Brenden Varty is a multi-instrumentalist and composer originally from Oshawa, Ont. He graduated from Humber College with a Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree in 2016 and is currently in the Master of Music Performance program at the University of Toronto. His teachers include Alex Dean, Tara Davidson, John Macleod, Pat Labarbera, and David Occhipinti, among many others.
In addition to saxophone, he also plays flute, clarinet, and piano, performing frequently throughout the GTA. His arrangements and compositions, drawing heavily from both Western art music as well as jazz, have been performed publicly at such venues as the Canadian Opera Centre, The Rex, The Burdock, Lula Lounge, and Humber College. During his final year at Humber, Brenden arranged a work by New York organist Larry Goldings which was performed by the Humber College Studio Jazz ensemble featuring Goldings, and can be found on the release Thursday Night Live. He has also been a featured arranger for a concert headlined by saxophonist Alison Au, and has been an invited speaker with the Duke Ellington Society.
Brenden has released an EP including his original compositions and arrangements entitled Cloudstream, and is currently working on a second EP of his new compositions. In addition to these, he can be found on numerous releases headed by his peers that span genres from jazz to funk to spiritual. Brenden maintains a steady schedule as an in-home music teacher (piano and woodwinds), and is looking forward to taking part in Jazzology with Heather Bambrick.
Visit brendenvarty.com to find out more.
Brenden’s Jazzology Playlist
- “Hourglass” – Mammal Hands (2016)
- “Shells and Ashes” – Brenden Varty Quartet (2018)
- “Haamiah” – Masada Quintet feat. Joe Lavano (2009)
- “Ator Ator” – Norma Winstone (2009)
- “But Beautiful” – Tony Bennet & Bill Evans (1975)
- “Portrait of T.” – Chris Wiens Quartet (2017)
Jazzology with Heather Bambrick can be heard Wednesdays at 9 pm.