Faculty
Adjudicators
Jeff Reynolds
Jeff Reynolds is Assistant Co-ordinator of the Performance Division at the Faculty of Music at University of Toronto, and teaches trumpet, conducting, chamber music, jazz history, and music education, as well as conducting the Wind Symphony. Dr. Reynolds has performed and recorded as a trumpeter with the Calgary Philharmonic, Victoria Symphony, Hamilton Philharmonic and the Orchestra of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, as well as the Stratford Festival Ensemble. Dr. Reynolds contributes articles to several journals, frequently conducts workshops in southern Ontario schools, and is in demand as an adjudicator at music festivals across the country.
Elizabeth Peterson
Elizabeth B. Peterson is an Associate Professor of Music Education and conductor of the Symphonic Band at Ithaca College in Ithaca, New York. Professor Peterson teaches undergraduate methods courses in instrumental music, courses in conducting and supervises student teachers. Before moving to Ithaca, Dr. Peterson was an arts administrator and Director of Bands at several public schools in Ohio and Illinois. Peterson is active as a clinician and guest conductor. She is a new music reviewer for the Instrumentalist Magazine and currently serves as co-conductor of the Ithaca Concert Band, Ithaca's adult community band.
Jonathan Dagenais
Jonathan Dagenais holds a CEGEP Diploma in Music, a Bachelor’s degree in Composition from the Université de Montréal as well as a Masters degree in Wind Orchestra Conducting from McGill University. Since 2005, Mr. Dagenais has acted as the conductor and artistic director of the Orchestre à Vents Non Identifié (OVNI), a Montreal wind orchestra he co-founded. This ensemble is dedicated to collaborative and active listening, orchestral tone quality, refined interpretation as well as adopting a humoristic approach.
Mark Kelso (Jazz Ensemble)
Originally hailing from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Mark Kelso has made Toronto his home. Mark is currently the Head of percussion at Toronto’s prestigious Humber College. An all around player, he has worked/recorded with a wide array of artists, played many TV and radio jingles and movie soundtracks, and has been featured in “Drums, ETC “, “Canadian Musician ” and “Modern Drummer” magazines. Mark has also been a featured clinician/performer at the Montreal Drumfest, IAJE, Musicfest, KOSA, Percussive Arts Society and the Cape Breton Drum Festival. More info can be found at Mark’s web site at www.groovydrums.com
Andy Ballantyne (Jazz Ensemble)
Canadian saxophonist Andy Ballantyne is a graduate of the Humber College music program, and also has a degree in performance from the University of Toronto. As a busy freelance musician on saxophone, clarinet, and flute he has established himself on the Toronto scene as a versatile performer in many different styles of music. Andy is currently on faculty at Humber College in Toronto teaching woodwinds, composition and theory. He leads his own 11-piece jazz orchestra, The Andy Ballantyne Large Ensemble, which recorded and released their debut recording, The Sum of the Parts, in 2007.
Robert Cooper
Robert Cooper is currently the Artistic Director of the Orpheus Choir of Toronto, Chorus Niagara, the Opera in Concert Chorus, and is a teaching member of the Choral Department, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. Mr Cooper has also provided strong artistic leadership to the Toronto Mendelssohn Youth Choir for 22 successful years, influencing over 2000 young adult singers. Mr. Cooper brings fine choral music to all of Canada as Executive Producer, Opera and Choral Music, for CBC Radio Two. In June 2003, Robert Cooper received an Honorary Doctorate degree from Brock University for his significant contribution to the Canadian choral community.
Hilary Apfelstadt
Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt is Professor and Director of Choral Activities at the Ohio State University where she conducts the Chorale, the Women’s Glee Club, teaches conducting, and coordinates the graduate conducting program. Her collegiate choirs have performed at regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and at state and regional conferences of the National Association of Music Education. She has conducted numerous honor choirs and all-state choruses throughout the United States, has guest conducted in Cuba and England, and is a frequent adjudicator and clinician for choirs ranging in age from children’s through adult.
Jeff MacKay
(Percussion Arranger and Instructor)
A graduate of The Humber College Department of Music and York University (B.A. Honours Music, B.Ed) Jeff has been a marching member of the Optimist Lancers, The Oakland Crusaders, The Bayonne Bridgemen and The Kingston Grenadiers. Jeff was the Canadian Individual Snare drum Champion in 1979 and the Cadre Individual Snare drum Champion in 2007. His drum corps teaching stints have included Oshawa Rebels, The Emerald Knights, The Oakland Crusaders, The Guelph Royalaires, the Kingston Grenadiers, The West Coast Cadets from Bristol England, and, now, The Optimists Alumni. Jeff is a music teacher in Peterborough for the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board.
Wendy Seravalle-Smith
Wendy Seravalle-Smith holds a Bachelor of Music and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario, and has training through the Suzuki Association of the Americas in violin, viola and cello. She is currently director of the Thornhill School of Suzuki String Teaching and is on the violin and viola faculty of Ithaca Suzuki Institute. She has been a strings examiner for Royal Conservatory since 1998 and is a member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, the Ontario Suzuki Association, Canadian Viola Society, American Viola Society, Ontario Registered Music Teachers of Ontario, and the Canadian Music Festivals Adjudicators Association.