Large Ensembles Adjudicators 2026Meet the Large Ensembles Adjudicators for Vancouver Kiwanis Music Festivals 2026
Jodi Proznick | Jazz Band
Jodi Proznick is an award-winning Canadian jazz bassist, composer, producer, and educator whose artistry and leadership have made a lasting impact on the Canadian music landscape. With a career spanning over two decades, she has been nominated for four Juno Awards and was named Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2019 Western Canadian Music Awards. In 2022, she received the Lieutenant Governor’s Arts and Music Award for her outstanding contributions to music education in British Columbia.
Jodi is the Director of Jazz Studies at the VSO School of Music in Vancouver, where she has built one of the country’s most vibrant pre-collegiate jazz education programs. She holds a Master of Education in Arts Education from Simon Fraser University and a BMus from McGill University and has taught at Capilano University, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. A dedicated mentor, she is known for nurturing the next generation of artists through innovative teaching, inclusive programming, and community outreach.
As a performer, Jodi has released several acclaimed albums including Foundations, Sun Songs and two albums with The Ostara Project — a groundbreaking initiative she co- founded to highlight the voices of women in Canadian jazz. She is also a founding member of the chamber jazz trio Triology and the cross-cultural ensemble Jasmine Jazz, and has appeared on over 50 recordings. Her compositions have been re- orchestrated and performed by a range of outstanding ensembles and artists, including the Vetta Chamber Ensemble, the Ostara Project, Chor Leoni, Sister Jazz Orchestra, Calgary Women’s Jazz Orchestra, violinist Mark Fewer, the UBC Concert Winds, the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble, and Raagaverse.
Jodi has performed and/or recorded with a wide range of celebrated artists and ensembles, including George Coleman, Sheila Jordan, Scott Hamilton, Harold Mabern, Charles McPherson, Peter Bernstein, Seamus Blake, David “Fathead” Newman, Shabaka and the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to her performance and teaching career, Jodi is the co-founder of Rhea Records, a label dedicated to amplifying Canadian voices in jazz and beyond. As a producer, she has shaped and overseen the creation of seven albums that have been nominated for or received Juno Awards and Western Canadian Music Awards, further cementing her role as a champion of Canadian artistry and innovation.
Jules Estrin | Jazz Band
Musical Director, Adjudicator and trombonist Jules Estrin maintains a busy schedule giving master classes, lectures and clinics on band and jazz band pedagogy across Canada. He has recently presented at the Ontario Band Association, Ontario Music Educators Conference, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, Sir Wilfred Laurier University, Toronto District School Board, Peel District School Board, Halton District School Board and has adjudicated at the Brandon Jazz Festival (Brandon, Manitoba), Optimist Band Festival (Regina, Saskatchewan), West Coast Jazz Festival (Nanaimo, British Columbia) and the Golden Horseshoe Festival (Ancaster, Ontario).
Recently, Jules has been appointed Musical Director (Canada) of the Canada Cuba Summer Jazz Academy to be held in Varadero, Cuba from July 1st–8th, 2025!
As a trombonist, Jules Estrin has appeared with many internationally renowned entertainers and musicians including Clark Terry, Paul Anka, Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, Ralph Bowen, Don Menza, Rob McConnell, Moe Koffman, Matt Dusk, Kenny Wheeler and PJ Perry. Jules has performed internationally in France, Ireland, Scotland, England and the United States and at jazz festivals across Canada.
As Musical Director, his groups have performed with legendary jazz artists Randy Brecker, Bucky Pizzarelli, Lew Tabackin, Tom Scott, Wycliffe Gordon, Joey DeFranceso, PJ Perry and Guido Basso. In 2010, his jazz ensemble opened for Al Jarreau at the Brantford International Jazz Festival.
Since 2019, Jules has been serving as Jazz Camp Director at Interprovincial Music Camp and enjoys working with all the campers and the incredible faculty! Jules is a graduate of McGill University and University of Toronto holding a BMus & MMus.
Craig Scott | Jazz Band
Craig Scott is an accomplished drummer, and vibraphone player. His drummng 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, and Gabereau, 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.
Dr. Jacquie Dawson | Concert Band & Orchestra
Dr. Jacqueline Dawson is in demand as a guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator across Canada and the United States, appearing at numerous festivals, honour bands, and music conferences coast to coast. Engagements have included the New Mexico State University southwest Honor Band, Kamehameha Schools Big Island Honor Band (Hawaii), Ontario Provincial Honour Band, Minnesota All-State Band, Musicfest Canada, the Alberta Band Association Wind Symphony, The Maritime Youth Wind Ensemble, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival, the International Music Camp, and numerous provincial, regional and divisional honour bands in Canada and the United States. Jacquie has engaged in conducting and teaching residencies with the Royal Canadian Airforce Band, Western University, Memorial University of Newfoundland and various band associations and school districts. She was awarded the 2003 University of Manitoba School of Music Excellence in Music Education Award, the 2013 University of Manitoba Teacher Recognition Award, the 2015 Manitoba Band Association Award of Distinction and the 2024 University of Manitoba Community Engagement Award.
