Cantando Music Festivals

Armand Hall ( conductor, clarinetist, and educator) is the Director of Programs for the Gateways Music Festival . In this role, Dr. Hall plans, develops, and oversees all musical activities associated with the festival. Additionally, Dr. Hall is also a faculty member at the Eastman School of Music, where he teaches courses in the Art Leadership Program and Music, Teaching, and Learning (Music Education) Departments.

Prior to his role at Gateways, he served as the Executive and Artistic Director of ROCmusic Collabortive, Rochester’s El Sistema-inspired community-based, free music learning program. 

Prior to ROCmusic, Dr. Hall served as Associate Director of Bands and Coordinator of Instrumental Music Education at the University of Memphis and, prior to that, as a middle and high school band director in the state of Michigan. Dr. Hall is the immediate past board chair of El Sistema USA® and serves on the boards of the Archipelago Project and the Rochester Youth Philharmonic. 

A conductor and clarinetist, Dr. Hall earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from the University of Michigan and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting from Michigan State University. He, along with his partner Dr. Leah McGray, co-conducts the Roads Less Travelled Ensemble, a contemporary music ensemble focused on platforming new works, many by underrepresented populations, and designing audience-focused concert experiences.

Conductor and educator Dr. Danielle Gaudry is the Director of the Wind Orchestra and Associate Professor of Instrumental Conducting and Community Engagement at the Schulich School of Music of McGill University, where she also serves as the Chair of the Performance Department. Prior to her appointment at McGill, she served for ten years as Director of Bands and Coordinator of Instrumental Music at the California State University, East Bay. As a bilingual music educator born and raised in the Franco-Manitoban community of St. Boniface, Dr. Gaudry taught high school instrumental music for several years in a French Immersion program. She proudly served as a musician and conductor in the Canadian Armed Forces for fourteen years, most notably as Director of Music of The Regimental Band of The Royal Winnipeg Rifles and as Conducting Instructor at the Canadian Forces Logistic Training Centre. Retaining her military affiliations in the US, Captain Gaudry was the Associate Conductor with the 38th Infantry Division Band, Indiana National Guard for three years. Dr. Gaudry earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting with a Cognate in Music Education from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. She also holds degrees from The Pennsylvania State University, the University of Calgary, the University of Toronto, and McGill University. At home, Danielle and her husband, a musicologist, maintain a fast-paced life with their two sets of energetic twin boys.

Erik Kar Jun Leung, a native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, serves as Assistant Professor of Teaching and Director of Bands at Oregon State University. In this role, he conducts the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds, teaches conducting, and oversees all aspects of OSU’s band program. Ensembles under his direction have been invited to perform at prestigious events, including the Western International Band Clinic, the Percy Grainger Wind Festival, the NW NAfME Conference, the WNW CBDNA Conference, the Oregon Music Educators Conference, and the inaugural Small Band Program Showcase at the College Band Directors National Association. The Oregon State University Wind Ensemble was also a finalist for the American Prize in Music’s Wind Band Division., a native of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, serves as Assistant Professor of Teaching and Director of Bands at Oregon State University. In this role, he conducts the Wind Ensemble and Chamber Winds, teaches conducting, and oversees all aspects of OSU’s band program. Ensembles under his direction have been invited to perform at prestigious events, including the Western International Band Clinic, the Percy Grainger Wind Festival, the NW NAfME Conference, the WNW CBDNA Conference, the Oregon Music Educators Conference, and the inaugural Small Band Program Showcase at the College Band Directors National Association. The Oregon State University Wind Ensemble was also a finalist for the American Prize in Music’s Wind Band Division.

Leung earned his DMA in Wind Conducting from Northwestern University, along with degrees from the University of Toronto (M.Mus) and the University of Calgary (B.Mus with distinction, B.Ed). His mentors include Mallory Thompson, Gillian Mackay, and Glenn Price.

