Jenny Regehr is well known across Canada for her solo recitals, duo and chamber music performances and Lieder collaborations.  She has been widely heard in duo performances with violist Rennie Regehr and has performed with many of Canada’s leading musicians in university and concert series across the country.  For many years she was the harpsichordist and pianist of the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra and was heard in concerto performances both with the MCO and the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and regularly on national radio. As a faculty member of the Glenn Gould School at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Ms Regehr was a senior piano and pedagogy instructor and for more than a decade, coordinated its piano master class program, featuring a roster of international visiting artists.  This exposure to a great range of the best pedagogy has had a profound influence on her performing and teaching.  As a versatile and highly effective teacher, her studio has included those embarking on performance careers, gifted young pianists and teachers wishing to further their training as well as students who are active in other professions while avidly pursuing the piano.  Her students have gone on to performing careers in major international centres and to be leading teachers in their communities.  All have been inspired by her ability to tailor her teaching to their particular situation and by her wholehearted dedication. She is beloved for the masterclasses and teacher workshops she has given across Canada and is highly respected as an adjudicator of festivals and competitions. Ms. Regehr is also a senior piano examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music.   She has performed and taught at summer music festivals in Canada, the United States and Europe and has been invited for a number of teaching residencies at the renowned Central Conservatory in Beijing as well as at the Shanghai Conservatory.  More recently, she was on an international panel of adjudicators at the prestigious Hong Kong Schools Music Festival. Jenny’s understanding and love of hands in the context of the piano, have inspired her to become certified as a hand reflexologist, a new endeavour in which she is already most effective.  

Adjudicating the 2020 Senior Piano Division

Pianist and composer David McEvoy has given recitals throughout Canada, the United States, and Europe and has been a featured soloist at the Tanglewood Music Center, Music Academy of the West, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society. A finalist in the 2012 Knigge National Piano Competition and the 2012 TD Canada Trust Elora Festival National Competition, Mr. McEvoy was a winner of the Penderecki String Quartet’s prize for Chamber Music Excellence (2009) and a gold medalist in the 2005 OMFA (Ontario Music Festivals Association) provincial competition. 

Mr. McEvoy has collaborated with the Mark Morris Dance company, participated in the world premiere of Robert Zuidam’s Tanglewood Concerto which featured Emanuel Ax as a principal soloist, and gave a performance of George Crumb’s Ancient Voices of Children which was reviewed by the Sunday Times of London as having been “…staggeringly well-played.” He holds a Masters degree in Piano from the New England Conservatory and has studied with pianists Jonathan Biss, Jeremy Denk, Stephen Hough, Angela Hewitt, Garrick Ohlsson, Anton Kuerti, Peter Frankl and Bernd Goetzke. His principal teachers have been Edna Golandsky, Gabriel Chodos, and Anya Alexeyev. 

Adjudicating the 2020 Intermediate Piano Division

Paul Coates holds ARCT diplomas in both piano and voice as well as a Bachelor of Music and Master of Music from the University of Western Ontario.  He also studied at the Chautauqua Institute and the Banff School of Fine Arts.  He was privileged to perform for Elisabeth Schwarzkopf in London England and has attended master classes with Gwendolyn Koldofsky, Elly Ameling and Rudolph Jansen.  Since his graduation he has enjoyed an active and varied performing career as both singer and accompanist, including solo concerts, chamber music, appearances with orchestra and CBC and TV Ontario broadcasts.

Paul has been a faculty member of the School of Music of Windsor and the Royal Conservatory of Music where he taught in both the Community School and the Glenn Gould Professional School.  Currently he maintains a private studio in Stratford.  He is also active as an adjudicator and a clinician for ORMTA and is excited about his new series of talks on “Teach and Learn from a place of joy.  The importance of being mindfully present in the now while celebrating the whole student.  You are AWESOME just because you are.  Not because of what you do or do not do! Your imagination is your limitation in life.  You should have no limits when it comes to your imagination.  However it is important to have boundaries.”

Mr. Coates has examined for RCM & CC and has travelled across Canada presenting workshops for teachers, parents and students.  Mr. Paul is passionate about taking time to explore the value of making Mindful Choices as you Practice what you Believe.  One of the most inspiring choices, over the last few years, for his students has been the MINDFUL phonecall!

