guest instructors *
David Wilcox
American singer/songwriter Dave Wilcox was first signed with A&M records in 1989 and has since gone on to become one of North America's most loved acoustic music artists. Acoustic Guitar Magazine has called him "best known of the brilliant crop of singer-songwriters to emerge in the late '80s." In 1998 Wilcox signed with the legendary folk label Vanguard and released two albums: Underneath in 1998 and What You Whispered in 2000. A&M records released The Very Best of David Wilcox in 2001 and in 2002 What Are Records? released his second live album, Live Songs and Stories. David tours extensively as a solo performer in the roots/acoustic music scene and while he is in Kelowna he will be doing some concerts in conjunction with the Kelowna Folk Club as well as teaching several workshops at CWSW. Topics will be on songwriting and understanding God?s gifting and purpose for you as an artist.
Dan Wilt
Dan Wilt is the Director of the Institute Of Contemporary & Emerging Worship Studies at St. Stephen's University in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, and is an internationally respected artist, worship leader, poet, author and trainer.
He has also been the Director of Vineyard Worship Resources and is also a resource developer for Vertical Music, Trinity Learning Community and Vineyard Music. He is the host of the DVDs What Is Worship?, Leading Worship, and Songwriting For Worship, designed to equip worship leaders in worldview/theology, basic worship leading skills and essential songwriting principles.
Based out of St. Stephen's University in New Brunswick, Canada, Dan's passion is to further the Kingdom plot in this generation. Linking the wisdom of the ancients with the present chapter of the Story we live out today, his passion is to expand the worship worldview of the existing and emerging Church - inviting engagement with God and culture on all creative levels.
He lives with his wife Anita, and three children Anna, Abigail and Benjamin in St. Stephen, New Brunswick, Canada.
Lothar Kosse
Lothar Kosse is one of the most wellknown artists and worshipleaders in Germany.
His songs are a driving force in a new christian youth culture and are sung in all denominations. As a player and producer he worked on several hundred albums with many national and international artists. His passion is playing music in the presence of God which he regulary does in the Cologne rock`n roll venue "E-Werk" and on different downtown open-air locations. Lothar and his band regularly tour internationally as well as in Germany and are often playing in numerous Festivals in Europe.
Check out Lothar Kosse live in concert.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZdInKmFmI0
Andy Park
Andy was born in 1957 and was raised in Woodland Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles. At the age of 17, after finishing high school, Andy came to a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.
Andy began recording with Vineyard Music Group in the late 1980s. Since then, his recordings include "The River Is Here", "Blessed Be The Name", “Night and Day” and “In the Secret”.
Andy’s newest recording, “Unshakable”, was released in September 2006 in partnership with ION worship. (www.ionworship.org)
Over the past 30 years, Andy has been a pastoral staff member of several different Vineyard churches, and is leading a new church plant in Surrey, British Columbia as of September 2006.
Andy’s book “To Know You More – Cultivating the Heart of A Worship Leader”, published by InterVarsity Press, was released in July, 2002. It was awarded Book of the Year by WorshipMusic.com for 2003.
Andy and his wife Linda reside in Langley, British Columbia and have eight beautiful children: Zachary, David, Michael, Jessica, Benjamin, Isaac, Ian and Elizabeth. Linda is the home-school teacher for their children.
Andrew Smith
Andrew Smith has long been known as a worship leader, songwriter and producer. Some of his worship song, such as All Your Promises and Have You Seen My Beloved have been published and recorded internationally. However in recent years Andrew has also carved out a career as an acoustic music concert performer in the folk and roots music scene. Andrew has been playing folk clubs, festivals and house concerts in Canada, the USA and Europe to enthusiastic audiences. He is also one third of the popular folk trio Smith Funk and Strauss and has recently shared the stage with Bruce Cockburn, Ruthie Foster, Gordie Sampson, Martyn Joseph and Terry Tufts.
Andrew has won the ‘Okanagan Instrumentalist of the Year’ award, ‘Producer of the year’ award for the Okanagan’ and most recently has joined the likes of Lyle Lovett and Steve Earle by winning the coveted Texas based ’Kerrville New-Folk songwriting award’ for his song Holes in the Night Sky. Andrew has taught many seminars on the subject of worship and the arts and brings with him years of experience and inspiration for those musicians wishing to explore their callings both in and out of church settings.
