2024 Festival Adjudicators

BOWED STRINGS

Campbell River native, Tyson Doknjas, is an active freelance violinist and private teacher in Victoria. He performs with the Victoria Symphony and various other groups, including Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Opera Victoria, Victoria Baroque, and the Pacific Baroque Festival.

He studied violin performance at the University of Victoria with Sharon Stanis of the Lafayette String Quartet. Tyson has participated in various orchestral programs across the country, including the National Academy Orchestra in Hamilton, Tafelmusik Baroque Summer Institute in Toronto, and Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific in Powell River.

As an avid music educator, Tyson was a string mentor through the University of Victoria where he worked at grade schools across the greater Victoria region. He also was a coach for the Sooke String Academy as well as a teacher for the Harmony Project in Sooke, B.C. On multiple occasions, he has also served as a string sectional coach for the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra and their Summer Strings program. Tyson is a resident faculty member of the classical intensive at the Comox Valley Youth Music Centre. He has served as an adjudicator at various music festivals, including: the performing arts festivals in Victoria, Kamloops, Penticton, Cowichan Valley, the North Island, and Campbell River.

When he is not performing, Tyson enjoys hiking around Vancouver Island with his family.

DANCE

Born in North Vancouver, Canada, Danielle Gould‘s remarkable journey has taken her around the world. She trained at prestigious institutions, including the John Cranko School Stuttgart, The National Ballet School of Canada and the Goh Ballet Academy. Achieving the Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal Award, she danced with the Goh Ballet Youth Company internationally. While competing at the YAGP NY City finals, Danielle secured a scholarship to the John Cranko Academy and worked with Stuttgart Ballet while in the academy. She was then offered a contract with the prestigious Hungarian National Ballet in the Hungarian State Opera House, where she worked for over 6 years performing a large repertoire of classical and contemporary ballets.

Danielle has a diverse background and has not only worked as a classical dancer but also as a actress, aerialist and character performer. She has worked in Film and TV predominantly as a dancer in the Hollywood movies “Red Sparrow” and “Colette”. Danielle expanded into aerial work, contemporary complex choreography in and out of water in the world famous show by Cirque du Soleil creator Franco Dragone, “The House of Dancing Water” in Macao China. In 2023, she was the dance director of a cultural exchange tour in China, leading a team of dancers. Danielle continues as an Artistic Adviser and Tutor in China for Beifang International Education Group and North Star Performing Arts Management and shares her passion for dance through teaching, adjudicating, and choreography.

Beyond dance, Danielle holds certifications in Yoga, Progressing Ballet Technique, Barre Fitness, and Pilates Reformer. A world explorer, she drove through South America for a year. Danielle’s non-linear artistic journey reflects her commitment to growth, inspiring others with her dedication.

Charlotte Vanderlee began her dance training at the age of three in southern Ontario where she was born. She has trained in various styles including but not limited to Contemporary, Lyrical, Jazz, Acrobatics, Ballet, Hip-Hop, and Improvisation. Having danced competitively since the age of ten, Charlotte competed all across North America receiving many overall awards, solo titles, and scholarships. During her time studying business at the University of Guelph, Charlotte was also captain and head choreographer of the university’s competitive varsity dance team. She led the team to compete against universities across Canada, obtaining top choreography awards and placing in the Top 3 Schools in Canada for four consecutive years. During her time in school, Charlotte was also cast as a dancer on Disney Family Channels television series “The Next Step”.

Charlotte has been a competitive choreographer and instructor since the young age of nineteen. She was fortunate enough to win American Dance Awards Young Choreographer of the Year at their national competition in New York City in 2019 and continues to produce national-winning choreography every year. In 2022, she moved to BC where she has continued her success and passion for creating with Dance Co Marlowe Windsor in Vancouver. She continues to work in a multitude of genres, while taking over their half-day professional contemporary program.

Charlotte is extremely passionate and dedicated to her career in dance. She strives to provide her students with a safe creative environment and help them to discover their own style and strengths.

FOLK INSTRUMENTAL

An inductee to The North American Fiddlers Hall of Fame, JJ Guy makes waves all across fiddle community! His performances while steeped in tradition, have taken fiddle music to a new and exciting level! Growing up in rural Saskatchewan surrounded by fiddle music, this tradition is now reflected in his own playing and his passion for the music. It is often said that “to hear JJ play is to witness a tune come alive.”

