Current News

Jazz Festival restructures, hires new staff

Jazz Festival restructures, hires Executive Director and Director of Operations

The Guelph Jazz Festival’s Board of Directors has completed an organizational restructuring that began much earlier this year. It recently hired two familiar faces to fill two newly-defined jobs: Executive Director and Director of Operations.

Derek Andrews, who served as interim ED from June through September this year, has been hired as the Festival’s permanent ED. His main responsiblities are audience-building, marketing, development and finance. Derek brings a wealth of experience to our Festival, from his years with Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, and more recently as an independent manager and music promoter. Derek will work for the Festival half-time, year-round.

Julie Hastings, who was the Festival’s Executive Director prior to the restructuring, and who has served the Festival for well over a decade, has been hired as our permanent Director of Operations. Her main responsibilities will include staging the Festival and off-season events, along with key off-season administrative work like grant and report writing. Julie will work part-time for the Festival in the off-season and full-time from May through September.

Guelph Jazz Festival President Michelle Lobkowicz said, “We’re very lucky to have these two talented and reliable people working for the festival now, and to have a structure that meets our year-round needs.” The Festival is still looking for a third permanent employee: a part-time Administrative Coordinator, to do one day per week of bookkeeping and office administration. For more information contact: michelle_lob@yahoo.com

Become a Guelph Jazz Festival Board Member!

The Guelph Jazz Festival Board of Directors is seeking new members. If you love the Festival and want to be part of a diverse, dynamic community organization in Guelph , please contact us about becoming a member of the Board. In particular, the Festival is looking for individuals with these particular strengths:

  • accounting background or experience
  • human resources / management experience
  • experience with fundraising and financial development
  • community event management
  • working with volunteers
  • computer system support and website skills

Board terms are three years long, and there are approximately 8–10 board meetings a year.

If you are interested and would like further information, please be in touch with Michelle Lobkowicz at

Satoko Fujii ma-do

Pianist Sakoko Fujii’s ma-do is a brand new quartet, including her husband Natsuki Tamura on trumpet, has just recorded in April 2008. We expect tremendous things from Satoko Fujii – as thoughtful, rigorous and expressive an artist as they come in contemporary music.

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