Mr. Paul has just finished writing his first book entitled The “TickatiTackati” Book of Possibilities.  Contact Regal Monster Productions if interested in the book or discussing a workshop.  www.monsterworkshops.com.   Thank You for being YOU!

Adjudicating the 2020 Junior Piano Division

Christine Tithecott holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Iowa, as well as a MMus in Performance and a BMus (Honours) in Music Education from the University of Western Ontario. She has worked previously at Iowa State University in Ames, IA.  
 
In high demand as a clinician and adjudicator, Dr. Tithecott presents master classes for young pianists and workshops on pedagogical topics for piano teachers throughout North America.  She has presented lectures at national conferences for the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) and the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers’ Associations (CFMTA). Christine is a member of the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators Association (CMFAA), and a clinician for the Ontario Registered Music Teachers Association (ORMTA). Additionally, Dr. Tithecott has served as en editor for Conservatory Canada’s New Millennium Series. 
 
An avid performer, Dr. Tithecott has had the opportunity to perform as a solo and collaborative artist throughout Canada, USA, and Europe. Christine has a strong passion for performing and promoting contemporary repertoire and has performed with numerous new music ensembles including Ensemble 319, and The CNM Ensemble (Iowa City, IA).   
 
Christine currently resides in London, where she is on faculty at Western University’s Don Wright Faculty of Music. She also works as a collaborative artist and maintains a full studio of private piano students.

Adjudicating the 2020 Elementary Piano Division

Rennie Regehr began his professional career with the Winnipeg Symphony and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra.  His career has taken him throughout Canada and abroad as orchestra musician, soloist and chamber musician. Following his tenure at the WSO, Mr. Regehr became the Dean of the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory in Toronto, a position he held for 14 years. In that role he developed an internationally renowned orchestral program, training many of Canada’s finest professional musicians and solo artists. He continued to be a much sought after chamber musician and recitalist, performing in most major Canadian venues on series such as Music Toronto, Vancouver Chamber Music Festival, and The Tuckamore Festival in Newfoundland. Internationally, he has been invited to the Winnipesaukee Festival in New Hampshire and the Oberlin Summer Festival in Casalmaggiore, Italy. Highlights of his performance collaborations include artists such as Leon Fleisher and the Shanghai String Quartet. In addition to performing and teaching Mr. Regehr was an active conductor.  During his tenure at the Royal Conservatory, he was the artistic director and resident conductor of the orchestras of the Glenn Gould School as well as the Young Artists Performance Academy.  He led the Conservatory orchestra on a 3-week, 11-concert tour of China, and returned on numerous occasions to conduct the Zhejiang Symphony in Hangzhou. Upon joining the University of Ottawa music faculty in 2006, Mr. Regehr was the Principal Guest Conductor of the University Orchestra as well as conducting the Ottawa University’s Opera productions of Cosi fan Tutte and Don Giovanni. 

As a teacher, Mr. Regehr follows a tradition of great Canadian string mentors. Himself, a student of Gerald Stanick, he continues that level of teaching and has trained some of Canadian’s outstanding violists who have gone on to study in major international graduate programs and win positions in many North American orchestras. Master classes include the Cleveland Institute, the Shanghai Conservatory, the Central Conservatory in Beijing, and Domaine Forget, and for many summers was a faculty member of the prestigious Morningside Music Bridge Program in Calgary.  He was a guest faculty member of the Rosamunde Summer Music Academy, where he will be teaching and performing again this summer.  He has adjudicated many competitions and festivals, including the cross-country Canadian Music Competition last year. He has held teaching positions at The Glenn Gould School, University of Toronto, and the University of British Columbia.  Before retiring to Winnipeg in the summer of 2017, he was the Viola Professor at the University of Ottawa, where, In addition to teaching, he conducted the Ottawa University Orchestra as well as directing the Chamber Music Program.  In 2012 he received the Canadian Viola Society's Lifetime Achievement Award.  

