2022 Adjudicators

Dr. Joy Berg has taught as a professor of music and director of choral activities in the academic world for over 20 years (mostly at Concordia University of Edmonton), and offers a dynamic centre for training of the church musician through Sanctuary Sounds. Growing up in a musical Lutheran pastor’s family, Joy is presently the Director of Music at Christ Church Anglican in Edmonton, Alberta. Intrigued by the gift of the singing voice, Joy loves working with choirs, and enlivening the choral music and congregational music of the Church. She has two doctorates in these passion areas: a Doctorate of Musical Arts in choral conducting (from U. of Iowa, 2001), and a Doctorate of Worship (from the Robert Webber Institute of Worship Studies, 2019). Joy is a curator for the Cypress Publishing church choir series, Songs for the Sanctuary; she has written several articles, a few hymns, and, as a collegial collaborator, has won service awards in her community (particularly the Companion of the Worship Arts national award from Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada in 2014, and the “Con Spirito” community service award, provincial award from the Alberta Choral Federation in 2008). Joy often adjudicates in the areas of voice, choral, and piano.

Janna Olson is a sessional instructor at The King’s University in Edmonton, Alberta where she teaches Piano and Piano Pedagogy. She also maintains a thriving independent piano studio where she teaches students from ages 5 to over 70. Janna is an active clinician, adjudicator, conservatory examiner and collaborative pianist. Her teaching and research interests include music literacy and mentoring. She holds Bachelor degrees in church music and piano performance and a Masters in Applied Music and Piano Pedagogy from the University of Alberta. She serves as a piano faculty member with the Gordon Institute for Music Learning.

Brazilian-Canadian violinist Vladimir Rufino has brought his love of music to stages in South America and Europe as well as Canada and the United States. He holds a Doctor of Music degree from the University of Alberta (Canada), a Master of Music degree and Artist Certificate from Azusa Pacific University (USA), and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Universidade Federal da Paraíba (Brazil). He has studied with Yerko Pinto Tabilo and Charles Stegeman. He has participated in music festivals and symposia in Brazil, Canada, and the United States including the Starling-Delay Symposium on Violin Studies at The Juilliard School.

Vladimir has performed with orchestras in Brazil, the United States, and Canada, on many occasions serving as soloist, concertmaster, and assistant concertmaster. His chamber music experience includes numerous international performances as part of the Quartet Quarta Dimensão, the Camerata Brasílica, the Villa-Lobos String Quartet, and the Vaughan String Quartet. Besides performing the standard classical repertoire, Vladimir has performed and recorded a number of works by Brazilian composers. Vladimir currently performs regularly with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and as first violin of the Vaughan String Quartet, which released its debut CD in 2018.

In addition to his performance schedule, Vladimir adjudicates for festivals and competitions in Alberta and teaches at the MacEwan University Conservatory of Music.

Dawn is currently an Assistant Professor, Head of Voice in MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts Program. Before teaching at MacEwan, Dawn worked as a teacher, director and singer/actor across Canada and eventually took on the role of Managing Artistic Director at the King’s Playhouse in Prince Edward Island from 2009 – 2011. She has also previously taught at St. Thomas University, The University of Calgary, Rocky Mountain College and The University of Alberta. Dawn is still an active performer, vocal coach and director. Her most recent creative work includes: Crescendo by Sandy Paddick – Singer/Actor (Edmonton Fringe); Last Light Above the World: A War Litany by Allan Bevan – Actor (RES); Carmen by Bizet – Assistant Director (Mercury Opera) and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley by Gunderson and Melcon – Vocal Coach (Citadel Theatre).