Creative Profile – Devon Hansen
CREATIVE PROFILE – DEVON HANSEN
It was a great day for Chatham-Kent when Devon Hansen assumed the position of Director of Music at St. Andrew’s United Church, Chatham in January 2013.
It is ten years since Devon arrived from the Windsor area with a dream – a dream of not only establishing a strong music program at St. Andrew’s but also of presenting concerts for the entire community to experience different genres of music. He also wanted to provide opportunities for local musicians to perform and thus enhance their skills. He wisely established a Performing Arts Committee at St. Andrew’s to assist with the logistics of presenting community concert events but the creative ideas always have come from Devon.
He came with amazing musical talents, skills, creativity, networking and leadership skills, a charming personality and a strong work ethic. He had completed a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance and was just completing a Master of Arts degree in Musicology and Organ Performance at Wayne State University. He had experience at a young age as an accompanist, pianist and music director at various Windsor and Detroit area churches, Wayne State University and St. Clair College.
During those ten years Devon has contributed significantly to the music scene in the community in the following ways.
St. Andrew’s Chancel and Concert Choirs – With Devon’s networking, leadership and piano and organ accompaniment, the small St. Andrew’s Chancel Choir has grown to a 30 voice choral group that performs fine choral numbers at worship services and concerts. Devon created a Choral Scholar program where young people sing with the Chancel Choir and develop choral skills and experience the joy of group singing. More recently community vocalists wanting to sing in concerts joined with the Chancel Choir for concerts to form the 60 voice St. Andrew’s Concert Choir.
Saturday at 7 at St. Andrew’s Concerts – Six months after arriving in Chatham Devon organized the first Saturdays at 7 at St. Andrew’s concert “Broadway and Beyond” that featured the Chancel Choir and guest vocalists. That popular concept grew to 10 seasons of Saturdays at 7 concerts with admission by donation attended by audiences as large as 475 people that filled the sanctuary of St. Andrew’s to capacity. Annual Christmas concerts have become a community tradition with attendance that grew so large that in 2019 it was moved to the Capital Theatre to accommodate the numbers. Since that first Saturdays at 7 at St. Andrew’s concert in 2013 Devon has spearheaded over 60 Saturdays at 7 concerts with a total of 18,000 in attendance.
Windsor Symphony Orchestra – To fill the void left when the London Symphony Orchestra folded and no longer presented concerts in Chatham, Devon offered the Windsor Symphony Orchestra the use of the St. Andrew’s sanctuary with its great acoustics as a venue for them to present concerts. Since then they have been performing two to four concerts per year, including Handel’s Messiah some years, all facilitated by Devon and the Performing Arts Committee.
Bel Canto Choir School – Devon, in partnership with Christine Baribeau, as choir director, established the Bel Canto Choir School to give young singers an opportunity develop their natural talent. This choir has been performing at recent St. Andrew’s Christmas concerts and other concerts at St. Andrew’s.
Chatham-Kent Chamber Orchestra – After recruiting a number of local instrumentalists to add flavour to the Christmas concert program, Devon was asked to organize and conduct a chamber orchestra which now has over 30 members who perform in Saturdays at 7 concerts.
St. Andrew’s Concert Grand Piano and Pipe Organ – Devon spearheaded church and community fundraising to replace St. Andrew’s Yamaha grand piano with a Yamaha concert grand to enhance the sound quality of piano music and entice performers to perform there. In addition Devon closely monitors the condition of the 100 year old Casavant pipe organ to ensure that it is kept in good working order.
Chatham Music Academy – Five years ago Devon established this private music studio where he, as owner and piano teacher, and a staff of 15 teachers provide lessons for over 300 students in many fields – piano, vocal, music theatre and a range of instruments.
Performer and Accompanist – Even though he organizes many events, Devon’s first love is sitting at the piano or organ keyboard himself where he enjoys performing renditions of favourites and unknown selections. He is well known for his performances and accompanying for concerts, weddings and funerals.
Devon has developed recognition and a reputation in Chatham-Kent and beyond for presenting fine music experiences and opportunities for one and all to enjoy music, whether performing or listening. He has changed the scene of music in Chatham-Kent. He knows how to make a dream come true and he’s not finished yet.
