Adjudicators
Professional musicians in their own right, festival adjudicators are committed to providing our young musicians with valuable comments on their musical performances, and offer advice and strategies to help them and their directors strive for even greater musical achievement.
Our 2024 festival adjudicators include:
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Adjudicators Bios:
Jaelam Bhate - Jaelem Bhate is a conductor and composer from Vancouver. He was named to CBC’s hot 30 under 30 classical musicians in 2019 and is a board member of Orchestras Canada. Jaelem is currently the Artistic Director of Symphony 21; a professional orchestra based in Vancouver which he founded. He is also music director of the Vancouver Brass Collective and maintains a busy schedule as a guest conductor, currently a candidate for Music Director of the Prince Edward Island Symphony. Jaelem has conducted over 20 world premieres and continues to add new music to his growing discography including upcoming releases with Re:Naissance Opera and the Vancouver Brass Collective. His works have been commissioned or performed across Canada, including by the symphonies of Vancouver, Victoria, and Tutta Musica. As a jazz musician, he’s released two jazz orchestra albums; on the edge, and Carmen, a reimagining of Bizet’s opera. on the edge won the Julian Award and topped the EarShot national charts. Highlights include a 20-minute orchestral work for Tutta Musica on the Leaf label, and works for the Canadian National Jazz Orchestra, Redshift Music’s Vertical Orchestra and the Sister Jazz Orchestra. Jaelem holds a MMus in orchestral conducting from UBC where he studied with studied with Jonathan Girard, Alexander Shelley, Bramwell Tovey, Boris Brott, Gerard Schwarz, and Christian Macelaru. As a composer, Jaelem studied with Fred Stride for many years, and student of the late Jocelyn Morlock and Ron Miles. Jaelem is currently teaches conducting and ensembles at the UBC School of Music.
Janet Warren - Janet Warren, recipient of the British Columbia Music Educator’s Professional Music Educator Award, is recognized nationally for her work in both traditional repertoire and vocal jazz. A graduate of the University of British Columbia, she completed the Diploma in Music Education in 2000. Retired from teaching in North Vancouver, she is presently a Faculty Advisor for UBC, working with pre-service teachers at the secondary level. Ms. Warren enjoys a variety of adjudicating and clinic experiences which continue to take her throughout Western Canada and as far as Japan. Two career highlights for Ms. Warren have been conducting the BC Music Educator’s Provincial Honour Vocal Jazz Ensemble and directing the BC Choral Federation’s Provincial Youth Choir. She was honoured by colleagues in North Vancouver with the Award of Excellence, and was named 2004 Teacher of the Year by the Sylvan Learning Center. For twenty-two years, Ms. Warren organized the Sea-to-Sky Choral Festival; she formed and has conducted Higher Ground Women’s Vocal Ensemble for over ten years. Since retirement, Ms. Warren has been performing as a solo singer, has appeared in several live shows (most recently, Jupiter Productions "Songs from the Attic"), and is featured on the locally produced CD "A Time To Heal". Other interests include travel, dragon boating, and three awesome grand-daughters. Choral conducting continues to be Ms. Warren’s favourite and most creative musical outlet.
Daniel Hersog - Jazz trumpet player, composer, and arranger Daniel Hersog is an important voice on the Canadian and international jazz scene. Daniel is poised to release his first jazz orchestra record in early 2020 on the esteemed Cellar Music label. Featuring Daniel’s compositions this record features renowned solosists Frank Carlberg and Noah Preminger. Daniel has toured North America leading large ensembles featuring such notable musicians as Terry Clarke, Kevin Turcotte, Remy Le Boeuff, Brad Turner, Billy Buss, Stuart Mack, Jason Palmer and Kim Cass. Daniel is often Featured at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival as well as performing regularly at Frankie’s Jazz Club and Pat’s Pub. As a sideman, Daniel performs with The Vancouver Legacy Jazz Orchestra, Jaelem Bhate Jazz Orchestra, Super Trumpets, and Sonny’s Cousin.
