ABOUT me

Tobi Crawford is a highly sought-after vocalist, pianist, arranger and educator from Vancouver, BC, Canada. Tobi attended the School For Music Vocations in Creston, Iowa, while under the direction of Phil Mattson, the Grammy award-winning arranger and pianist, and recorded two albums with his flagship group: VoicesIowa in 1995 and again in 2000. She then moved back to her native city of Vancouver, BC where she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in jazz voice and piano performance with award-winning director, Réjean Marois. She then got her Bachelor’s Degree of Education in Secondary Music from Simon Fraser University. Tobi taught at the high school level in Canada for 10 years, teaching choirs, bands and music theory before moving to Shanghai, China where she was the Fine Arts Department head and Director of Music at Sino-Canada High School for 5 years. Tobi recently graduated with a Masters degree in Jazz Voice Performance from the esteemed University of North Texas where she served as a teaching fellow. Among the many teaching duties she undertook at UNT, she directed the Third Street vocal jazz ensemble and was the assistant director of the Downbeat award-winning vocal ensemble the UNT Jazz Singers. 

Tobi previously directed and chaired BCMEA’s Honour Vocal Jazz Choir in BC, Canada and served as a guest clinician and lecturer in her province. In her home state of Iowa, Tobi has given workshops, lectures, co-directed the first säje Vocal Festival at Southwestern Community College and served as a judge for competitions such as the Iowa Jazz Championships.

Tobi is currently the Director of Music at the School for Music Vocations, teaching Freshman and Sophomore Jazz Piano, Arranging, Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, Conducting, as well as directing the multiple Downbeat award-winning ensemble: First Take.