Keegan Hedley has played a dog and a tiger. Now’s he’s all about bassoons.
The Grade 12 student at Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary School spent his early years as a voiceover actor. From 2019-2021, he supplied the voice for Rubble, the burly English bulldog construction worker in 64 episodes of the Paw Patrol TV show and movie. From 2018-2022, Hedley voiced Daniel Tiger, the son of Daniel Striped Tiger, the tiny tiger puppet beloved by Gen X-ers on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, in 36 episodes of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, a reboot cartoon aimed at Generation Alpha.
While he appreciates the recognition for acting, that’s all in the past.
“I am moving on from that part of my life,” he said, “and I’m excited to be a part of the classical music realm. I think that it is not something that is relevant to my personality anymore, and I have moved on to something new, and more exciting.”
Exciting indeed. A relative newcomer to music in Grade 9, the graduating student recently received a $20,000 admission scholarship to the prestigious music program at McGill University in Montreal, where he will study classical music. He’ll get an extra $5,000 for his remaining three years, if he maintains his average.
The university was always Hedley’s top pick for an undergrad program, but he once thought he’d be there studying political science. That’s before Hedley discovered his love of music.
“Frankly, it is the best undergraduate music program in the country,” Hedley says of McGill’s Schulich School of Music, which was recently rated by QS World University Rankings as the fourth best music school in the North America, joining the ranks of Julliard in New York City, and the 14th best music school in the world. “The faculty is made up of some of Canada's finest classical musicians, the musicians of the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal. The success of the bassoon studio at McGill has also been quite high. Many of the studio's graduates hold top positions in Canada and around the world. On top of that, I get to study under the tutelage of a professor with a doctorate from the Juilliard School, it really doesn't get better than that. When your goal is to become an orchestral musician, the best way to achieve it is to study with the best orchestral musicians! So that's why McGill is the place for me.”
After playing in the BT concert band under the guidance of music teacher Angela Maccaroni, Hedley began auditioning for other orchestras to join. Today, he’s Mentoring Principal Bassoon with the Hamilton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, Section Bassoon of Sinfonia Ancaster, and Bassoon of the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra. Hedley’s walked his share of red carpets as a voice actor and actor, but one thrill topped them all.
“Recently, I made my Carnegie Hall Debut with the Oakville Symphony Youth Orchestra as Principal Bassoon with a very exciting programme, in which the Orchestra was given a gold rating by some of North America's leading music educators,” he said, crediting his BT band experience as his foundation.
“Blessed Trinity's band program, under the direction of the illustrious Angela Maccaroni, is where my love for classical music, and passion for playing my instrument grew,” Hedley said. “Her guidance, and ability to make me a better musician is what I owe my career to. I have since moved on from playing in the Blessed Trinity band, but I could not be where I am without it.”
For her part, Maccaroni has nothing but praise for her student.
“If memory serves me correctly, he was initially attracted to the trombone, but as fate would have it, I happen to play bassoon, and thanks to some very generous alumni and their families, the school has bassoons too,” said Maccaroni. “I remember clearly the day that I showcased the bassoon to the class. Keegan stayed until the end of class [and announced] ‘I want to play bassoon!’
Over the next few months, Keegan worked at the instrument,” she continued. “The bassoon is difficult to manage - it’s very unlike the rest of the wind instruments and requires patience and attention to detail. More than a natural ability, Keegan had a passion for music and a solid understanding of the importance of determination and focus. Before long, he and some of his classmates were joining us at band rehearsals and playing in concerts.
Proud doesn’t seem to be a word that encompasses how I feel about Keegan’s accomplishments,” Maccaroni said. “Part of Keegan’s great success is his approach to seeking the best advice from great players. In the last two years he’s connected with bassoonists and teachers across North America and in Europe. If I were to meet a professional bassoonist in Ontario, I could introduce myself by saying ‘I’m Keegan’s high school teacher.’ They’d know him.”
Lest you think Hedley focuses only on one thing, he’s quick to share his resume. While acting and playing music, he has maintained an average in the mid-90s. Connecting to his prior political aspirations, Hedley spent three years on Blessed Trinity’s Student Council, serving as vice-president in Grade 10 and president in Grade 11, before making music his focus.
“However,” he noted, “I consider my time on student council as some of my most professionally formative years. I am very grateful to be able to leave my legacy at Blessed Trinity as one of their student council presidents.