JJ started out by performing at a young age in many shows and dances across the prairies and winning many fiddling competitions including the Saskatchewan Junior & Novice Fiddling Championship. Early on in his career he played and free- lanced with many bands in the bluegrass and country style.

Much of the winter months JJ gives workshops and performing across Canada, teaching fiddle to youth in Manitoba through the Frontier School Division, and for The Kole Crook Fiddle Association in the NWT. Summertime finds him featured at festivals, concerts and fiddle camps all across Canada from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and all stops in between. This extensive work schedule allows him to meet many fans, consequently, this has made him an attraction on the Canadian fiddle circuit!

His five fiddle albums, are full of lively traditional and original fiddle music and his musical collaboration with Gordon Stobbe called “Twin Fiddles” have released five albums and garnered a WCMA nomination. During 2020 JJ has started a popular weekly online streaming series called “Jamming with JJ”, along with fellow musician Cathy Sproule which has streamed 135 weeks!

Winner of the People’s Choice Award at the 2013 Canadian Grand Masters, nominated by the SCMA as “fiddler of the year”, featured in publications such as The Prairies North Magazine, The Western Producer, Saskatoon Star Phoenix and Sasktel’s “Max Magazine”and host of Access7 TV show, ” Fiddling Around”, there is always excitement around this musician.

Gordon Stobbe, originally from Saskatchewan, has made his home on the East Coast of Canada since 1977. His musical interests lie in the field of traditional music, especially as it is expressed in the wide variety of North American fiddle styles. He plays several instruments including fiddle, mandolin, guitar, and clawhammer banjo.

His musical career is wide and varied.

His performance history, besides his work in bands, includes co-creating, hosting, and musical directing eight seasons of a traditional music television variety program on the ATV / CTV Network, called Up Home Tonight in Halifax, Nova Scotia; five years of performing and touring with the NDWT company, a theatre company in Toronto specializing in developing and performing Canadian theatre pieces; twelve years of hosting a weekly Bluegrass radio show “Bluegrass Express” on CHFX in Halifax, Nova Scotia; and many recording projects and radio and television appearances. He performed in Halifax’s Neptune Theatre’s productions of Foxfire and Fiddler on the Roof. He has also been commissioned to compose and record scores for CBC radio dramas as well as musical work on other film and television projects. He has also been a musical coach for actors in Hollywood-produced movies shot in Nova Scotia.

Gordon developed a teaching program at Musicstop’s Canadian Conservatory of Music at its inception, and continued to teach there for over 30 years (now the Long and McQuade Music Education Centre), in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He is a repeat instructor at numerous fiddle workshops and fiddle camps across Canada, including the Maritime Fiddler’s Association Workshop and Shivering Strings Music Camp in N.S.; Tobique Fiddle Camp in New Brunswick; Ottawa Fiddle Camp, Tamworth Keep It Simple Workshops and Candian Grand Masters Camp in Ontario; Shivering Strings Winnipeg in Manitoba ;John Arcand Fiddle Camp, the Emma Lake Fiddle Camp, Kenossee Camp and Shivering Strings West in Saskatchewan; Calvin Vollrath Fiddle Camp, The Hills Are Alive Cultural Camp, Shivering Strings Calgary and workshops in Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer in Alberta; Hope Fiddle Camp, the Kootenay Fiddlers in Castlegar, Fiddlefest Workshops in Smithers, Fiddle ‘Treat in Gavin Lake and Sunshine Coast Summer School of Celtic Music in Robert’s Creek in B.C.; the Yukon Fiddle Camp in Whitehorse, Yukon; Kole Crook Jamborees in Hay River and Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.

Gordon developed his two-hour stage show “The Fiddler’s History of Canada” with the Valley Youth Fiddlers of Smithers, B.C. which was performed in the spring and summer of 2012. This show traces the spread of fiddle music through the history of Canada. Gordon is currently working with other youth fiddle groups who would like to perform this show.
Gordon travels to the Canadian North working with First Nations and Inuit children in Nunavut, the Yukon, Northern Manitoba and the Northwest Territories .

Gordon has been an invited judge and Master of Ceremonies at the Canadian Grand Masters Fiddle Championships, as well as adjudicating at the Nova Scotia Kiwanis and other festivals. He is also interested in the connection between traditional instrumental music and dance. He can often be found calling a square dance.