Steve Kaldestad - Based in Vancouver since 2008, Steve Kaldestad has become one of the most in-demand saxophonists on the scene, performing as a sideman with the Dan Brubeck Quartet, the Jodi Proznick Quartet, and the Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra. He also leads his own group, the Steve Kaldestad Quartet which has released 3 CDs on the Cellar Live label, the most recent of which being “New York Afternoon”, a live recording with the Renee Rosnes Trio in New York City. Originally from the prairies, Steve spent the 90s in Montreal, obtaining his Bachelors and Masters degrees from McGill University before moving to London, England where he spent 8 years playing and touring in various bands. Steve is the current Coordinator of Jazz Studies at Capilano University in North Vancouver. Steve is a D’addario Artist and plays Select Jazz reeds on all of his saxophones.
Bill Coon - Juno nominated guitarist, composer, arranger and educator Bill Coon won the 2009 National Jazz Award, ‘Guitarist of the Year’. He has performed with and collaborated with many significant musical artists including Jimmy Heath, Peter Bernstein, Dr. Lonnie Smith, PJ Perry, Sheila Jordan, Carol Welsman, Dee Daniels, and Rebecca Kilgore, Eleanor McCain, and K-os. Coon’s latest release, Departure combines the brilliance of a string quartet with the rhythmic drive of a jazz quartet combining his love of improvising with his passion for arranging/composition, and features Brad Turner and Cameron Wilson. He has performed and arranged for dozens of recordings including Arrival with Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst, Explosion with Cory Weeds, Joe Magnerelli, Steve Davis and Gary Smulyan, With Benefits with Weeds, Lewis Nash and Peter Washington, and a collaboration with Oliver Gannon: Two Much More! (acclaimed as one of the top ten Canadian jazz recordings of 2015 by the CBC), He is on faculty at Capilano University in North Vancouver, teaching jazz composition, arranging, ensembles, and guitar. Coon is an adjudicator and clinician at music festivals and seminars throughout Canada, including the VSO School of Music’s Summer Jazz Workshop and the BC Swing Workshop in Sorrento BC.
Brad Turner - Trumpeter, pianist, drummer and composer Brad Turner is one of Canada’s most highly esteemed jazz musicians. Brad has performed and/or recorded with such artists as Joe Lovano, Bill Frisell, Kenny Wheeler, Terry-Lynn Carrington, John Scofield, Reneé Rosnes, Jimmy Greene, Ingrid Jensen, Peggy Lee, Dan Weiss, Mike Murley, Seamus Blake, Kenny Werner, Russell Malone, Christine Jensen, Charles McPherson and Ernie Watts. As a leader, Brad has released nine albums, seven as a trumpeter with the Brad Turner Quartet, and two as a pianist with his trio, with a third on the way for Fall 2022. Three of those nine releases were nominated for Juno awards. In 1997,1998 and 2017 Brad won Juno Awards for Best Contemporary Jazz Album recognizing his work in the internationally acclaimed electric jazz group Metalwood. Brad was awarded the 2006 Victor Lynch-Staunton Prize for excellence in musical achievement and in 2014 was the recipient of the Vancouver Mayor’s Art Award for music. Brad is a member of the jazz studies faculty at Capilano University in North Vancouver, B.C.
Rob Goddard - received his Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance from the University of British Columbia and received his Masters in Education with an emphasis in conducting from the University of Victoria. Rob has performed on trumpet with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra (principal and 2nd), the Vancouver Symphony, the CBC Chamber Orchestra, the Symphonie Canadiana (principal and 2nd), the Mississauga Symphony (principal), the Victoria Symphony (principal) and the Okanagan Symphony (principal). He was a founding member of A Touch of Brass quintet with whom he toured extensively. Although classically trained, Rob’s passion for jazz has enabled him to perform in the jazz idiom on both trumpet and piano. His High School jazz ensembles have been the recipient of numerous awards in the U.S. and Canada. Rob continues to perform on both trumpet and piano throughout the U.S. and Canada. He has been a music instructor at the Langley Fine Arts School since its inception more than 30 years ago where he created a unique music curriculum with an emphasis on chamber music, ear training, theory and composition. Rob has also taught the Senior Wind Ensemble, Senior Jazz Band and the Langley Fine Arts Orchestra. Rob was awarded the Professional Music Educator Award (Secondary) by the British Columbia Music Educators’ Association in 2014. His passion for working with musicians, both young and old, has afforded him opportunities to work as an adjudicator, clinician and as conductor of the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble (formerly the Kwantlen Alumni Wind Ensemble).
