Adjudicators for the 2025 festival will be announced soon. Here you can review profiles of our 2024 adjudicators.
Concert Band/Orchestra/Chamber Ensemble
Andrew Alcorn
Educator, Clinician, Adjudicator
About Andrew
Studies in 1982, he finished his BA Mus. at St. F.X. in 1983 and a Graduate Diploma in 2003. He spent some time in Toronto with of The Royal Canadian Artillery Band, the Silverthorne Brass band and did freelance work. After returning to Nova Scotia, Andrew started a teaching career that spanned over 30 years in the New Glasgow area. He had the good fortune to work alongside his wife Janice (vocalist, choir director) for most of these years building a well-rounded and reputable program. He taught all levels of bands from elementary to high school, including concert bands, jazz bands and a variety of instrumental ensembles. His bands were often top award winners at local, provincial and national festivals. During his career he has also performed in or directed over 50 Broadway style musicals. His three daughters are all enjoying a life in the music industry as well.
Alcorn was president of the Nova Scotia Band Association from 2001-05. Andrew
was a director with Nova Scotia Honours Jazz and Acadia jazz camp staff for over 20 years. He has done workshops with the Nova Scotia Youth Wind Ensemble and Junior Wind Ensemble on many occasions and has been a presenter at the Nova Scotia Music Educators Conference several times. When he is not teaching, Andrew can be found performing or recording with any one of many top Nova Scotian ensembles including the Stadacona Band, The Back Alley Big Band, Latin Groove, Nova Brass, Hubtown Big Band and many others. He is the recipient of the “Excellence in Teaching” award, the NSMEA “Lifetime Achievement” award and the Nova Scotia Band Association’s “Master Teacher” award.
Andrew retired from teaching in 2016 and is enjoying performing, recording,
adjudicating, and a large variety of outdoor activities with friends and his family.
Greg Burton
Conductor, Educator, Performer
About Greg
Greg has been privileged to have been Music Director of the York Symphony Orchestra, The North York Concert Orchestra, the McMaster Chamber Orchestra, the Halton-Mississauga Youth Orchestra, as well as the Nova Scotia Youth Orchestra. Greg enjoys working with university-aged musicians and has held positions at a number of universities including The University of Toronto, McMaster University, Acadia University and Mount Allison University. He was Director of Arts at Hillfield Strathallan College in Hamilton, ON from 2005-2015.
When not making music, Greg keeps busy working on his sons’s farms in Middleton, New Brunswick and Forest Hill, NS as well as spending time with his grandchildren, Linus, Edie and Leyda.
Ardith Haley
Music Educator
About Ardith
Since her retirement from the Department of Education, Ardith happily engages in her many passions. Combining her lifetime experiences with knowledge of best practice, current pedagogy, curriculum development, and assessment models she is working in various international locations supporting curriculum writers in their development and implementation of innovative arts curriculum and pedagogies. Her ongoing work teaching Bachelor and Master’s students at Acadia continues to be a privilege and a great joy, as is the opportunity to assist students in realizing their musical goals through clinics and adjudications. Travelling with her husband to cheer the Toronto Raptors in as many cities as possible is a priority retirement goal, and, most importantly, experiencing life through the eyes of her amazing grandchildren.
Kevin Hamlin
Educator-in-Residence
Yamaha Music Canada
About Kevin
Dr. Dylan Rook Maddix
Assistant Professor of Instrumental Conducting and Community Engagement
Memorial University
About Dylan
Before this role, he worked as a Professor of Music and headed the wind and brass studies department at Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario. There, he conducted the wind ensemble and taught courses in music theory, wind/brass methods, and pedagogy. He also served on the conducting faculty at Laurentian University.
Outside of his teaching and conducting duties, Maddix is actively involved on the board of directors of the Newfoundland and Labrador Band Association and the Canadian Band Association. He is also the founder and host of “The Band Room Podcast”, alongside composer Cait Nishimura, and hosts the conducting leadership podcast titled “Changing Your Pattern.”
Dr. Maddix’s academic journey includes a Bachelor of Music degree from Mount Allison University, a Master of Music degree in Trumpet Performance from the University of Toronto, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree with in Conducting from Arizona State University.
Throughout this academic journey, he had the privilege of learning from accomplished mentors, including Jason Caslor (conducting, Arizona State University), Joe Burgstaller (trumpet, Arizona State University/Canadian Brass), Gillian MacKay (conducting, University of Toronto), Jim Spragg (trumpet, University of Toronto/Toronto Symphony), Linda Pearse (trumpet, Mount
Allison University), and Alan Klaus (trumpet, Mount Allison University).
His professional career as a trumpeter is diverse and engaging, involving collaborations with artists such as Sarah McLachlan, Roger Hodgson of Supertramp, The Video Games Live Orchestra, Johnny Reid, The Broadway Tenors, Hannaford Street Silver Band, Toronto Concert Orchestra, Hogtown Brass Quintet, and Vox Aeris Trio.
Maddix has conducted masterclasses and lectures at esteemed institutions, including the University of Toronto, Western University, Acadia University, Mount Allison University, and McMaster University. He has also provided his expertise as a conducting and music consultant for Netflix’s “Umbrella Academy” and Global TV’s “Private Eyes”.
Dr. Leah McGray
Director of Instrumental Studies
SUNY Genesco
About Leah
Dr. McGray earned her DMA in conducting at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, the Master of Music from University of Toronto, and Bachelor of Music and Education degrees from Acadia University, Canada. Twice awarded major grants from the Social Science Humanities and Research Council in Canada, her research explores techniques of non-verbal leadership, and orchestral and wind ensemble repertoire by traditionally underrepresented composers.
