2017 Adjudicators

Kevin Zakresky is founder-director of the Sea to Sky Symphony and the conductor of the Pacifica Singers in Vancouver. Kevin is Associate Conductor of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses, a production that has seen him directing orchestras in Montreal, Charlottesville, Columbus, Miami, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton, San Antonio and London (with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra in Wembley Arena).

Zakresky is the past Music Director of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra and has recently conducted the St Louis Symphony, Sudbury Symphony, West Coast Symphony, Vancouver Chamber Choir and two concerts with Sea to Sky. He completed his Doctorate at Yale University in 2012.

Zakresky made his CBC broadcast debut conducting Monteverdi with the Vancouver Chamber Choir and the Vancouver Chamber Orchestra in 2014. During his time with the Prince George Symphony, he worked with many soloists including Jane Coop, Dale Barltrop, Nadina Mackie Jackson and Lucas Wong. He has been a faculty member of the Vancouver International Song Institute, directed choirs at Douglas College and has taught conducting at the School for Contemporary Arts, Simon Fraser University. He currently teaches at the Vancouver Symphony School of Music.

Michael van der Sloot earned his Bachelor and Master degrees on the viola at the University of British Columbia.  He then pursued his doctoral studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria.  Michael has had success at various international solo and chamber competitions and has represented Canada on 2 occasions. Michael has also played with most of the Symphonies in Western Canada and toured through Germany, Austria, France, Switzerland and Italy, including performances at the Theatre Rue Champs Elysees in Paris, and the Musikverein in Vienna.  In addition to his performing, Michael is a passionate teacher. He has been a guest instructor at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Beijing Central Conservatory, Mount Royal University, and several other music institutions across Western Canada. Currently, Michael has students at most the major music schools across Canada and the United States including the San Francisco Conservatory, Cleveland Institute of Music, New England Conservatory and Juilliard School of Music.  Many of his students have soloed with major Symphonies in Canada.  In 2010, Michael accepted the position of Head of Strings at the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

Originally from Three Hills, Alberta, Janna Olson holds degrees in church music and piano performance and a Masters in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Alberta where she studied with Janet Scott-Hoyt. She is also certified in Piano and Early Childhood Music with the Gordon Institute for Music Learning.

Performing, adjudicating, and giving workshops have provided diverse opportunities for her to share her music in Canada, the United States and Europe.  Janna currently resides in Edmonton teaching privately and as a sessional instructor at The King’s University.  She enjoys playing chamber music and in her “off hours” spends time outdoors hiking, skiing and running.

Don Bennett has been a music educator for over 30 years, most of those at the high school level.  His schools’ concert bands, jazz bands and choirs have performed frequently in provincial and national music festivals, receiving excellent reviews.  Students of his have been regularly selected for Provincial and National Honour Bands and Choirs, and several have been chosen to participate in the American High School Honours Performance Series ensembles, performing in Carnegie Hall.    Dozens of former students have pursued careers as professional musicians and/or music teachers, but he is most gratified when he hears of many more who have continued to be involved in musical activities for leisure and recreation.

Don has held long-time memberships in the BC and Canadian Music Educators’ Associations as well as several other professional music education organizations.  He has served on the executive of the BCMEA and the Pacific Coast Music Festivals Association, and has presented workshops for teachers on brass pedagogy, instrumental music teaching, assessment and conducting.  He currently serves as Fine Arts Coordinator for the Kamloops Thompson School District.

Completing a BMus degree as a trombonist at the University of British Columbia, and a MEd degree at the University of Victoria with a major in instrumental conducting, Don has also been active as a performer.  He has played with orchestras throughout the province, from Vancouver to Prince George, and has performed regularly with brass and jazz ensembles.  Principal trombonist of the Kamloops Symphony Orchestra for 26 years, he stepped down in 2014 to pursue other opportunities.  He is currently assistant conductor of the Kamloops Brandenburg Orchestra and the Kamloops Community Concert Band.