Keith Dyrda is the newest member of Canadian Brass, filling the big shoes of founding member Gene Watts on trombone in the spring of 2010 while still a 21-year-old student at McGill University in Montreal. His first major tour with the group was Canadian Brass’ return to China — their first since their historic 1977 visit. Grand prize winner of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra’s 2008 Standard Life competition, Keith has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the McGill Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony and the orchestre symphonique de Montréal. In 2009, Keith was the winner of the Robert Marsteller competition for solo trombone at the International Trombone Festival in Denmark, and winner of the solo competition at the 10th annual Alessi Seminar, hosted by Joseph Alessi of the New York Philharmonic, in New Mexico. Keith has recorded with three former Canadian Brass members as well as New York trombonist and jazz legend Wycliffe Gordon. Keith was born into a musical family in Oakbank, Manitoba, a small town near Winnipeg.