Gordon is a composer on the fiddle and has many recording and publishing projects to his credit. His CD, ‘Small World’ was nominated for Best Roots / Traditional Solo Artist at the 2003 East Coast Music Awards. He has published many fiddle books with more to come. He has written several fiddle instruction books and has published tune collections of traditional as well as original music. These resources are now being used by fiddle teachers across Canada and the United States. He has recorded with artists across Canada. He has co-written fiddle music with Calvin Vollrath, John Arcand, Patti Lamoureux, Oliver Schroer, Shamma Sabir, Paul Gitlitz, Bernie Jaffe, and others.
Gordon was a regular contributor to Fiddler Magazine for many years.

Throughout his performance career Gordon has played with a variety of bands, including the Dixie Flyers in Ontario, before settling in the Maritimes where he played with the Ladies Choice Bluegrass Band, Those Fabulous Clichés, the Mighty Oak String Band and the Gordon Stobbe Trio (traditional fiddle styles of North America), and a variety of musical configurations. When he is not solo teaching and performing, he now mainly works with the duo Twin Fiddles with JJ Guy.

PIANO

Joining us from Vancouver BC where she maintains a full and vibrant studio of enthusiastic and high-achieving piano students, Lauren Kelly is a respected solo and collaborative pianist, chamber musician, clinician, adjudicator and teacher. Many countries are also represented in Lauren’s private studio through her international online students who have won awards virtually from Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, the UK, and all over the United States and Canada. Light-hearted silliness and a keen sense of wit are a large draw for Lauren’s students, and it’s not uncommon to hear laughter through the door and Lauren incorporating humor into her signature “firm but fun” teaching style.

The renowned Helen Sylvester was Lauren’s first piano teacher in Penticton BC. For 20 years following her start at the age of 6, Lauren then continued studies with many significant pedagogues including her principal teacher May Ling Kwok, and also Winifred and Dr. Robin Wood with whom she studied at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, achieving an ARCT in Performance from the RCM, and then during the Camosun Artist Diploma Program where she earned an AVCM in both Pedagogy and Performance, and then whilst obtaining a Bachelor of Music in Performance at the University of Victoria. Lauren next went on to earn a Master of Music in Performance from the University of British Columbia where she studied with Miranda Wong, and in MasterClass with Rena Sharon and Jane Coop.

Several summers Lauren attended the Banff Centre for the Arts on scholarship and also Orford Musique in Quebec where she recorded Chopin’s B Minor Sonata #3. In 2003, she was awarded a generous grant to spend several seasons as an Artist in Residence back at the Banff Centre as the only Canadian pianist, and in 2004, studied at the prestigious Casalmaggiore International Music Festival, performing throughout Italy. In these programs Lauren worked with and closely observed many internationally respected teachers including Kum Sing Lee, Jon Kimura Parker, Angela Hewitt, and Leon Fleisher, just to name a few.

Culminating all of this rich musical experience into her own unique and personalized program, Lauren’s heart is most at home with her beloved private students, passing on to them what she has been so fortunate to absorb. She finds great joy in sharing her teachings and students’ performances through her vibrant and robust social media and though she wouldn’t say it herself, some might even call Lauren an “influencer” @pianolessonsvancouver on Facebook and Instagram.

Lauren’s latest exciting endeavour is her brand new Teach Me To Teach Society™ where she mentors other Piano Teachers virtually, with members in 15 countries so far since its official kickoff in July 2023.

When she’s not behind or beside a keyboard, you’ll find Lauren traveling the world, either scuba-diving on the Barrier Reef, cage-diving with great whites in South Africa, trekking with the mountain gorillas in Uganda, marveling at the volcanoes in Iceland, butchering her German in Berlin, perfecting her tan in Fiji, or where she’s happiest of all, cozied-up at home with her two cats (Studio Mascots) Brandon & Shiloh, devouring music and marketing podcasts and enjoying the fresh BC coastal air.

SPEECH & DRAMATIC ARTS

Nitasha Rajoo has over two decades of experience in the performing arts, with roles encompassing actor, director, and educator. Her professional journey has been a tapestry woven from a profound passion for the creative arts, education, travel, and adventure which has allowed her to work all over the globe -leading workshops, writing professional study guides, adjudicating, teaching, directing, and programming—including countries such as South Africa, Tanzania, India, USA, Jamaica, England and home in Canada.

