Cheryl & Darryl Ferguson
Darryl Ferguson received a Bachelor of Music (Applied Trumpet) from Brandon University, a Master’s of Music (Trumpet Performance) from the University of South Florida, and a Bachelor of Education (After Degree) from the University of Manitoba. He currently teaches at Acadia Junior High School in Winnipeg, MB, where he directs four concert bands and a jazz ensemble.
Under his direction, the Acadia band program consistently receives recognition for outstanding performance at festivals across western Canada and the northern United States. The school’s ensembles regularly achieve superior ratings for their festival performances, and T are invited to participate at MusicFest Canada.
The Acadia band program has received the George Douglas Award from the Winnipeg International Optimist Concert Band Festival, and in 2014 was the first junior high program to be awarded the Optimist Festival’s Jazz Award. In 2011, Acadia’s grade 9 ensembles participated in the Canadian Music Educators’ Association’s performance awards program, in which they were awarded the Robert Rosevear Award for the most outstanding junior high concert band and the Don Wright Award for the most outstanding junior high jazz band performances nationally.
Darryl is highly involved in the Manitoba music education community. He is involved in many Manitoba Band Association initiatives, including serving as the MBA representative for the Tempo Music Conference, chairperson for the Manitoba provincial Junior and Intermediate Honour Bands, chairperson for the MBA Jazz Festival, and co-chair of the MBA's Solo Challenge.
In 2021, Darryl was awarded the Manitoba Band Association's Award of Distinction in recognition of his outstanding contribution to music education in Manitoba. In 2018, Darryl was awarded the Fort Richmond MLA Community Hero Certificate for his service in the community.
As a trumpet player, Darryl’s major private teachers include Henry Christian, Alan Ehnes, and Jay Coble. He has also worked in lessons and/or masterclasses with Vincent Cichowicz, Don Owens, Larry Knopp, James Thompson, Laurie Frink, John McNeil and Ray Sasaki. He has performed with the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble, the Winnipeg Brass Quintet, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the National Youth Orchestra of Canada, and the Cambridge Brass Quintet.
Darryl is active as an adjudicator, guest conductor, clinician, and freelance trumpet player. He also serves as a sessional instructor and applied trumpet teacher at Canadian Mennonite University. He also is the conductor of the Rupertsland Brass Band (www.rupertslandbrass.ca) . He has completed Level One of the Canadian Wind Conductors Development Program.
Darryl's private trumpet students have demonstrated excellence in performance. His students regularly comprise a large component of the trumpet sections in provincial honour bands. His students have won or placed in major local and international competitions, including the International Trumpet Guild's Youth Competition, Winnipeg Music Festival, Houston Brass Band Competition, Winnipeg Winds Concerto Competition, Manitoba Provincial Music Festival and the MBA Solo Challenge.