Adjudicators

Judianne Schoen has been a member of the faculty of the Royal Conservatory of Music since 1992.  In that time she has been an outstanding teacher at all levels and an internationally respected senior examiner and adjudicator for piano.  When necessary, Judianne examines voice, strings and other instruments.  Her public performances have been enjoyed in Canada, the U.S. and Europe.  She began entering and often winning competitions, scholarships and warm appreciation at age 8.  Judianne is also an accomplished accompanist for voice and solo instruments.

 Ms. Schoen has personally studied with many wonderful teachers including Lillian Stillman, Boyanna Toyich, Boris Lysenko and Marc Durand.  She has worked in master classes with Jacques Rouvier, (France), György Sebök (Hungary) and Leon Fleisher (U.S.).  Other important musical influences include Jean Woodrow, Marek Jablonski and Jay McShann. 

 Ms. Schoen holds an ARCT diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music and Licentiate and Fellowship diplomas from Trinity College of Music, London, England.  She was a member of the first group to graduate from the Performance Diploma Program of the RCM (now called the Glenn Gould Professional School.)  She also holds a Masters Degree in Performance from the Université de Montréal. 

 Ms. Shoen is very gratified by the success of her younger students at examinations and competitions, and her senior students at university auditions, concerts and other public performances.  Many of her adult students have enjoyed a lifetime of musical development and pleasure or gone on to their own fine careers as teachers and performers. 

 Judianne blends deep musical, technical and analytic understanding with graceful warmth, humour and creativity that makes any musical event satisfying and memorable.

Adam Ruzzo is proving to be one of Canada’s leading young guitarists. With a recent gold medal at the FCMF national guitar competition, he has truly made his mark on the Canadian guitar scene. An active local musician in Toronto, since 2006 Mr. Ruzzo has been playing weekly at the prestigious Fairmont Royal York Hotel. Adam has also performed at prominent venues such as Place des Arts in Montreal and the Glenn Gould Studio.

Maintaining an active performing schedule, Adam was a performing artist at the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival in 2009, The Brantford Guitar Festival and the Mediterranean Guitar Festival in Italy in 2010. For the past two years, Adam has been the performing artist for the Guitar Society of Toronto’s outreach program, sharing his talent and his joy of performance at over ten high schools throughout the GTA. He is also a regular adjudicator at festivals throughout Ontario.

 Adam holds a B.Mus and M.Mus in performance from the University of Toronto, studying under Jeffrey McFadden. Adam has been the recipient of numerous awards such as the esteemed Guitar Society of Toronto scholarship, the David and Marcia Beach Summer Study Award and the Eli Kassner Graduate Fellowship. He has participated in master classes with renowned guitarists such as Manuel Barrueco, Lorenzo Micheli, Scott Tenant, Andrew Zohn, Paul Galbraith, and Paolo Pegoraro, to name a few.

Brian Strachan graduated from Western and University of Michigan and taught senior school in Windsor and London.  He was music consultant for the London Board responsible for vocal, wind and string programs from kingergarten to OAC.  Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Education, U.W.O., he taught winds, percussion, string, choral and vocal pedagogy from kingergarten to senior school.  He has adjudicated nationally and internationally, and written numerous pieces for all types of groups.  Brian has assisted with the establishment of curriculum for the Ministry of Education in Ontario and various school boards across Canada.  He has given numerous workshops for the Ontario Music Educator's Association of which is is an Honourary Life Member.

Carol Strachan is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario Faculty of Music and the University of Calgary Fine Arts Program.  She taught vocal, woodwinds and strings in the school system for over 30 years in Windsor and London.  She was active in the music community as a clinician, conductor, associate teacher and a member of several boards of directors in support of music education.  Carol is now retired but is an avid supporter of the Kiwanis belief in young people and their endeavours in the field of music.

Donna Garner holds an honours degree in voice performance (Western, U of T) and an Associate diploma in voice performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music.  She performs across the country as a singer, actor, pianist, and music director.

Favourite roles include Thea in Two Pianos, Four Hands (Charlottetown Festival, Ontario tour, Portsmouth Opera House), Vi Petty in Buddy:The Buddy Holly Story (Theatre Aquarius, Charlottetown Festival, Stage West Calgary, stc), Lee in Cowgirls (Stage West Calgary, VPP), Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret (Rose Theatre) and Fairy Godmother (Disney). In addition to performing, Donna is on the faculties of Sheridan College, Randolph Academy of Performing Arts, and the College of examiners for The Royal Conservatory of Music.

During her two years at the Moscow Conservatory with Tatiana Nikolaeiva, Ms. Quinton was one of two Canadian participants in the Tchaikovsky International Competition, and arrived home to great interest in her artistic abilities. After several successful Canadian and European tours, she studied and worked in London, England for four years.

 Ms. Quinton was head of the Keyboard Department at the Royal Conservatory of Music Community School from 2001 to 2007, and is also a founding member of the Toronto Arts Ensemble. In October 2008 she presented lectures and master classes in Beijin , Shanghai , and Xian and has been invited to return for solo concerts and performances.

 Quotations from published reviews include the following:
"Constantly awakened sensitivity....an astoundingly refined touch"(La Marseillaise); "Form with a lustrous tonal quality...music should be beautiful and always comprehensible. This is an apt description of the playing of Karen Quinton." (Daily Telegraph, London, England ).

A long-time member of the Gould String Quartet, the quartet-in-residence at Music Niagara, Natasha
has delighted audiences with her talent, charm, and dedication to music.. Born in Sudbury, Ms. Sharko
began violin lessons at the age of 4. First-place winner of numerous Kiwanis Competitions she was
concertmistress of the Sudbury Youth Orchestra, played in the Sudbury Symphony from the age of 12,
and became the youngest member of the National Youth Orchestra by the age of 15. She performed as
a Ukrainian Canadian representative at World Expositions 1986 and 1988.

Ms. Sharko added Viola as a second instrument while studying at McGill University, graduating with a
triple major including music history. A Master's degree from the University of Toronto in Performance
of the Viola followed. Ms. Sharko has performed with the National Academy Orchestra, Hamilton
Philharmonic, Ontario Philharmonic, Toronto Sinfonietta, Windsor Symphony, Masterworks of
Oakville, and internationally at the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy. Natasha is currently
Principal Viola of the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony.

Sir William (Bill) Hughes is the Director of Music for the Burlington Teen Tour Band. Born in Holywood, Northern Ireland, Bill was the principal flute and piccolo player with the band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines for nine years, during which time he performed solos for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and other heads of state at many official functions.

Freelance flute throughout Britain and Europe, Bill has performed with many of the top Orchestras (London Symphony, B.B.C.,) as well as recordings for Television and Radio. He has performed with and backed many stars such as Henry Mancini, Anne Murray, Michael Burgess, Eartha Kitt, Diana Ross and Liza Minelli.

 After settling in Canada (1982) Bill became the Principal Director of Music for the 48th Highlanders of Canada. Shortly after being Knighted In 1997, Sir William became the Director of Music for the Burlington Teen Tour Band – Canada’s largest and most award winning Youth Band.

A frequent adjudicator and clinician Bill has judged throughout North America and at the World Championships for Marching Bands (Calgary, Germany & Japan ). Bill is a member of the Board of Directors for the Ontario Arts Council and also the Music Advisory Committee for Mohawk College.