MUSIC PROJECTS A People's Fame Pre 1950's Canadian Folk Songs This recorded collection of songs from various archives around Canada will be released in April of 2006. Various sources include the collections of Edith Fowke, Marius Barbeau, Phil Thomas, Helen Creighton and Kenneth Peacock. These collections are held in trust at the Museum of Civilization in Ottawa, University of Calgary and University of British Columbia. Musicians include Mark Duggan, Dragoslav Tanascovic, Tania Gill, Don Kerr and Jay Burr. Research and recording funded by Canada Council. John Millard and Happy Day Since releasing their debut recording in November 2000, this band has toured many parts of Canada. Festival appearances include, Frostbite Festival in White Horse, Festival D'ete in Quebec City, Harbourfront on Canada Day in Toronto, the Duncan and Harrison Folk Festivals in B.C., Caravan Farm Theatre in Armstrong, Hillside Festival in Guelph Ont., the Summerfolk Festival in Owen Sound, The Church in St. Jacobs, The Jackson Triggs Vinyard in Niagara on the Lake, Mission Folk Festival and The Cellar in Vancouver. The group released it's second cd in April 2003 and continues to tour Canada. The Polka Dogs The Polka Dogs were a five to ten piece band active between 1989 and 1993. Under the leadership of composer John Millard, the core of the band included Colin Couch on tuba, Tom Walsh on trombone, Ambrose Pottie on drums, and Tiina Kiik on accordion. Other personnel included Chiyoko Slavnicks, Kevin Turcotte, John Lennard, Allen Cole, Michelle Verheul, Martin Van de vin, Steven Donald, Andy Stochansky, John Jowett, Mark McLean, Don Rooke and Ernie Tollar. The Polka Dogs released two CDs through Festival Records in Canada and on Elektroplatte in Europe (Vienna). The albums and concert recordings still enjoy an amount of airplay in Canada, Germany, Holland and Austria where they toured most extensively. The band toured extensively in Canada and Europe, playing at almost every major folk and jazz festival and too many nightclubs. New Music Across America Composers Guy Klucevsek and Evan Lurie were commissioned to compose for and play with The Polka Dogs at this major north american festival held in Toronto in 1992. The Harry Horne Project was a trio that featured John Hess (Queen of Puddings) on piano, David Woodhead on bass and John Millard on vocals. Weill, Mahler, standards and original compositions. Performed at clubs in Toronto. The Five Star Parade Orchestra was a twelve piece marching band created by John Millard and Allen Cole. Choreographed by Susan McKenzie. Musical Direction by Michael Baker. These pieces were composed in Mexico and Canada after visiting Mexican music festivals including the women's choral festivals in Uruapan and Morelia and the brass band festival in Tierra Caliente, Apatzingan. .............................................. THEATRE PROJECTS The Four Horsemen Adapted and arranged sound poet bp nichol songs and poems for use by Kate Alton and Ross Manson in this Volcano production. Cyrano This musical adaptation of the stage classic was presented in summer 2004 at The Caravan Theatre. Adapted by Martin Julien and directed by Jennifer Brewin. Simpl Written by Peter Froehlich and directed by Richard Rose, this biography of the Munich cabaret performer Karl Valentin features piano compositions performed by Peter Tieffenbach Joan Commisioned by Sarah Phillips to compose score for this retelling of the Joan of Arc story. Caucasian Chalk Circle ... new score for this Bertolt Brecht piece of music theatre. Directed by Richard Greenblatt. New translation by Ross Manson. The Man From the Capital... adapted this Russian farce by Gogol as a musical for The Caravan Farm Theatre . Colin Heath adapted the script. Directed by Jennifer Brewin. Trickster Tale Composed six songs and incidental music for this Theatre Direct Canada production of Tomson Highway's play for young audience. Directed by Leah Cherniak. The Ballad of Weedy Peetstraw