Born in Ukraine, Stan was classically trained
in piano, music theory and composition. In 1987, he obtained a Master's degree in Music. Upon
arriving in Canada, he rounded up his education by studying contemporary film scoring and
production with Glenn Morley at
the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Shortly after he joined a Guild of Canadian Film
Composers, he started working on films and TV shows as a composer. He has scored music for
Alliance Atlantis, CBC, Nelvana, YTV, Barna-Alper Productions. His most recent film work is
music for the movie Secret Miracle which was recently awarded a Silver Remi Award for best
short drama from an adapted work at this year’s WorldFest Houston International Film Festival.
Stan is currently taking a Film Scoring course at Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Stan's career as a performer has taken him all over the world as a pianist and band leader. He
immigrated to Canada in 1998 and has since collaborated and shared stages with the likes of
Herbie Hancock,
Bob James,
Warren Hill,
Jeff Golub,
Paul Brown,
Najee,
Demo Cates,
Sharon Lee Williams,
Eddie Bullen,
Liberty Silver,
Chris Smith,
Paul Christopher,
Mark Kelso,
Andrew Scott,
Sasha Boychouk,
Vickie Van Dyke,
Rich Brown,
Steve Heathcote,
Loi Bartolomuchi,
Frank Botos,
Bob Brough,
Arthy Ross,
Terry Clark,
Jim Vivian.
His orchestrating and arranging work includes audio arrangments for varaiety of piano play-along
books published by Hal Leonard, CD Classics Go Pop for Parry Music (BMG), two
musicals The Forest Song and Little Prince for Nazarov National
Theatre in Moscow, as well as arrangements for independent artists in U.S., Canada and
Russia.
First Release
In 2005, Stan released his first CD Smooth Session, showcasing as a composer, arranger
and performer. Two tracks Midnight and Flight 111 have become runaway hits on
Canadian Smooth Jazz radio stations.
Wave 94.7's morning man and musical director Bob Farrow writes, "Stan draws on his superb
technicality and then wows you with his unabashed sense of groove. Backed up by David West on
guitar, Sasha Boychouk on alto sax and clarinet and the vocal power of Dave Nichols, Smooth
Session is comprised of 6 original tracks and a nod to Tchaikovsky."
-Free Music Weekend Review, November, '05.
Vickie Van Dyke, 2005 broadcaster of the year (Canadian Smooth Jazz Awards) wrote, "Stan Fomin
knows how to play (he's got chops and then some) but he also knows how to groove. Smooth Session
is smooth indeed - a most welcome surprise from a powerful new force on the Canadian Smooth
Jazz scene." -Wave Fave Review, Wave 94.7, October '05.
In the spring of 2006, Flight 111 made it to number one on the Wave 94.7 Smooth Jazz Charts
for 3 weeks.
Collaborations
Stan is musical director for Papaduke, a band blending traditional Slavic gypsy music mixed
with a touch of classic pop and a good measure of jazz led by violinist
Vasyl Popadiuk.
The band genre-defying fusion music first CD was released in early 2006.
For the past six years, he has been part of legendary jazzman's Bob Brough's band. Brough
has been a fixture on the Toronto jazz scene for over thirty years. His smoky, relaxed tone
recalls vintage Stan Getz, while his harmonic adventures bring to mind early John Coltrane.
Partnerships
Recently, Stan joined forces with well-known Smooth Jazz singer/sax player Demo Cates.
Together they've just released the new album "Cates Fomin Project" with subtitle "Journey With Us",
distributed by Universal Music Canada, powered by
Sab Ravalli, president of Luccica Productions and produced by multi-platinum award winner
Mark Berry, Attack Media Group.
Nominations
Stan was nominated in the "keyboardist of the year" category at the 2006 and 2008 Canadian Smooth
Jazz Awards.