David Ruis
David and Anita have been involved with church planting and worship leading for several years now, their last adventure before Los Angeles being in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where they pioneered an inner-city church with the poor and addicts as a central focus from 1995 to 2002. Several churches in Central Canada and the nations of Nepal and North East India have also been established under David's role as a Regional Overseer with the Canadian Vineyard Churches. He also has several worship songs published that are quickly becoming standards in Church worship, most notable being "You're Worthy of My Praise" and "Every Move I Make". In the last year books have also been added to the resume with Regal Publishing - the popular "The Worship God Is Seeking" and recently released "The Justice God Is Seeking".
At this point David is giving significant focus to music and the creative aspects of his calling, which involve music production, writing, and composition. Together with an emerging leadership team, David and his wife are currently establishing an alternative local discipling community within the fabric of the Vineyard family in Los Angeles, CA. called ‘Basileia Community’ of which they are one of the key architects. (www.basileiacommunity.com)
David continues to travel internationally both speaking and leading worship across denominational lines. A burning passion for the Ruis family is the discovery of the integration both theologically and practically of creative worship expression with a lifestyle that interfaces with the issues of poverty and social injustice.
David, his wife Anita and their four children currently reside in the Los Angeles area.
Graham Ord
Graham Ord has long been respected as a passionate performer and engaging communicator. His well crafted songs delivered with his unique brand of humour and poignancy can leave the audience laughing and crying at the same time.
Born in the UK, Graham began writing songs as a teen during the late 70s' punk explosion in England, and later cut his teeth in the pubs and clubs of North London. He has since performed on five continents in virtually every type of venue imaginable. He has been featured on major national TV and radio shows and recorded four solo CDs and several compilation CDs enjoying world wide accolades.
Graham now works as a full time musician and recording artist based out of Kelowna, B.C.
Heather Clark
Recording artist and frontline Canadian worship leader, Heather Clark has a powerful anointing on her life to lead the body of Christ into the presence of God. Her pioneering and creative spirit has lead her into dance, theatre, writing and other visual arts. With her husband Nolan, she has run a post graduate School of the Arts for 4 years. Mother of 3, she owns her own business, travels internationally, and is a leading voice in worship and the arts.
Norm Strauss
Norm has been involved in the comtemporary christian music scene since 1983 as a concert performer, recording artist and worship leader. He has appeared on numerous internationally released compilation worship projects such as GODROCK-Let There Be Dancing, GODROCK 2-Live at Joel’s Place, Cologne Worship Night in Cologne (with Noel Richards and Lothar Kosse), Worship Revival Germany. He has also produced many solo projects including Freedom (Remnant Records) Prodigal Daughter and Restore Us, both released in Germany and Canada.
Norms worship songs, such as Not Be Shaken and Crowns Down have been recorded by many other artists internationally and have become favorite songs for churches everhwhere. Norm has also served on staff as a worship pastor in Abbotsford British Columbia, as a curriculum developer for worship schools in Germany, and as a freelance consultant for worship departments in Canada and Europe. He has been a mentor to many musicians and worship leaders and teaches seminars as an itinerant speaker with an emphasis on equipping musicians and worship evangelism. Norm will be acting as director for the Canada West School of Worship in 2009.
Norm also tours with the popular Canadian Folk trio known as Smith Funk and Strauss www.smithfunkandstrauss.com. SFS has a vision to be active in music in the roots and acoustic music scene and has toured parts of Europe and Canada coast to coast playing in folk clubs, pubs and music festivals.
Peter Helms
Peter was radically touched and transformed by Jesus while singing, dancing & acting in the musical "Hair" at the age of nineteen. His life has been and is, an expression of the flair that comes into our lives when 'touched by Jesus'. Peter has traveled across the globe teaching on faith, the Prophetic, Worship, Finding Your Destiny, Life in the Spirit, Healing, and many more topics.
Peter has led many Worship Conferences, and together with his band 'Recabite', has traveled in many European nations, Canada, USA and South Africa. He has had an impact on many worship musicians and has been used by God to release and encourage giftings in others all over the world. We are excited to have him come and spend time with us at CWSW.
* This list of guest instructors represents invited speakers who have agreed to come teach at CWSW however it is possible that there may be changes due to unexpected scheduling conflicts, travel delays or other factors. CWSW reserves the right to substitute guest instructors should that become necessary.
Contact Us:
info@canadawestworship.com
(250) 859-3591
Norm Strauss (director)
Box 21133
Orchard Park Post Office
Kelowna, BC V1Y 9N8
CANADA