Composed the full score for this bluegrass retelling of the Faust story at the Caravan Farm Theatre. Script by Peter Anderson. Lyrics by Millard and Anderson. Directed by Estelle Shook. Urfaust Set six of Goethe's songs for a reading of Dr. Daniel Farrelly's new translation of Goethe's earlier draft of the much larger work, Faust. Commissioned by The Goethe Institute. Directed by Ross Manson The Duchess Composed a full score for this musical version of Linda Griffith's script. Directed by Paul Thompson at Alberta Theatre Projects. The Barber of Seville Dora award winning adaptation of Rossini's opera with Michael O'Brien for accordion, clarinet, guitar and twelve actors. Ratbag Composed music and songs for this Canadian Stage Company/Theatre Columbus production. Script by Martha Ross and Lyrics by Millard and Ross. Bluma Appel Theatre. Musical direction by Allen Cole. Directed by Leah Cherniak and Peter Hinton. Featured The Polka Dogs in the pit. Nominated for nine Dora awards including best new musical. Sleeping Dogs Susan McKenzie choreographed a one hour dance piece to music written by John Millard for The Polka Dogs featuring Tiina Kiik on accordion. Kensington Sons et Lumierres Polka Dogs conceived for this spectacle conceived by John Millard and Ida Carnevali for Kensington Karnival. .............................................. FURNITURE MUSIC MacBeth Used local pipe band and traditional Scottish tunes for this production of The Scottish Play. Caravan Farm Theatre. Directed by Estelle Shook. MORE FURNITURE MUSIC Lonely Nights and Other Stories Composed and assembled soundtrack for this Theatre Columbus production. The Applecart Composed score for this G.B. Shaw play at the Shaw Festival. Directed by Richard Greenblatt. Arrangements of Robert Burns songs and original compositions performed by The Exultate Chamber Choir and conducted by John Tuttle. The Last Drop Composed score using water sounds as rhythms. By Kim Selody. Directed by Leah Cherniak. Carousel Theatre. Rocks Adapted and directed musical components of this Australian young people's show for Carousel Theatre. Directed by Kim Selody. The Dog and The Angel Composed and directed music for this Caravan Farm Theatre production of the play written by Martha Ross. Directed by Jennifer Brewin. The Ballad of Easy Lenny Lazmont Composed and performed the score for this production of Anton Piatagorski's play. Directed by Chris Abrahams. The Cherry Orchard Created score from Russian recordings for this Theatre Columbus/Theatre Smith-Gilmour of the Chekov play. Directed by Dean Gilmour and Leah Cerniak. Peer Gynt Composed and directed music for this adaptation by Banuta Rubess. Directed by Theatre Columbus. The Attic, the Pearls and the Three Fine Girls Composed original music with Allen Cole for this Theatre Columbus production. Directed by Alysa Palmer. Dora award nomination for score. Decameron Composed and performed original music for this adaptation by Mary Stella Roca. Directed by Peter Hinton. Theatre Smith Gilmour. Dora nomination for score Oedipus Composed score for Ned Dicken's adaptation of the old story. Directed by Sarah Stanley. Not Wanted on the Voyage Composed and adapted music for this Necessary Angel production of the Richard Rose/D.D. Kugler adaptation of the Timothy Findlay novel. Manitoba Theatre Centre and The Bluma Appel Theatre. .............................................. FILMS Diary of a Cancer Patient Directed by Joe Viszmeg. NFB/CBC In My Own Time Joe Viszmeg NFB/CBC Cold Lake Cruise Joe Viszmeg NFB .............................................. RESEARCH AND STUDIES • Private studies with Fred Stone. • Festival music in Mexico. Choirs, bands etc.(Canada Council 1989) • Music for public theatre with Welfare State International, Chari Vari and Boris Howarth in England. Reading includes Delamont, Piston, Schoenberg. .............................................. TEACHING • Regular guest artist at National Theatre School and Humber College.