Wendy Grasdahl wins 2014 Arts and Culture Award

Great cities are built by people who are inspired to do more. The City of Edmonton's 2014 annual event recognized FPC's very own outstanding Edmontonian for her contribution in the area of arts and culture.

Wendy Grasdahl is a trumpeter, conductor, and music educator. She is the founder, artistic director, and principal conductor of Festival City Winds, a society that offers opportunities for amateur musicians. As conductor of three of the society’s four bands and overseer of all their performance aspects, Grasdahl has made substantial, enduring contributions. She frequently shares her expertise as a clinician and adjudicator at local, regional, and national levels and supports the wider musical community though membership in numerous organizations. Her involvement as an officer and director with the Canadian Forces Music Branch and 12 summers conducting adult bands at the Canada-USA International Music Camp are just some of the activities where her efforts have raised Edmonton’s music profile.

Wendy’s connections to FPC date back to the early 1970s, when she was hired as choir director. She and the organist were hired at the same time. The organist was Marnie Giesbrecht (FPC's current organist and choir director, who returned in that position a few years ago). Both women had been baptised in and have been attending First Church. They were the youngest team in such positions in Edmonton. When Wendy was hired she had her Bachelor of Music degree finished and had only her thesis to write to finish her Master’s degree.

SOURCES:

• Citation and Performance Awards Program (Nov. 25, 2014)
• Presbyterian Church Edmonton, A History by Dr. Kenneth Munro talks (p307)