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Jim Howard

Executive Director

Mr. Howard is a former faculty member at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and was the recipient of the "Berklee College of Music Distinguished Alumnus Award" in 1989.

He has held the positions of Visiting Professor of Jazz Studies at Wilfred Laurier University, Jazz Ensemble Director at McMaster University and was a Teaching Master/Senior Faculty Member at Mohawk College, where he wrote and implimented their jazz curriculum. In addition, Mr. Howard sat on the Advisory Board of the Open University of Canada.

Mr. Howard was Artistic Director of the Soho Jazz Band and toured Canada as the Director of "Superband". He recorded 2 albums with the Jim Howard/Pat Sullivan Big Band and has arranged for orchestras, jazz ensembles, brass bands and drum corps. From 1983 through 1992 he was Artistic Director for the CKY/CTV Series "Jazz At the ..." and music comentator for CHCH-TV. For 5 years he was a studio arranger at Continental Recording Studios in Boston where he wrote and performed on hundreds or radio and television commercials.

He has been involved with the Festival as an adjudicator and clinician for over 33 years, and has been the Executive Director for the past 27 years.