Meet The Adjudicators

Annette Poirier-Bradley completed her extensive music study while residing in Calgary, Alberta. Upon completion of her Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto (ARCT) and the Associate of the
Mount Royal Conservatory of Calgary (AMRC), both in Piano Performance, she went on to receive her Bachelor of Education
majoring in Elementary Music at the University of Calgary. Her sound musical ability, pedagogy and musical interpretation are to be attributed to her accomplished piano teachers Janice Milevic/Thoreson and Charles Foreman as well as studying flute under the direction of Dave Edgar, also of Calgary. She later completed various post-graduate studies including her Master of Education majoring on music from the University of Alberta and earned a Diploma of Fine Arts in Kodaly Methodology at the University of Calgary as well as both Level I and II of Orff-Schulwerk at the University of Alberta.
Annette’s musical experience ranges from teaching private piano lessons for the past 42 years, directing award winning choirs and bands, to teaching classroom music, junior high band and high school choral music in both schools and at the university level. She has experience being a professional accompanist for solo and ensemble groups, for ballet classes and musical theatre as well as being a guest pianist and flautist on occasion.
Annette’s piano students have done exceptionally well over the years and have earned various scholarships and awards for the highest marks in examinations and music festivals including students that have played at Carnegie Hall and have gone on to do music undergrad and post-graduate work. Working with kindergarten-aged beginners to
students completing their Grade 10 and ARCT Diploma, she comes with vast experience working with pianists of all levels.
She has just celebrated her 39 th year of membership and has held various positions with the Alberta Registered Music Teacher’s Association (ARMTA). She was on the faculty at Red Deer College between 2000 and 2012 instructing in Music Department at the Red
Deer College where her subjects of instruction vary from university transferable courses in elementary school music education, where she uses primarily Kodaly and Orff methodology, to courses in theory, history, aural skills, ensembles, and piano lessons.
After 35 years of classroom teaching, she has recently retired from that so that she can be more flexible in her private music studio and more available to examine with the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM), director the Red Deer Children’s Choir and adjudicating
music festivals in her spare time. She enjoys spending time with her family, her grandchildren, her pets and her husband of 35 years.

Esther knew from a very young age that music was to be a large part of her life.  

As a young student, there were many many music teachers.  Eventually, her learning journey brought her to study with Vera Shean, Esther’s favourite teacher and a founding member of both the Edmonton Symphony and Alberta College.  Under Mrs. Shean’s teachings, Esther received her Associate degree in piano and is now an alumni of Conservatory Canada, formerly the Western Board School of Music.  She rounded out this music degree with a BA in music theory and art history from the University of Alberta.  

An active musician, Esther is always teaching, playing, arranging, and conducting which keeps the music alive.  As a teacher with over forty years experience in both theory and piano studies, she finds new ways to reach students.  Her students now take classes both in person and over Zoom.  In her studio, students are encouraged to find joy in music. Beyond preparing for exams, there is always a special moment in each class where the magic happens.  Esther believes that music has a power to help find balance in our lives and to enrich our lives.  It is always fun to see what new things she will be learn each year.

In Esther’s life, there is a long history with music festivals; beginning as a child performer, to a teacher of students, to a parent, and finally to being involved with the music festival organization as an administrator.  She still enjoys volunteering at live festivals, as well as adjudicating and conducting masterclasses. There is always something new to hear and experience.  

Kathy Dornian is a nationally respected pedagogue, chamber musician, adjudicator and examiner. Since 1985, Kathy Dornian has served on the Mount Royal University Conservatory faculty where she pursues an extensive and versatile career. She has built a solid reputation over the years as a sensitive and accomplished teacher and collaborator. For many years she was an artistic collaborator with the international Morningside Music Bridge Program and was the piano coordinator of the Academy of Music. She travels throughout North America as an adjudicator, workshop clinician and examiner for RCM Examinations. She has been one of the RCM pioneers since 2020 in online exam delivery and to date has conducted several thousand online exams in addition to live. Kathy has also served as a visiting faculty member of the renowned Central Conservatory and Middle School in Beijing, China.
In 2019, Kathy was awarded the prestigious National ‘Teacher of Distinction Award’ by the Royal Conservatory of Music. Known as a kind, inspiring and imaginative educator who fosters excellence in her
students, she is certainly one of Calgary’s most sought-after teachers. Her students consistently achieve high results in examinations, and many have been accepted into post-secondary institutions. Many of her former students have created successful careers in music, although she is equally proud of those who have chosen other fields but maintain their passion for the arts. In the past few years, mentoring the next generation of teachers and examiners has also played a vital role in her professional career.

