Ron Gilbert majored in trumpet at the University of Western Ontario where he received Honours BMus and MEd degrees. He recently retired from the Thames Valley District School Board (London, Ontario) where he was music consultant, music department head, and high school music teacher for almost 30 years. He has served as music camp faculty member, camp director, guest conductor, festival adjudicator, workshop presenter and conference organizer. Ron received his A.R.C.T. with the Royal Conservatory of Music of Toronto at the age of 18. As a professional musician, he has performed with numerous symphony orchestras, brass bands, Broadway show pit bands, dance orchestras, small brass ensembles, and as a soloist.

Peter Stoll teaches at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Music and is Acting Principal Clarinetist of the Toronto Philharmonia Orchestra. A frequent and popular adjudicator up to the National level, he has worked across Canada and in the United States. Peter was a prizewinner in the International Clarinet Society Competition, and has been heard many times on CBC radio featured on several CD recordings and concert broadcasts. Tours as soloist and as clarinetist and saxophonist with various ensembles have taken him across Europe, to Russia and to the United States. In addition he is a member of the Royal Conservatory of Music's National College of Examiners.

Dr. Gerard Yun is in demand as guest conductor, clinician, soloist, and composer throughout North America. He has conducted the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, The Colorado Youth Symphony Orchestra, The Colorado Lyric Theatre, and The Sacramento Master Singers.  Before moving to Canada he was Director of Choral Studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and Professor of Voice and Choirs at Southern Utah University.  He is currently Associate Director of Choirs at Wilfrid Laurier University and conductor with the Hamilton Children's Choir.

Michel Faigaux is a graduate of the National Ballet School of Canada.  He was hired into the Royal Winnipeg Ballet in 1990 where he was promoted to soloist.  He then danced with the National Ballet of Canada from 1995-1998, and also with Alberta Ballet from 1998-2001. Michel went on to have an extensive guesting career, performing and guest teaching in the USA, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Europe, China, Egypt and more. On film, Michel has had the pleasure to dance with Martin Short and Mikhail Baryshnikov. More recently Michel has been a featured dancer in music theatre productions, including three seasons at the Stratford Festival.  He currently teaches at the National Ballet School and is a guest teacher in Japan.

Marc Cassius is a renowned singer, dancer and actor and he is thrilled to be celebrating over 20 years as a theatre professional.  Mark wowed audiences at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival as tap guru Mr. Magix in My One and Only.  More recently Mark was seen in the Theatre Aquarius Production of Dreamgirls.  Mark toured the world for seven years as the baritone with internationally renowned a cappella group The Nylons.  Mark will adjudicate music theatre and tap at our competition.

Elizabeth Gordon is currently performing in “Dirty Dancing” at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. Her professional dance career has taken her all over the world with Princess Cruises, to Japan with Tokyo Disney Sea, and to the middle east to perform for Canadian troops.  Elizabeth taught all genres of dance in Vancouver and co-directed and choreographed for The Source Dance Company.

Brian Usher has been a performer, teacher, arranger and composer in the music field for over 30 years.  He has taught in elementary and secondary schools, was Minister of Music in many church music programs, has published many sacred choral and instrumental works, and has written and orchestrated over twenty stage shows and cantatas.  Active as a jazz piano player and studio piano and trumpet player, Brian has performed on many CDs recorded in Nashville, Toronto and in his own 24 track digital recording studio in London.

Mary Ficzere received her ARCT in piano performance from the Royal Concervatory of Music, as well as Bachelor and Masters degrees in piano performance from University of Western Ontario. She also studied at the Golandsky Institute in New York City where she acquired in-depth training on piano technique and coordinate movement.  Mary currently teaches at the Merriam School of Music in Oakville, where she has served as Piano Department Head, Enriched Studies Department Head and Director of Examinations for many years.

Jenny Regehr is well known across Canada for her solo recitals, duo and chamber music performances, Lieder collaborations and piano duo performances.  She performs with many of Canada’s leading musicians in universities and concert series across the country.  As a faculty member of the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, Ms Regehr was a senior piano instructor and for more than a decade co-ordinated its piano master class program which features a roster of international visiting artists. 

Julia Pal is a graduate of University of Toronto, with a B.Ed from Queen’s, and a Diploma in Speech Arts and Drama from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. She is a teacher and workshop leader with RCM, the Toronto District School Board and the Kingsway Conservatory of Music, conducting classes in creative drama, improvisation, scene study and speech arts.  In addition to teaching speech and drama, Julia examines for RCM, and is an active theatre artist, storyteller and singer.

Irene Tandberg is Co-Director of Forest City Talent Education, a performance school comprising 250 violin, viola, cello and classical guitar students and 28 faculty. She has overseen the artistic direction and administration of the programme in addition to teaching master classes, coaching quartets and conducting ensembles and orchestras.  She is also a frequent guest master-class teacher, workshop clinician and adjudicator. Currently, she is teaching in the Performance Department at the University of Western Ontario.

Sharlene Wallace is one of Canada’s most prolific and influential Celtic harpists. Classically trained on piano and having studied classical harp at the University of Toronto, Sharlene discovered the lever (Celtic) harp to be her creative and expressive vehicle for writing, arranging and recording. She has won two international lever harp competitions, recorded five independent CDs, and tours constantly across North America giving concerts and master classes. On the Faculties of York and Guelph Universities, Sharlene is Principal Harpist with the Kingston and Oakville Symphony Orchestras.

Rick Piche has taught guitar at Saunders Secondary School in London, Ontario for over 22 years. Under Mr. Piché’s direction, the Saunders Senior Guitar Ensemble has performed in the US, Holland, Germany and the Czech Republic. Mr. Piché also teaches guitar at the University of Western Ontario. He has released 3 solo recordings, and a Celtic CD with “The Piché Family.”

Andrea de Boer-Jones holds an Honours Bachelor of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University, and Music Specialist diplomas from both McGill and OISE University of Toronto Universities.  She is an active choral workshop clinician, educator and singer with the Elora Festival Singers and the Toronto Mendelssohn Singers and Choir. Her favourite musical theatre roles include Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" and the Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods."

Leslie Fagan has delighted audiences and critics alike at Royal Albert Hall, Bordeaux Opera House, Roy Thomson Hall and Massey Hall.  And the 2007-2008 season marked her official Carnegie Hall debut and her Lincoln Center debut.  On the opera stage, Ms. Fagan has sung the title role in Donizetti's Linda di Chamounix, Pamina in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Sophie in Massenet's Werther, Musetta in Verdi's La Boheme and Nanetta in Verdi's Falstaff, Tytania in Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream and Zerlina in Mozart's Don Giovanni.