Adjudicators
Professional musicians in their own right, festival adjudicators are committed to providing our young musicians with valuable comments on their musical performances, and offer advice and strategies to help them and their directors strive for even greater musical achievement.
Our 2025 festival adjudicators include:
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Adjudicators Bios:
Dennis Esson - Since moving to Vancouver in 1980, Dennis has established himself as a highly respected and sought after trombonist and educator for a wide variety of musical activities.
Dennis has recorded music for cartoons, movies, jingles and soundtracks in addition to albums with many pop androck groups such as Stephen Fearing, The Paperboys, Buddy Miles, The Salteens, Veda Hille and many others.
He has also performed in the pit orchestras for Broadway shows such as “Chorus Line”, “The Full Monty”, and “42nd Street”.
As a jazz musician Dennis has performed with the “Vancouver Ensemble of Jazz Improvisation (VEJI)”, “Orquesta Goma Dura”, “Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra”, “Hard Rubber Orchestra”, “Ian McDougall Big Band” and the “Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra”.
Some of the musicians he has performed with include Kenny Wheeler, Phil Woods, Eddie Daniels, Marvin Stamm, David Foster, Maynard Ferguson, Natalie Cole, Clark Terry, Bud Shank, and Phil Nimmons.
As a music educator Dennis is currently the Jazz Studies
Coordinator at Capilano University where he also directs one of the three Big Bands as well as teaching other jazz courses. He was also a faculty member at UBC for many years where he was the director of the UBC Jazz Ensemble 2. In addition he has been on the faculty of the Courtney Youth Music Center, the Okanagan Summer School of the Arts, Douglas College Jazz Intensive, UBC Summer Music School, Victoria Conservatory Summer Jazz, and Kwantlen University Summer jazz camps.
Dennis is a frequent adjudicator and clinician at Music Festivals across B.C. as well as nationally and is a Yamaha trombone clinician.
Miles Black - Vancouver BC based composer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist Miles Black has over 45 years of professional experience. He has recorded on over 800 albums, and has performed world-wide with many music greats, including Sweets Edison, George Coleman, Max Roach, Dee Daniels, Houston Person, Wynton Marsalis, Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan and Lew Tabackin to name a few.
Miles is currently co-leading the award winning and Juno-nominated modern jazz quartet Altered Laws with reed-man Tom Keenlyside. He is a member of the Oliver Gannon Quartet, The Mike Allen Quartet, He is also pianist with an exciting jazz trio called "Triology", and leader of the Miles Black Octet. (www.milesblack.ca)
Miles also is a noted jazz educator and clinician at the Vancouver Symphony School of Music. (www.vsoschoolofmusic.ca)
Ingrid Stitt - Ingrid Stitt is a Canadian musician, based in Vancouver, who is a highly regarded saxophonist, composer, and arranger. A graduate of McGill’s prestigious school of music, Ingrid has worked as a freelance musician in Montreal and Toronto, leading her own jazz quintet and performing with many of Canada’s finest musicians from coast to coast. As a member of Jim Galloway’s Wee Big Band, she recorded and performed with guest artists Jay McShann, Fraser MacPherson, and Jake Hanna. She was a member of the CBC studio band for the Rita McNeil Show and toured with various pop artists including Cory Hart, Bo Diddley, The Box, Waterfront, Candi, and Tchukon, winners of NBC’s Star Search and CBC’s Rock Wars competitions.
