2026 Music Festival Adjudicators
Adjudicators for the Oilsands Rotary Music Festival are experienced musicians and educators who provide constructive feedback and guidance to participants. Their role is to evaluate performances, offer encouragement, and help musicians of all ages and skill levels grow in their craft. Through their expertise, they foster a positive and educational environment, ensuring a rewarding experience for all performers.
8-13 years old & Gr. 2-5 Piano
Alde Calongcagong
Alde Calongonggc obtainehdis Bachelors of Music in piano performance from the University of Windsor and his Masters of Music satern University. His principal piano instructors lude E. GrDr.egory Butler and Ronald Turini. inct We a
Alde has also had the opportunity to participate in masterclasses with Jane Coop, Dang Thai Son, Janina Fialkowska and Tom Plaunt. He maintains a successful music studio in the Windsor area and is a member of the Ontario Registered Music Teachers’ Association where he served on Provincial Council. Currently he is the Awards and Competition Chair for the Canadian Federation of Music Teachers Association.
Many of his students have entered university music programs and have won top prizes and scholarships at local, provincial and national music competitions. Alde has been active as an adjudicator, piano tutor at the Walkerville Centre for the Creative Arts, sessional instructor at the University of Windsor, choral accompanist at the University of Windsor and Windsor Symphony Orchestra Chorus and an examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Highlights include piano soloist with the Windsor Symphony Orchestra performing Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and recitals at the Glenn Gould Studio and Koerner Hall.
Musical Theatre & Choral
Dr. Danica Hoffart
Dr. Danica Hoffart is a singer, choral director, educator, and musical director based in Edmonton, AB. For over two decades, Danica taught po-secondstary Music and Theatre including private voice lessons, choir, singing for the stage, music hidstory, an ear training. A frequent guest singer and actor with the Central Alberta Chamber Orchestra, she has also performed with Kompany! Dance and has been a soprano soloist with th Red Deer Symphoeny Orchestra. Select musical directing creditsnclude Sou ith Pacific, Footloose, Cabaret, The Sound of Music, and The Wizard of Oz. Dan a Bachelica holdsor of Music and a Master of Arts in Music from the University of Alberta, and a PhD in Music from the University of Calgary. Her doctoral research examined best practices in leadership and the empowerment of individuals through participation in choir.
Classical Voice
Rhonda Sylvester
Rhonda Sylvester has been a proud part of the arts community since an early age and over the years, her love and passion for music, theatre and performance have continued to grow and blossom.Growing up in Stettler, AB, she was offered the wonderful opportunity to study voice with Elaine Pitt and her national winning award choir Pitt’s Pets. It was through Mrs. Pitt that Ms. Sylvester first found that special spark of magic only music can give to your soul. With great nurturing and development, this gift of music became not only a passion for her, but also became her life career choice.
She has obtained degrees in both Teachers and Vocal Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto (Distinction) and Conservatory Canada, a music Performance degree (Honours) from Red Deer College, and a Bachelor of Music Vocal Performance (Honours) from U of A Augustana Campus.
After obtaining her degrees, Ms.Sylvester lived in Kassel Germany for 2 years where she had the privilege of teaching English, Choral and Orchestra in the German school system for grades five to thirteen.She has been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards of her own, but she is most proud of the awards that her own students have earned in world wide competitions, including the Heritage Festival series in New York, where her Gracenotes Choir placed at a Gold level and were also the recipients of the esteemed Spirit of New York Award. Ms.Sylvester has had several students also hold successful auditions to be a part of the Honour Choir at Carnegie Hall series in the past several years and well as having numerous choirs, solo vocal students and musical theatre students go on to win top marks and placements at our own Alberta Provincial Choral and Music Festival as well as Canada West.
In addition to teaching, conducting and being a busy EA at an elementary school, Ms. Sylvester loves to perform any opportunity she gets. Some of her performance and musical directing credits include shows such as “Ready Steady Go”, “The Wizard of Oz”, “Oliver”, “Little
Women”, “Bring Them Home”, “Pets”, “Fiddler On the Roof”, “The Music Man”, “My Fair Lady”, “Matilda”, “Moana Jr.”, “The Big One-Oh!”, and her two most favourite roles as Sister Mary Amnesia and the Narrator in “Nunsense” and “Nunsense: the Second Coming” and “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.Ms. Sylvester is a sought-after clinician and adjudicator in the disciplines of solo voice, choral, musical theatre. She is thrilled to be with us at our festival and hopes all performers will “Go forth, and shine!”.
Speech Arts and Drama
Deborah McGladdery
Deborah has been involved in Speech Arts since the age of seven, when she began “elocution” lessons in Victoria, BC with Wilfrid Ord at the “Victoria School of Expression”. She has an Education certificate from UVIC, an associate’s diploma in Speech and Drama from Mount Royal College, Calgary, and has been designated a Speech and Drama Specialist by Royal Conservatory at the elementary, intermediate and advanced levels. Deborah taught public school for more than ten years before turning her attention to speech arts and drama as a private teacher. For 25 years, she ran a speech and drama studio, Rainbow Kids’ Theatre in Prince George, BC coaching up to 100 students a year in private and small group situations. Since relocating to Penticton, she has stayed active, working for local and provincial festival organizations. Ms. McGladdery has adjudicated for many festivals in Canada, is a member of the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association, and works as a Speech Arts examiner for Royal Conservatory. Mrs. McGladdery was honoured to be named as the RCM Teacher of Distinction for BC and Yukon in 2024. She is currently working to unite speakers and support festivals nada via Sacrosspeak Ca Up! Canada online workshops.
