2016 Adjudicators

Peter Stigings B.Ed., M.Ed., has been involved in Music Education for 52 years. He has taught at the elementary, secondary and post secondary levels. He has served as an adjudicator, conductor, evaluator and workshop clinician throughout Canada, USA and Hong Kong. He has directed bands, choirs, orchestras and jazz ensembles and is known as a master teacher. His ensembles have toured extensively throughout Canada, as well as the USA, Europe, Hawaii and Japan. In 1999, he was awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Award for Teaching Excellence. He recently retired as Faculty Advisor and Sessional Lecturer at both the University of Victoria and the University of British Columbia. At the present time he is the Musical Director of “A Little Night Music Orchestra”, a 70-piece community orchestra.

Ginny-Lou Alexander has loved poetry ever since she was a little girl. She used to save every poem she found in newspapers, magazines, and Sunday school papers. She grew up in central Alberta and as a youngster entered the Wood River Festival, an experience she enjoyed very much.

Ginny-Lou has been coaching students in Speech Arts for 25 years, in the Christian school, public schools and in her private studio. She finds that it is very rewarding work, seeing people gain performance abilities, confidence and self-esteem as a result of presenting their art on the stage.

Many of her students have gone on to represent her home festival (100 Mile Festival of the Arts) at the Provincial Festival.
Ginny-Lou continues to live and work in 100 Mile House. Besides maintaining a busy piano/vocal/speech arts studio, she is active as a lay missionary with the Cariboo Presbyterian Church.

Since her debut with the Toronto Symphony, Jane Hayes’ concerts have taken her across Canada, the United States, Mexico and Europe. An active recording artist, she has 17 CDs available on the Fanfare, EMI, Centrediscs, ATMA, Artifact, CBC-Musica Viva and CBC SM5000 labels. Jane completed a successful touring project in May and June 2015, where she presented a program celebrating the 100th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Scriabin in Switzerland, Russia, Bulgaria and Israel. Two CDs with clarinetist Francois Houle were also launched to critical acclaim in Vancouver. The first was at Pyatt Hall in March for “Sassicaia”, devoted to Canadian repertoire for piano and clarinet. This CD has been nominated for the 2015 Western Canada Music Awards to be announced this September. The second CD, “Zarabandeo”, focuses on Hispanic content from South America, Mexico, Cuba and Europe.

In addition to her active performing schedule, Jane is a dedicated teacher and educator. She is the recipient of the 2015 Kwantlen Faculty of Arts Distinguished Teaching Award given for outstanding achievement in her field as noted by students.  As a proponent of Canadian music, she released a teaching edition and recording of early piano works by Barbara Pentland in 2010 which is available through Avondale Press. Now Past-President of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association, she regularly travels to both small and large Canadian centres to judge solo and chamber competitions, including the Eckhardt-Grammatté competition, Pacific Coast Music Association Competitions, and provincial and local festivals.  This season, she will be on a Canadian tour with the Turning Point Ensemble as well as concertizing extensively in the Lower Mainland.

Don James, CM settled in Powell River after graduating in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Washington in the early 1970s. Over the past 37 years he has enjoyed a successful career as a conductor, music educator and musical entrepreneur. He is the Founder and Artistic Director Emeritus, Powell River Academy of Music, International Choral Kathaumixw and Symphony Orchestra & Opera Academy of the Pacific and recently elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Powell River Academy of Music.

He has served as president of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors and the British Columbia Association of Community Music Schools and, for a decade, was Canada’s representative on the Board of Directors of the International Federation for Choral Music and is currently a member of the Music Council of the World Choir Games.

Mr. James has been a juror for the Juno Awards, CBC National Choir Competition, Miedzyzdroje Festival of Song in Poland, the national choral competitions of Sweden and the Choir Olympics in Korea and in China. Mr. James is the recipient of the Willan Award and Canada’s highest honour, the Order of Canada, in recognition of his distinguished service to music.

A mentor and an inspiration to a countless number of his students and colleagues, Mr. James’ influence in creating connections between musicians cannot be overstated; he has reached out to the global music community throughout his career. As the member, and sometimes chair, of national and international boards he has initiated many important musical projects in Canada and around the world.

Yvette is an active adjudicator at many music Festivals throughout Western Canada and is a member of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association and the BC Registered Music Teachers’ Association.  She has taught all levels of music for over 35 years and is a former faculty member of the Langley Community Music School, the Victoria Conservatory and the Douglas College Community Music School.

Yvette Rowledge graduated with distinction from the University of Victoria School of Music and holds diplomas from the Royal Conservatory of Music Toronto (ARCT, Performance), the Victoria Conservatory of Music (AVCM, Performance and Pedagogy), and Camosun College (Associate of Arts Diploma in music).  Her tutors have included Dr. Robin Wood, Winifred Scott Wood, Dr. Gordana Lazarevich and Bruce Vogt.

She has examined senior levels of piano for The London College of Music and Media (England).  Yvette enjoys both leading and participating in Master Classes.