In 1996, Ingrid graduated from UBC’s faculty of Education and began her second career as a secondary music educator in Burnaby. She discovered a passion for mentoring students, sharing ideas and connecting with music, especially jazz improvisation. In 2007, she completed a MEd degree in conducting and curriculum theory at the University of Victoria with mentors Gerald King, Denise Grant and Steven Capaldo. Since retiring from teaching full time, Ingrid has recently joined the faculty at the VSO School of Music and Capilano University. She is also in demand as a clinician and adjudicator for several festivals, music camps and other secondary schools in the province.Since moving west, Ingrid has been warmly welcomed into the vibrant music community and has enjoyed performing in the Vancouver Jazz Festival as well as many of the fine venues that support live music. She is a resident musician with the Vancouver Good Noise Gospel Choir and has performed with several big bands, including the Vancouver Legacy Jazz Orchestra, led by Fred Stride and Michael Kim, The Sister Jazz Orchestra, led by Christian Morrison, and the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra, led by Cory Weeds and James Danderfer. She has been active writing and recording, releasing two CDs and multiple videos, accessible on streaming services. She has also performed with the pit orchestra at the Stanley Theatre for several Arts Club productions including, Beautiful: The Carol King Story, Elf, Guys and Dolls and most recently Jersey Boys.
When time allows, Ingrid can be found on the links, working on her swing!
Ben Henriques - Julian Award nominee and saxophonist Ben Henriques has performed with Joe Lovano, Ben Monder, Jim McNeely, Father John Misty, Hey Ocean! and more. Originally from Vancouver, Ben cut his teeth in the Montreal jazz-scene, and returned to make Vancouver his home. His original tunes have been described as “lyrical” and “burners” by Peter Hum (Ottawa Citizen). Ben has released two albums, both of which have received critical acclaim (“The Responsibility Club” and “Captain Awesome”) and both feature his compositions which are a blend of jazz vocabulary mixed with Ben’s unique twist.
Ben teaches jazz studies classes at Capilano University and UBC, and gigs regularly on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland. He has performed as a sideman on countless albums such as “Night Devoid of Stars” and “Open Spaces” by Daniel Hersog (Cellar Music, 2020, 2023 respectively)and “It’s a Pony Kind of Christmas” by My Little Pony (Sony Limited, 2015), and has appeared a handful of times on television, including on ABC’s ‘Once Upon a Time”. Ben is a veteran performer, who brings 100% to every gig, and hopes to instil that sense of professionalism in his students.
Ellen Marple - Ellen Marple took up the trombone at age 11 with dreams of playing swing. She soon became fascinated with the instrument’s incredible versatility, immersing herself in style and technique across genres. As a freelancer, Ellen performs/records with an eclectic mix of artists including Adele, Dan Mangan, Capella Borealis, the Hard Rubber Orchestra and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Ellen teaches at the Vancouver Academy of Music and co-directs East Side Horns at the Hastings Community Centre.
Chris Haas - Christopher Haas currently teaches music and photography at Moscrop Secondary School in Burnaby. From 1999-2020, he served as the Director of Bands and Fine Arts Department Head at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver. The award-winning music program at Magee involved over 400 students in numerous bands, choirs and a string orchestra. In addition to teaching at Magee, Mr. Haas was a conductor at the UBC Summer Music Institute from 2000-2016, was associate conductor of A Little Night Music community orchestra from 2011-2018, he has adjudicated at the Surrey Jazz Festival, Con Brio Whistler and Sun Peaks, Kiwanis Concert and Jazz Festivals. Mr. Haas received his jazz and classical education at Humber University in Toronto, Brandon University, University of Calgary, UBC, and earned his Masters in Conducting from the American Band College at Oregon State University. Mr. Haas has been performing professionally on drums and percussion instruments for over 40 years. As an active freelancer, Mr. Haas continues to perform all styles of music including Latin, rock, jazz, funk, vocal/choral, classical, big band, pop and soul. He was also a drummer and band leader aboard the cruise ships the Britanis and the Amerikanis.
