Johnny Cowell receives Lifetime Achievement Award from Toronto Musicians' Association

Recently, Johnny Cowell, among Canada’s most renowned trumpet soloists, was honored with a birthday celebration on his 90th birthday.

A large number of Toronto’s professional musicians attended the party. As a soloist, Cowell has been the featured trumpet soloist with many of Canada’s symphony orchestras and concert bands. At the age of 15, he was the cornet soloist of the Toronto Symphony Concert band. He was given a junior membership by the president, Walter Murdock. Johnny was a member of the Toronto Symphony for 40 years, appearing as soloist with Pops Conductor Erich Kunzel, Richard Hayman and Newton Wayland. After he retired from the orchestra, he became one of the featured soloists with the Hannaford Street Silver Band.  The band consisted of Toronto’s finest brass and percussion players. 

Although at age 90 he is semi retired, he still loves to play the trumpet. One of the highlights Cowell's solo career substituting for Doc Severinsen when Doc was forced to  cancel a solo engagement with the Hamilton Philharmonic on December 6th, 1980. On February 13th, 2016, Johnny was one of the soloists with the Hannaford Youth Band, conducted by Anita MacAlister, Professor of Trumpet, at the University of Toronto.  In addition to his performing career, Cowell has had an equally successful career as a songwriter and composer. 

A member of the AFM for 73 years, Cowell's award reads: "The Toronto Musicians' Association, Local 149, American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada is pleased to confer on Johnny Cowell the Toronto Musicians' Association Lifetime Achievement Award."

Source: Marcella Zarudny 

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