Gallery House Concerts

OUR DIRECTORS

Updated Dec 5, 2022

CONSUMER JUNKIE
Dale Sorensen
While some of us (me) are cottage industry types, there are those (like my husband, Dale Sorensen) that are out there contributing to the good of us all.

Dale is a retired Project Manager and the MC of Gallery House Concerts Society. He is not comfortable speaking in public but has chosen to welcome you, communicate housekeeping details, introduce the artists, and tell lame jokes! Other than the year Susan Aglukark funded our pizza snack, Dale is also the one who regularly foots that bill augmented by your donations to our Pizza Fund.

Dale's magnanimous nature extends much farther. He is always riding, canvassing, or fundraising for something. And he tips big! What baristas do not beam at the sight of Dale?

But Dale has a self-indulgent side. There isn't a motorcycle, camera, hiking, or cycling gadget that he isn't looking to purchase. T-shirts and memorabilia constitute a large part of our overdraft.

Dale selflessly represents the southern Region of Alberta for Alberta Arts Touring Alliance. Thank goodness for world-contributors like Dale who keep the current of fair trade and music flowing.
CULTURE JUNKIE
Andy Stanislav
You may have heard CBC say that the moment we decided to host concerts, we took a sledgehammer to our wall. Well, with every blow, we were texting pics to our astounded best buddy Andy who was lapping up Folk Alliance in Memphis.

Andy Stanislav is one of our five directors with Gallery House Concerts Society, and as our CFO (Chief Fun Officer), he may have slid some bubbles into a glass. But there is so much more behind the hand executing that perfect pour (WSET trained).

You'll find the cultural/arts/music junkie has a hand in many initiatives including those of CKUA, National Music Centre, Music Mile, Wide Cut Weekend, A Case for A Fiddle and more. You may run into Andy at Calgary Folk Music Festival, Spaghetti Western, or the International Blues Festival. He may be capturing photos, snapping on wristbands, or offering to get you a beer.

If there is an underground film festival or one-time art event, Andy will have had a personal invitation. And while Andy is taking in Alberta Showcase, a songwriting competition, Route 66, or a new brewery, we can all enjoy his fabulous photos: tweeted, texted, facebooked, or, if he has had time, catalogued.

Andy is an outstanding photographer. Yes, he sometimes sports a lens longer than my arm, but he also has a collection of stunning images on his iPhone. Puddles, portraits, graffiti, or Gallery musicians, he proves it's not the equipment but how you use it.
MILITARY JUNKIE
Chris Gheran
I'm not saying that singer/songwriter and Gallery Director, Chris Gheran, is a reincarnation of John Lennon, but... he WAS born only 48 hours after the assassination and may have inhaled some DMT. Opening for Brandi Carlile, Chris nailed "Working Class Hero". He may sound similar to Lennon but he charms like George Formby. And the content of Chris's 4 albums is often drawn from military history and peppered with military references.

Chris has performed on VIA Rail, showcased at Folk Alliance in Kansas City, Canadian Music Week in Toronto, and Alberta Showcase in Fort Saskatchewan; he has played at the Calgary Stampede, the East Coulee Springfest, and Medicine Hat's Tongue on Post; Chris headlined at the TransCanada Alberta Music Series, won JackFM's Busker of the Year, and performed frequently at Simon's Valley Market. Besides writing a song in only 7 days as part of the global Acoustic Guitar Project, Chris has won, placed, selected as a finalist, or been a judge at several songwriting competitions including South Country Fair and Calgary Folk Music Festival.

Chris's 2013 Digging Holes Military Tour through Canadian Forces Bases, field batteries, and Army Navy Air Force Vets changed his life and inspired several tunes including "Sergeant At Arms".

Chris has ridden the rails with Ian Tyson in a city tribute and has confidently opened for The Fray, The Doll Sisters, Lucas Chaisson, The Wailin' Jennys and Jonathan Richman.

Chris is the husband of Gallery director, Madison Isenor
HEALTH JUNKIE
Madison Isenor
Our newest, youngest, smallest, smartest, and healthiest director is Madison Isenor. Madison has her science degree and is currently a full-time student at Boucher School of Naturopathic Medicine in Vancouver which makes it tough being married to Calgary-dweller Chris Gheran.

Already a Certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant, who else can prepare a week's worth of meals with no gluten while gnawing on a steak and sipping Glenfiddich? And don't get her started on supplements, her analysis will be at the cellular level--in the true sense.

Madison's dream is to live on a sustainable piece of land, growing most of her own food, while Chris hunts to fill the freezer. She is working toward establishing a healthy naturopathic practice where people need her most.
BRAND JUNKIE
Jackie Bourgaize
You probably know Jackie as Chief (pizza) Cook and Bottle-Washer, but most of her Gallery work is conducted down the hall in the Gallery office (you are welcome to take a peek).

Jackie co-founded Gallery House Concerts Society in 2012, mainly to help artists with a costless place to stay, a couple of meals, and gas money as they tour their music across the country.

Jackie frequently tracks down artists suggested by concert goers or Gallery Directors, perhaps piggybacking onto larger shows in town. She regularly filters out artists' frequent requests to play here: reviewing their credentials, and listening to their tracks.

Jackie likes to flex her degree from the Alberta University of the Arts, helping the music scene with branding, album packaging, posters, web elements, signage, brochures, etc. She is proud to have worked with WideCut Weekend, Bow Valley Music Club, and The Acoustic Guitar Project, as well as artists and venues.

Jackie is also the inventor of the Unightie, the bag liner with benefits as seen on Dragons Den.