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Cherith Alexander (Piano, Grades 5-8) is a well-known Saskatchewan pianist. After completing her ARCT at the age of 15, Cherith began studying with William Moore of the University of Regina. She went on to win numerous provincial competitions including the SMFA Concerto Competition after which she performed as a guest soloist with the Regina Symphony Orchestra. In 1991 she represented Saskatchewan at the National Music Festival. She has studied in Toronto, at the Banff School of the Arts with Jane Coop, and the University of British Columbia where she was a pupil of Lee Kum Sing and a winner of the UBC Concerto Competition. An experienced accompanist and chamber musician, Cherith has performed with many renowned musicians including the Adaskin String Trio, Henri Loiselle, Roland Szentpali, Ondrej Vrabec and Steven Patterson. Another musical highlight for Cherith has been traveling five times to the National Music Festival as Saskatchewan's accompanist. Cherith lives on a farm near Weyburn, Saskatchewan with her husband and four young children. She is in demand as a piano and theory teacher, adjudicator, clinician and perfomer. Her piano students have received acclaim at both the provincial and national level. She has also become a frequent piano adjudicator at major festivals throughout Western Canada including Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, and the Calgary Kiwanis Festival.
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Barry Anderson (Pipe Organ) started his career at Silver Heights Collegiate where he taught English and music for eight years. In 1966 he became the choral teacher at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate where he remained until retirement in June 1995. Barry was the accompanist for the Winnipeg Philharmonic choir from 1966 throught 1995. He has been the organist and choirmaster at Knox United Church since 1966. In 1973 he became the choir director for the Winnipeg Police Service Choir - a group that is still going strong! In 1977, former Daniel McIntyre Collegiate students formed the DMCI Alumni Choir which Barry still conducts. He has also enjoyed playing for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and had the honour of playing with them at Carnegie Hall in New York under Maestro Pierro Gamba in 1979. Barry recorded many broadcasts for the CBC "Organist in Recital" programs and served as the organist for St. Luke's Anglican Church Choir when the performed at Winchester Cathedral during the summer of 1996. Barry is married with four children, Valdine, Douglas, David and Lyla. He teaches piano and organ.
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Philip Candelaria (Classical Guitar) recieved his Bachelor of Music degree in Music History from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, B.C. He then completed his Master's degree in guitar performance, studying with Aaron Shearer at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Philip made his professional debut performing at "Guitar '78", Toronto's 2nd international guitar festival. He went on to win several national music competitions in Canada, the USA, and was also the first North American to win the "degré excellence" at the Bartoli International Guitar Competition in France. Since 1980, Mr. Candelaria has headed the guitar department at the Cambrian College School of Music. He was also a guitar instructor at Laurentian University for 27 years and currently teaches at Ottawa University. Mr. Candelaria has adjudicated throughout Ontario, in B.C., Manitoba, Quebec, at the Ontariou Guitar Cometition, the Canadian National Guitar Competition, and at the National Guitar Festival "Liliana Pérez Corey" in Santiago, Chile (1998, 2005). In 2004, Philip was a member of the international Jury panel for the Music Competition "Dr. Luis Segal" in Viña del Mar, Chile and in 2007 was the guitar adjudicator for the national finals of the Canadian Music Festivals. Mr. Candelaria has made four solo recordings on the Cambrian, Palladium and Centrediscs labels. A founding member of the Canadian Guitar Quartet, Philip has also made three recordings with the CGQ. Philip looks forward to adjudicating again in Winnipeg this year.