Rob Rebagliati - For over 40 years, Bob Rebagliati has directed many award-winning junior and senior high school ensembles. Bob frequently adjudicates at community music festivals in both the concert band and jazz band areas. Mr. Rebagliati is Adjudicator of the Conn-Selmer Centerstage Jazz Band at the annual MusicFest Canada and Adjudicator of Scholarships for MusicFest Canada's Instrumental Jazz Division. Bob has been the recipient of the British Columbia Music Educator's Professional Educator Award, Canada i25 medal, North Vancouver Music Educators' Award of Excellence and the Leadership in Music Education Award from the Coalition for Music Education In BC. In addition to being an in demand adjudicator of concert band and jazz festivals, Bob is a frequent guest conductor in both concert and jazz idioms. 'Reb' as he is also known, is also a frequent guest classroom clinician in concert band and jazz band rehearsal techniques, repertoire, percussion section, jazz interpretation and rhythm section instruments. Bob is a pianist/percussionist/drummer.
Brent Taylor - Brent Taylor received his Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Education, and Master of Arts degrees from U.B.C and began his music career working as a recording engineer and producer, starting in Vancouver, moving to Sydney, Australia, and then moving back to Vancouver in 1988. From 1991 to 2017 he taught instrumental music at Point Grey Secondary in Vancouver. The ensembles he directed at the school included concert bands, jazz bands, and combos, and for many years Point Grey was home to the largest jazz education program in the Vancouver School District. The concert bands and jazz groups were recognized with awards at festivals in Canada, the United States, and Europe. From 2017, Brent was a vice-principal in the Coquitlam School District until this past June, working at Port Moody Secondary. Brent conducted the Vancouver Youth Jazz Orchestra last June as part of the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, a role he will be returning to later this year. He also led the B.C. Honour Jazz Band for the annual B.C. Music Educators’ Conference in February. In addition to adjudicating and doing clinics at schools and festivals around the lower mainland, he also directs a community jazz band in New Westminster.
Casey Thomas-Burns - Casey Thomas-Burns (she/her/hers) is a trombonist, vocalist, and bandleader based in Vancouver, Canada. Casey holds her degree in Jazz Studies from Capilano University, where she had the opportunity to study trombone with Dennis Esson, voice with Jennifer Scott, and was the lead trombonist in the "A" Band under the direction of Brad Turner. Casey is the founder and director of 10-woman little big band 'The Leading Ladies', and was described by Juno-nominated bassist Jodi Proznick as "the future of arts leadership". She is also the director of the Deep Cove Big Band, and frequently guest conducts and gives workshops to groups across the Lower Mainland.
Geeta Das - Professional multi-instrumentalist, Geeta Das, has been performing and teaching music nationally and internationally since the mid 1990s. She studied music at Douglas College, the University of British Columbia, and privately throughout the eastern United States. She is well versed in a variety of musical styles, everything from Classical and Jazz, to Latin, Funk, R&B, Soul, Pop, Rock, Reggae, and more. Geeta has had the honour of working with countless local legends as well as world renowned artists including: Hugh Fraser, Ingrid Jensen, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Allen Vizzutti, Bill Watrous; in ensembles such as: The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Hard Rubber Orchestra, Sister Jazz Orchestra, James Danderfer’s Hummingbird Brigade, the Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra, and many more.
Jodi Proznick - Multiple Juno-nominated bassist, composer, producer and educator Jodi Proznick has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s finest jazz artists. She has won numerous National Jazz Awards, including Bassist of the Year in ’08 and ’09. Her group, the Jodi Proznick Quartet, was awarded the Acoustic Group of the Year and Album of the Year in ‘08 and the Galaxie Rising Star at the Vancouver International Jazz Festival in ’04. In 2019 she was awarded Jazz Artist of the Year and in 2022 the Instrumental Artist of the Year in collaboration with the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble at the Western Canadian Music Awards. Jodi is the Jazz Studies Department Head at the VSO School of Music and is the co-leader of the Ostara Project, an all-star ensemble of Canadian women artists and composers. Her Juno nominated albums: Sun Songs, Foundations and the Ostara Project (CellarLive) are available at www.jodiproznick.com.