Chris Haas - currently teaches music at Moscrop Secondary School in Burnaby. Prior to teaching at Moscrop Chris was the Director of Bands and Fine Arts Department Head at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver from 1999-2020. The award-winning music program at Magee involves over 400 students in numerous bands, choirs and a string orchestra. Magee Senior Jazz Bands have been frequent performers at the Vancouver Jazz Festival. The band department YouTube channel (youtube.com/user/chaaster) has over 125 videos and over 600,000 views. In addition to teaching at Magee, Mr. Haas was a conductor/teacher at the UBC Summer Music Institute from 2000-2015, and was associate conductor of the Little Night Music community orchestra for 7 years. The recipient of numerous student awards, Mr. Haas is a graduate of Humber University in Toronto, University of Calgary, UBC, and earned his Masters in Conducting from the American Band College in Oregon. Mr. Haas has been performing professionally on drums and percussion for over 40 years, performing all styles of music on land and sea including Afro-Cuban, rock, jazz, funk, vocal/choral, classical, musical theatre and big band. Chris' current projects include: R&B with soul singer Billy Dixon, New Orleans 2nd Line with Cookin' with Brass, jazz with Material Culture Project and Afro-Cuban music with Timba Cartel.
Ben Henriques - Julian Award nominee and saxophonist Ben Henriques has performed with Joe Lovano, Ben Monder, Jim McNeely, Father John Misty, Hey Ocean! and more. Originally from Vancouver, Ben cut his teeth in the Montreal jazz-scene, and returned to make Vancouver his home. His original tunes have been described as “lyrical” and “burners” by Peter Hum (Ottawa Citizen). Ben has released two albums, both of which have received critical acclaim (“The Responsibility Club” and “Captain Awesome”) and both feature his compositions which are a blend of jazz vocabulary mixed with Ben’s unique twist. Ben teaches jazz studies classes at Capilano University and UBC, and gigs regularly on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland. He has performed as a sideman on countless albums such as “Night Devoid of Stars” and “Open Spaces” by Daniel Hersog (Cellar Music, 2020, 2023 respectively)and “It’s a Pony Kind of Christmas” by My Little Pony (Sony Limited, 2015), and has appeared a handful of times on television, including on ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time”. Ben is a veteran performer, who brings 100% to every gig, and hopes to instil that sense of professionalism in his students.
Casey Thomas-Burns - Casey Thomas-Burns (she/her/hers) is a trombonist, vocalist, and bandleader based in Vancouver, Canada. Casey holds her degree in Jazz Studies from Capilano University, where she had the opportunity to study trombone with Dennis Esson, voice with Jennifer Scott, and was the lead trombonist in the "A" Band under the direction of Brad Turner. Casey is the founder and director of 10-woman little big band 'The Leading Ladies', and was described by Juno-nominated bassist Jodi Proznick as "the future of arts leadership". She is also the director of the Deep Cove Big Band, and frequently guest conducts and gives workshops to groups across the Lower Mainland.
Jocelyn Waugh - Jocelyn Waugh is one of the most in demand trumpet players on the Vancouver music scene. Jocelyn has worked with many different groups and plays a variety of styles, including Jazz, Mariachi, Funk, and R&B and is also at home working within improvised and ‘new music’ circles. She is a graduate of the Capilano University Jazz Studies program and plays both locally and in the US with a number of different groups. She has also done film and commercial work and is an extremely versatile entertainer.
Jodi Proznick - Multiple Juno-nominated bassist, composer, producer and educator Jodi Proznick has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s finest jazz artists. She has won numerous National Jazz Awards, including Bassist of the Year in ’08 and ’09. Her group, the Jodi Proznick Quartet, was awarded the Acoustic Group of the Year and Album of the Year in ‘08 and the Galaxie Rising Star at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in ’04. In 2019 she was awarded Jazz Artist of the Year and in 2022 the Instrumental Artist of the Year in collaboration with the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Jodi is the Jazz Studies Department Head at the VSO School of Music and is the co-leader of the Ostara Project, an all-star ensemble of Canadian women artists and composers. Her Juno nominated albums: Sun Songs, Foundations and the Ostara Project (CellarLive) are available at www.jodiproznick.com.
