Nova Scotia Band Association

Nova Scotia Band Association Executive

Dr. Mark Hopkins

Currently, Dr. Hopkins is an Assistant Professor in the School of Music at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. He is responsible for overseeing the Music Education area, teaching conducting, and is Director of Bands at Acadia University. He is founding director and lecturer of the Acadia University Summer Wind Conducting Symposium.

President

Vice President

Correspondence &
Recording Secretaries

Industry Representative

Community Band Liaison

Treasurer

Web Administration

Kay Greene

Kay Greene is the music teacher at West Hants Middle School, in Brooklyn, Hants County, where over 200 students participate in the instrumental music program. She also volunteers her time on the weekends to the local Sea Cadet Brass and Reed Band, at the “76 Minas” Corp, out of Windsor. She teaches and adult beginner band at Acadia University on Wednesday evenings, as well as playing oboe in the Acadia Symphonic Band. On Saturday mornings, she plays bass clarinet in the Four Seasons Orchestra, conducted by Roger Taylor in Windsor.

Andrew Coffin

Andy began in music at an early age with the trumpet. His keen interest, lead him to enrol at Humber College where he had the opportunity to study from Don Johnson and Bram Smith. After college he toured with many different musical groups and settled in the Toronto area where at the same time he also began working in music retail. He spent many years working with music educators throughout the province assisting them with their musical needs and helping them solve the continuing challenges of maintaining music programs in the province. When an opportunity came to move to Waterloo Ontario he opted to take it and he eventually came to become the owner of Waterloo Music. After a number of years he sold his interest in the company and decided to move to the East Coast. Settling in Halifax he began to work with Ken Foote and Buckley 's Music and now looks forward to continuing his involvement with music educators and band programs throughout the Maritimes.

Maggie Helms

Maggie Helms is a Music Educator from Muncie, Indiana. She was a band director in the public schools in Indiana for 15 years and at Ball State University for 3 years. She has her Bachelor's of Music and her Master of Arts, in conducting, from Ball State University. She was the Associate Conductor, clarinet section leader and instrument repair technician for the Indiana Army National Guard Band, Indianapolis, Indiana for 23 years and now makes her home in Kentville, Nova Scotia.
Maggie is a member of the Nova Scotia Band Association, Canadian Band Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, and Women Band Director’s International Association. She is also a playing member of Sackville Community Band, Acadia University Band, Acadia Wind Ensemble and conductor of the Sackville Community Youth Band and Associate Conductor of the Sackville Community Band. She also operates Atlantic Band Services with her partner, Maureen Hemphill.

She is a retired member of the Indiana Army National Guard Band, having served 23 years as an active member. In this unit, Maggie was the Associate Conductor, rehearsal technician, Supply Sergeant, Clarinet Section Leader, squad leader and liaison with the Indiana State School Music Association. Maggie also adjudicated for ISSMA, was the first female guest conductor at the Huntington College Honor Band Weekend, Huntington, Indiana; was a guest conductor for the Kokomo Park Band, Kokomo, Indiana; and was a guest conductor for the Indiana All-Region Junior High Band weekend, 1996. She was also the guest conductor for the Nova Scotia Junior Wind Ensemble, 2005-06.

Barb Stetter
Bio to follow

Ken Foote
BIO TO FOLLOW

Allison Penwell
Allison is an instrumental music teacher at Eastern Shore District High School. A graduate of Mount Allison University in music and Acadia University in music education, she has worked as a clinician and instructor in the Halifax area for Dartmouth City Music and various schools. Currently, she performs with the Sackville Community Band and is enjoying her third year on the NSBA executive

C.J. (Jim) Forde

Jim was born in Vancouver, BC and raised in the Lower Mainland. He began his musical career in the Surrey Schools Concert Band under the direction of Don Murray. In 1964 he joined the Royal Canadian Navy and during a 30 year career in the Canadian Forces Band Branch Jim was a tuba player, drum major, public relations officer, instrumental instructor and training officer at the Forces School of Music. Between 1988 and 1993 he was Director of Music and Commanding Officer of the Stadacona Band in Halifax NS.

From 1998 to 2006 Jim acted as Managing Director of the Canadian Band Association’s National Youth Band of Canada. He is a Past-President of both the Canadian and Nova Scotia Band Associations and is currently a member of Scotia Brass, Principal Conductor of the Sackville Community Band and Production Coordinator for The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo. In 2000 Jim was awarded the Nova Scotia Music Educator’s “Musica Viva” Award, in 2005 Life Membership in the Nova Scotia Band Association and in 2007 the Canadian Band Association’s National Band Award.

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