Phone: 902-479-3200
Fax: 902-479-1312
Email: info@afm571.ca
Address: 16 Balcomes Drive, Halifax
Nova Scotia B3N 1H9 Canada
Julia Jordan
Director of Operations
Julia Jordan (she/her) is a classically trained soprano and arts administrator. She has lived on the east coast since 2020, completing her M.A. Musicology (2022) at Dalhousie University. While writing a thesis on operatic performance and pedagogy, she sang the role of Adele in DalOpera’s Die Fledermaus (2021). She has sung two seasons and a fundraising concert with the Halifax Summer Opera Festival, and in 2023 she was commended in the role of Atalanta (Serse) for singing “with fine voice” in an “interpretation [that] was funny and commanding” (Opera Canada). She continues to develop her private voice studio and has worked behind the scenes as a stage director with Essential Opera through the Association for Opera in Canada. Recently, Julia sang in the district round at the Metropolitan Opera Laffont competition in Buffalo, NY. Being in the role of Director of Operations since August 2024, Julia aims to build Local 571’s communication with its members and, through community outreach, strengthen knowledge within the membership by developing the bi-monthly education series.
Michel Ulbrich
Secretary / Treasurer
Michel Ulbrich (she/her), MBA, CPA, is a Chartered Public Accountant with extensive experience in financial management and accounting. Michel has held various senior positions in both non-profit organizations and private corporations. Her roles have included leading and implementing financial strategies to enhance business performance. In addition to her professional achievements, Michel is committed to continuous learning and professional development.
Bob Nicholson
Director
Winner of 2 East Coast music awards with the Jive Kings, Bob Nicholson (he/him) is enjoying a varied and successful career. Bob recently completed three years as tubaist with the Calgary based Foothills Brass Quintet and is now playing tuba and bass trombone with Maritime Brass Quintet. Bob performed for 5 years with 'The Phantom of the Opera' in Toronto Bob and for 14 summers in the pit orchestra of 'Anne of Green Gables' at the Charlottetown Festival. As an orchestral musician Mr. Nicholson has performed with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Canadian Opera Company Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, CBC Toronto Jazz Orchestra and the National Ballet Orchestra among others. Theatre work 'in the pit' includes Toronto productions of Beauty and the Beast, Showboat, Crazy for You, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables and numerous productions at the Charlottetown Festival.
David Owen
President
David Owen (he/him) received a Master of Music degree from the New England Conservatory of Music and has performed on oboe and English Horn with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Turning Point Ensemble, Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, Lethbridge Symphony, Vancouver Symphony, CBC Vancouver Orchestra, Vancouver New Music Ensemble, Canadian Chamber Orchestra, Banff Festival Orchestra, and various musical theatre pit orchestras. Part-way through his musical career, David returned to university and attended the UBC law school. He then practiced law while continuing to perform and also began assisting the Vancouver Musicians' Association CFM Local 145 in collective agreement negotiations. David was appointed as Secretary of Local 145 and represented musicians in that role for several years; during that period, he also served on the Vancouver Opera Orchestra members' and negotiating committees, the board of PAL Vancouver, and the Canadian Music Centre BC Region Advisory Council.
Rachel Desoer
Director
Rachel (she/her) has been the principal cellist of Symphony Nova Scotia since 2018. She is also an avid chamber musician, teacher and organizer. As an organizer, she has been the SNS delegate for the Organization of Canadian Symphonic Musicians for many years and served on most orchestra committees. A cello teacher at the Maritime Conservatory of Performing Arts, her summer session for adult amateur cellists has become a yearly highlight. Rachel has deep family roots in labour movements and was pleased to be elected to the board of Local 571 in January 2024.
Eric Landry
Director
At the age of ten, Eric (he/him) joined the school band and took to the trombone very quickly. As a young teen he went on to join the internationally acclaimed Chester Brass Band, under the direction of Gordon E McGowan, with whom Eric also studied privately for many years. Influences changed, and eventually Eric discovered Jazz and Blues. With the likes of JJ Johnson and funk originator Fred Wesley for inspiration, Eric has developed a stylistic and versatile sound which keeps him in demand on stage as well as in the studio. Being a busy trombone player (as well as a dad) takes up a lot of his time, but, when the "volume" is turned down, he is also a licensed motorcycle tech, and enjoys repairing and restoring old motorcycles.
Kris MacFarlane
Vice President
Kris (he/him) is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist with over three decades of experience in studios and on stages around the world. He considers himself lucky to have worked with a range of great artists and producers, including Alan Doyle, Great Big Sea, Jimmy Rankin, Spirit of the West, Bob Rock, Hawksley Workman, Garth Hudson, Denny Doherty, Dave Gunning, The Paperboys, George Canyon, The Ennis Sisters and many more. The recording studio is where Kris feels most at home. For over three decades he has thrived on finding great sounds and playing the right part for the song. From a young age his heroes have been the “studio” guys - confident, creative, versatile, efficient. For Kris, there is no better feeling than helping to make a song even better than an artist or songwriter thought it could be.
Brad Reid
Director
Brad Reid (he/him) is a fiddler and multi-instrumentalist from Halifax. He studied music at St. Francis Xavier University for jazz saxophone, and has worked on many broadway-style shows in professional local theatre playing woodwinds and more. He has also toured with Cirque du Soleil, and has released two recordings under his own name - The Bridge (2023) and NEW Scotland (2020) - both receiving multiple award nominations. Brad’s been a board member with AFM Local 571 for several years, and hopes to continue to find ways to support professional musicians in the area.
With support from our Atlantic Canadian Music Industry
AFM Local 571 acknowledges that our office is located on the traditional land of the Mi’kmaq Nation. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship” which Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik peoples first signed with the British Crown in 1725. The treaties did not deal with the surrender of lands and resources but in fact, recognized Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqiyik title and established the rules for what was going to be an ongoing relationship.
