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Meet Your Web Host

His Family

Shelley (nee: McAlear) grew up only blocks from Brent in Cornwall, Ontario yet because they were on opposite sides of the school zones they never met till Kingston in 1975. They married in 1980 and have two children, a daughter born in 1982 and a son born in 1985. Shelley teaches high school and is recognized across Eastern Ontario for her abilities as a vocal coach and also her beautiful soprano singing voice.

High School Teacher

Brent retired from teaching mathematics, music and computers at Perth & District Collegiate Institute. He came to the school in 1981 after teaching for several years in different schools around Ontario. Brent continues to serve on the Parliamentary and Constitution Council of the OSSTF (Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation) and regularly provides assistance to major corporations, businesses and community groups as a parliamentarian.

Computer Programmer

In August 2001, Brent returned part-time to computer programming. He currently is working on contract to the Center for Geographic Information Systems as a software developer. He works primarily in ColdFusion, HTML, Javascript and has developed extensive websites in the "dot-NET" languages (ASPX). Brent was involved developing the user-interfaces to the CGIS web-enabled mapping, 911 management, and municipal management software.

Education

Bachelor of Arts, York University (1975), Bachelor of Music, Queens University (1977), Bachelor of Education, Queens University (1978), Master of Music, State University of New York, Potsdam, Crane School of Music (1982) In addition he did additional studies in computer programming at Carleton University (1984/85).

Umpiring

After too many years as a terrible catcher (and a terrible umpire) he decided to remain behind the plate and focus seriously on umpiring in 1990. He umpires for several leagues across Eastern Ontario from the local youth baseball, to upper level Fastpitch, American Legion Baseball, and Canadian College and University baseball. Brent has umpired at numerous provincial and national championships in both softball and baseball and is a founding member of the Eastern Ontario Umpires Association. Brent retired from active umpiring in 2006.

Hobbies and Passions

- Brilliant! .... deserves ovation for 'Fiddler' production!

A lot of Brent's "relaxation" time involves musical theatre and acting. He has appeared in over thirty major productions including several appearances as "Tevye" in Fiddler On The Roof. Among his other credits are leading roles in operettas by Gilbert and Sullivan, Fred Graham in Kiss Me Kate, El Gallo in The Fantasticks and The Narrator/Mysterious Man in the Ottawa premiere of Sondheim's Into The Woods. Brent has also appeared in Side By Side By Sondheim and Lovers and Other Strangers. He recently appeared as Teddy Brewster in the classic "Arsenic and Old Lace" and Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" with Barndoor Productions. He directed productions of The Music Man, Brigadoon and Hello, Dolly! for the Perth Community Choir. He produced and directed a FMTC production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum (April '98) and "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" (April 1999) and a children's production of Into The Wood's Jr. that June. Brent has also directed for the Smiths Falls Community Theatre including productions of Nunsense and Everything I Need To Know I Learning In Kindergarten.

Brent again walked the streets of Anatevka in a November 1999 production of Fiddler on the Roof, What made this production unique was that he not only played the role of Tevye but also be acted as the Artistic Director for the show, working with a team of five directors in training. His performance was reviewed as "rivetting". He has taken Tevye to the concert stage many, many times. A past member of the Opera Lyra Ottawa Chorus he is currently working on several dramatic projects with area theatre groups and performing in solo recitals.

Brent has become well known as a makeup technician and makeup instructor. He regularly gives Makeup For The theatre workshops to school and community drama groups.

Each year Brent and Shelley take part in numerous concerts and recitals in a wide range of styles and forms: from gospel to Broadway, from modern to classical. Together they were the founders of the Festival Music Theatre Company (FMTC) and responsible for its ongoing musical projects for ten years before the company disbanded.

The Perth Citizen's Band

Brent is a member of Canada's oldest performing concert band when not out on the road travelling. He often sits back in the the percussion, but his first love remains the euphonium, which he has played since 1968. The euphonium is not a baritone, nor is it a "tenor tuba" but a beautiful, full voiced member of the brass section. He regularly performs on his vintage Boosey & Hawkes Imperial Euphoniums, one in freeze-tone silver and the other a brass laquer model. Both euphoniums date from the early 1970's and are in mint condition. His repertoire includes classics such as the Mantia arrangement of "All Those Endearing Young Charms" and Clark's "Bride of the Waves." While he can dazzle an audience with triple tonguing fantastics such as "Hailstorm" or "Concert Polka" or "The Volunteer". Brent can also win them over with melodious performances of "Bless This House," "The Lost Chord," or Grainger's "Irish Tune From County Derry." Brent regularly performs contemporary works for Euphonium and Band such as the Jacob "Fantasia."

Computer Experience

Involved in computers for over thirty years now (since 1972) his first "personal" computer experience dates back to the Integer Basic Apple. (pre-Apple ][) and the early Timex/Sinclair. He owned one of the early IBM 8086's complete with 64k and has grown since then. His work has included contract database programming and spreadsheet automation for companies such as Digital Equipment and several telecommunications firms. He has written software for library automation, swim meet management and for the health care profession. He has also taught computer science in the high school. His favorite language remains Pascal (although he can still converse in machine code and C++.) Brent is a database specialist and capable of designing retrival systems that integrate complex data-driven solutions into a simple user interface.

Enjoy the greatest of games!

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