Music Directors
Hugh Martell Photo
Founder and Music Director
Curt Jantzen |
Ken Borrie Photo
Curt Jantzen is the founder and current music director of the Delta Music Makers. He has a
Bachelor of Education and a Masters of Administration from UBC. He
retired in 2003 after 33 years in public education, the first 18 as a
band teacher. For the last 15 years he was Fine Arts Coordinator for
Surrey School Board, supervising music, art and drama K-12. Curt still
teaches band part time at the local elementary schools, giving kids the
opportunity to learn a band instrument. In the fall of 2006 he
registered 120 new students.
Curt and
his wife Jhandie started the Delta Music Makers in a modest way in 1983;
they advertised an “adult beginner band, for adults with no musical
experience,” and through their efforts over the years it grew into a
large concert band.
He and
Jhandie raised 3 sons, Dean (policeman), Jonn (electrician), and Aeron
(aircraft engineer), who are married to Cindy, Katrina, and Tammy, and
have 7 children between them.
Curt and
Jhandie like to travel as much as possible; they own timeshares which
trade all over the world, and their son Aeron often provides taxes-only
flights to a variety of destinations. When Jantzens are traveling, Margaret Behenna is asked to conduct rehearsals and concerts for the
Delta Music Makers.
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Assistant Director
Margaret Behenna |
Margaret Behenna is the assistant conductor of
the Delta Music Makers, filling in for Curt Jantzen when needed.
She has taught concert band, jazz band, choir and guitar at Eric Hamber
in Vancouver, and in several different Delta schools.
She was the music director at Delta Secondary School in Ladner from 1985 until her retirement in June, 2007.
She conducted the pit orchestra for school musicals,
including West Side Story, South Pacific, Joseph and the Amazing
Technicolor Dream Coat, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof and Crazy for You.
Her tour bands have performed in interesting places such as England,
France, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Greece, Italy,
Cuba, Hawaii, Southern California, Seattle, Alberta, Southern California and Costa Rica.
Margaret was married for thirty-five years to her wonderful husband
Bill, who died in October 2004 after a struggle with cancer. She
has two sons, James (married to Alexandra), and Scott. Both sons
work in the family jewelry supply business.
Margaret is passionate
about music and the fun and beauty it can bring to the lives of
everyone. She admires and enjoys the Delta Music Makers and is
always delighted when asked to lead one of their concerts or rehearsals. She plays clarinet or trumpet in the DMM band, when not conducting; the band accompanies her beautiful voice in "Song for the Mira". |
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Guest Conductor
Brenda Khoo
 Brenda Khoo has
played flute, piccolo, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass clarinet; she
is currently playing French horn in the band.
She has a degree
in Education from University of Victoria, majoring in Music and
English, and was a high school music and English teacher in
Delta from 1994 to 2005.
Aside from playing in and then
teaching at the school level in concert and jazz bands, she has also
performed in the Kelowna Concert Band, the University of Victoria Wind Symphony, the
Creston Concert Band and a vocal jazz group.
Most of Brenda's
teaching experience is with beginners. What motivates her is
teaching a new note to a student, having the student sign up for the
band the following year, getting bands to festivals, conducting a
piece of music successfully...
A stay-at-home mom raising Eliana since 2005, and Alicia since 2007, Brenda wants to grow as a musician, conductor,
teacher and parent, and to stay involved with the DMM because, "in
this group, not only have I found a great band, but a great group of
people to call friends."
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