Our 2026 Festival Adjudicators
- Band/Instrumental: Jeremy Brown & Craig Johnson
- Choir/Speech/Voice: Kathleen Moorison
- Musical Theatre: Heather Henderson
- Guitar: Ben Tizzard
- Strings: Kari Quan
- Junior Piano: Lynne Dalcin
- Senior Piano: Carrie Kalmakoff
Our 2026 Festival Adjudicators
Band/Instrumental - Jeremy Brown
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Dr. Jeremy Brown
Professor of Music, University of Calgary Performance Lead, Music Division | Director, Centre for Research in the Fine Arts Dr. Jeremy Brown is an award-winning performer, conductor, author, and educator whose career spans classical, jazz, and contemporary music. A Professor of Music at the University of Calgary, he also serves as Performance Lead of the Music Division and Director of the Centre for Research in the Fine Arts. Awards and Recognition Dr. Brown’s excellence as an educator has been recognized with numerous distinctions, including the 2024 University of Calgary Teaching Award (Professor), the Faculty of Arts Teaching Award (2014), and the Students’ Union Teaching Excellence Award (1999), for which he was nominated again in 2017. He was named an Ambassador of Canadian Music by the Canadian Music Centre (2008) and received the David Peterkin Award from the Alberta Band Association (2007). In 2024, he was elected an Honorary Member of the American Bandmasters’ Association, the highest distinction awarded to a wind band conductor. |
Band/Instrumental - Craig Johnson
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Craig Johnson - Performer / Educator / Adjudicator / Arranger & Composer
Originally from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Craig studied privately with a long list of classical and jazz instructors on his primary instruments (Trumpet & Piano). After high school he attended The University of Manitoba furthering his studies in the Performing Fine Arts Program. He went on to study Jazz Arranging, Orchestral Composition, and Writing for Motion Picture and TV earning his General Music Studies degree at The Berklee College of Music in Boston. Now living in Calgary with over 30 years of teaching and performing experience Craig remains an active clinician, teaching within the Calgary Board of Education and private sector band music programs. He maintains a large private student base, and has had a number of students go on to pursue their own musical careers at the professional level. In 2003 Craig accepted the position of Musical Director for a Calgary based big band association followed by a second offer in 2019 from an additional association. His roles include, directing, writing and arranging a large portion of the bands repertoire for performance. In addition to teaching and performing throughout Alberta, he is often commissioned by different organizations and independent artists to write music for their recording projects and upcoming performances. Currently Craig is creating a self published music company under the name of MAXALBY Music Publishing, making available his original works and arrangements for Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band and Orchestra. |
Choir, Speech, Voice - Kathleen Moorison
Musical Theatre - Heather Henderson
Guitar - Ben Tizzard
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Ben Tizzard holds a Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz Guitar from Ambrose University, and has had the privilege of studying with renowned Calgary musicians such as Ralf Bushmeyer, Neil McVey, Aaron Young, and Aaron Shorr. With over 15 years of experience playing the guitar, Ben has honed his skills and developed a unique musical style that incorporates a plethora of musical genres. His musical journey continues with the release of his 3rd project titled "What Christmas Was," a genre bending- nostalgic trip to the holiday past. This 5 track EP showcases his talent and creativity, and he is thrilled to share his work with the world. |
Strings - Kari Quan
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Karri Quan has been a chamber musician for over 35 years, and a violin instructor since 1995. After studying at the Mount Royal Conservatory of Music in Calgary, she moved to Toronto, where she completed her Bachelor of Music inPerformance. She plays professionally in many orchestral and chamber music settings, and enjoys freelance work throughout Alberta and British Columbia. Karri maintains a private studio of students, and is the sessional violin instructor at Ambrose University. Karri has been the Concertmaster of the Ambrose
University Chamber Orchestra since 2016, and performs regularly with the Red Deer Symphony, the Symphony of the Kootenays, Calgary Opera and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. She is also a founding member of Prosecco Strings, a professional string trio that performs throughout southern Alberta. Karri is an active member of Sweet Adelines International, and sings with Lions Gate Chorus (in Vancouver), a group of 100+ a cappella singers who are the 2024 Gold Medal International Champions. She loves to coach, perform, teach and rehearse, and is grateful for the wonderful opportunities that her life in music has provided! |
Junior Piano - Lynne Dalcin
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Lynne Dalcin received her ARCT from the Royal Conservatory in 2002 and now operates a busy studio, teaching piano from beginner to ARCT and all levels of Theory, Harmony, and History. She began to play the piano at 7 years old and did her senior grades and ARCT as an adult – studying in Alberta with Michelle Wheatley-Brown and Linda Kundert. Lynne was honoured in January 2017 with the award of Art Educator of the Year in Airdrie. This award is given for promoting arts and culture in the community through education. Lynne strongly believes that children should be encouraged in art and music. It's so important for all of us to help raise this generation of
children in an environment that nurtures creativity, inspires imagination and celebrates beauty. Art and music is our legacy. It's what tells our story. We must all encourage this generation to have a wonderful story to tell! Additionally, Lynne is an active member of Music Coterie in Calgary and also a founding Director of the Airdrie Rotary Festival of Performing Arts. She also sings with the Airdrie Community Choir. One of Lynne’s greatest pleasures in recent years is adjudicating local Festivals in Alberta. Lynne was recognized in 2025 with the Amazing Woman Award in Airdrie. She was nominated in the Amazing Heart category for opening her home and hosting a family of refugees from Ukraine attempting to escape the war. This family lived with Lynne and her husband for one year and have stayed in Airdrie for three years now. They are very good friends to this day! In her free time, she especially enjoys volunteering with the Airdrie Foodbank and acting as a Penguin Host at the Calgary Zoo. Of course, Lynne also adores spending time with her six beautiful grandchildren who all live in Alberta! |
Senior Piano - Carrie Kalmakoff
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The Executive Director and Co-Owner of Chinook School of Music, Carrie Kalmakoff obtained her Bachelor of Music degree from Brandon University in Brandon, Manitoba. She is an active masterclass clinician and festival adjudicator in Alberta and British Columbia and is the Past President and General Manager of Cowtown Opera, past Chairperson of Calgary Contemporary Showcase, a retired member of the Alberta Registered Music Teacher Association and Alberta Piano Teachers’ Association. Carrie’s commitment to fostering a lifelong love and enjoyment of music for students and their families is reflected in both her teaching and involvement in the musical community. She is a passionate teacher and dynamic leader who inspires and encourages her students to be creative-minded, independent thinkers. Her students achieve top marks in music examinations, frequently win festival scholarships and awards and many have gone on to pursue music as a career.
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