High Score: A Multiplayer Jazz Experience

Brett Graham is a Saskatoon percussionist that performs regularly as a solo artist and in a wide variety of ensembles. He received his Bachelor’s of Music degree in Performance from the University of Saskatchewan. Brett is a member of the Gerard Weber Group, a jazz-fusion band dedicated to performing the music of Pat Metheny. Some other groups he has performed with include: the Stonefrigate Jazz Band, the Rory Lynch Quartet, the Weber Graham Duo, the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, and the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra.

Mackenzie Hay is a composer and clarinetist currently based in Regina, Saskatchewan, who recently completed their undergraduate program with a double major in Composition and Clarinet Performance at the University of Regina.

Mackenzie’s undergraduate study in composition was supervised by Dr. Alain Perron, whose guidance allowed them to expand their interest in contemporary music and explore various styles and methods of composition. Mackenzie has also had the opportunity to take part in various summer programs for contemporary music, including Orford Musique and Domaine Forget de Charlevoix. At these programs, Mackenzie had the opportunity to study with world class composition faculty including Christos Hatzis, Fabian Panisello, Laurie Radford and Julian Anderson, as well as have their pieces rehearsed and performed by the talented students in the contemporary performance courses.

Mackenzie’s current artistic approach is defined by playfulness and intuition, treating strict methods of pitch organization less as blueprints for their creative method, and more as a jumping off point to let their subconscious take the wheel.

Recent opportunities include a collaboration with Regina based flute trio “”QuarterTone”” led by Tara Semple, as well as several works premiered by University of Regina ensembles. Mackenzie will be pursuing a master’s degree in composition at the University of Toronto beginning in the fall of 2024.

Rory Lynch is a guitarist, bandleader, composer, and educator from Saskatoon, now based in Toronto, Canada. His playing is rooted in the jazz tradition, and branches out to tap into elements of indie rock and Afrobeat. His debut EP, Moultet, was released in 2023 and features his quartet of the same name in a dynamic, exploratory musical adventure. As a freelancer, Rory has worked with a wide array of artists, including Larnell Lewis, Mark Dejong, Melissa Lauren, Julian Taylor, Ellen Froese, and the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra.