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I am a musician, teacher, composer-arranger, and academic-critic predominantly involved in jazz and popular music. I am based in Toronto, Ontario since August of 2009, and am enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts in Performance (Jazz) program at the University of Toronto, the first program of its kind in Canada. I am studying piano with Juno award-winning pianist David Braid and doing academic research on the relationships between popular song and jazz performance. Outside of my school activity, I am a freelance performer and private teacher.
From 2007 to 2008, I was the Paula Knickerbocker Artist-in-Residence and Lecturer at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho where I taught jazz piano and a course in jazz appreciation as well as performed extensively. Following that, I studied with renowned piano instructor Kendall Feeney, a professor at Eastern Washington University while maintaining a private studio, serving as accompanist of the Unitarian Church for Moscow, Idaho, and playing as a freelance musician.
My previous educational background has informed me in all aspects of my musical life. I completed a M.Mus in Jazz Performance (summa cum laude) from one of the most prestigious jazz schools in the world, the University of North Texas. While attending, I studied with Eddie Gomez's regular pianist, Stefan Karlsson, and with renowned educator and pianist, Dan Haerle. At UNT, I performed with the 2 O'Clock Lab Band, one of the most respected college big bands in the United States. In addition, I directed the UNT 6 O'Clock Lab Band for a year. I studied extensively with the current head of Jazz Studies, John Murphy, who helped to supervise my research in areas related to ethnomusicology and jazz studies. My undergraduate background was in music education at the University of Saskatchewan where I received Bachelor's degrees in Music Education and Education. In between, I also did further study in jazz performance at the University of McGill in Montreal, Quebec.
While in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, I participated in numerous jazz/creative-music projects, including my own quintet, that appeared at prominent venues throughout the area. In this vein, four selections including two under my leadership were selected as part of the University of North Texas's 2006 compilation of small group recordings, Etranger. One of these projects, the Donohoe-Goynes Quintet, was a co-winner of the Outstanding College Jazz Small Group in the 2007 Down Beat Awards.
Also during my time studying there and in the year following, I had performed professionally on a regular basis in the DFW area in clubs and private functions. This included work as a solo artist and with many commercial acts, including Dallas R&B/jazz mainstay Fingerprints and Dallas's most recognized commercial cover band, Emerald City Band. ECB has won numerous awards and while with them I performed at many prominent venues and for major events including corporate conferences and an event for former NYC mayor Rudy Guiliani. In addition, at this time I was a regular choral accompanist and band leader for First Baptist Church in Coppell.
I have had a host of other performing and arranging/composing experience prior to that in different locales and settings. I have worked in major jazz clubs in Edmonton and Montreal in Canada and have worked extensively as a pianist for cruise ship showbands. I arrange professionally, having recently written a complete feature show for Carnvial Cruise Line entertainer, fiddler Jimmy Hodge.
On a personal note, I am originally from Yorkton, Saskatchewan, Canada - a small town in the Prairies a few hours north of North Dakota.
I am available as a pianist, clinician, private instructor and composer-arranger for all jazz and popular styles.
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