2016 Adjudicators
Bands / Instrumental
Aaron Sikora
asikora@lcsd.ca
Tel: 780.875.1496
Providing musicians, both new and experienced, an opportunity to compete in music festival
with local talent and the surrounding area.
Piano
Cindy Gratton
cindy@fopa.ca
Tel: 780.870.0586
Strings
Kerry Taylor
bigjohntaylor@hotmail.com
Tel: 306.825.5785
Vocal / Musical Theatre / Speech Arts
Kathryn Edwards
kathrynedwards@sasktel.net
Tel: 306.821.0215
Heather Blakley
Piano I
Heather received her Bachelor of Music from Brandon University, Associate of Music from Western Board and is a Registered Music Teacher with many years of experience teaching and playing music of all kinds in Saskatoon. Heather teaches a large private studio of piano and theory students, is the Music Director at St. James Anglican Church, is an Early Childhood music teacher with the CMEP University of Saskatchewan, and conductor for the children’s choir Fanfare! She is also the Program Coordinator for The Refinery, Arts and Spirits Cultural Center in Saskatoon. Heather examines for a national conservatory and adjudicates music festivals in western Canada. She is a national board member with the Canadian Registered Music Teachers Association, chair of the Saskatoon Contemporary Showcase, and chair of the CFMTA National Piano Competition.
Wes Froese
Piano II
Saskatchewan born Wes Froese is a professional musician and educator. He studied at the U of R with Bill Moore, and at the U of S with Robin Harrison. He is the former director of music at Horizon College and Seminary; founder and original artistic director of Eclipse Chorus; and developer of the educational series Starting With Blues. His piano compositions can be found in CNCM Northern Lights collections, and in both volumes of SRMTA’s From Prairie to Pine.
At present Wes operates a private piano studio in Saskatoon, and works in long-term care as a recreation coordinator specializing in music. At the recent U of S Leadership conference he led the workshop Giving Voice to the Leader in You which presents principles of leadership through the experience of singing in a choir.
Adrianne Bank
Piano III
Adrianne Bank has been teaching piano for over 30 years. She has had the privilege of studying with any amazing teachers: Veronica Liebel, Dr. Lyell Gustin, Robin Harrison, Bruce Anderson (USA), Haruko Kataoka (Japan), Dr. Lorne Watson, Glen Montgomery, to name a few. She was a music specialist for several years with the Regina Board of Education and has worked with choirs, handbells, and strings. She has been active as a church musician, accompanist, music consultant, lecturer, and workshop clinician developing music curriculum and writing music textbooks. She is a specialist in the Suzuki Talent Education Method, teaching children as young as two and three years of age. She home schooled her three wonderful children, one of whom is a professional violinist. She currently has a thriving piano studio of approximately 60 students.
Adrianne says that she has the best job ever, because she gets to do what she enjoys most: children, music, and teaching. She looks forward to hearing each of you play!
Joy McFarlane-Burton
Vocal / Speech Arts / Musical Theatre
Joy McFarlane-Burton of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has studied voice with respected Saskatchewan teachers Georgina Terry, Marilyn Whitehead, and Lisa Hornung. Joy holds a Royal Conservatory of Music Associate Diploma in Singing Performance, and studied Vocal Pedagogy at the University of Saskatchewan with the late Professor Dorothy Howard. She is a Full Member of National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), a Registered Music Teacher (SRMTA-CFMTA), as well as being a member of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators Association.
Joy has been an instructor at the Summer School for the Solo Voice for over fifteen years. She has adjudicated extensively and is active as a teacher, clinician, coach, and enjoys presenting workshops and masterclasses. Joy has enjoyed attending vocal masterclasses at the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals (FCMF) National Music Festival since 2007, learning from some of the finest vocal pedagogues in Canada. In 2013 she took part in a NATS Workshop in Spokane Washington, dealing with the changing adolescent voice, and children’s voices.
Ms. Burton is an active and enthusiastic teacher enjoying her work with developing singers from across West Central Saskatchewan. She has worked with singers of all levels, and in many genres including Musical Theatre, choral, and standard vocal repertoire. Her students have been regular recipients of Royal Conservatory of Music Medals, achieving the highest marks in the province in Singing exams, as well as receiving awards and scholarships in festivals and competitions.
Joy has been involved with the Saskatchewan Music Festival system for decades, as a competitor, teacher, and committee member. She is a Past-President of the Saskatchewan Music Festival Association. Joy is currently serving as Vice-President of the FCMF. Joy was recognized as the 2013 National Volunteer of the Year for Saskatchewan by the FCMF.
Wayne Toews
Bands / Instrumental
Wayne Toews holds B.A. and B.Ed. degrees from the University of Saskatchewan where he studied violin and composition with Dr. Murray Adaskin. He played violin or viola in the Saskatoon Symphony for nine seasons as well as double bass and percussion in the university ensembles. He holds a Master of Music degree and educational technology certificate from Northwestern University, Evanston.
From 1969 to 2001 Wayne taught band, choir, orchestra and general music in Saskatoon public schools and from 1983 to 2009 was director of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra, winner of six successive national CMEA awards.
He edited the Saito Conducting Method, English edition that he teaches through his ConductorSchool. He conducted the premieres of 15 works by Canadian composers. He taught conducting at the University of Memphis, Rivers Conservatory in Boston and for the NEOJIBA program in Salvador, Brazil. He has given instruction to dozens of students from around the world using Skype. Wayne composes, arranges and guest conducts. He has been invited to teach in Brazil again in 2016.
Wayne serves on the boards of Musicfest Canada and the Saskatchewan Orchestral Association. He received awards from Saskatchewan’s Music Educators Association, Orchestral Association, Band Association and the Saskatoon Rotary Clubs.