Meet The Saxes

Tobias Beale found a passion for playing beginning in the mid 1960's. His love of music-making led to a lifelong study of flute and tenor saxophone and the exploration of all genres of music.  Launched into professional gigs with the Stan Clark Orchestra while still attending high school, he had the formative experience of playing in a big band section, travelling with the band to London, UK, Guyana SA and Cuba in the 70's.  After a year in Carleton University and another in Humber College, Tobias played professionally in the Ottawa/Montreal area. There he put his attention to promoting the live local scene, forming a musicians' collective of over 50 young musicians, Blue Current Preserve. Tobias went on to get a BFA in Music Performance, Jazz Studies, from Concordia University and a BEd in Music from Dalhousie University. Now retired from a 26-year teaching career in the Halifax Band programs, Tobias currently enjoys playing with the Tuesday Night Big Band and the Sackville Concert Band, along with several smaller ensembles, always aware of the crucial function of live music where it meets the community.

Amanda Mark is honoured and jazzed to be a regular saxophone sub with the Tuesday Night Band, currently sitting in on Alto 2.  Band director at Island View High by day, she also plays flute, sax, clarinet, and sings tenor with a lot of groups around Nova Scotia and PEI, including PEI Symphony, Glass winds, Great Harbour Winds, I and the Village (world music), Ireland Meets Scotland (Celtic), 36 Canadian Brigade Group (clarinet and vocals), and also performs in the Ebb&Flow multicultural show, which she co-produces.  

Tenor Sax player, Derek Cochrane, joined the Tuesday Night Band about 8 years ago.  Having studied music with Bob McCarthy at Acadia University and Pat LaBarbera at Humber College, Derek holds a Diploma in Jazz Performance and a Masters in Music Education. Over the years, he has played in a number of bands in both Halifax and toronto. In addition to being a musician, Derek has been an elementary school music teacher with HRCE for the past 25 years.

Steve Rigden plays 1st Alto in the Band.  He is one of the original members of the Tuesday Night Band that began rehearsing in a warehouse in Burnside Industrial Park where the members sat on beer kegs while playing. Except for a few years when he was completing his MASc in Electrical Engineering, he has been playing every Tuesday Night with the band, save when sadly cancelled due to the pandemic, although they did manage to find rehearsal space outdoors once it was considered safe. Steve also plays in several other musical groups in HRM, including Sax4Hire (alto), Dartmouth Concert Band (clarinet), Sackville Concert Band (clarinet), Bedford Leisure Orchestra (flute), a Dixieland Band (sax), and Timeless (alto sax). When not playing sax, Steve volunteers as a Sound Tech at Woodlawn United Church, a skill the band relies on as well.

The tallest member of our band fittingly plays some of the lowest notes. Peter says he lives with his biggest fans, Betty, The Gooch, and Spotty Ninja. He started ukulele with Chalmers Doane at 8 and added saxophones at 11 with the All City Schools Band. He played in the Halifax Jazz Band for 2 years before taking a hiatus. His brother Paul brought him back to the Chebucto Big Band before switching to the Tuesday Night Band in 1991. Many thanks go to Peter's wife Betty, who comes to all rehearsals and concerts and is the Band's Music Librarian. During 2020, Peter and Betty started a Little Library on their front lawn with new books, movies and CDs free each week.