Rob Rebagliati - For over 40 years, Bob Rebagliati has directed many award-winning junior and senior high school ensembles. Bob frequently adjudicates at community music festivals in both the concert band and jazz band areas. Mr. Rebagliati is Adjudicator of the Conn-Selmer Centerstage Jazz Band at the annual MusicFest Canada and Adjudicator of Scholarships for MusicFest Canada's Instrumental Jazz Division. Bob has been the recipient of the British Columbia Music Educator's Professional Educator Award, Canada i25 medal, North Vancouver Music Educators' Award of Excellence and the Leadership in Music Education Award from the Coalition for Music Education In BC. In addition to being an in demand adjudicator of concert band and jazz festivals, Bob is a frequent guest conductor in both concert and jazz idioms. 'Reb' as he is also known, is also a frequent guest classroom clinician in concert band and jazz band rehearsal techniques, repertoire, percussion section, jazz interpretation and rhythm section instruments. Bob is a pianist/percussionist/drummer.
Ellen Marple - Ellen Marple took up the trombone at age 11 with dreams of playing swing. She soon became fascinated with the instrument’s incredible versatility, immersing herself in style and technique across genres. As a freelancer, Ellen performs/records with an eclectic mix of artists including Adele, Dan Mangan, Capella Borealis, the Hard Rubber Orchestra and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Ellen teaches at the Vancouver Academy of Music and co-directs East Side Horns at the Hastings Community Centre.
Geeta Das - Professional multi-instrumentalist, Geeta Das, has been performing and teaching music nationally and internationally since the mid 1990s. She studied music at Douglas College, the University of British Columbia, and privately throughout the eastern United States. She is well versed in a variety of musical styles, everything from Classical and Jazz, to Latin, Funk, R&B, Soul, Pop, Rock, Reggae, and more. Geeta has had the honour of working with countless local legends as well as world renowned artists including: Hugh Fraser, Ingrid Jensen, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Allen Vizzutti, Bill Watrous; in ensembles such as: The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Hard Rubber Orchestra, Sister Jazz Orchestra, James Danderfer’s Hummingbird Brigade, the Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra, and many more.
Steve Maddock - Over the past two decades, Steve Maddock has been steadily establishing himself as one of Canada’s most versatile vocal talents. Whether sharing a concert stage with a 65-piece symphony orchestra, performing with a 10-piece show band on a cruise ship, or fronting a jazz trio in a local club, he’s able to change gears effortlessly and present the music in a way that’s honest and fresh. He’s been a soloist with The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, The Vancouver Chamber Choir, The Pacific Baroque Orchestra and The Dal Richards Jazz Orchestra, as well as being a featured artist on CBC Radio (Hot Air, Tonic, The Homestretch, Choral Concert, Disc Drive, The Early Edition and Sounds Like Canada). Steve is currently on the Jazz Faculty of Capilano University (formerly Capilano College). His association with Capilano goes back almost twenty-five years, when he first enrolled as a vocal performance major in what was then the Commercial Music Program. The current Jazz Studies Program was introduced in 1993, and Steve was hired as an instructor in 1996. Since that time he’s taught private voice, vocal jazz masterclass, studio performance, vocal improvisation and ear training. As an adjudicator and clinician, he’s worked at Musicfest Canada, The Envision Jazz Festival, The Rocky Mountain Jazz Festival, Powell River’s Jazz Summit, The Kiwanis Festival, The Mission Jazz Festival, The Whistler Music Festival, The Sun Peaks Music Festival, and The South Delta Jazz Workshop. For more information, visit www.stevemaddock.com.
Madeleine Elkins - Madeleine Elkins has been playing guitar for over 12 years. In that time she has completed a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Studies at Capilano University, plays in a variety of bands and is a private guitar teacher. She currently gigs regularly around Vancouver and is a contributing member of jazz-influenced group "Spindle!" and indie-rock band "Porteau." She is a passionate musician and educator and looks to her female role models for inspiration.
