Elizabeth Forrest works as a conductor, bass clarinetist, music educator, and music scholar. She completed her undergraduate studies in music and history at the University of British Columbia, studying with Dr. Robert Taylor and Christin Reardon-MacLellan in the UBC Symphonic Wind and Concert Wind ensembles. Elizabeth recently completed her Masters of Studies in Musicology at the University of Oxford under Professor Laura Tunbridge, where she studied the depiction of gender in opera. While at Oxford, Elizabeth presented a paper at the Galpin Society's "Materiality and the Meaning of Musical Instruments" Conference titled "Finding Our Path", based on her experience at the WVYB. The paper discussed the 2018 Gathering of Eagles concert and the Eagle Drum gifted to the WVYB by Squamish Elder Bob Baker.

 

As an alumna of the West Vancouver Youth Band, Elizabeth participated in the creation of The Gathering of Eagles and The Squamish Symphony, alongside the premiere of many works. In her performance history outside of the WVYB, Elizabeth has had the honour to perform with the Vancouver Academy of Music Honour Wind Ensemble, the British Columbia Music Educators Association Honour Wind Ensemble, the North Vancouver School District Honour Band, The University of British Columbia Summer Music Institute, and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. She has also had the honour to premiere works by composers such as Jodie Blackshaw and Robert Buckley in these ensembles.

 

Elizabeth continues to work as an independent scholar. Her research interests include gender and sexuality in music, wind band music, music and politics, and nineteenth-century opera. She is currently working on publishing more on her experience with the Squamish Nation, WVYB, and The Squamish Symphony.