Shirantha Beddage a grad from the Humber music program.

After establishing a name for himself south of the border, Shirantha Beddage will be returning to his roots when he assumes his new position as the head of harmony and theory in the music program next fall.

Beddage, an accomplished saxophone and piano player who graduated from Humber’s music program in 2002, spent the last seven years studying and teaching in the U.S.

He is currently the director of the jazz studies program at the Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia, after stints in Rochester, N.Y. and Wayne, N.J.

“It’s a great feeling to be coming back to Humber.  It is home to me,” said Beddage.  “My time as a student there was a very formative experience and influenced me a great deal.”

Denny Christensen, director of music at Humber, said the program is looking forward to Beddage joining the faculty.  “The main reason is not because he’s Humber alumni, but because he’s an incredible musician and teacher.”

Beddage’s successful track record as a program director in Georgia proves he will be a valuable asset to Humber. During the last three years he launched an annual university jazz festival and made jazz studies a degree within the music program.

“He’s a very friendly, hard-working guy, passionate about jazz and energetic in sharing his passion with students and audiences,” said Fred Cohen, director of the Schwob School.  “We’re all sad to see him go.”
Born in England, Beddage’s family moved to North Bay when he was three.

After attending Humber, Beddage completed his master’s degree in music from William Patterson University, Wayne, N.J., in 2004, then went on to complete his doctorate in jazz studies and contemporary media from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester.

Beddage said he is not going to rush into setting goals for himself at Humber just yet.

“I am going to take some time to see where the school is at,” he said. “I’ll probably do a lot of listening in the first year.”