A passionate advocate for social justice, diversity, equity, and belonging, Leung integrates these principles into his work as a teacher, conductor, and author. He is dedicated to amplifying the voices of composers from underrepresented communities, a commitment that led to his first book, The Horizon Leans Forward: Stories of Courage, Strength, and Triumph of Underrepresented Communities in the Wind Band Field, published by GIA Music Publications. The follow-up, The Hill We Climb: LGBTQ+, Band, and Belonging, will be published in 2025, through GIA Music.

He has presented at numerous conferences across North America and Europe, including the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, the national College Band Directors National Association Convention, the American School Band Directors National Association conference, and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles.

Rachel Rensink-Hoff is Associate Professor and Chair of Music at Brock University and Artistic Director of the Avanti Singers. Awarded the 2016 Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting of the Ontario Arts Council, Rachel and choirs under her direction have been the recipients of numerous honours and awards. Her women’s choir earned first prize in their category of the 2015 National Choral Competition for Amateur Choirs and in 2019 the Avanti Chamber Singers was named “Most Promising New Adult Ensemble.” She was awarded the 2022 Arts in Education Award by the City of St. Catharines and in 2024 received the Brock University Faculty of Humanities Award for Excellence in Teaching.

Rachel is Past Vice-President of Programming for Choral Canada and Past-President of Choirs Ontario, maintaining an active career as adjudicator, clinician, workshop presenter and juror both locally and across Canada. She has served as conductor of the Nova Scotia Youth Choir (2017), the Alberta Youth Choir (2022) and the Ontario Youth Choir (2023) and presents regularly at conferences nationally and internationally. Recipient of the 2010 Choral Canada National Choral Award for Outstanding Dissertation, her ongoing research focuses on conductor training and mentorship, choral programming, and the intersections of creative practice and mental wellbeing.

Rachel holds Master of Music and Doctoral degrees in choral conducting and music education from Western University. She has completed additional choral studies at the Chorus America Conducting Academy, the Eastman School of Music Summer Conducting Institute, and the Voice Care Network of St. John’s University, Minnesota.

Trumpeter Dean McNeill has been contributing to the Canadian music scene in a variety of capacities for decades as an award-winning musician/educator and arts administrator. Professor of Brass & Jazz for 27 years at the University of Saskatchewan (9 of which also serving as Head of the Music Department) Dean is the recipient of the UofS’s Dwaine Nelson Teaching Award, USASK Student’s Union Teaching Excellence Award, the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival’s Special Recognition Award, Saskatchewan Choral Federation’s Outstanding Administrator’s Award, and, the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan). Dean is honored to have shared the stage with the likes of Jon Ballantyne, Tommy Banks, Wayne Bergeron, David Braid, Dee Daniels, Phil Dwyer, Hugh Fraser, Mark Fewer, Guy Few, Wycliffe Gordon, Kelly Jefferson, Ingrid Jensen, Michael Kaeshammer, Alastair Kay, Bob Mintzer, PJ Perry, Maria Schneider, Denzal Sinclaire, and Brad Turner. Dean was a member of the Saskatoon Symphony for 23 seasons. He is currently the A.D. of the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra which is in its 12th season. Dean has been involved in many interdisciplinary projects and CDs, most notably six USASK Jazz Ensemble ‘Bumper Crop’ CDs (as conductor), various Western Canadian Music Awards-nominated CDs (e.g. The Saskatchewan Suite: The Story of Us (performer), The Complete Rebirth Of The Cool (performer), and *O Music (performer)).*Won a Western Canadian Music Award for classical composition of the year. Most recently Dean lead a chamber music project entitled Regulare which was created in an effort to help people regulate their nervous system in these trying times. Regulare may be viewed for free at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=px41DPSxFt0.

Dean attended MacEwan University (M.dip.), McGill University (B.Mus.Jazz), and the University of North Texas (M.Mus.Jazz). For more information visit: http://artsandscience.usask.ca/profile/DMcNeill#/profile.