2017 Adjudicators
MusicFest Fanfare prides itself in working with first-class musicians, professors, and composers to provide adjudication and workshops for each performing group.
MICHAEL WOOD
With a career that has taken him from the orchestras of the Stratford Festival and National Ballet of Canada, Michael has travelled east to west coasts. A percussionist and jazz vibist, he is equally comfortable on stage, in the orchestra pit, or the class room setting. In his tenure at Canada's Premier Theatre "The Stratford Festival" Stratford Ontario Canada, he worked with over 100 international composers in live music, on stage, as well as recorded studio sessions. His work with noted NYC Composer Stanley Silverman enabled him the opportunity to work with "James Taylor" in a compilation of works by Duke Ellington for Shakespeare's "Timon of Athens" 1993.
As a Jazz Vibist Michael has an impressive list of corporate clients and has performed at numerous music festivals and clubs in Ontario including the Heuther Hotel's "Jazz Room" in Waterloo with fellow Yamaha Artist Mike Downes and Terry Clark.
His Vibraphone Master Classes have been well received at the University of Windsor, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Ottawa, Mac Master University and Western University. In addition to Michael's 32 years at Stratford, he has performed regularly in Toronto's Theatre Scene and Concert Stages including the Royal Alex, Hummingbird Centre, Elgin Theatre, Roy Thompson Hall, Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts, The Arts Centre in Ottawa, Hamilton Place, and Kitchener's Centre in the Square.
Michael has adjudicated extensively throughout Canada as well as presented workshops for the British Columbia Music Educators' Association (BCMEA) and Ontario Music Educators' Association (OMEA) as well as the Music Fest Nationals in Ottawa. Michael's academic credits include director of the University of Waterloo's Jazz Ensemble and percussion instructor (30 yrs).
DR. JULIA NOLAN
Dr. Julia Nolan maintains an active performing schedule committed to promoting new works for saxophone. She has commissioned works by many Canadian composers including Stephen Chatman, Keith Hamel, Colin MacDonald, Robert Pritchard, Nicolas Scherzinger, Jacquie Leggatt, Hope Lee, Fred Stride, Neal Currie, Alain Mayrand, Alan Matheson, and Jeffrey Ryan.
In July 2013, Julia Nolan taught at the Taiwan International Saxophone Camp and gave master classes in Taipei.
Julia Nolan was the Head Judge at the First International Saxophone Symposium and Competition (ISSAC) in Columbus, Georgia in October 2012.
Julia Nolan premiered Jeffrey Ryan’s concerto Brazen with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (Bramwell Tovey conducting) and with the Victoria Symphony Orchestra (Bernhard Gueller conducting) in April 2012.
In July, 2012 Julia Nolan performed Jan Freidlin’s Broceliande Concerto, premiered a Polys Tonos by Colin MacDonald, and gave a lecture based on her PhD thesis: Fostering Artistry and Pedagogy: Conversations with Artist-teachers Frederick Hemke, Eugene Rousseau, and Donald Sinta at the World Saxophone Congress in St. Andrews, Scotland.
Julia Nolan was a guest artist at the Hong Kong International Saxophone Symposium in July 2011.
In November 2010, Nolan was an international judge at the 5th Adolphe Sax International Saxophone Competition, in Dinant, Belgium.