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Thomas Green (Piano, Grades 9-10, Diploma, Adult and Honours) is currently Chief Examiner, Practical Subjects, at RCM Examinations. He holds a Bachelor of Music from McGill University, a Master's in Performance from the Université de Montréal, and a Ph.D. in Music History from Brandeis University, where he completed a dissertation on the compositional process of Jean-Philippe Rameau. His principal piano teachers were Clifford Poole in Toronto and Yvonne Hubert in Montréal. Mr. Green received the Diplôme d'accompagnement from L'École Vincent d'Indy in Montréal following studies with John Newmark. Dr. Green has taught music history at McGill University and the University of Toronto and for several years was an instructor in theory and music history at the University of Windsor. He has also served as Senior Editor and Editor-in-Chief at the Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited. Currently, he teaches a large class of piano, music history and harmony students at the Académie Sainte-Cécile and at his private studio in Windsor, Ontario. He has presented workshops and adjudicated at festivals across Canada and has spoken on a variety of performance-related subjects at scholarly conferences. Hist students and former students include many scholarship winners, silver medalists and young musicians who have embarked on a musical career. As a Professional Coach with certification from the Adler School of Professional Coaching in Toronto, Dr. Green enjoys working with goal-oriented, artistic individuals who are seeking renewed creative energy.
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Gail Hakala (Vocal, Musical Theatre and Gilbert & Sullivan) is an accomplished singer, actor and teacher who has performed from coast to coast in all major theatres in Canada. Gail was a member of the Shaw Festival Theatre Company for nine years, a vetran of 20 productions. Favourite roles at Shaw included Minerva in Mr. Cinders, Bonnie in Anything Goes, Tinkerbell in Peter Pan and Netta Lake in Cavalcade. Other favourite roles: Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera (Pantages Theatre and the Canadian tour), Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show (Bathurst Street Theatre), Domina in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Sudbury Theatre Centre) and the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella (Stage West Calgary). Gail has also stared on the concert stage with Patty LuPone, Betty Buckley and Mandy Patinkin in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber (Pantages Theatre), Side by Side by Sondheim (Lunchbox Theatre Calgary) and Noel and Cole (Theatre Aquarius). Most recently, Gail was seen as Widow Corney in Oliver, Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady and Aunt Eller in Oklahoma (Drayton Entertainment), and Mrs. Barry/Mrs. Blewett in Anne of Green Gables (Charlottetown Festival). When not gracing the stage, Gail can be found diligently teaching at Sheridan College in the Musical Theatre department. She has been the resident voice coach at the Shaw and Charlottetown Festivals and Artistic Director and Advisor of the Toronto Youth Music Theatre Company. Gail has a Bachelor and Master's degree in Voice Performance from the University of Toronto and is a member of Canadian Actors Equity, ACTRA, National Association of Teachers of Singing and Canadian Music Festival Adjudicator's Association.
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Amy Hamilton (Woodwinds and Brass) received a Bachelor of Music and Performer's Certificate from the Eastman School of Music, a Master's of Music from Indiana University and a Doctor of Music from Northwestern University. Her major teachers include Bonita Boyd and Walfrid Kujala. Currently she is Professor of flute, conducts the Laurier Flute Ensemble and coordinates the wind department at Wilfrid Laurier University. She is also a member of the Meridian Trio which released its first CD of music for flute, oboe and keyboard. She has performed with the Toronto Symphony, Canadian Opera Company and National Ballet of Canada, and has coached flute chamber music at the University of Toronto. In addition to her duties at Wilfrid Laurier, Dr. Hamilton appears in solo recitals and chamber concerts and has released a solo CD of Canadian music titled Canadian Music for Flute and Piano. Amy has completed annotated bibliographies of flute and piano and flute chamber music found in the Canadian Music Centre collection, and the Laurier Flute Ensemble under her direction has recently released a CD of Canadian flute Octets titled 8 Pieces for 8.
