Our 2025 Festival Adjudicators
- Choir/Speech/Voice: Crystal Hanson
- Musical Theatre: Danica Hoffart
- Guitar: David Blitt
- Strings: Laryssa Warne
- Junior Piano: Kathleen van Mourike
- Senior Piano: Janna Olson
- Band/Instrumental: Ken Rogers
Our 2025 Festival Adjudicators
Voice, Choir, Classroom Music, Speech - Crystal Hanson
Crystal Hanson has been teaching private and group classes for almost 30 years. She teaches private vocal out of her home studio in St. Albert. She has a MA in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David as well as a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance. She is certified in all 3 levels in CCM (Contemporary Commercial Music), Somatic Voicework, the LoVetri Method ®, through Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. She also completed Levels 1 and 2 of the One Voice Program in New York under the tutelage of Dr. Joan Melton. Crystal has been teaching musical theatre at the Foote Theatre School, Citadel Theatre in Edmonton for over 20 years. She has toured throughout Western Canada in various musical productions and one production based out of Prague, Czech Republic. She toured with the Alberta Opera for 4 seasons and played a large role in creating and directing the Alberta Opera’s Artist in Residency Program. A freelance vocal coach, she is proud to have worked on many musical productions with Eastglen High School; Austin O’Brien High School and Avalon Junior High School in Edmonton. A busy entertainer, Crystal is a member of the local Edmonton tribute and show band ‘Crystal Blue & the Persuasions’ and ‘Dash Rip Rock’. Most recently, Crystal has been busy with the launch of Voice Body Works, which offers somatic voice work and coaching to singers, actors, and voice professionals.
Musical Theatre - Danica Hoffart
Dr. Danica Hoffart is a singer, conductor, musical director, educator, and adjudicator. She currently directs the Ross Street Singers, teaches privately, and is a vocalist with the Central Alberta Chamber Orchestra. For over two decades, Danica taught post-secondary Music and Theatre including private voice lessons, choir, singing for the stage, music history, and ear training. She has performed with Kompany! Dance and has been a soprano soloist with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra. Select musical directing credits include South Pacific, Footloose, Cabaret, The Sound of Music, and The Wizard of Oz. Danica holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Music from the University of Alberta, and a PhD in Music from the University of Calgary. Her doctoral research examined best practices in leadership and the empowerment of individuals through participation in choir.
Guitar - David Blitt
As a distinguished graduate of Berklee College of Music, David received a world-class education in harmony, ear training, guitar skills as well as arranging and composition. David earned Berklee's Professional Music Division Achievement Award for Outstanding Musicianship as well as the Louise McKinney scholarship for two consecutive years. As well, David performed as a featured instrumental soloist in Berklee’s prestigious Guitar Night concert and received Berklee's yearly North American tour scholarship. Other notable performances include playing electric guitar for Taiwanese Pop Stars Kevin Lin And Kay Huang at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts for over 1500 people. David has performed with many artists in the Calgary area including his original Metal band, Return to One and regularly performs at Calgary's Blues Can. David excels in blues, instrumental music, rock/metal, pop and acoustic guitar including fingerpicking. In addition to his music degree from Berklee College of Music, David has over ten years of teaching experience and a degree in Biological Science from the University of Calgary.
Strings - Laryssa Warne
Laryssa Warne graduated from the Mount Royal University Conservatory Academy program and the University of Calgary. Laryssa was a member of the Calgary Youth Orchestra, University of Calgary Orchestra and the University of Calgary New Music Ensemble. Laryssa completed Suzuki Teacher Training with Elayne Ras in 2018 at the University of Alberta. In 2021, she attended the Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute and completed further Suzuki Teacher Training with Edmund Sprunger. Laryssa is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Laryssa has performed with Honens, Calgary Opera, Symphony of the Kootenays, Prince George Symphony Orchestra, and Timepoint Ensemble. Notable performances include Cirque Musica's Wonderland, and 'A Tribute to John Denver', conducted by Lee Holdridge. In 2019, Laryssa had a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity. Laryssa is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Calgary Salon Series chamber music concert series.
