Phil Nimmons, O.C., O.Ont.

Jazz, composition, improvisation, ensembles, jazz orchestra

Director Emeritus, Jazz
BA (UBC)
email: phil.nimmons@utoronto.ca

Phil Nimmons joined the University of Toronto in 1973 as instructor in jazz techniques and is now Director Emeritus of Jazz Studies. A tireless proponent for the development of educational facilities for jazz and related music, he was Director of Jazz Studies at the Courtenay Youth Centre, and has held similar positions at the University of New Brunswick, Banff School Of Fine Arts and the University of Western Ontario. He was founding Artistic Director of the summer program “The” Jazz Camp, at the Interprovincial Music Camp. A prolific and adventurous composer, Prof. Nimmons’ own works in both the jazz and classical vein date from 1940. The recording of the his Atlantic Suite (1974) performed by his band Nimmons ‘N’ Nine Plus Six received the first JUNO Award given in the jazz category in 1976. “Transformations” (premiered by Nimmons ‘N’ Nine Plus Six) was commissioned jointly by the CBC and the Ontario Arts Council for World Music Week Conference (1975) hosted by the Canadian Music Council on behalf of the International Music Council (UNESCO). “Invocation” was commissioned jointly by COJO and the Ontario Arts Council and was premiered by Nimmons ‘N’ Nine Plus Six in the 1976 Olympic Games. Plateaus: Cartiboo Country Tone Poem., commissioned by the CBC Vancouver Orchestra and premiered in 1986, was subsequently recorded by that ensemble for CBC Classics. The Olympic Arts Festival of the 1986 Winter Games commissioned The Torch, and the work was premiered in Calgary by an Olympic Jazz Band, directed by Rob McConnell. Other recently commissioned works include Images Entre Nous, for clarinetist James Campbell and pianist Gene Di Novi: Concerto for Trumpet was commissioned by the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, with the assistance of the Ontario Arts Council and the Laidlaw Foundation. Dan Warren, principal second trumpet, was the soloist when the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony premiered the work. Recent works are: Of Moods and Contrasts: A Tone Poem for the Esprit Orchestra, Riverscape for the Fredericton High School Concert Band, Conversations for the Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra (DMJO) and Participation for the 25^th Anniversary of the Hamilton All Star Jazz Band, Russ Weil Music Director. Prof. Nimmons is currently performing with pianist David Braid in the duo (clarinet & piano) Nimmons ‘N’ Braid.