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Heather Johnson (Choral) holds a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance from the University of Lethbridge, a Bachelor of Education degree and a Masters of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Alberta, and a diploma from the Kodály Pedagogical Intézet in Kecskemét, Hungary. Following a five year term at Alberta College as the Artistic Director of the Schola Cantorum Program, Heather founded the Cantilon Choral Program in September 1999. This comprehensive community-based choral program involves over two hundred singers ranging in age from six to adult. Since their inception, Ms. Johnson's choirs have been honoured with many awards in provincial, national and international competitions. Her children's choir, the Cantilon Chamber Choir, most recently competed in the Tolosa International Choral Competition in Tolosa, Spain where they were awarded third place in the Children's Choir category. Both her women's choir, Belle Canto, and her children's choir, Catilon Chamber Choir, have been consisten first place winners in the prestigious CBC Choral Competition for Amateur Choirs. Ms. Johnson's choirs tour regularly throughout Canada and in Europe. In great demand as a choral clinician, adjudicator, lecturer and guest conductor, Heather also maintains an active voice and piano studio. Heather lives in Edmonton, Alberta with her husband, Steven Turgeon and her one year old daughter Sophie.
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David Klassen (Vocal, 18 and 16 years and under) is noted for his "rich baritone" (Minneapolis Star Tribune) and praised for his savvy stagecraft. David Klassen holds a Masters degree in vocal performance from the University of Minnesota. His operatic performance highlights include a Minnesota premier performance as Valmont in Susa's Dangerous Liaisons, an award-winning performance of the title role in Mozart's Don Giovanni, Demetrius in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Georg in the premier of Michael Matthew's Prince Kaspar. Most recently, Mr. Klassen has been engaged by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet singing Papageno in Mozart's Magic Flute and by Saskatoon Opera as Jacob in Dean Burry's children's opera, The Brothers Grimm. Currently residing in Manitoba, Mr. Klassen has been featured as a soloist in several provinces as well as throughout Manitoba and Minnesota. He has appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Manitoba Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Players of St. Paul, Eastman Choral Society, and as the Premier Artist for Steinbach Arts Council's Young Artists in Concert series, which highlights local artists who have successfully emerged as professionals in their field. His varied career includes a position on the voice faculty at Providence College, Canadian Mennonite University and the University of Manitoba. Besides voice, he has had several years of conducting experience specializing in junior high and high school choirs and has been engaged numerous times as a stage director in and around his hometown of Steinbach, Manitoba.
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Robert Loewen (Vocal, Grades A, B, C, Honours and Adult), baritone, is a graduate of McGill University (D. Mus. in Performance and Pedegogy, M. Mus.) and University of Toronto (B. Mus.). As soloist he has performed with the Edmonton Opera Association, Canadian Opera Company Ensemble and with choirs across Canada and the United States. He was an enthusiastically received soloist in a tour of Ukraine and also sang as soloist at Alice Tully Hall, London Center with the McGill Chamber Choir in the Mozart Masses in Concert Series. Since completing graduate degrees in performance, his career has centred on teaching, having taught at The Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, McGill University, the choral scholars of Trinity College, University of Toronto while maintaining a private studio and now at both the Young Artists Performance Academy of the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music College of Examiners. Dr. Loewen's students have been admitted into North America's leading undergraduate and graduate programs including the Julliard School of Music, Curtis Institute of Music, Indiana University, Manhattan School of Music, McGill University, Lamont School of Music - University of Denver, University of Toronto, The Glenn Gould School and Wilfred Laurier University, winning awards such as George London Foundation Career Grants and admission to the Metropolitan Opera Lindemann Young Artist Program.
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Amber Morphy (Vocal, 8, 10, 12, and 14 years and under) soprano and pianist, is a versatile performer, teacher and adjudicator. She has traveled throughout Canada and enjoys working with young talent in workshop, festival or exam situation. Amber began her musical training in the Kitchener-Waterloo area and later completed a Bachelor of Music in voice and piano at Wilfrid Laurier University. She then graduated with a Master in Music from the University of Western Ontario, specializing in vocal performance. In 2003, Amber had the honour of being the frist Artist-In-Residence for the city of Cambridge. Amber is an active performer having performed with the Cambridge Orchestra, Elora Festivals, Gallery Concert Series, Hamilton Opera, Kitchener-Waterloo Opera, Symphony in the Barn, Somer Opera Lyric Theatre and the Gilbert & Sullivan Ensemble. She is an active accompanist as well as a music director for Summer Operetta Camps held in Guelph. In 1991 Amber was accepted as a member of the College of Examiners for Royal Conservatory of Music. She has examined in voice and piano throughout Canada. She is also an active adjudicator for music festivals and competitions throughout Ontario. Since 1987 Amber has run a successful private studio in Cambridge teaching all levels of piano, voice and theory to over 30 students a week. She has also taught Kindermusik for ten years. Amber also teaches voice majors at Eastwood Collegiate, and integrated Arts high school in Kitchener.
