Alan Denike has been Principal Bassoon in the Regina Symphony Orchestra and the Regina Symphony Chamber Players since 1974.  He holds a Bachelor of Music Degree and a Performer's Certificate in Bassoon Performance from the Eastman School of Music, New York.  He has holds a Masters Degree in Conducting from the University of Regina.

Alan was born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, in a musical home where his father was a well-known music educator and his mother a pianist. By age 17 he was playing bassoon in the Victoria Symphony. Encouraged by his parents he chose a professional orchestral career.

Since taking up the position of Music Director/Conductor with the South Saskatchewan Youth Orchestra (SSYO) in 1989, he has helped the orchestra grow from 45 to as many as 80 musicians. He has guided the orchestra to Gold Medal performances in Festivals at Orlando, Montreal, and most recently in Chicago (2002). In 1996 and 1998 the SSYO was one of only two Canadian Youth Orchestras to be invited to the Banff International Festival of Youth Orchestras. In August 2000 the SSYO was selected to be the Host Orchestra for the Aberdeen International Youth Festival in Aberdeen, Scotland. In May 2004 the SSYO participated in the Canadian Youth Orchestra Festival in Ottawa. In July 2006 the SSYO competed in the 35^th International Youth and Music Festival in Vienna where they were awarded 3^rd place in the Symphony Orchestra division. While in Austria the SSYO also performed concerts in Pottsching, Berndorf, Bad Schonau and Salzburg.

Mr. Denike has conducted the Regina Symphony Orchestra, Regina Community Orchestra, Regina Summer Stage, the Prairie Pops Orchestra and the University of Regina Concert Band. He has taught at the Saskatchewan Summer School of the Arts, the Courtney (B.C.) Music Camp and at the International Peace Gardens. Mr. Denike is in demand as a clinician/adjudicator throughout the province and Western Canada and was the Senior Woodwind Adjudicator for the British Columbia Provincial Music Festival in Victoria in June 2004. In 2007, Mr. Denike was awarded the Arts Management Award from the City of Regina's Mayor's Arts and Business Awards.

Alan's wife, Janice is a well-respected pianist and teacher. His hobbies include stamp collecting, golfing and maintaining the household's three highly individual cats.