Adjudicating the 2020 Strings Division

Jordan Clayton is a young, passionate violinist and violin teacher based in London, ON. He holds a Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Violin Performance from Western University. Jordan performs regularly as a chamber musician with Magisterra Soloists, an exciting new Canadian string ensemble established in 2015 under Annette-Barbara Vogel’s founding direction. Jordan serves currently as the ensemble’s Outreach Coordinator.

Alongside his work as a full-time private instructor, Jordan is currently Assistant Director for the Forest City String School, where he serves as Junior Orchestra Conductor and as a violin instructor.  Jordan is also an annually returning member of the string faculty at the "Camp Musical de Québec" (Québec, QC), and will be the coordinating director for the 2020 "Magisterra Summer String Institute" (London, ON).

Adjudicating the 2020 Suzuki Strings Division

Darryl Edwards’ has been hailed as "the coach behind many of Canada's best young voices these days." (Toronto Star). Prof. Edwards is Artistic Director of the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy and Canada’s Centre for Opera Studies and Appreciation. His students are frequent winners of national and international singing competitions and take their places on acclaimed international stages. In Canada, his students are regularly selected as members of the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio, as well as Canada’s other leading opera young artist programs. As a tenor, Darryl Edwards has appeared to critical acclaim in oratorio, recital, and opera in England, Germany, France, Italy, China, Corsica, the United States, and across Canada. His performing engagements have included Britten’s War Requiem with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, Bach and Handel with the Filharmonie Hradec Králové and The Czech Boys’ Choir, the title role in Mozart’s Idomeneo in Mulhouse, France, Orff's Carmina Burana with the Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, the Mozart Requiem with the Pesaro Philharmonic and Chorus in Italy, Handel's Messiah with the Elmer Iseler Singers, and Mozart concert arias for tenor with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra.

Adjudicating the 2020 Vocal Solo Division

 NOTICE: Melissa Bencic will be adjudicating for the festival in the 2021 festival. We will post the 2020 adjudicator shortly. Thank you for your patience!

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Melissa Bencic is the Founder and Artistic Director of Bravo Academy for the Performing Arts in Toronto where she works extensively in developing innovative performing arts programs for young and emerging professional artists.  In addition, Melissa is part of the Vocal Faculty at Sheridan College where teachers Vocal Techniques Class and Vocal Tutorials. Melissa is active as a voice instructor, adjudicator, master class clinician, producer, stage director and performer. She holds a M.Mus. in Opera Performance from McGill, a B.Mus. in Opera Performance from UBC and studied Bel Canto Opera at Liceo Musicale “F. Manzato” in Treviso, Italy.  Melissa performs both nationally and internationally and favorite roles include Susanna (Le Nozze Di Figaro), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Gretel (Hansel & Gretel), Adele (Die Fledermaus) and Serpetta (Die Gartnerin aus Liebe). Melissa has produced over 150 musicals and staged directed over 50 musicals and operas.   Melissa is also the Founder and Artistic Director of the inventive New Music Theatre Intensives (NMTI) which is a specialized music theatre program designed to teach students contemporary music theatre skills through developing new musicals and working directly alongside the writers.  As part of the program Melissa has worked with some of Canada’s leading music theatre composers and has developed 4 new Canadian musicals; Drama 101 (Best Musical Fringe 2019), Going Under,  Crack of Doom: Or How I Learned to Love the Meteor and is currently developing #Hashtag a new musical.   Most recent credits include producing the viral hit musical Be More Chill  which was nominated by Broadway World Toronto for Best Community Theatre Production and she recently stage directed Newsies with Bravo Academy's Teen Troupe.  Currently, Melissa is directing Anne & Gilbert the musical.    Many of Melissa's students are professional working artists in music theatre, theatre, opera, film and pop. She holds much experience teaching artists in all styles of music in all ages and levels.  Melissa is a member of the Music Theatre Educators' Alliance, MTEA Voice, National Alliance of Music Theatre, Theatre Ontario, Toronto Alliance of the Performing Arts, Ontario Registered Music Teachers' Association and the National Association of Teachers of Singing. Melissa loves adjudicating and working with young artists and is honoured to be part of the Kitchener-Waterloo Kiwanis Music Festival!

