Blair Yarranton

Blair Yarranton is an musician, educator and conductor based in Belleville, Ontario. He studied at Humber College's School of Creative and Performing Arts and graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in Jazz Performance. His teachers and mentors have included Don Johnson, Steve Crowe, Chase Sanborn, John McLeod, and Kevin Turcotte.

 

Blair teaches at Albert College, where he serves as the James Briegel Chair in Instrumental Music. He leads the school's instrumental music program and directs its major performing ensembles, including the Wind Ensemble and Jazz Ensemble. Passionate about music education and performance, Blair works with students of diverse ages and abilities, helping them develop musical excellence, creativity, and confidence. His teaching emphasizes both technical skill development and meaningful musical experiences through rehearsal, performance, and collaboration. In addition to his work as an educator, Blair remains actively involved in the musical community as a performer, conductor, and advocate for music education. He is committed to creating opportunities for young musicians to grow as artists and leaders while fostering a lifelong appreciation for music.

 

Blair maintains an active performance schedule as a member of the Brian Barlow Big Band (Toronto), the Commodores' Orchestra (Belleville), and Kind of Groove (Belleville). Throughout his career, he has shared the stage with many distinguished artists, including Kenny Wheeler, The Temptations, Guido Basso, Tim Hagans, Fred Stride, Brian Barlow, Paul Tynan, and John Lamb. He has performed at numerous major jazz festivals, including the Downtown Toronto Jazz Festival, Toronto Beaches Jazz Festival, All Canadian Jazz Festival, Prince Edward County Jazz Festival, and Thousand Islands Jazz Festival.