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Nancy Nowosad (Piano, Grades 1-4) received her musical training in Saskatchewan, studying with several teachers including Dorothy Bee and Dr. Lyell Gustin. She obtained a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Regina and an Associateship Diploma in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. She also studied both saxophone and flute, and has been involved in a wide variety of bands and ensembles as a performer, clinician, and conductor. Nancy has enjoyed a diverse musical career, combining private teaching with performing, accompanying, adjudicating, and various organist and choir director positions across Canada and while living in Germany and England. She now lives in Winnipeg, where he maintains a busy schedule as a teacher of piano, theory, and saxophone, as well as a workshop clinician, festival adjudicator, and RCM examiner. She is an active accompanist, plays keyboard in a 17 piece "big band", and is the organist at Charleswood United Church. Nancy has been a facilitator for the Associated Manitoba Arts Festivals' Adjudicator Training Program orientation sessions and a member of their Adjudicator Advisory Committee. She has held various Provincial and Branch Executive positions with the Manitoba Registered Music Teachers' Association and the Royal Canadian College of Organists.
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Marena Smith (Strings), a native of Calgary, Alberta, began studying music at the age of five on the violin. Her teachers have inclued Lisa Elson in Calgary, Lorand Fenyves at the Banff Centre, and Francis Chaplin of Brandon. Ms. Smith holds a Bachelor of Education degree fro mthe University of Calgary and an ARCT Performance Degree from the Royal Conservatory of Music (First Class Honours). She was a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Canada for several seasons and toured with them throughout Canada and the United States. Ms. Smith began her full-time professional orchestral career at the age of seventeen with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra and has performed with several symphonies throughout Western Canada. She was a music specialist with the Winnipeg School Division and conducted the Winnipeg Youth Concert Orchestra for six seasons. She is currently a faculty member of the Division of Preparatory Studies at the University of Manitoba and a teacher for Canadian Mennonite University as well as in her own private studio. She has been a member of the College of Examiners for the Royal Conservatory of Music since 1984 and has traveled extensively on their behalf across Canada and the United States. Ms. Smith is an adjudicator who has participated in local festivals, Provincial Concerto Competitions and Provincial Festival Finals from Vancouver to St. John's, Newfoundland.
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Ruth Wiwchar (Choral, School Recorder, Orff and Handbells) has enjoyed a varied career as a music educator in the fields of Elementary Music Education and Choral Music. A graduate of Brandon University, Hamelin University (St. Paul, MN) and Memphis State University, Ruth has worked with students in kindergarten through grade twelve, and has been privileged to teach a variety of courses at the University of Manitoba for over twenty-five years. As well as working with Pembina Trails Voices, Ruth enjoys working with the children, youth and adults at Westworth United Church where she is the Director of Music. She also works with the U of M in the summer session where she teachers Basic Orff, Level Three in the School of Music's Orff Certification Program. Ruth was the first recipient of the Morna-June Morrow Award for Excellence in Music Education in Manitoba, was awarded the Winnipeg Branch of the Manitoba Registered Music Teachers' Professional Award and was honoured to be named "Most Outstanding Director" a the Young Prague Festival in 2006. Professionally, Ruth is the Past President of the Manitoba Choral Association, and is active on the United Church's Winnipeg Presbytery Worship Committee. Ruth and her husband Dan have welcomed their first grandchild to the family: Cordelia "Reese" Wiwchar!
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