Bob Nix Memorial Award

April 6, 1927- February 28, 2017

Bob Nix was born in 1927 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He began his love affair with the trombone in high school, and played actively throughout his university years as well while studying to become an actuary at the University of Manitoba. After leaving college, he toured with the Winnipeg ballet before moving to Toronto to see if he could 'make it' as a musician. In 1956, he got a call from the National Ballet orchestra---one of their trombone players had quit and without hesitation he went out to L.A. where he joined the company for their Swan Lake tour. He stayed with the ballet for two years before moving to Atlanta, Georgia to work for Sun Life as an actuary---but he often 'gigged' in the evenings, never leaving his trombone idle.

Bob had the classic math/music mind but his love and passion for the trombone was always at the forefront. After moving back to Toronto in 1962, he gigged regularly He had the opportunity to play in bands with a range of greats including: Ray Charles, Josephine Baker, and Tony Bennett, to name a few. He was called in to sub with the Toronto Symphony on occasion and he often played in the live band for the Ice Capades and was a regular with the Art Hallman Big Band in the '60s and early 70's.He was a versatile player handling the big band, jazz and classical genres with ease.

Bob passed on the love of music to his children and provided lessons and encouragement to them. During his recent illness he was delighted to know that a prize was to be created in his memory so that his love of music would live on through supporting an aspiring trombonist.