Role(s):
Specialties:
Affiliations:
Paul McGarr (Bradford, ON) is currently Director of the Arts at the prestigious Upper Canada College in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he has been since 2007. He is also a faculty member at the National Music Camp of Canada and was the Artistic Director for the Hamilton All Star Jazz Band from 2009 to 2014. He has over 35 years of teaching experience throughout southern Ontario and 20 years as musical director, composer, arranger, and consultant to many prominent drum corps throughout Ontario.
His education consists of majoring in jazz performance studies (trumpet) with a minor in composition at the University of Toronto and an Honors Degree from Mohawk College’s Applied Music program, including the Gold Medal Award, Mohawk College’s highest accolade, and the Dr. Mitminger Award for combining athletics and academic excellence.
McGarr is also in high demand as an adjudicator and clinician working all over North America and Japan for such sanctions as Drum Corps International, Bands of America, and Fiesta-val and Heritage music festivals. He has also adjudicated the Drum Corps World Championships and the United States National Championships 25 times and the DCJ Championships in 2017 and 2018. McGarr resides in Brantford, Ontario with his wife Jackie; sons Joshua, Mitchell, and Andrew; and daughter Jordyn.