Kevin
Willms has been a director for the Westwinds music Society since
1993. Originally responsible for starting the choral program, he
currently directs the “Wednesday Gold Jazz Band”. He has been
Artistic Director for Westwinds for the past ten years.
Mr.
Willms has also been teaching instrumental and choral music in Calgary
for the past 23 years. He is currently teaching music at William
Aberhart High School. Prior to this, he taught at Ernest Manning
High School for fifteen years and Robert Warren Junior High for 6
years. His bands and choirs consistently perform at “Superior” levels
and have received much recognition for their outstanding performances
at local, national and international festivals.
In
addition to his duties at William Aberhart and with Westwinds, Mr.
Willms is active as a clinician, guest conductor and adjudicator.
He is the founding president of the Calgary Association for the
Development of Music Education and past chairman of the Alberta
International Band Festival. He has been nominated on numerous
occasions for both the “Pan Canadian Students Choice Awards” and the
“Alberta Excellence in Teaching Awards”. He is a member of the
Alberta Band Association (ABA), Alberta Choral Federation (ACF) and Phi Beta Mu. In
2003, he was awarded the prestigious “Tommy Banks Award” by Premier
Ralph Klein. In October 2006, Kevin was awarded the “Elkhorn Award” by
the Alberta Band Association as “Band Director of the Year”
Kevin
lives in NW Calgary with his wife Marieta and sons Bradon and Justin,
with whom he enjoys numerous activities including soccer and karate
(vicariously through the boys) as well as fishing.