Nitasha’s Canadian footprint includes writing study guides for Saffron Threads ( South Asian Studies Institute), The In-Between by Marcus Youssef, Voice by Ismaila Alfa ( Prairie Theatre Exchange), Derwent is Different by Jamie Morris, and Like it or Not Green by Katey Hoffman ( Green Thumb Theatre Company), The Post- Mistress by by Tomson Highway and The Mountaintop by Katori Hall (Royal Manitoba Theatre Company). She has presented practical, creative and innovative workshops at the ABCDE conference, CODE, PACT, Teaching Shakespeare Program and the Teaching Artist Program (Stratford Festival). She has led the Education departments at Stratford Festival and Royal Manitoba Theatre Company. She has been invited to consult on drama reform for schools in the Northwest Territories and in BC has passionately taught drama workshops to new immigrants and refugees. Nitasha currently leads the Creative Teens program with the Arts Club in Vancouver.

Nitasha holds a Master of Arts in the Advanced Teachings of Shakespeare from Warwick University in partnership with Royal Shakespeare Company. As the Head of Drama and as a drama educator in the UK, Nitasha has directed plays such as 1984, Lord of the Flies, The Crucible, and countless Shakespeare productions with up to 60 students in the cast.

Nitasha is passionate about the art of storytelling; hearing different perspectives, and learning from and with our global community.As a consultant for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, Nitasha leverages her rich theatre background to navigate the intricate and imperative realm of EDI work. Nitasha has founded, Creative Inclusive Educators, which allows schools and teachers an opportunity to reinvigorate their drama and arts curriculum by “creating curious change” by shaping and producing pedagogy from diverse cultural, and racialized groups.

Nitasha Rajoo is a seasoned and experienced educator, theatre artist, and facilitator. With over twenty years in the performing arts, Nitasha is passionate about the art of storytelling; hearing different perspectives, and learning from and with our global community. Her love for the creative arts, education, travel, and adventure has allowed her to work all over the globe -leading workshops, writing professional study guides, adjudicating, teaching, directing, and programming—including countries such as South Africa, Tanzania, India, USA, Jamaica, England and home in Canada. Nitasha holds a Master of Arts in the Advanced Teachings of Shakespeare (University of Warwick, UK in partnership with the Royal Shakespeare Company) and most recently delivered workshops for the Anti -Racism Educators Network in BC, Independent Association of Schools in British Columbia, Teaching Shakespeare Program at the Stratford Festival, ABCDE Conference (BC), CODE (Ontario), and at the Community Theatre Association of Michigan. Nitasha has founded, Creative Inclusive Educators, which allows schools and teachers an opportunity to reinvigorate their drama and arts curriculum by “creating curious change” by shaping and producing pedagogy from diverse cultural, and racialized groups.

VOICE/CHOIR

Frances Roberts has spent the past thirty two years teaching choral music at Argyle Secondary, North Vancouver where she directed 2 concert choirs, a chamber choir, 2 vocal jazz ensembles and a strings ensemble. She is also on the vocal/choral faculty at the West Coast Amateur Musicians Annual Summer Camp. In the fall of 2022 Frances assumed the role of professor, teaching EDCP 313a the Secondary Choral Pedagogy course at UBC in the faculty of Music Education. She retired from public school teaching in January 2023.

Over the years her school choirs toured extensively: North America, Central Europe, the Baltics, China, and the U.K. Her choirs have been fortunate enough to be selected to appear with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Chamber Choir and annually at Christmas with the Vancouver Welsh Men’s Choir. Thanks to Musicfest Vancouver the Argyle Senior Vocal Ensemble and alumni singers workshopped with “Rajaton” from Finland, “The Idea of North” from Australia and the “Swingle Singers” from U.K.

As a result of her outstanding work, Frances is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor and has presented workshops for BCMEA, the Alberta Choral Federation, the BC Choral Federation and the Association of Canadian Choral Communities. She also teaches at summer choral conducting workshops: BC Choral Federation “Da Capo”, “Convivium” and “Inspirare”.

