Tricia Howe began her career in the music industry in the Manitoba music community as a resource person and performer. A singer, she performs with several acoustic roots projects, and worked on a multimedia ensemble project as a writer. For over 20 years, she has worked in educational resources for Long & McQuade Music across the country, with her main service area being the Prairies. She currently holds the position of Regional Manager, Educational Services – Prairies with the company.

Having had an exceptional experiential education from the teachers she acts as a resource for, Tricia specializes in concert and jazz repertoire selection for Long & McQuade, and curates their annual New Music Favourites collection. She also produces the Canadian Band Association’s monthly Canadian Repertoire Feature and is actively involved with festival syllabus development. In Manitoba, Tricia worked closely Manitoba Band Association, and Manitoba Music Educators Association, partnering on many events and working with music educators, and chairing the MBA Optimist Festival Committee. She was honoured with the Manitoba Band Association Award of Distinction for that 2011.

After moving to Alberta, Tricia, joined the Alberta Band Association as VP Programs and Services and has been honoured by membership in Phi Beta Mu. She acts as secretary of the Calgary Association for the Development of Music Education, and works spends time working on the Visiting Bands Committee for the Calgary Stampede. Tricia also serves on the board of directors with the Alberta International Band Festival (South), Music Conference Alberta, and works with Music Mentors International as Senior Advisor for Publications. She has presented sessions on repertoire selection and musical community building at the Avenues Conference at Brandon University, the University of Calgary, the University of Alberta, the TEMPO conference in Manitoba, CMEA National Conference, Arizona State University, various MMI and Long & McQuade professional development sessions, and Music Conference Alberta. Tricia is currently based in rural Alberta, and spends her free time travelling and making music with her family.

Statement

Years ago in working with Music Monday, I asked someone who is not involved in music education what we would need to do to really show the impact of music and music education to people who’s first passion isn’t music. His reply was that we needed to find a way to show people how integral music is in our lives. All of the distractions we seek have a musical elements, movies, music, tv, video games, radio, sporting events…..all of them. If we don’t build more people who play music, and people who love and understand it, our lives would be very different, and lesser for it.

In our lives, we use music and art to celebrate, to commemorate, and to venerate. The best of humanity is shown in finding balance -mental, emotional, physical, and creative. To teach our young people, the people who will change our world, about balance and beauty is crucial to heal and harmonize their future. When a school event or ceremony is held, music is always a part of it. When funds need to be cut, the arts are among the first things to be scrutinized. The dissociative nature of the last two statements are the reason that we need to speak up for out young people, until they have develop the voices to say it themselves.