Frank Rackow has been involved in the Calgary music scene for decades. As a band leader, as a sideman, as a choral director and as an educator. For those of you who have attended PA@N concerts over the past many years, Frank is no stranger. He performs on clarinet and saxophone and has appeared with The Black Sea; the MAPL Jazz quintet; Klezmerovitz, the world fusion band HYMM and as choral director of Vocal Latitudes World Music community choir.

Frank Rackow has worked as a music educator, artistic director and performer on saxophone and clarinet. He has toured and recorded with a wide variety of jazz, folk and world music artists in Alberta and across Canada. He has provided music for theatre productions in Ottawa, Hamilton and Toronto (Harbourfront). A longtime member of the choral community,  Frank is the founding director of the Vocal Latitudes World Music community choir in Calgary and also led Calgary’s Voix Des Rocheuses francophone choir. As a saxophone and clarinet soloist, he has collaborated with the Calgary Renaissance Singers and Players on several occasions and he has worked extensively as a woodwind clinician. Frank is also the founder of the klezmer band The Black Sea, and directs the community klezmer orchestra at the Jewish Community Centre of Calgary.  He has also instructed jazz ensembles and saxophone ensembles at FACE School for the Arts in Montreal and at CAMMAC’s summer music colony in Quebec.

ProArts Artistic Director had a recorded conversation with Frank Rackow about his many and diverse musical interests. A link to that presentation is attached below.

To watch the presentation click this LINK