Judy Reside

Winds Faculty

jreside@mtroyal.ca

Judy began her career in music by choosing to escape the Montreal secretarial pool – via the Canadian Forces. Rather than type wills and estate contracts and serve coffee, she joined the CF Reserve Forces as a secretary. Much to her delight and surprise, she was sent to Esquimalt to learn the finer points of being in a marching band... having only mentioned that she owned a flute.

She spent five months learning to play flute, march, salute, and follow orders. At the end of her sojourn, she realized that music was indeed a passion she wished to explore and enlisted in the Regular Force. After completing 11 weeks of basic training, she was posted to the Canadian Forces School of Music, where she spent two years practicing diligently and endeavoring to stay out of trouble. She was subsequently posted to the Naden Band along with three other female musicians, the first females ever in the Canadian Forces bands.

She and her husband Jim (a fellow musician) traveled, marched, and toured with the Naden Band for two years, during which time Judy became pregnant (another first for the bands).

From there, Judy moved to Winnipeg, where her musical life began to flourish. She taught at Brandon University, played regularly in the pit orchestra for Rainbow Stage, recorded for the CBC, and was involved in the inaugural season of the Syrinx Flute Festival. However, five bleak winters took their toll. When the chance arose to move to Calgary, she and Jim jumped at the opportunity, and have been happily ensconced out West ever since. Judy now freelances and teaches at Mount Royal Conservatory, and Jim works as a band teacher. In addition to teaching, both also enjoy hiking, backpacking and skiing through the mountains they love.