studies programs at Vancouver Community College and Capilano University.

He is the leader of his own big band, nonet and septet and has played with a wide variety of local groups, including the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, the Vancouver New Music Ensemble and the CBC Vancouver Orchestra.

Alan's jazz groups have been featured on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's radio programs and he has also directed the CBC Jazz Orchestra in two tributes to Paul Whiteman. Alan is the musical director of the "Festival Vancouver Jazz Orchestra" and has conducted for Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Bud Shank and Carol Welsman. He has also performed with Phil Woods, Mel Torme, Cleo Laine, Louis Bellson and Doc Cheatham. He has played at the Vancouver, Montreal and Paris Jazz festivals, and in Estonia with the Aldo Meristo Quintet and the Estonian Dream Big Band at the Tallinn, Tartu and Vosu jazz festivals. In fall 2000, he toured Finland and Sweden with the Helsinki City Jazz Orchestra. Alan's compositions and arrangements have been played by Bud Shank, Clark Terry, Sal Ferraras, Julia Nolan, Martin Hackleman and the "Touch of Brass" quintet.

Locally Alan has performed in the Arts Club productions of "Swing", "Sweeney Todd" and "My Fair Lady" and conducted the soundtrack for the "Monsters, Inc." video-game.

His musical influences include Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Woody Shaw and Bix Beiderbecke.

Christopher Sigerson

Pianist Chris Sigerson has been an active member of the Vancouver music scene for the last 20 years. Chris plays a variety of gigs and has experience playing different styles in a wide range of settings. He has worked with many top Canadian and International musicians including vocalists Ernestine Anderson, k.d. Lang and Steve Maddock, guitarists Herb Ellis and Oliver Gannon, saxophonists Fraser MacPherson, P.J. Perry and Campbell Ryga, trumpeters Brad Turner and Leroy Jones, trombonists Slide Hampton and Hugh Fraser, bassists Chris Nelson and Ken Lister and drummers Dylan Van der Schyff and Craig Scott.

Chris teaches piano privately and at Capilano University in North Vancouver and Vancouver Community College in British Columbia. Chris has a self-produced CD entitled "Heritage" which was recorded live at the jazz club, the Glass Slipper in Vancouver. He also produced a Christmas album with bassist Chris Nelson called "Merry Chris Chris Christmas".

Chris has recorded numerous sessions at CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) both as a sideman and as a leader and has played on many independent recordings.

Ross Taggart

Pianist, saxophonist, Ross Taggart has been an important part of the Vancouver jazz scene since 1985. He has performed for audiences in Canada, the United States, Europe, and Central and South America. Ross has performed and/or recorded with the Hugh Fraser Quintet, Ian McDougall Sextet, Bill Coon Trio, Jill Townsend Big Band, Sharon Minemoto Quintet, Clark Terry, Charles McPherson, Benny Golson, Slide Hampton, Lionel Hampton, Phil Woods, Kenny Wheeler, PJ Perry, Bobby Shew, Don Thompson and many others.

Ross studied in New York City and Toronto with George Coleman, Clifford Jordan, JR Monterose, Don Thompson and Bernie Senesky with assistance from the Canada Council for the Arts. As well as being featured on numerous recordings, Ross has four cd's as a leader. Ross has been a faculty member in the Jazz Studies Department at Capilano University since 1998.