David Buckley
Music Ministry Coordinator
David, along with wife Anca and their 5 children, ages 7 to 20, began to serve at Oakridge since October 2014.
Dave and his family served for the past 5 years at Melrose United, Hamilton, preceded by 5 years at Knox Presbyterian in Dundas.
He began musical instruction at a young age and was appointed Music Director of the 9:30 a.m services at his home church, Hopedale Presbyterian, Oakville, at 13. He became an active member of the Musician`s Guild at 16 and was appointed Music Director at Walton United, Oakville at 17. He directed a senior public school instrumental music pilot program while in grades 12 and 13 and following graduation began working as a fine arts long term supply teacher for the Halton Board of Education.
During the 1980`s, Dave designing and operating Canada`s first digital multi-track recording studio, Studio Depot. At the same time, he initiated the West Lincoln Conservatory, soon to be joined by Anca, (at the time an R.N. serving at Hamilton General Hospital) and as a co-directors, oversaw an average of 170 music students weekly for over 27 years. During this period of time he also worked as a commercial contract composer and arranger, including writing music for children`s television national network programming. At their studio in Grimsby, Dave also produced a number of programs for cable television. Through much of the 90s, He and Anca also ran a Musical Rod-puppet Theatre and operated a weekly Saturday night Christian coffee house.
In 1999, following a strong sense of being called to serve significantly in the ministry of music within a church community, Dave and his family began to designate a significant portion of their time in this way, which they have continued since. Dave has received instruction from a number of noted teachers, including 4 years with long-time Duke Ellington arrangement consultant Gordon Delamont, and also with Mildred Leach, Thomas Whittet, Jim Howard and Cornelius Rodert. He played trumpet and piano in the Mohawk College Jazz Band for close to 5 years. He credits much of his education to the many people he has been blessed to work with and those he has taught.
Dave has written a number of studies for solo instruments, as well as choral music and over 10 musicals, oratorios and operettas, including `Promised Land`, featured in the Presbyterian Record. He wrote `Get the Bean`, a song promoting fair trade coffee that won the first prize in the Presbyterian Record`s national `Mocha Mission` contest, and you can hear some of his songs on the Record`s website. Dave’s family music website is OrbitFriendly.com
Along with Anca and his five children, Dave feels blessed to now be serving here at Oakridge.
Church Extension: 228
