Brendan Millbank

Brendan Millbank has studied and performed cello for over 40 years. He was raised on Vancouver Island but received his formal training abroad attending music schools in London, Amsterdam and Los Angeles. He has studied with a number of internationally acclaimed teachers, including Joan Dickson at the Royal Academy of Music, Ron Leonard at the University of Southern California, Dmitri Ferschtman at the Conservatorium Van Amsterdam, and Pamela Highbaugh-Aloni at the University of Victoria. In addition to his formal schooling Brendan has participated in a number of prestigious programs including the String Academy at Indiana University, the Colbourn School of Music in Los Angeles, and the Banff Centre for the Arts. He has had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with, amoung others, Yo-Yo Ma, Janos Stalker, and Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi. His teaching encompasses basic techniques for beginners, including seating, posture, fingering, and bowing, as well as reading and music theory. For intermediate and advanced players, he provides instruction in more complex methods and repertoire, including shifting, vibrato, phrasing, dynamics, as well as ensemble playing and performance. He can also prepare students for RCM exams and university auditions.