Craig Scott - Craig Scott is an accomplished drummer, and vibraphone player. His drumming credits include concert and club dates with such Canadian jazz luminaries as Tommy Banks, Oliver Gannon, Ian McDougall, Hugh Fraser, Campbell Ryga, PJ Perry, the WOW Big Band, Brad Turner, and the Alan Matheson Septet and Nonet as well as international artists such as Randy Bachmann, Pat LaBarbara, Allen Vizzutti, Chuck Israels, Ernestine Anderson, Dianna Krall, Larry Goldings, the HI-LOS, Dee Daniels, The Nylons, Ashley McIsaac, Natalie McMaster and the late Harry "Sweets" Edison, Rosemary Clooney, Phil Woods, Herb Ellis, Clark Terry, Bud Shank, Frank Wes, Ross Taggart, Joan Rivers, Don Rickles, and Bossa Nova guitarist Charlie Byrd.
Craig has extensive recording experience in television, film, radio and video games. He has been featured on radio programs such as Almanac, Hot Air, Jazz Beat, and West Coast Performance. On television, Craig has played on 1990's series Millennium, andGabereau, and on film, Craig played for the movie score Music of the Heart.. As a session player, he has played on countless local independent jazz albums and has played drums on video games such as Monsters Inc., and on music software such as Band-In-A-Box.Craig played on Randy Bachmann’s album A JAZZ THING, and he is featured on two Ian McDougall albums, In A Sentimental Mood, and The Very Thought of You, which were both nominated for JUNO Awards.
As a vibraphone player, Craig plays in the Benny Goodman/ Lionel Hampton tribute band Slipped Disc, and on his album Introducing the Craig Scott Quintet with saxophonist Cory Weeds.
Craig bolds both BMus (UBC ’96) and BEd (UBC ’98) degrees and he teaches at both Vancouver Community College and Capilano University. In addition, he occasionally writes for Modern Drummer, and Percussive Notes magazines.
Dawn Pemberton - Dawn Pemberton is a dynamic force in the Vancouver music scene, known for her powerful voice that spans gospel, soul, jazz, funk, and world music. A recipient of the 2024 Canada Council for the Arts and Creative BC grants, and a multiple Juno nominee, she holds a B.Mus in Jazz Studies from Capilano University and is certified in Somatic Voicework™ The LoVetri Method. Dawn is a sought-after vocalist, pianist, teacher, and choir director, touring extensively across Canada and Europe. Her debut album, Say Somethin’, won Best Urban Recording at the Western Canadian Music Awards, solidifying her as Canada’s “queen of soul.”
Steve Maddock - Over the past two decades, Steve Maddock has been steadily establishing himself as one of Canada’s most versatile vocal talents. Whether sharing a concert stage with a 65-piece symphony orchestra, performing with a 10-piece show band on a cruise ship, or fronting a jazz trio in a local club, he’s able to change gears effortlessly and present the music in a way that’s honest and fresh. He’s been a soloist with The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, The Vancouver Chamber Choir, The Pacific Baroque Orchestra and The Dal Richards Jazz Orchestra, as well as being a featured artist on CBC Radio (Hot Air, Tonic, The Homestretch, Choral Concert, Disc Drive, The Early Edition and Sounds Like Canada).
Steve is currently on the Jazz Faculty of Capilano University (formerly Capilano College). His association with Capilano goes back almost twenty-five years, when he first enrolled as a vocal performance major in what was then the Commercial Music Program. The current Jazz Studies Program was introduced in 1993, and Steve was hired as an instructor in 1996. Since that time he’s taught private voice, vocal jazz masterclass, studio performance, vocal improvisation and ear training. As an adjudicator and clinician, he’s worked at Musicfest Canada, The Envision Jazz Festival, The Rocky Mountain Jazz Festival, Powell River’s Jazz Summit, The Kiwanis Festival, The Mission Jazz Festival, The Whistler Music Festival, The Sun Peaks Music Festival, and The South Delta Jazz Workshop. For more information, visit www.stevemaddock.com.