Junior Piano - Kathleen van Mourike
Kathleen van Mourik, a native of Alberta, is in high demand as a vocal coach and collaborative pianist, and is known for her interdisciplinary collaborations with artists, actors and dance. Ms.van Mourik completed a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance at the University of Calgary before moving to the Netherlands, where she studied lied and chamber music at the Hilversum Conservatory under Hans Broekman and received the Uitvoerend Musicus degree. Upon returning to Canada, she completed the Master of Music degree in piano performance with Vladimir Levtov at the University of Calgary. Other important teachers include the late Greta Kraus and Rudolf Jansen. She has also studied with Martin Isepp at the Banff Centre and completed a residency there with her two piano partner, Charles Foreman. As a two piano team they commissioned several compositions by various composers and have a CD of French two- piano music available on the Arktos label. In addition to her work as the artistic director of the Mountain View Festival, she maintains an active performing and teaching schedule, and has appeared across Canada, as well as in the United States, Belgium and the Netherlands. Her work is regularly broadcast on national and regional CBC Radio, and she has appeared on radio and television in the Netherlands. Kathleen is the founder and Artistic Director of the Calgary based International Festival of Song and Chamber Music Society (known as the Mountain View Festival) a master class series and concert festival combining art song and chamber music as well as the Mountain View Young Artist Concert Series, a series devoted to presenting emerging musicians in concert. In addition to her work with Mountain View, she maintains an active performing schedule. She is also in demand as an adjudicator and teacher and is currently an instructor with the Chinook School of Music in Calgary and teaches a small private class as well.
Senior Piano - Janna Olson
Performing and teaching have provided Edmonton pianist Janna Olson with diverse opportunities to share her love of music in Canada, Europe and the United States. She has studied music with many different musicians in Canada and the US and her degrees include a Master of Music from the University of Alberta. Janna is a versatile and sensitive pianist with extensive collaborative experience. She frequently performs piano duet and duo repertoire as part of the Venn Duo with her colleague Dr. Leanne Regehr. She loves teaching as a sessional instructor at The King’s University while also maintaining a thriving private piano studio with students ranging from 5 to 75 years old. She is on the faculty of the Gordon Institute for Music Learning and is passionate about connecting piano pedagogy with research on how the musical mind works. Janna is in demand as a festival adjudicator and enjoys travelling and meeting teachers and young pianists in many communities in Canada. She presents workshops and clinics for piano teachers and specializes in audition based learning and rhythm development. When she is not at the piano, Janna spends time outside hiking, skiing and playing disc golf.
Band & Instrumental - Ken Rogers
Ken Rogers retired in 2018 from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute after a 32 year career of music teaching. He currently conducts the Lethbridge Community Brass Band and is very happily busy adjudicating band festivals and conducting clinics, workshops, and honour bands across the province. He has conducted and played in many Lethbridge area musical groups including the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, Lethbridge Community Band, Lethbridge Big Band, and various musical theatre groups, most recently conducting the Broadway musical, The Secret Garden. Ken is a past president of the Alberta Band Association and is the recipient of several awards including the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s “Legion of Honor Laureate”, the “David J. Peterkin Memorial Award” for outstanding service to band music in Alberta, the Alberta Band Association “Elkhorn Award”, and the Choir Alberta “Con Spirito Award”.
Crystal Hanson has been teaching private and group classes for almost 30 years. She teaches private vocal out of her home studio in St. Albert. She has a MA in Vocal Pedagogy from the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David as well as a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance. She is certified in all 3 levels in CCM (Contemporary Commercial Music), Somatic Voicework, the LoVetri Method ®, through Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia. She also completed Levels 1 and 2 of the One Voice Program in New York under the tutelage of Dr. Joan Melton. Crystal has been teaching musical theatre at the Foote Theatre School, Citadel Theatre in Edmonton for over 20 years. She has toured throughout Western Canada in various musical productions and one production based out of Prague, Czech Republic. She toured with the Alberta Opera for 4 seasons and played a large role in creating and directing the Alberta Opera’s Artist in Residency Program. A freelance vocal coach, she is proud to have worked on many musical productions with Eastglen High School; Austin O’Brien High School and Avalon Junior High School in Edmonton. A busy entertainer, Crystal is a member of the local Edmonton tribute and show band ‘Crystal Blue & the Persuasions’ and ‘Dash Rip Rock’. Most recently, Crystal has been busy with the launch of Voice Body Works, which offers somatic voice work and coaching to singers, actors, and voice professionals.
Musical Theatre - Danica Hoffart
Dr. Danica Hoffart is a singer, conductor, musical director, educator, and adjudicator. She currently directs the Ross Street Singers, teaches privately, and is a vocalist with the Central Alberta Chamber Orchestra. For over two decades, Danica taught post-secondary Music and Theatre including private voice lessons, choir, singing for the stage, music history, and ear training. She has performed with Kompany! Dance and has been a soprano soloist with the Red Deer Symphony Orchestra. Select musical directing credits include South Pacific, Footloose, Cabaret, The Sound of Music, and The Wizard of Oz. Danica holds a Bachelor of Music and a Master of Arts in Music from the University of Alberta, and a PhD in Music from the University of Calgary. Her doctoral research examined best practices in leadership and the empowerment of individuals through participation in choir.
