ABOUT US


The Guitar Society of Brantford was formed in 2011 with a mandate to enrich the cultural life of Brantford and surrounding areas by presenting the worlds finest international performers, giving a platform to emerging young local and National guitarists, performance opportunities for community students, a meeting place for aficionados, free concerts for schools and hospitals, free concert tickets for deserving community members, and educational opportunities through our guitar ensemble program.


If you would like to support our continuing efforts please contact us at 519-802-9232 gsob@rogers.com
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OUR BOARD AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR -DR. PATRICK FEELY

Guitarist Patrick Feely has made solo appearances at the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival, the Visiting Artists Series at McMaster University, and the Friends of Guitar Festival in Brantford. This past season Patrick performed concerti by Manuel Ponce with the McMaster University Orchestra and toured Western and central Canada with duo partner Dr. Brad Mahon, as The East West Guitar Duo. Their forthcoming recording will include works arranged for two guitars by Mozart and de Falla, as well as original works for two guitars by Machado, Brouwer and L'hoyer.  Mr. Feely is a faculty member with the School of the Arts at McMaster University, a member of the College of Examiners with the Royal Conservatory, and has adjudicated many music festival including the K. W. Kiwanis Festival, the Toronto Kiwanis Festival and the Barrie Kiwanis Music Festival.

This season Patrick will be adjudicating festivals in British Columbia and Central Ontario.  Patrick Feely earned the Applied Music Diploma in jazz guitar from Mohawk College, the Bachelor of Music Degree from McMaster University, The Masters of Music Degree in Performance from the University of Toronto, and the A.R.C.T. in Performance from the Royal Conservatory. Jeffrey McFadden has been his principle guitar teacher. 

Mr Feely was an external reviewer for the 2011 edition ofthe R. C. M. Guitar Series, 4`th edition, "Bridges" published by Frederick Harris and has given workshops for both Frederick Harris and R.C.M.E.. Patrick is the director of the Brantford Guitar Ensembles with "The Guitar Society of Brantford," and the Chairman of the Education and Outreach Committee at both the Guitar Society of Toronto and the Sauble Beach Guitar festival.


PRESIDENT - WARD G. BROWNELL, B.A., M.A., LL.B.

Ward practices primarily in the areas of family law and child protection law. His family law cases involve legal issues relating to child custody, access and support, divorce, property equalization on separation, preparation of separation agreements, marriage contract and cohabitation agreements.In the area of child protection law, Ward has extensive experience in representing parents in their dealings with the Children’s Aid Society.Ward also practices in the areas of criminal law, wills and estates and residential real estate. Ward has served on the Board of Directors of Cambridge Home Support, and is currently a member of the Legal Aid Committee.


DR. JEFFREY MCFADDEN - EDUCATION AND OUTREACH DIRECTOR

Over the last twenty years, Jeffrey McFadden has established a place amoung the preeminent guitarsts of his generation. Concert engagements have taken him throughout Canada, across the United States and Europoe. He has been a featured performer at several international music festivals, including "Guitar 87" and "GuitarFest 91" in Toront. The Guitar Foundation of Amaerica Convention, Gitarren-Symposium Iserlohn, the National Flute Association (USA) Convention, the Festival Mediterraneo della Chitarra and many others.
In 1992, Jeffrey McFadden was awarded a Silver Medal in the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Competition and was also prize - winner in the 1993 Greats Lakes Guitar Competition. His debut recording was the first in the "Laureate Series" on Naxos and was released world wide. Since its release, this recording has sold in the tens of thousands of copies. The Daily Telegraph Classics CD has described his playing as "major artistry". Soundboard called one of his recent performances " a highlight of the (GFA) festival".
McFadden formed Duo Spiritoso in 2004, with the American guitarist and composer Andrew Zohn. The duo has toured extensively and released one CD to date on Clearnote which was lauded as "a powerhouse of duo playing with a treasure trove of inventive transcriptions," and was said to mark the arrival of ... "a great new duo."
He is frequently heard on CBC/Radio - Canada and NPR in the United States both as soloist and ensemble player. His arrangements of Bach's first three Cello Suites have been published recently and are available from Clear Note Publications. He is also the founder and artistic director of the Sauble Beach Festival and Classical Guitar.
McFadden is the first person to receive the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Toronto.

VOLUNTEER CHAIR & SECRETARY - DENISE FEELY


Denise donates a lot of her free time volunteering within her community and Southern Ontario:  Sauble Beach Guitar Festival, Canadian Cancer Society,- Brantford Branch,  John Noble Home, Lung Association - Brantford Branch, Brantford Public Library, Operation Blessing, Central Baptist Academy, Operation Christmas Child - Kitchener warehouse, Soupfest - Hamilton, Braemar House School, Balfour Co-op, Friends of the Guitar, Brantford Kiwanis Music Festival, City of Brantford Canada Day Festivities, St. John's College and the Brant County Youth Singers.   


Denise is a graduate of Mohawk College's Tourism and Travel Program and is currently working with Feely Music.  Denise is a member of The Guitar Society of Brantford's Guitar Orchestra.