Adjudicating the 2021 Music Theatre & CCM Division

Colin Labadie is a composer and performer based in Kitchener, Ontario. He has taught music both in classrooms and private studios; above all, he encourages people to find their own path through music by exploring the intersections between imagination, knowledge, and technique. He is also committed to fostering music in the community, having held various administrative and organizational roles in several local arts and not-for-profit organizations.

Colin has been fortunate enough to perform or have his work performed across Canada and internationally. He currently teaches guitar, theory, and composition at Wilfrid Laurier University and at the Beckett School of Music.

Adjudicating the 2020 Composition Division

Megan Hodge is an active freelancer on tenor and bass trombone, and has made Toronto her home for the past sixteen years. Originally from Edmonton, Alberta, Megan studied at the Glenn Gould School (Artist Diploma), McGill University (MMus) and the University of Alberta (BMus). She performs regularly with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Opera Company, The National Ballet Orchestra of Canada, the Hamilton Philharmonic, Hannaford Street Silver Band and is a founding member of both the Toronto Brass Quintet and the newly formed Canadian Trombone Quartet. Megan has a passion for chamber music and pushing the boundaries of brass music and uses groups such as the Toronto Brass Quintet, to explore various instrumental collaborations, experimentation with technology and original works composed by the members. Megan is currently on faculty at the University of Toronto teaching trombone and orchestral studies.

Adjudicating the 2020 Brass Solo & Chamber Division

Known for his warm tone and musical lyricism Canadian guitarist Brad Kukko currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.  A native of Thunder Bay, Ontario Brad holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Lakehead University.  Upon completion of his Bachelor Degree Mr. Kukko continued his guitar studies with Dr. Jeffrey McFadden at the Royal Conservatory of Music (R.C.M.) in Toronto from 1998 to 2007.  While at Lakehead University and the R.C.M. Brad received many awards for his playing at the Lakehead Music Festival, R.C.M. scholarships and bursaries, Peel Music Festival, and Toronto Kiwanis Music Festival.  Mr. Kukko performed in and audited the R.C.M. Toronto’s advanced teacher master class taught by pianist Boyanna Toyich (2002 and 2003).  This master class featured performers on double bass, piano, voice, violin, and guitar.  Brad was awarded two scholarships from the Guitar Society of Toronto to study abroad at the “Guitar on the Mediterranean Festival” in Cervo, Italy (2004) and the “East Carolina Guitar Festival” in Greensboro, North Carolina (2005).  Mr. Kukko has performed in master classes taught by Denis Azabagic, Roland Dyens, Adam Holzman, Wilma van Berkel, Andrew Zohn, Stephen Aron, Lorenzo Micheli, and Matteo Mela.

Brad enjoys teaching guitar and theory to students of all ages.  He is a R.C.M certified guitar instructor at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels.  Many of his students have been awarded R.C.M. Ontario regional gold medals for guitar and consistently win scholarships and prizes from the Toronto Kiwanis Festival, North York Music Festival and Ontario Music Festivals Association (OMFA) provincials.  An experienced festival adjudicator, Brad’s recent engagements have been with the Calgary Performing Arts Festival (2019), Kiwanis Guelph Music Festival (2019), and the St. Catherine’s Kiwanis Music Festival (2018).

Adjudicating the 2020 Guitar Solo Division

Melanie brings an energetic, open-hearted approach to singing through her work as a choral conductor and music educator.  As Assistant Artistic Director of the Hamilton Children’s Choir, Melanie develops original choral programming, oversees music theory and literacy programs, directs the Esprimas and Komenci choirs, and assists with the touring ensemble, Ilumini. Melanie also teaches vocal music at Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton. Originally from Nova Scotia, Melanie holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice from Dalhousie University and a Master of Music in Choral Conducting from the University of Alberta. She has been thrilled to adjudicate choral festivals across Southwestern Ontario, and proudly serves on the executive board of Choirs Ontario.

