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Rob McKenzie 

April 22nd, 1953 – July 5th, 2024 

Composer, conductor, performer, and teacher, Rob McKenzie brought to his work a lifetime of experience in the Vancouver music scene. His interest in composition stemmed from early experimentation with pop, rock, and jazz improvisation. This lead to jazz and classical training in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto, Banff, and Amsterdam; culminating in a Masters degree in music composition from the University of British Columbia.

Rob’s works, among them Indigo, Bala de Plata, Veils, Fiddlehead Shuffle, and Vicious Circle have been recorded and performed on CBC Radio, Pro-Musica’s Sonic Boom series, as well as the Vancouver and Montreal International Jazz festivals. As a trombonist, Rob performed with orchestras, chamber ensembles, big bands, jazz groups, and rock bands; played in concerts, musicals, with touring groups and recorded on studio sessions for television and radio with Ron Smail, Alan Matheson, Dave Robbins, Bobby Hales, Phil Nimmons, Hugh Fraser, Fred Stride, Kenny Wheeler, Maynard Ferguson, Slide Hampton, Bud Shank, Muhal Richard Abrams, Graham Collier, Clark Terry, Aerosmith, Mötley Crue, Harry Connick Jr., Vancouver New Music, the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, and the Pacific Baroque Orchestra.

Rob taught in the jazz programs of Vancouver Community College and Capilano University for over 30 years. He hung up his teaching hat when he retired in 2022. He continued to make music until the end. 

Rob will be remembered by his two children Cortland and Ria, his brother Rod, his sister Beth, his best friend Ron and the hundreds of musicians he met throughout his career as a musician and educator.