Guitar - David Blitt
As a distinguished graduate of Berklee College of Music, David received a world-class education in harmony, ear training, guitar skills as well as arranging and composition. David earned Berklee's Professional Music Division Achievement Award for Outstanding Musicianship as well as the Louise McKinney scholarship for two consecutive years. As well, David performed as a featured instrumental soloist in Berklee’s prestigious Guitar Night concert and received Berklee's yearly North American tour scholarship. Other notable performances include playing electric guitar for Taiwanese Pop Stars Kevin Lin And Kay Huang at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts for over 1500 people. David has performed with many artists in the Calgary area including his original Metal band, Return to One and regularly performs at Calgary's Blues Can. David excels in blues, instrumental music, rock/metal, pop and acoustic guitar including fingerpicking. In addition to his music degree from Berklee College of Music, David has over ten years of teaching experience and a degree in Biological Science from the University of Calgary.
Strings - Laryssa Warne
Laryssa Warne graduated from the Mount Royal University Conservatory Academy program and the University of Calgary. Laryssa was a member of the Calgary Youth Orchestra, University of Calgary Orchestra and the University of Calgary New Music Ensemble. Laryssa completed Suzuki Teacher Training with Elayne Ras in 2018 at the University of Alberta. In 2021, she attended the Japan-Seattle Suzuki Institute and completed further Suzuki Teacher Training with Edmund Sprunger. Laryssa is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Laryssa has performed with Honens, Calgary Opera, Symphony of the Kootenays, Prince George Symphony Orchestra, and Timepoint Ensemble. Notable performances include Cirque Musica's Wonderland, and 'A Tribute to John Denver', conducted by Lee Holdridge. In 2019, Laryssa had a residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity. Laryssa is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Calgary Salon Series chamber music concert series.
Junior Piano - Kathleen van Mourike
Kathleen van Mourik, a native of Alberta, is in high demand as a vocal coach and collaborative pianist, and is known for her interdisciplinary collaborations with artists, actors and dance. Ms.van Mourik completed a Bachelor of Music degree in piano performance at the University of Calgary before moving to the Netherlands, where she studied lied and chamber music at the Hilversum Conservatory under Hans Broekman and received the Uitvoerend Musicus degree. Upon returning to Canada, she completed the Master of Music degree in piano performance with Vladimir Levtov at the University of Calgary. Other important teachers include the late Greta Kraus and Rudolf Jansen. She has also studied with Martin Isepp at the Banff Centre and completed a residency there with her two piano partner, Charles Foreman. As a two piano team they commissioned several compositions by various composers and have a CD of French two- piano music available on the Arktos label. In addition to her work as the artistic director of the Mountain View Festival, she maintains an active performing and teaching schedule, and has appeared across Canada, as well as in the United States, Belgium and the Netherlands. Her work is regularly broadcast on national and regional CBC Radio, and she has appeared on radio and television in the Netherlands. Kathleen is the founder and Artistic Director of the Calgary based International Festival of Song and Chamber Music Society (known as the Mountain View Festival) a master class series and concert festival combining art song and chamber music as well as the Mountain View Young Artist Concert Series, a series devoted to presenting emerging musicians in concert. In addition to her work with Mountain View, she maintains an active performing schedule. She is also in demand as an adjudicator and teacher and is currently an instructor with the Chinook School of Music in Calgary and teaches a small private class as well.
Senior Piano - Janna Olson
Performing and teaching have provided Edmonton pianist Janna Olson with diverse opportunities to share her love of music in Canada, Europe and the United States. She has studied music with many different musicians in Canada and the US and her degrees include a Master of Music from the University of Alberta. Janna is a versatile and sensitive pianist with extensive collaborative experience. She frequently performs piano duet and duo repertoire as part of the Venn Duo with her colleague Dr. Leanne Regehr. She loves teaching as a sessional instructor at The King’s University while also maintaining a thriving private piano studio with students ranging from 5 to 75 years old. She is on the faculty of the Gordon Institute for Music Learning and is passionate about connecting piano pedagogy with research on how the musical mind works. Janna is in demand as a festival adjudicator and enjoys travelling and meeting teachers and young pianists in many communities in Canada. She presents workshops and clinics for piano teachers and specializes in audition based learning and rhythm development. When she is not at the piano, Janna spends time outside hiking, skiing and playing disc golf.
Band & Instrumental - Ken Rogers
Ken Rogers retired in 2018 from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute after a 32 year career of music teaching. He currently conducts the Lethbridge Community Brass Band and is very happily busy adjudicating band festivals and conducting clinics, workshops, and honour bands across the province. He has conducted and played in many Lethbridge area musical groups including the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra, Lethbridge Community Band, Lethbridge Big Band, and various musical theatre groups, most recently conducting the Broadway musical, The Secret Garden. Ken is a past president of the Alberta Band Association and is the recipient of several awards including the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s “Legion of Honor Laureate”, the “David J. Peterkin Memorial Award” for outstanding service to band music in Alberta, the Alberta Band Association “Elkhorn Award”, and the Choir Alberta “Con Spirito Award”.