Instrumental Jazz
Andrew Alcorn
Educator, Clinician, Adjudicator
About Andrew
Studies in 1982, he finished his BA Mus. at St. F.X. in 1983 and a Graduate Diploma in 2003. He spent some time in Toronto with of The Royal Canadian Artillery Band, the Silverthorne Brass band and did freelance work. After returning to Nova Scotia, Andrew started a teaching career that spanned over 30 years in the New Glasgow area. He had the good fortune to work alongside his wife Janice (vocalist, choir director) for most of these years building a well-rounded and reputable program. He taught all levels of bands from elementary to high school, including concert bands, jazz bands and a variety of instrumental ensembles. His bands were often top award winners at local, provincial and national festivals. During his career he has also performed in or directed over 50 Broadway style musicals. His three daughters are all enjoying a life in the music industry as well.
Alcorn was president of the Nova Scotia Band Association from 2001-05. Andrew
was a director with Nova Scotia Honours Jazz and Acadia jazz camp staff for over 20 years. He has done workshops with the Nova Scotia Youth Wind Ensemble and Junior Wind Ensemble on many occasions and has been a presenter at the Nova Scotia Music Educators Conference several times. When he is not teaching, Andrew can be found performing or recording with any one of many top Nova Scotian ensembles including the Stadacona Band, The Back Alley Big Band, Latin Groove, Nova Brass, Hubtown Big Band and many others. He is the recipient of the “Excellence in Teaching” award, the NSMEA “Lifetime Achievement” award and the Nova Scotia Band Association’s “Master Teacher” award.
Andrew retired from teaching in 2016 and is enjoying performing, recording,
adjudicating, and a large variety of outdoor activities with friends and his family.
Jeff Goodspeed
Lead Faculty
NSCC Music Arts Program
About Jeff
Ken MacKay
Educator, Clinician, Adjudicator
Nova Scotia Honour Jazz
About Ken
Ken’s list of his professional credits is impressive. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Regis Philbin, Natalie Cole, jazz great Ernie Watts, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd, daughter of the blues Shirley King, Rosemary Clooney, the Temptations, and Lionel Ritchie are just a few of the artists Ken has shared the stage with. He currently performs locally with The Back Alley Big Band, Asia NuGruv and The Aviators.
Dr. Paul Rushka
Assistant Professor of Music
St. FX University
About Paul
Paul’s bass playing has been featured on over 20 commercially released recordings. He has appeared on stage with numerous jazz luminaries, including John Taylor, Joe LaBarbera, Julian Priester, Jimmy Greene, Peter Bernstein, Seamus Blake, Gary Smulyan, Champian Fulton, Brad Turner, Ross Taggart, Lorne Lofsky, Kirk MacDonald, Kevin Dean, André White, and many more. In 2003, Paul won a Western Canadian Music Award for Best Jazz Album for his work on the Mike Allen Trio’s Dialectic.
Paul holds a D.Mus. degree in Jazz Performance from McGill University, and is currently an Assistant Professor of Music at StFX University.
Concert/Chamber/Jazz Choir
Janice Alcorn
Adjudicator, Clinician, Performer
About Janice
She branched out in many musical settings to excel in classical, gospel, jazz, RnB and traditional Maritime genres of music. The Chairman of the St.F.X. music program gave her the title “Chameleon” for her ability to cover so many styles so well.
Janice has performed as featured soloist on Handel’s “The Messiah,” Rutter’s “Gloria” and other choral works. She has vast experience in musical theatre as a performer in shows including Mikado, Oklahoma, Godspell, and the role of Maria in West Side story. She has also been musical director in over 20 Broadway style musicals.
She has been featured soloist with the John Alphonse Big Band, Dave James Big Band, Acadia Faculty Big Band, Hub town Big Band, and the Ghost Rider Blues Band. She has led many of her own jazz small groups and has performed with a wide array of Maritime artists. Janice is also an active church soloist.
As an educator and choir director, Janice has had a very colorful 35-year career. She has directed church choirs, provincial youth choirs, NS Honour Jazz choirs, Community choirs and her own elementary, junior and senior high concert and jazz choirs. Many of these groups have earned, local, provincial, and even National recognition for their stellar performances. Her private voice studio has also produced many successful performers of all ages. Janice is the recipient of the “Excellence in Teaching” award and the NSMEA “Lifetime Achievement” award.
Janice is a sought-after adjudicator, clinician, and performer. Her encouraging and uplifting style of teaching has fostered many music lovers and performers over the years. Since retiring, Janice continues to enjoy performing, coaching, accompanying, gardening and other outdoor activities. Her happiest times are spent with her ever expanding family (the next generation!)
Chris Bowman
Conductor, Singer, Educator, Composer
About Chris
Chris loves working with choral singers of all ages and stages, and has conducted community, church, school, and university choirs in Atlantic Canada and Ontario. He is sought after as a clinician, adjudicator, and lecturer, and has taught in various university music departments in Atlantic Canada as a sessional instructor. As time permits, he is a composer and arranger of choral music. Chris’ favourite musical collaborations, however, are with his wife Laura, and their children Erica and Meredith. They live in Valley, Nova Scotia.
Joel Tranquilla
Conductor, Teacher, Singer, Pianist
About Joel
Choral music has a profound capacity for both storytelling and community-building. It is collaborative, eclectic, and dynamic, and these are the qualities that excite Joel most about the art form. He has worked with adult chamber choirs, youth choirs, university ensembles, and symphonic choruses – each with a unique voice and distinct body of repertoire. As the Associate Conductor of the Canadian Chamber Choir, Joel has had the privilege of performing and recording extensively with that professional ensemble. He has also cultivated strong relationships with some of Canada’s finest emerging and established composers.
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