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 Casey Blackwell Photo Dec. 2008 |
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Founder
and Music Director
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The Leader July 20, 2008 - Coffee with Curt |
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He retired in 2003 after 33 years in public education. During the first 18 years, Mr. Jantzen was a music teacher in public schools at all levels. For the last 15 years he was Fine Arts Coordinator for Surrey School Board, supervising music, art, and drama K-12. Curt still teaches band part time at local elementary schools in Ladner, where he lives, giving young children the opportunity to learn a band instrument. In the fall of 2008 he registered 80 new students. Curt and his wife Jhandie started the Delta Music Makers in a modest way in 1983; they advertised an “adult beginner band, for adults with no musical experience,” and through their efforts over the years it grew into a full concert band that is well-respected throughout BC. More recently, Mr. Jantzen established the Ladner Bandfest, a festival of 20 adult concert bands. The eighth annual Ladner Bandfest will take place in Ladner’s Memorial Park on June 9/10, 2012. He and Jhandie raised 3 sons, Dean (policeman), Jonn (electrician), and Aeron (aircraft engineer), who are married to Cindy, Katrina, and Tammy respectively. The Jantzens are very proud of their growing family, which now includes eight grandchildren. Curt and Jhandie like to travel as much as possible. When they’re away, the Delta Music Makers are in very good hands; Margaret Behenna, Assistant Conductor, steps in to conduct the rehearsals and concerts. Mrs. Behenna also partners with Curt in the teaching of band at several Delta elementary schools.The
Surrey Delta Leader featured an interview with Curt
entitled
COFFEE WITH: The Music Man in July 2008. |
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Assistant Director
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She has taught concert band, jazz band, choir and guitar at Eric Hamber in Vancouver, and in several different Delta schools. She was the music director at Delta Secondary School in Ladner from 1985 until her retirement in June 2007. She conducted the pit orchestra for school musicals, including West Side Story, South Pacific, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof and Crazy for You. Her tour bands have performed in interesting places such as England, France, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Cuba, Hawaii, Southern California, Seattle, Alberta, Southern California and Costa Rica. Margaret is passionate about music, and the fun and beauty it can bring to the lives of everyone. She admires and enjoys the Delta Music Makers, and is always delighted when asked to lead one of their concerts or rehearsals. When not conducting, she plays clarinet or trumpet in the DMM band; and the band accompanies her beautiful voice in several selections, e.g. “Song for the Mira”, "They Can't Take That Away from Me", and two of the songs from Highlights from Les Miserables, "I Dreamed a Dream" and "On My Own". |
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Guest Conductor
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She has a degree in Education from University of Victoria, majoring in Music and English, and was a high school music and English teacher in Delta from 1994 to 2005. Aside from playing in, and then teaching at the school level in, concert and jazz bands, she has also performed in the Kelowna Concert Band, the University of Victoria Wind Symphony, the Creston Concert Band and a vocal jazz group. Most of Brenda's teaching experience is with beginners. What motivates her is teaching a new note to a student, having the student sign up for the band the following year, getting bands to festivals, conducting a piece of music successfully... Brenda’s newest undertaking (September 2011) is the Delta Adult Beginner Concert Band,
where she is hoping to provide an opportunity for adults to have fun
while reading music, learning a band instrument, and learning to
perform in a group ensemble. A stay-at-home mom raising Eliana since 2005, and Alia since 2008, Brenda wants to grow as a musician, conductor, teacher and parent, and to stay involved with the DMM because, “in this group, not only have I found a great band, but a great group of people to call friends.” |
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Margaret Behenna is the assistant
conductor of the Delta Music Makers, filling in for Curt Jantzen when
needed.
Brenda Khoo
has played flute, piccolo, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass clarinet,
French horn, trumpet, and percussion; her current venture is trombone.