About Our Music Director

Angus Armstrong began his studies of music in 1975 at the University of British Columbia. Among his teachers were trombonists Gordon Cherry and Douglas Sparkes of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. In 1976, Angus moved to Montreal to enroll in music at McGill University, studied under bass trombonist Ted Griffith of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and graduated in 1979 with High Distinction in Trombone Performance. For two years following graduation, Angus continued his studies under Gordon Sweeney of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra and Arnold Jacobs and Frank Crisafulli of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

In 1981, Angus moved to Ottawa to take up the post of trombonist with the Concert Band of the RCMP. In 1986 he became solo trombonist, keyboardist and principal arranger for the RCMP's 8-member Bison Band, a post he held until 1993. In Ottawa, Angus has performed with the National Arts Centre Orchestra and is an active member of the freelance music community, playing in groups across the spectrum of musical genres. He is also a member of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Principal Trombone of l'Orchestre de chambre de Gatineau, and a member, writer and music arranger for Capital Brassworks, a group of 14 of Ottawa's leading brass and percussion players. Angus is trombone instructor at the Conservatoire de musique de Gatineau, professor of trombone at Carleton University, conductor of the Parkdale Orchestra and Music Director of the Ottawa Junior Youth Orchestra (since 1997).