Adjudicating the 2020 Choir Division

Jessica V. Kun, a native of Toronto, Canada, is Conductor and Artistic Director of the Richmond Hill Philharmonic Orchestra. She completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting at Arizona State University, where she conducted the Wind Symphony, Wind Ensemble, Chamber Winds, and the Lyric Opera Theatre. She holds Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education degrees from the University of Calgary (Canada), Master’s Certificate in Conducting from the University of Calgary Wind Conducting Program, and a Master of Music degree in Musicology from the University of Manchester (England), where she conducted the Symphony Orchestra, chamber ensembles, and the New Music Ensemble, as well as civic, professional, and youth orchestras and new music ensembles across the country. She has conducted string and full orchestras, symphonic and jazz bands, chamber music, contemporary music ensembles, and opera. She has taught and conducted musicians at all levels, from novice to professional, and has written articles for Canadian Music Education journals and curriculum documents for the Ontario Ministry of Education. Dr. Kun currently serves as Conductor and Associate Professor of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, where she conducts the wind orchestra and teaches conducting and orchestration. Her research includes the development of conducting and conducting pedagogy, using digital media, and further studies into emotional contagion and effective gestural communication. Dr. Kun is active as a conductor, adjudicator, and clinician in North America, Great Britain, Europe, and South America.

Adjudicating the 2020 Orchestra Division

Larry has been playing professionally for over 35 years and has been an educator for 30. A Yamaha Education Artist, he has taught grade 5 beginners through to University and adult community groups. Currently, Larry is the Music Director for National Music Camp of Canada, Music Director for the Weston Silver Band and the Brampton Concert Band as well as Head of Music for De La Salle College “Oakland’s” in Toronto. He has been blessed to back up many great musicians that include David Foster, Andrea Bocelli, Aretha Franklin and Diana Krall, and some old favourites as Paul Anka, Joni Mitchell and the Temptations. Larry has had the privilege to be a member of DCT (David Clayton Thomas) the Paul Read Orchestra, the Ron Collier Jazz Orchestra, the Canadian Tribute to Glenn Miller and the National Concert Band of Canada. Larry has played in pit orchestra’s that include, Miss Saigon, Lion King, Show Boat and Crazy for You. He can be heard on many CD’s and commercials, most recently on Christmas recordings by Alan Jackson and Matt Dusk.

Adjudicating the 2020 Bands Division

Mark Thompson is a passionate music educator dedicated to promoting growth in individual artistic endeavours.Achieving communication with performers and facilitating artistic growth in the individual are his lifelong goals. He is in demand throughout North America as a clinician and adjudicator, including the Glenn Gould Professional School. He has adjudicated woodwind, brass,chamber music and bands at many festivals across Canada and the United States, including provincial finals in Ontario, New Brunswick,Saskatchewan and British Columbia as well as the MTNA National finals in New York City. He has adjudicated at over 100 music festivals the past 15 years. Mark Thompson studied at The University of Toronto, Indiana University, and The Mannes College of Music in New York. In 1994, he became the first Canadian clarinetist to win first prize in the Artists' International Competition subsequently giving his New York debut at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall. Since then, he has enjoyed a diverse musical career spanning from recording for the CBC and BBC to being heard on various jingles and the Disney Channel. From 1996-2016 he was Artistic Director of Clearly Classic Concerts in Dundas, Ontario in the capacity as conductor,performer and developer of numerous projects, including Nimmons 'n Braid, and Marjan Mozetichs' 'Angels in Flight'. The Clearly Classic Education programs that he founded brought classical and jazz music to hundreds of children in the Greater Toronto area.He created one of the first joint music and art programs in the Toronto area. He has performed with many of Canada's orchestras, including the Toronto Symphony and has performed and toured with internationally known ensembles Quartetto Gelato and The Penderecki String Quartet. He has performed at the Arizona Music Festival and also performed as soloist with the Sioux City Iowa Symphony with conductor Ryan Haskins. His CD release 'Blue Skies' with pianist Susan Lee has been heard extensively on CBC and National Public Radio. As senior examiner for the Royal Conservatory he has been involved in conducting evaluations in both Canada and the United States. He has also served as a mentor to apprentice examiners. Recently he mentored apprentices and conducted evaluations in Los Angeles.

Adjudicating the 2020 Woodwind Solo Division