2022 Adjudicators

Denis Letourneau has a BMus. in violin performance from the U of A with post-graduate studies at the Banff Center over several summers. I was the Concertmaster for the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra for 39 years and since retiring am remaining employed by the OSO on an occasional basis. I have recently taken up classical singing as a new project. I used to sing in my late teens with the Edmonton Opera Chorus and in my father’s choirs as he was the main voice instructor at the time. Now I have wonderful opportunities to sing and play the violin, not at the same time, with Jay LaFlamme in a number of retirement facilities and other venues throughout the Okanagan. One of my other loves is jazz violin and to that end I have been able to perform on many jazz concerts with several different ensembles over the years. Lastly, I am currently working up a beautiful classical concert program for violin and piano with the very fine pianist Graham Vink and we are excitedly looking forward to a small performance tour sometime this summer.

Rob Goddard received his Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance from the University of British Columbia and received his Masters in Education with an emphasis in conducting from the University of Victoria. Rob has performed on trumpet with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra (principal and 2^nd), the Vancouver Symphony, the CBC Chamber Orchestra, the Symphonie Canadiana (principal and 2^nd), the Mississauga Symphony (principal), the Victoria Symphony (principal) and the Okanagan Symphony (principal). He was a founding member of A Touch of Brass quintet with whom he toured extensively. Rob continues to perform on both trumpet and piano throughout the U.S. and Canada. He has been a music instructor at the Langley Fine Arts School since its inception more than 30 years ago where he created a unique music curriculum with an emphasis on chamber music, ear training, theory and composition.  Rob has also taught the Senior Wind Ensemble, Senior Jazz Band and the Langley Fine Arts Orchestra. These large ensembles have been the recipients of numerous awards and international invitations. Rob was awarded the Professional Music Educator Award (Secondary) by the British Columbia Music Educators’ Association in 2014. His passion for working with musicians, both young and old, has afforded him opportunities to work as an adjudicator, clinician and as conductor of the Fraser Valley Wind Ensemble (formerly the Kwantlen Alumni Wind Ensemble). He founded the Langley District Honour Orchestra and Kwantlen Strings. His conducting has been recognized and endorsed by the likes of Bramwell Tovey, Dr. Dale Lonis, Dr. Wayne Jeffrey and Dr. Jim Sparks to name a few.

Cynthia Goddard earned her A.R.C.T. diploma in performance at the age of fifteen and received her Bachelor of Music Degree and Master of Music Degree with a full graduate fellowship in piano performance from the University of British Columbia, studying under Dr. Dale Reubart. She has also worked with Anton Kuerti, Robert Silverman and Lee Kum Sing. Mrs. Goddard has accompanied members of a number of North American orchestras in concert and has performed numerous solo recitals. She has been an instructor with the Delta Conservatory of Music, Langley Community Music School, Kamloops Interior Summer School of Music and the Courtenay Youth Music Centre. Mrs. Goddard is a past president of the South Fraser Branch of the B.C. Registered Music Teachers’ Association and has been a member of the B.C. Choral Federation. She has also been an official accompanist for the International Clarinet Association’s “Clarinet Fest” where she worked with visiting artists from several countries around the world. Mrs. Goddard has also had experience teaching elementary band and worked for a number of years as a church music facilitator and choral director and composer. Cynthia continues to enjoy teaching, working as a collaborative pianist and accompanist, and chamber ensemble coaching along with conducting teacher workshops and student master classes. She has a passion for sharing her love of music and the arts with students of all ages and has adjudicated extensively throughout BC.

Melissa Braun is a passionate voice teacher, music educator and community builder.
As a voice teacher, Melissa aims to help each student develop the skills and technique they need to express freely in a range of styles. She loves exploring tools that allow students to communicate narrative, character and emotion and delights in the moment when students feel they have truly conveyed meaning through their music.

She is the founder and CEO of the Squamish Academy of Music where she has successfully been fostering community and collaboration since the academy opened in 2010. As Artistic Director for the Broadway or Bust Performing Arts Program, Melissa has directed hundreds of young performers in musical theatre productions. When she’s not teaching in the private studio, she is often found in the theatre as a director, performer, or audience member.

Melissa holds a Bachelor of Music in voice from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Bachelor of Education from OISE University of Toronto.  She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the British Columbia Teachers Federation and the SpeakEasy Cooperative and is a Gold Medal RCM teacher. She is honoured to share her approach to music education and her knowledge of the singing voice as a clinician and adjudicator throughout Western Canada.

Nina Horvath is a Vancouver based musician active as a pianist, vocalist and administrator. Raised in Rossland, BC, Nina completed her Teacher’s ARCT before going on to further studies at the University of Victoria, University of Denver and University of British Columbia.

Nina’s greatest passion has always been collaborating with other artists, especially in the creation of new works. She has always been an active leader in the musical community working as a co-founder and director of three new vocal ensembles while in Victoria and as the creator of the First Tuesdays concert series in Denver. She has had the privilege of working with many acclaimed artists and has pursued extra studies in vocal coaching and art song. 

As a performer, Nina has been fortunate to work as a chorister and pianist on three different continents. She has collaborated with artists throughout Canada and the United States with a special focus on vocal and brass music. She is committed to bringing music to small communities like those in her home region of the West Kootenays, where she regularly returns to perform. She has worked from coast to coast, including a year on staff for the Fountain School of Performing Arts at Dalhousie University. She has served as music director on productions in Victoria, Salzburg, Halifax and Vancouver. She is also a committed teacher who has mentored students to award winning festival and exam performances. 

Today, Nina divides her time in Vancouver between serving as Executive Director for Coastal Jazz, singing with the Vancouver Cantata Singers, working as a pianist and coach at the Vancouver Academy of Music, and playing for as many local singers and instrumentalists as she can. She served as Executive Director for the Vancouver Bach Choir from 2017-2021. When not immersed in music, you can find her adventuring in the mountains.