Brian W. Jagger is a Canadian composer born and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. Growing up, he was exposed to many styles of music; from "Classical" to "Pop" to "Jazz". As a choir member, he learned to hear the harmonies and relationships of the different voices, and as a tuba player, he learned to appreciate the importance of the lower realms of the music world.

 

Brian started his musical journey as a pianist, working his way through the Royal Conservatory and into university. While at university, he studied piano performance and composition, earning his Bachelor of Music degree from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. From there, he continued studying composition at the University of British Columbia and the University of Michigan, earning his Master of Music and Doctor of the Musical Arts. Over the years, Brian studied composition with John Burge and Clifford Crawley (Queen's), Keith Hamel (UBC), and George Wilson, Leslie Bassett and William Albright (U of M).

 

As a composer for many different ensembles, including orchestra, string quartet, concert band, solo piano, and electronics, Brian has won two CBC Young Composer awards and one SOCAN Young Composers award.

 

Apart from composing, Brian teaches piano and theory lessons, and is the Artistic Director of the Top Hat Marching Orchestra, as well as the Artistic Director Emeritus of the Albertones Senior Men's Choir. Brian and his wife Leah and their family reside in Burlington, Ontario, where he enjoys playing in the best band in the area, Bliss.