About John Becker (con't)

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Certificate in Conflict Management
2005-06, Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo
- studying theories and practices of mediation, completed certification in June 2006; continuing to take courses and attend workshops.

T.E.S.L.
2002-03, Canadian Co-Operative for Language and Cultural Studies
- Ontario’s highest certification for teaching English as a second language.

M.F.A.
1980-83, York University
- ethnomusicology of contemporary cultures; special interest in the transformation of European traditions in North American society.
- thesis: The Early History of the Toronto Conservatory of Music, 1887-1912.

B.F.A.
1977-80, York University
- York was chosen for its broadly based program, allowing a mixture of electroacoustic music, composition, music history (particularly Canadian), languages and humanities.
- received credit for a course given in Vienna (1980) by Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario.

Private Studies
Classical Guitar Performance
- 1976, private student with John W. Duarte in London, England.
- 1976, performer in master class of Alexander Lagoya at the Academie Internationale d'Ete, Nice, France.
- 1972-73, performer in Lagoya master class at the Stratford Festival, Stratford, Ontario.
- private student of Canadian teachers including Eli Kassner and Tony Braden (jazz) during the late 1960's and the 1970's.

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Author
1988-89, Discord: The Story of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Published in 1989 by Brighouse Press, Vancouver, 180 pages, illustrated. ISBN 0-921304-03-X

1989-90 Home at Last: The Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 380 Graham Avenue. Produced in 1990 by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, 50 pages, illustrated.

Bird Falls Silently (unpublished). Completed manuscript of first novel in planned trilogy.

Columnist
1994 to present - Opera Canada
regional correspondent for Winnipeg, reviewing all Manitoba Opera productions.

1992 to 1993 - Interchange
a monthly column reviewing, previewing and commenting on musical activities in Winnipeg.

1987-88 - The Georgia Straight
"Classical Currents," a weekly column on musical activities in Vancouver.

Freelance Writer
1982 to present - published over 100 items
including feature articles for the Vancouver Sun (July 29, 2000 and June 12, 1999), numerous reviews for CHQM-FM (from June 1987 to Oct. 1988), articles for The Georgia Straight (1987 to 1988, other than weekly column), Interchange (1992 to 1993, other than monthly column), Musicworks (Summer 1992, Winter 1994), Opera Canada (Spring 1994), Border Crossings (Summer 1993), Ballet-Hoo (Fall 1991), West (April 1991), Musicanada (January 1988, April 1988) the Vancouver Opera newsletter Tempo (Spring 1986, Fall 1986), Playboard (Jan. 1986, Dec. 1986), Farm and Country (May 28, 1985, June 18, 1985), Canadian Opera Company News (Fall, 1984), Gam on Yachting (June, 1984), the Globe and Mail (Jan. 12, 1984, Feb. 25, 1984, Sept.22, 1984), Canadian Collector (May, 1983), The Canadian Opera Company Souvenir Program (1982), and Fugue (Sept. 1979).

Radio Commentator
1991 to present - various reviews, previews and commentaries on musical culture for CBC regional programs The Morning Edition, Arts Encounters, The Saturday Morning Show, and for national network programs Arts National, Saturday Afternoon at the Opera, and the ‘Infotape’ service.

1985-88 - produced and hosted Pigeon Park Review on Vancouver Co- operative Radio, CFRO; a weekly ninety-minute program on current affairs of the arts in Vancouver.

1985-87 - participated in the production of and hosted (Jan. to June 1987) Redeye on Vancouver Co-operative Radio; a weekly three hour current affairs program.

1976-80 - reviewed performances of The Guelph Spring Festival for CKLA-FM in Guelph, Ontario.

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Speaker
1982 to present - Invited Speaker: for the Vancouver Opera Club, on the operas Madam Butterfly (1987) and La Boheme (1987), the Vancouver Opera Association, La Boheme (1987), and for the First Unitarian Congregation, Toronto, on the operas The Flying Dutchman (1981), Jenufa (1982), and La Fanciulla del West (1983).

Teacher
2005 - teaching English as a foreign language at the Pacific Language Institute, specializing in pronunciation.

2002 to 2004 - teaching English as a second language in the LINC program (language instruction for new Canadians) at the Canadian Co-Operative for Language and Cultural Studies in Toronto.

2000 - University of Winnipeg Continuing Education Division
- conducted twelve-week course in opera appreciation

1987 - Simon Fraser University Downtown
- conducted course in opera appreciation in co-operation with the Vancouver Opera Association.

1982-84 - University of Toronto School of Continuing Education -conducted course in opera appreciation in co-operation with the Canadian Opera Company.

1982-84 - The Skills Exchange - conducted course in opera appreciation in co-operation with the Canadian Opera Company.

1980-81 - York University - conducted under-graduate course in classical guitar in music department's performance program.

1974-81 - Conestoga College, Cambridge, Ontario
- taught courses in classical guitar in continuing education department.

1975-77 - University of Guelph - taught courses in classical guitar in continuing education department.

Private Teacher
1969-88 - Guelph, Kitchener and Vancouver - private teacher of classical  guitar maintaining a studio in Guelph until 1982, in Kitchener until 1985 and in Vancouver from 1985-88; frequently involved in preparing students for Royal Conservatory examinations, Kiwanis Festival competitions and university entrance examinations.

Graduate Assistant
1980-81 - York University - assistant to the head of the Graduate Music Department.

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Performer
1970-80 - Guitarist - classical guitar soloist and ensemble performer in recital halls, churches, clubs and restaurants, including:

- 1979, soloist in Concerto in D by Vivaldi performed by the Kitchener-Waterloo Summer Repertory Orchestra.

- 1974, flute and guitar duo with Maggie Anderson, in Guelph and area.

- 1972, numerous appearances as sponsoring member of folk-rock trio funded by federal LIP grant.

Other Activities
2000 to 2002 - member of the Board of Directors of Patria Music Theatre Projects, presenting the large-scale environmental/music/theatre works of R. Murray Schafer.

1994 to 2002 - participant in the annual musical/environmental opera And Wolf Shall Inherit the Moon, by R. Murray Schafer.

1997-2000 - chair of Board of Directors of the Winnipeg Arts Advisory Council, developing and implementing municipal cultural policy and overseeing an annual budget of 2.25 million dollars.

1991-93 - member of Board of Directors of the Winnipeg chamber music society Aurora Musicale.

1986-88 - charter yacht captain (Canadian Yachting Association accredited) working mainly in the Strait of Georgia, and, in 1983, crew on Atlantic Ocean passage.

1986-88 - stagehand working for IATSE on opera, theatre, and music productions (grip).

1987-88 - volunteer at B.C. Regional Office of the Canadian Music Centre.

1984-85 - chair of membership committee at the Bain Co-op in Toronto, supervising a committee of 12 people responsible for membership applications and allocations for 260-unit housing co-operative.

1980 - composer (unpublished) - electroacoustic music for York

University production of The Ecstasy of Rita Joe and a concert for small ensemble and dancers at the Music Gallery in Toronto, February, 1980.

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Awards
1995 - The Manitoba Arts Council. Artist’s Grant for novel Bird Falls Silently, and 1996 Travel Grant for second novel.

1989 - The Canada Council. Explorations Program

grant for Discord: The Story of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

1988 - Western Magazine Awards. Best Arts Review.

1980 - Ontario Graduate Scholarship to enter the program in ethnomusicology at York University.

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