Cindy Fairbank - Pianist, composer, and educator Cindy Fairbank has cultivated a distinguished career over the past 25 years, performing and teaching across Canada and the United States. She has collaborated with renowned artists, including two-time Juno Award winner Shari Ulrich, Barney Bentall, Bill Henderson, Tom Cochrane, Jeremy Fisher, Madison Violet, Justin Hines, Liam Titcomb, Tom Taylor, and Dionne Taylor.
In 2010, Cindy released her debut jazz album, Imaginaries, featuring original compositions that blend traditional jazz with contemporary influences.
An inspiring artist-educator, Cindy holds a BMus in Jazz Performance from McGill University, a BEd from the University of Toronto, and an MA in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University. She founded the Sunnyside School of Music in 2007 and co-founded Expanding Success in Music Education (ESME) in 2011.
Since returning to the West Coast in 2014, Cindy has led the music, choir, and band programs at Bowen Island Community School. In 2023, she joined the Jazz Studies faculty at Capilano University, and continues to be in demand as a clinician and adjudicator for music festivals, masterclasses, and conferences, sharing her passion for music education with students and audiences alike.
Bill Coon - Juno nominated artist Bill Coon won the 2009 National Jazz Award, ‘Guitarist of the Year’, and has performed with many significant artists including Jimmy Heath, Peter Bernstein, Dr. Lonnie Smith, PJ Perry, Sheila Jordan, Carol Welsman, Chris Hazelton, Dee Daniels, Rebecca Kilgore, Phil Dwyer, Eleanor McCain, K-os, Peter Washington and Lewis Nash.
The Western Canadian Jazz awards have nominated Coon’s own BC Double Quartet for Jazz Artist of 2018. Their first release, Departure marries the brilliance of a string quartet with the rhythmic drive of a jazz quartet combining his love of jazz improvising with his passion for arranging and composition. Featured on this recording are two stalwarts of the Canadian music scene, trumpeter Brad Turner and violinist Cameron Wilson. Triology’s recent release Stairway to the Stars is a collaboration with award-winning artists Jodi Proznick and Miles Black. Also, of note is Coon’s arranging work on Explosion with Cory Weeds, Joe Magnerelli, Steve Davis and Gary Smulyan.
Other significant projects include Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra’s Legacy, The Music of Ross Taggart, Arrival with Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst, and Two Much More! with Oliver Gannon, acclaimed as two of the top ten Canadian jazz recordings of 2015 by the CBC. Coon is busy touring, recording and performing with many significant Canadian jazz artists such as, Mike Allen, Sienna Dahlen, Kevin Elaschuk, Tom Keenlyside, Laura Crema, Kate Hammett-Vaughan, Andre Lachance, Campbell Ryga, Buff Allen, Dave Robbins, and Roy Styffe to name a few.
Coon is on faculty at Capilano University in North Vancouver, teaching arranging, composition, large and small ensembles, and jazz guitar.
Daniel Hersog - Daniel Hersog is a distinguished figure in the jazz world, noted for his significant contributions as both a performer and a composer. Hersog’s approach to jazz has been recognized by industry critics; All About Jazz described him as “a major new compositional voice in jazz” (All About Jazz), and DownBeat Magazine highlighted his “artistic individuality” (DownBeat Magazine).
In addition to his recorded music, Hersog has been a part of larger ensembles, touring across North America and performing at various notable venues such as the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Frankie’s Jazz Club, and Pat’s Pub.
Hersog is not only a performer and composer, but also an educator. As a graduate of the New England Conservatory and recipient of the Gunther Schuller Medal, Hersog now holds the position of academic coordinator of the jazz studies program at Capilano University. In this role, he teaches jazz trumpet, theory, and composition, and leads the trumpet ensemble, sharing his passion and understanding of jazz with future generations of musicians.