Angela Siemens holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Bachelor of Music from Augustana University College. She continued her studies at the Victoria Conservatory of Music, where she played leading roles in Opera Studio’s productions of Brother XII and
Romeo and Juliet. She also holds a Voice Teacher’s ARCT from the Royal Conservatory of Music and earned her Student Certificate in Yodelology. Recently, she was delighted to play the role of Coco’s sister in the world premiere of It’s Coco!—a musical fusion opera written by Cheryl Cooney and Anna Maria Kaufmann. This year, she has loved being the vocal director for the production of Into the Woods, presented by Hunting Hills High School. Mrs. Siemens enjoys performing, adjudicating, and teaching. She has a thirst for knowledge and a keen interest in the science of vocal pedagogy and its applications.
Her students have earned numerous scholarships and awards, but more importantly, have cultivated a deep appreciation for music and a love of singing. She believes that music is an important part of life and strives to share her joy of music with everyone she
works with. She currently teaches from her private studio in Red Deer.

Justin Macosky loved choral music from a young age. He spent eleven years singing with the Mount Royal Family of Choirs, touring across Canada and to Mexico. During his time with the Mount Royal Youth Choir, he was a student at Central Memorial High School in the Performing and Visual Arts Program in vocal music as a counter tenor.

Starting in 2007, Justin was the choral director for Forest Lawn United Church directing both the adult choir, and children’s choir. He also served as Artistic Director and Conductor for the Ismaili Muslim Youth Choir from 2009-2012. From 2010-2021 Justin was the Director of Choral Programming at Hillhurst United Church, and served as the Southern Alberta Programming Assistant for Choir Alberta (formerly Alberta Choral Federation) from 2012-2015, organizing Choralfest South, and Alberta Youth Choir 2013. Justin graduated from MRU in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Child Studies, with a minor in Early Learning and Child Care. Currently Justin is the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Airdrie Community Choir, Choral Director of McDougall United Church in Calgary, Westwinds Mixed Choir in Calgary, PAC member for Choir Alberta, and is a preschool teacher with P.L.A.Y. Daycare in Kensington Calgary.

Christine Bootland, a passionate music educator and cellist, has been a teacher and performer in Alberta, B.C., and Saskatchewan over the last 20 years. She recently retired from the Medicine Hat Conservatory of Music and has taken over the role of Chair for the Alberta Music Education Foundation. Her philosophy is to help create future generations of music lovers of all styles, whether they be professionals, amateurs, or concert goers. Each student is unique, and her goal is to help them develop their own individuality and personality in their playing. Christine has extensive experience as a cello instructor, ensemble coach, conductor, and performer, and currently teaches both privately from her home in Medicine Hat as well as at the University of Lethbridge Conservatory.
 

Calgary native, Christine Bootland began her studies with Fay Johnson and later at the Mount Royal College Academy of Music with John Kadz. She completed a Bachelor of Music Performance degree at the University of British Columbia under the direction of Eric Wilson and later participated in the master’s Program at the University of Toronto under the tutelage of Shauna Rolston. She has studied with renowned artists Aldo Parisot, Janos Starker, Zara Nelsova, and Lawrence Lesser at the Banff School of Fine Arts and has performed with well-known classical musicians David Shifrin, Andrew Dawes, Kai Gleusteen and country artist Lyle Lovett. Christine is an active extra performer in various chamber ensembles and with the Lethbridge, Red Deer and Regina Symphonies as well as the Symphony of the Kootenays and the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. She has toured Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia as a member of the Armadillo String Quartet of Canada and was first prize winner in the CIBC National Chamber Music Festival Competition with the JEB string quartet. Christine has adjudicated all over Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan and her students have won numerous awards at all levels but for her she gets immense joy from doing educational outreach performance programs wherever she is. Christine was on the faculty at Medicine Hat College from 2001-2021 as cello instructor, ensemble coach, Academy Instructor and conductor and program coordinator for both the Community and Junior Orchestras. In 2010 she was pleased to be invited to become a cello instructor at the University of Lethbridge Conservatory of Music three days a week. Her favorite thing to do in her down time is to read, experiment in her garden and go for walks.