Piano Plan I: 14 yrs+/ Plan II: Gr. 6+
Miriam Mahood
Miriam Mahood is a RCM Examiner who has examined extensively throughout Canada & the USA. Since Covid she has remotely examined 900 candidates from Shanghai, Hawaii, Texas, Georgia, California, New York, Rhode Island, Florida, Washington, Colorado, New Mexico, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Arizona, Connecticut, Maryland, & Illinois, in addition to those in Canada. Ms. Mahood adjudicates regularly for the Alberta, Saskatchewan, & British Columbia Music Festival Associations, her most recent festivals being Cold Lake, Prince George, Ft. McMurray, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, & Whitecourt.
Ms. Mahood is a graduate of the Mozarteum, Salzburg, Austria (Konzertdiplom), Universities of Saskatchewan & Alberta (B Mus. & M Mus.) & holds the ARCT from the Royal Conservatory of Music, & the Associate & Licentiate from the Western Board of Music. She has been employed by such institutions as Alberta College, The Banff Centre, Universities of Alberta & Manitoba, Western Board of Music, Winnipeg Bible College, & has served as Music Director, Organist, & Choir Director in various Churches, most recently at St. Georges Anglican. For many years she was Scholarship Chair, & served on the Ball Committee of the Johann Strauss Foundation. Ms. Mahood runs a successful Piano Studio dedicated to success. Her hobbies are hiking, languages, ballroom, & travel.
Musical Theatre
RON LONG
Ron is a passionate voice teacher and performer based in Edmonton, with over 20 years of experience helping singers unlock their full potential. Originally specializing in musical theatre and opera, he has expanded his expertise to contemporary pop music, offering a well-rounded and versatile approach to vocal training.
Ron primarily works with adults and older teenagers, guiding many of his students into prestigious music programs across Canada and the U.S. He also specializes in vocal rehabilitation, helping singers recover from illness and vocal strain. As an Estill Master Teacher, Ron takes a science-based approach to voice training, focusing on technique, experience, and understanding the full capabilities of the human voice.
His teaching extends beyond private lessons—offering online instruction, bonus classes, and monthly recitals to foster a dynamic learning experience. Ron is also a sought-after adjudicator for music festivals across Alberta and Western Canada.
With a Master of Music in Opera and Musical Theatre from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Ron has performed extensively with Edmonton Opera and is a proud member of Equity, Canada’s actors’ union. His students include Edmonton Opera chorus members, musical theatre performers, fellow voice teachers, and anyone eager to explore their vocal abilities.
He teaches both online and in person at his home studio in Edmonton’s Griesbach neighborhood. While his schedule is often full, he always welcomes consultations and vocal coaching sessions, specializing in audition preparation.
Choral Voice
Dr. Danica Hoffart
Piano Plan I: 7 yrs. & Under/Plan II: Pre-Gr. 1 & Gr.1
Kathleen Van Mourik
Kathleen van Mourik, a native of Alberta, is in high demand as a vocal coach and collaborative pianist, and is known for her interdisciplinary collaborations with artists, actors and dance.
Upon returning to Canada, she completed the Master of Music degree in piano performance with Dr. Vladimir Levtov at the University of Calgary. Other important teachers include the late Greta Kraus and Rudolf Jansen. She has also studied with Martin Isepp at the Banff Centre and completed a residency there with her two piano partners, Charles Foreman. As a two piano team they commissioned several compositions by various composers and have a CD of French two-piano music available on the Arktos label.
Kathleen is the founder and Artistic Director of the Calgary based International Festival of Song and Chamber Music Society (known as the Mountain View Festival) a master class series and concert festival combining art song and chamber music as well as the Mountain View Young Artist Concert Series, a series devoted to presenting emerging musicians in concert. She is also in demand as an adjudicator and teacher and is currently a piano instructor with the Chinook School of Music in Calgary and teaches a small private class as well.
Handbells
Carol Bergum
Carol has been playing and directing handbells for over 40 years.
Carol directs Overtones, an intermediate handbell ensemble with the Cosmopolitan Music Society in Edmonton, and leads their new Begin to Ring sessions. The handbell program began in 2021 with the donation of five octaves of handbells and has been growing rapidly ever since. The group performs in concerts throughout the year.She is also the Handbell Director at Highlands United Church where she has directed beginner to advanced choirs and handbell ensembles of varying sizes for 30 years. Over 150 ringers of all ages have participated in the program using five octaves of bells and four octaves of handchimes. These groups have participated in local, provincial and national handbell events, produced a number of recordings, and performed a wide variety of concerts while continuing to provide regular musical leadership in workshop services.
A founding member of the Alberta Guild of English Handbell Ringers, Carol has conducted workshops over the years on a wide variety of topics and acted as a handbell adjudicator for music festivals. She began ringing under her father’s direction and continued ringing with church and community choirs in university, before moving around the tables to direct. Carol is an accomplished solo and duet ringer.
She recently retired from a full-time career as an urban planner.
Oilsands Rotary Music Festival 