Music Director: Band and Choirs

Brigida Battistessa B.Ed, B.Mus, Dip. Fa, M.Ed  

(On Mat Leave -returning Sept. 2010)

Received her formal education at the University of Calgary. She has studied both band and choral conducting extensively with master conductors such as the late Frederick Fennell of the Eastman School of Music, Frank Battisti of the New England Conservatory and Rodney Eichenberger of Florida State University. She is a strong advocate for arts education and particularly music education. She is a member of the Coalition for Music Education in Canada, The International Society for Music Education, and the World Association of Symphonic Bands and Ensembles.

Her award winning bands and choirs have traveled extensively throughout North America, the United States and Canada. They maintain a busy performance schedule. Most recently the program participated in The San Diego Heritage Music Festival in May 2007 where they were awarded Silver, and captured the coveted 'Spirit of San Diego' award for 'overall best representation of a school music program and their community'. Ms. Battistessa is commencing her eleventh year as a music educator with the Calgary Catholic School District, and is also an active flute performer having performed in the 2003 Police and Firemen Games in Barcelona, Spain, and the 2007 Police and Firemen games in Adelaide, Australia with Calgary's Captain Smart Band.

Director of Jazz Band/Combo& Alto Sax Instructor :Brandon Oberhamer B.Mus

Brandon has a Bachelor of Music Degree from UofC and has been performing and teaching for over 15 years in Calgary. He performs in groups from Jazz duos to the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and everything in between. Performing has taken him all over the world including New York, Atlantic City, Miami, England Norway, Sweden, Russia as well as extensive work for various cruise lines. He has spent most of his career in the field of Jazz giving live concerts, as well as Radio and Television. Brandon is passionate about sharing music and the joy it brings giving countless Clinics for band programs around the province and teaching lessons from his home studio. 

Percussion Ensemble Director : Celene Yohemas B.Mus

Celene Yohemas is a freelance percussionist, drummer, composer and educator. Diverse, unique, and charismatic, Celene captures the audience with her unexpected power. She has performed classical percussion with the La Jolla Symphony and the Alberta Winds, as well as on drum set in many styles including rock/blues/soul with bluessmyth, hard rock with Tabitha, rock, blues and country with The Rebel Ritas, country with Rooster in a Henhouse, and jazz with Theresa Wasden. She can be found on recordings with bluessmyth (Sola Gratis 2009), The Love Bullies (When I get Through with You 2007), Tabitha (2008), Theresa Wasden (2006), and Deliria (Shades of Blue 2002) as well as with U of  C Wind Ensemle, La Jolla Symphony and many others. As a percussionist and composer she has had success on theatre stages as sound designer and performer for Alberta Theatre Projects (Picking Up Chekhov 2006, Why Freud Fainted 2007) and won a Betty Mitchel Award for Best Sound Design with Green Fools Theatre's production of Dancing On Water (2005). Celene is a sought after clinician. She is part of musical teams for Strathcona Tweedsmuir school, Centennial High School, and is proud to be part of St. Francis High School's dedicated music team.

 Vocal Jazz Director/Clinician: Simon Tumasz-Jordan

 Simon went to High school at St. Francis where he learned a great many things. He is currently making his way through a music degree at the University of Calgary as a voice major with a secondary focus in organ studies. He is an alumnist of both the St. Francis Choir and Band, and attended the Ottawa choir trip to the National Arts Center with the SFHS choir in 2004. He also maintains a strong interest in jazz music, which is why he directs the St. Francis Vocal Jazz ensemble every tuesday morning with a very dedicated group of young singers.