DEVELOPING ARTISTS GRANTS
2010 Grant Recipient

Oscar Peterson Grant for Jazz Performance
Daniel Reynolds

Daniel Reynolds is a 21-year-old student at the Schulich School of Music at McGill University who will enter his fourth year of a Bachelor of Music Jazz Studies degree program this autumn. He has studied at McGill under Jan Jarczyk, and taken private instruction with Chet Doxas. A graduate of Lord Byng High School in Vancouver, Mr. Reynolds has participated in master class performance and workshop sessions in Vancouver, Banff and Ottawa, as well as amassing an impressive resume of solo and ensemble performances in Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver. He is also a developing talent in jazz composition, aspiring to express the beauty of nature through music.

In submitting the nomination for The Hnatyshyn Foundation jazz grant, André J. Roy, Chair, Department of Performance, Schulich School of Music of McGill University identified Daniel Reynolds as ”an enthusiastic, serious and generous musician who is highly respected and admired by his peers as well as faculty members. He has been noted for his improvised solos that exhibit a sophisticated and intellectual process usually associated with musicians significantly more experienced.”

In adjudicating Mr. Reynolds’ performance submissions, which included two of his own compositions, the jury for jazz performance – which included: Ingrid Jensen, Artist-in-residence, Trumpet Faculty, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; Joel Miller, saxophonist, Montreal; and Jodi Proznik, bassist and educator, South Surrey, British Columbia – was impressed by the maturity of his musicianship, emphasizing a strong vocabulary and rhythmic feel. His interpretations were commended for exhibiting very good phrasing and a beautiful touch, as well as conveying thoughtful ideas. His original compositions were described as full of emotion and strong harmonic adventure.