Valley Winds Music Association Jay and Andrea Bios

Jay Michalak

Concert Band Director

Jay hails from Chicago, Illinois, where he attended Northwestern University (B. Mus. Performance, Education) and was an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. During his collegiate years he spent two summers as soloist with the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps and two summers at the Aspen Music Festival. He completed his Master's degree in May 2000, at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

On the West Coast, Jay was part of the Lyric Brass Quintet (faculty ensemble at Pacific Lutheran University, WA), the Tacoma symphony Orchestra and the Bellevue Philharmonic Orchestra. In the Fall of 2001, he moved to Calgary to join the Foothills Brass Quintet, and continues to enjoy the challenging performances, interesting tours and educational settings that are part of the Foothills Brass tradition. A Yamaha Performing Artist, Jay was featured on Ensemble Noir's Diversity Project, in Toronto, was a finalist in the 2004 Ellsworth Smith International Trumpet Competition and the 2006 Jeju International Brass Competition, and has been featured soloist with Altius Brass and Kensington Sinfonia.

Jay and his wife Andrea have been teaching band together in Calgary for the last nine years with the Calgary Stetsons Show Band and the Calgary Stampede Showband. Jay also directs A Band of Outriders, the alumni musical group of the Showband. Andrea and Jay have two beautiful little daughters who we expect will be leading their own bands before we know it.

Andrea Ciona

Concert Band Director

Born in Prince George, British Columbia and raised as an Oilers fan in Edmonton, Andrea studied at the University of British Columbia (B. Mus), the Vancouver Academy of Music, and the Orford School for the Arts. Andrea has performed with the Okanagan Symphony, the Vancouver Symphony, the Seattle Symphony Mahler Festival Orchestra, the Cranbrook Symphony, and many others. As a soloist she has been featured with the Amor Artis ensemble in New York City, the Shevchenko series in Edmonton, and several times with the Calgary Pro Arts Society.

Andrea moved to Calgary in 2001 and is highly sought out as a clinician and performer. In June 2006, she received her Master of Teaching degree from the University of Calgary and is currently a music teacher with the Calgary Separate School District.

Andrea has been a staff member with the Stetson Show Band since 2004, first as woodwind coordinator, and then as band director. She taught woodwinds with the Calgary Round Up Band from 2002 - 2007. She has also directed the clarinet choir of the Calgary Stampede Showband since 2006.