Adam Mailman
Director Band on the Bow and Riverside Jazz
Adam Mailman is a dedicated music educator and conductor at the Centre for the Performing and Visual Arts at Central Memorial High School and as the music director at Cochrane Music Society. With both groups under his direction, he has cultivated award-winning ensembles known for their excellence in musical performance.
With a leadership style focused on guiding his students towards discovering their fullest potential through music, Mailman has established himself as a mentor and advocate for young musicians. He believes in nurturing not only their musical talents but also their personal growth and development.
Mailman is renowned for his commitment to new music, having commissioned, premiered, and championed numerous works throughout his career. His passion for expanding the repertoire and pushing musical boundaries has earned him recognition within the musical community.
In addition to his roles as an educator and conductor, Adam has been actively involved in shaping music education in Alberta. He has served on the board of the Alberta Band Association and the Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education, and is a current member of Phi Beta Mu, contributing his expertise to advance music education initiatives in the region. Adam Mailman’s contributions to music education and his commitment to artistic excellence make him a respected figure in the musical community, inspiring generations of musicians to strive for greatness.
Diego Bechthold
Director Choral Waves
Trained as a singer and music director at Trinity Western University (TWU) and the University of British Columbia, Diego Bechthold attained the position as director of Choral Waves in 2012. He undertook conducting studies with Dr. Wes Janzen at Trinity Western, and as a member of TWU choirs had the opportunity to perform with Vancouver Chamber Singers and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and work with choral conductors such as Jon Washburn, Frieder Bernius, and Bramwell Tovey.
Diego has taught both instrumental (both Concert Band and Jazz Band) and choral music at various schools ranging in grades from 1 to 12 for over 20 years, including Banff Community High School, Bert Church High School (Airdrie), East Lake School (Chestermere), Webber Academy (Calgary), and currently at St. Jean Brebeuf School (Calgary Catholic) where he is also the strings teacher. Amongst his ensembles’ achievements include well-received performance tours in Vancouver, Victoria, Seattle, Kamloops, Revelstoke, and China. His High School Choir students placed first in their regional festival and were invited to perform at Alberta Provincial Choral Festivals, placing in the top 5 in Alberta for five consecutive years. His Jazz Band students developed a tremendous reputation for their musicality and performances, putting on an annual event in Airdrie called Swing City where they would perform three hours of music with dinner and dancing. His Beginner Concert Band students in Chestermere were named the top band at the RVSD Beginner Band Festival for three consecutive years, and his Junior Concert Band students were named the best Middle School Band at the Sun Peaks Music Festival in 2017.
Diego has a deep passion for music and the benefits of music in people’s lives. His love of teaching music inspires all members of his ensembles to reach their potential regardless of their ability.
JS Ryu
Accompanist
Jung-Suk (JS) Ryu is the founding President and CEO of the National accessArts Centre, Canada’s largest disability-centred arts organization with offices in Calgary and Toronto. An award-winning pianist and recipient of the Royal Conservatory Silver Medal, JS completed his ARCT in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory at the age of 13 under the direction of Dr. Mary Tickner at UBC.
In recent years, he has been engaged as an accompanist and music director, working with the Ottawa Symphonic Ensemble, the Cantata Singers of Ottawa, Coro Vivo Ottawa, and most recently, as the Music Director of the Valley Winds Concert Band in Canmore.
In 2019, JS was named one of Calgary’s “Top 40 Under 40” by Avenue Magazine in recognition for his work in the arts. In 2017, he was appointed one of five “Young Cultural Innovators” from Canada by the Salzburg Global Seminar.