About Us
The Shuswap Music Festival encourages and celebrates music students and amateur musicians by providing opportunities to learn, perform, and grow on their journey to musical excellence. Open to non-professional musicians from the Southern Interior of British Columbia, the festival features Piano, Strings, Vocal, Choral, and Band disciplines. Adjudicators from across Western Canada provide professional evaluations and guidance to participants.
As a regional festival affiliated with the Performing Arts BC Provincial Music Festival, top students may be recommended to compete provincially, with the chance to advance to Western Canadian and national levels. This pathway motivates participants to strive for excellence while gaining valuable performance experience.
The festival is organized by the Shuswap Music Festival Society, a charitable non-profit established in 2000 by the Registered Music Teachers Association of BC (Shuswap Branch) and the Rotary Club of Salmon Arm. With strong community, donor, and volunteer support, the Society has successfully hosted annual festivals, adapting through challenges like the Covid-19 pandemic with virtual performances and distance adjudication. Its mission remains to provide the best possible festival experience for all.
Board of Directors
John Hansen
John spent eight years as a professional musician before starting his family and building a successful career with BC Tel. A dedicated Rotarian since 2012, he has been an active part of the Shuswap Music Festival for 12 years and currently serves as Board President. John has a deep passion for community service and volunteering. In his spare time, you can see him up in the sky! He enjoys flying the RV-6 airplane he proudly built himself in 2000.
Marlene Engel
As long as she can remember, Marlene has found joy in making and sharing music with others. Being raised in a Baptist church family she was surrounded by people who “made a joyful noise unto the Lord”. She began her musical training at an early age, first in piano and then the violin. Soon she was playing in ensembles, singing and accompanying others. Her church gave her plenty of opportunities to share what she was learning, and has continued to do so throughout her life. At school Marlene eagerly joined the choirs and bands playing varied instruments from flute to tuba. During her high school years she was encouraged to start teaching piano lessons. This part-time job proved to be ideal through raising three children. Moving to various locations she was involved with music festivals in Coquitlam, Ft. St. John, Burns Lake, Salmon Arm and Vanderhoof. Participating in committees for music festivals and worship ministry, accompanying and occasionally directing choirs has allowed her to collaborate with a great variety of other music-lovers. After moving back to Salmon Arm, Marlene was encouraged to join the Board of the Shuswap Music Festival, and has been serving as Secretary since 2013.
Sue McCrae
Sue has over 45 years experience as a consultant, accountant, and CFO. She excels in guiding businesses through growth and change, and is passionate about rural health, economic development, and community. Sue complements her professional expertise with extensive board service and volunteerism. She is grateful to be involved in the Shuswap Music Festival.
List of Directors
Musicians
Eric Nyland
Eric is a pianist (ARCT, LRCM) and actor (BFA, CAEA). For twenty years, Eric has worked professionally in theatre, film, voiceover, music, and music pedagogy throughout Canada. He runs a private teaching studio in Calgary and is a member of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association. Eric developed and taught two courses for Mount Royal University (Introductory Keyboard for Adults – Learn to Read, and Play by Ear/Improvisation), and served as the musical director for the long-form theatre improvisation duo One Lions (winner, Best Show at Vancouver International Improv Festival, 2016). He has studied with Linda Kundert, Dr. Lillian Upright, and Dr. Irena Kofman, and has taken masterclasses from Dr. Jennifer Snow, Dr. Jacques Despres, and Dr. Ludmilla Lazar.
Melanie Adams
Melanie Adams is a prominent member of Vancouver’s music community. Her solo repertoire ranges from early music to world premieres of new works by prominent Canadian composers. Most notably, she created the dual role of “Margot/Amelia McGillen” in the Supernatural Noir, she created the role of “Spirit of the Maple Tree” in Shadow Catch, and the role of “The Counsellor” Kayoi Komachi. Last season she was the alto soloist in a rare performance of the Mass in E-Flat by Amy Beach.
In the choral world, for 20 years, Melanie was very well-known as a member of Vancouver’s musica intima, with whom she has toured extensively in Canada and the US, as well as overseas, and has appeared on many of their recordings. Since January 2012, she has also been a soloist/ section leader with the Vancouver Cantata Singers. She is the Director of Music for Trinity Presbyterian Church in New Westminster and Burnaby. She is also a frequent clinician and has given classes in technique, vocal health, and diction.
Finally, Melanie owns and operates an active and thriving voice studio in New Westminster. More about Melanie can be learned through her website at melanieadams.duetpartner.com.
Simon MacDonald
Violinist Simon MacDonald began his musical studies in Victoria in 1980. He decided to pursue music seriously after playing with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in 1990 and 1991, and in the fall of 1991 was playing regularly with the Victoria Symphony. In 1992, he left for school in Boston (NEC, BMus 96), and followed that with school in Montreal (McGill, MMus 96). Following the completion of his Master's Degree, Simon pursued numerous musical adventures in Boston, Montreal, New Orleans, Miami, as well as Australia, Germany, Italy, France, the UK, and Russia, Before returning permanently to BC in 2017, Simon's home base was the Canadian Prairies, where he performed with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (first violin), the Manitoba Chamber Orchestra (principal 2nd violin), and the Regina Symphony Orchestra (concertmaster). Simon loves playing anything put in front of him; he has premiered numerous new works after 17 years at the Winnipeg New Music Festival, initiated the first ever Beethoven Quartet Cycle in the city of Regina with the Regina Symphony Chamber Players, and has enjoyed playing in everything from Baroque orchestras to touring Broadway Productions. From 2017-2024 he was the Victoria Conservatory of Music String Faculty Department Head, and the Artistic Director of the Young Artists Collegium at the VCM, following in the footsteps of his one of his early teachers, Sydney Humphreys. He now maintains a private studio in Victoria, and performs as a freelance musician all over British Columbia, he is grateful to be a part of the amazing community of musicians who live out here in BC.