Mrs. Roberts was the director of the BC Youth Choir for the BCCF at ChorFest 2013 in Nanaimo. She returned to UBC in 2014 to complete her Masters in Choral Conducting with Dr. Graeme Langager. In 2017 she received a District of North Vancouver “Outstanding Supporter of Youth” award. In 2018 she received the “Most Inspiring Conductor” award (John Trepp Memorial ) from Vancouver Kiwanis Festival, and then was honoured by her music teaching colleagues in the province when she received the BC Music Educators Association Outstanding Professional Music Educator Award – Secondary in 2020.

Frances has been blessed with some wonderful opportunities during her career and is excited to take on different challenges and teaching situations as she ventures into (semi) retirement.

WOODWINDS, BRASS & BAND

Bob Rebagliati is a native of British Columbia and of Kelowna, in the Okanagan Valley. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree, a Teaching Certificate from the University of B.C., and a Master of Music degree from Western Washington University. While an undergraduate, Bob was involved in performances as a clarinetist, pianist and a percussionist. His main post-graduate activity was the writing of an extensive manual for the development of the young jazz rhythm section. He has continued to write curriculum in the areas of jazz rhythm section, jazz rehearsal techniques, jazz improvisation and concert band percussion.

For 33 years, in the North Vancouver School District, Mr. Rebagliati directed many award winning junior and senior high school ensembles in both concert band and jazz areas. In 1976, his jazz ensemble from Hamilton Junior Secondary School won first place in the Canadian Stage Band Festival. Again, in 1979, both his Handsworth Secondary Junior and Senior Jazz Ensembles qualified for the National Finals, with the Senior Band being awarded a special plaque “for most significant contribution to jazz”. In 1986, the Handsworth Junior and Senior Jazz Ensembles won the highest honour in the country – the gold award – first place in their classes. Again, in 1988, his Senior Jazz Ensemble placed first at the national festival (then called Musicfest Canada). At Musicfest Canada 2002, the Handsworth Senior Concert Band percussion section was awarded the Zildjian Percussion Scholarship in recognition of “Excellence In The Art of Percussion”.

As a music festival adjudicator and workshop leader, Mr. Rebagliati has travelled throughout B.C., Saskatchewan, and to Brandon, Toronto and Ottawa. He is well known for sessions covering concert percussion, jazz rhythm section, jazz interpretation, improvisation, and rehearsal techniques. Bob has been a guest conductor and clinician of honour concert band and jazz groups around the province of B.C.. During many summers, he has been an active group leader and teacher at music camps. Over the years, Bob has arranged music for jazz and concert bands. In 2004, his composition TONAL GESTURE for concert band was premiered in Vancouver.

At the 1991 B.C. Music Educators Conference, Mr. Rebagliati was honoured as the first recipient of thel Professional Educator Award. In December 1991, Bob was presented with a Distinguished Citizen Award by the District of North Vancouver. In 1992, he was presented with a CANADA 125 medal by Mary Collins, MP. In 1994, he received the North Vancouver Music Educators’ Award of Excellence. In May 1998, his jazz program at Handsworth School was awarded the High School “Jazz Program of the Year” by Jazz Report Magazine of Toronto. In 2001, Bob commissioned three compositions to celebrate his 25th year of music teaching at Handsworth School. In 2004, his final year of (high school) teaching, Bob premiered a musical collaboration by two of his jazz alumni, Renee Rosnes, a well-known pianist and composer, and Darcy Argue, New England Conservatory grad and composer/arranger. At this time Bob also received the Leadership In Music Education Award from the Coalition For Music Education In B.C. “for many years of outstanding contributions to the music education community”. In June 2004, his Senior Jazz Ensemble was the first school band chosen to participate in the Vancouver International Jazz Festival Student Intensive, with a performance on the final day of the festival. Bob was the director of the North Vancouver Youth Band 2005-2008. Bob received the Jazz Supporter Of The Year award from the Envision Jazz Festival in 2009. Bob directed the Metro Vancouver Firefighters Band from 2010 – 2014. From September 2016 to 2018, Bob directed the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music Big band.

Bob holds memberships in the British Columbia Music Educator’s Association, Canadian Music Educator’s Association, Canadian Band Association, Coalition for Music Education in BC, Coalition For Music Education In Canada and Jazz Educator’s Network.

Throughout his career, Mr. Rebagliati has been appreciated for his dedication and insistence on excellence. He resides in Maple Ridge with his wife Maggie, where he is a freelance music educator, guest conductor, pianist, percussionist/drummer.