From his formative years spent in tropical northern Australia to a globe-spanning music career, Ben Lahring has established himself as a captivating composers and performer with “absolutely beautiful” interpretations (Liona Boyd) and a “gift of playing the intention behind the music” (William Beauvais, composer). 

Ben Lahring is an Associate Composer with the Canadian Music Centre and an Adjudicator with the Royal Conservatory of Music College of Examiners. He teaches guitar on the faculties of Ambrose University and Mount Royal University. Additionally, he serves as the Vice-President of the Classical Guitar Society of Calgary.

Lahring has always been bold in his musical explorations, with engagements ranging from a year-long solo-guitar performance residency in Sydney, Australia, to playing in the orchestra pits of musical theater productions and touring with choirs, rock bands and soul singers. He was a regular fixture in the New York City guitar scene for several years, where he released his first album of solo guitar music, praised for being “fun and enthusiastic” and displaying “a natural feel for the music” (This is Classical Guitar).

Lahring’s latest album of solo guitar music, Driftwood, has been reviewed to high acclaim as "a work of originality and shimmering beauty" (Vivascene) and “one of the most singularly beautiful guitar recitals” (Fanfare Magazine). His work has been supported by the City of Calgary and his solo concerts always include meaningful original compositions in addition to musical gems from Australia, Canada and other places he’s lived and traveled. His own compositions are consistently popular with audiences and have been receiving increased attention from performers, with recent Canadian premieres of his works for guitar orchestra, guitar quartet, solo guitar, solo ukulele, and solo piano. 

Lahring completed his graduate studies as a scholarship student at the University of Calgary, studying guitar performance with early music specialist Dr. Ralph Maier, and composition with Dr. Allan Bell. Additional lessons with Ben Verdery, Patrick Roux and Iliana Matos, as well as masterclasses and workshops with Jason Vieaux, Jerome Ducharme, Judicael Perroy, and Rene Izquierdo, amongst others, have also been influential in the development of his playing. Ever the musical explorer, he has also received extensive formal training in singing and choral conducting and spent several years as a choir director.​ 

Mark DeJong is a saxophonist, composer, and bandleader and currently teaches at the Mount Royal University Conservatory. He holds degrees in saxophone performance from the University of Calgary, (BMus) and jazz performance from Rutgers University (MMus)

Active as a performer and clinician throughout North America, Mark has numerous recording credits and appearances at festivals across the country. He is the founder of MusicConnect, which recently featured multiple Grammy award-winning composer/pianist Gil Goldstein. He is the co-leader of Calgary's Redline Trio, and was recently featured as a soloist with Sarah Slean, together with the Vancouver Symphony, the Calgary Philharmonic and the Saskatoon Symphony. He has also been featured as a soloist with Laila Biali, the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra, the Winnipeg Jazz Orchestra, and Canada's iconic Shuffle Demons, on their tour of Panama and Cuba. He appeared as a feature artist at the World Expo in Shanghai, China, as well as the Blue Note, New York. Over the course of his career he has shared the stage with Ray Charles, Gil Goldstein, Lenny Pickett, Wayne Bergeron, Laila Biali, Dee Daniels, David Braid, Kenny Wheeler, Brad Turner, Caity Gyorgy, Campbell Ryga, Ian Tyson, Wayne Newton, Rob McConnell, Moe Koffman, Ralph Bowen, Sean Jones, Hugh Fraser, Tommy Banks, PJ Perry and many others.