Dr. Dawson is currently an Associate Professor and the Director of Bands at the University of Manitoba Desautels Faculty of Music where she conducts the Concert Band and Wind Ensemble, teaches courses in music education and oversees the graduate wind conducting program. The University of Manitoba Wind Ensemble has been featured at festivals such as the Cantando Festival in Edmonton and Sunpeaks, the Canadian Rocky Mountain Music Festival, has performed in the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra New Music Festival and has participated in numerous consortium commissions and world premiere performances. Prior to her appointment at the University of Manitoba, Jacquie taught in the public school system for twenty years and served as a sessional instructor at the University of Manitoba. She served on the board of directors of the Manitoba Band Association from 1999 – 2005 and remains active with numerous MBA projects. Jacquie was the Artistic Director of The Winnipeg Wind Ensemble from 2009-2020, helped establish the Winnipeg Youth Wind Ensemble and is the founder of the newly formed Winnipeg Chamber Winds Collective. She continues to spend as much time as possible with young students and band programs as a strong advocate for music education.
Dr. Dawson has been published in the Canadian Music Educator Journal and the Canadian Winds Journal and is a contributor to Winds of the North: A Survey of the Canadian Wind Band Tradition and Repertoire edited by Dr. Darrin Oehlerking. She has presented at conferences internationally, including the Canadian Music Educators’ Association National Conference, the Kansas Music Educators Conference and the International Society for the Research and Promotion of Wind Music Conference. She is an active proponent in the promotion of new wind band works and has led or participated in numerous commissions and premieres of works by Gary Kulesha, Kenley Kristofferson, Viet Cuong, Steven Danyew, Peter Meechan, Isabella Morrill, Holly Harrison, Karen Sunabacka and more. Jacquie received undergraduate degrees in music and music education from Memorial University of Newfoundland and holds a master’s degree in conducting from the University of Manitoba where she studied with Dr. Dale Lonis and Earl Stafford. She completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the University of Kansas under the tutelage of Dr. Paul Popiel.
Janine Webster | Concert Band & Orchestra
Janine Webster pursued her musical studies at the University of Victoria on Oboe and English horn, earning a Bachelor of Music with distinction, followed by a Master of Education in Conducting. She then dedicated 32 years to nurturing the musical talents of countless students in the Chilliwack School District, teaching Concert Band, Jazz Band, String Orchestra, Concert Choir, Vocal Jazz, Music Composition and Musical Theatre. Throughout her career, she has received prestigious awards such as the Keith Mann Outstanding Band Director Award from MusicFest Canada and the B.C. Music Educators Professional Music Educator – Secondary Award. Rotary International also recognized her contributions by presenting her with the Paul Harris Fellow Award for promoting friendly relations among people worldwide.
Janine's love for working with students and guiding them on their musical journey has been a central aspect of her life. She has lent her expertise as an adjudicator at various music festivals, including MusicFest Fanfare, Vancouver Island Concert Band and Orchestra Festival, Chilliwack Music Festival and the Victoria Beginning Band Festival. Additionally, she has conducted honour bands in Kamloops and Abbotsford, and worked with students and teachers in the Dare to Dream program in Terrace. Currently residing in Victoria, B.C., Janine remains an active participant in the cultural scene and is involved in several professional music organizations.
Kevin Zakresky | Concert Band & Orchestra
Vancouver based conductor Kevin Zakresky has directed international touring productions of The Picasso Symphony, The National Geographic “Symphony for our World,” the Legend of Zelda “Symphony of the Goddesses,” the Sonic the Hedgehog Symphony, and the “Heroes” Video Game Symphony. He makes his Disney debut conducting “Beauty and the Beast” with the Saskatoon Symphony this season. The Picasso Symphony premiered in Fort Worth this last season. Recent tour dates for “Heroes” include the Baltimore Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Charlotte Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, Chicago Philharmonic, the English National Symphony as well as orchestras in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Seattle, San Francisco, Paris and Grand Rapids. The National Geographic "Symphony For Our World" debuted in San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall and continued to venues in San Jose, Chicago, Madison, Minneapolis, Houston, Edmonton, Calgary, Limerick, Monterrey and Columbus. The Legend of Zelda “Symphony of the Goddesses” tour included dates in London - to conduct the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra in Wembley Arena - as well as Montreal, Philadelphia, Miami, Los Angeles, Dublin, San Francisco, San Antonio, Charlottesville, Fresno, Santiago, Buenos Aires, Birmingham (UK), Toronto, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, Oklahoma City, Vancouver and Pittsburgh. This year he will guest conduct the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal and the Saskatoon Symphony, amongst many others. He is the past Music Director of the Prince George Symphony Orchestra in British Columbia.
Dorothy Dyck| Choral
Dorothy Dyck was born and raised on a farm in western Manitoba. Her earliest memories include singing together and creating harmony with her six siblings. She studied Education and Music at the University of Manitoba.
From 1997-2024 Dorothy devoted her expertise and energy to developing the Maples Collegiate Choral Program in north-west Winnipeg. The Maples Choirs have collected a long list of accolades over the years. Performing at the Banff Rocky Mountain Music Festival and singing in showcase concerts there are among their most cherished moments.
In 2019 Dorothy received the Michael J. Proudfoot Award, presented to a conductor exemplifying a passion for and excellence in the choral field. In 2024 Dorothy was presented with the MCA Award of Distinction for Artistic Excellence from the Manitoba Choral Association, in recognition for her contributions to the choral community of Manitoba.
Beyond teaching, Dorothy has directed the Central Manitoba Youth Choir, Eastern Manitoba Youth Choir, Westman Youth Choir, and has worked as a choral clinician in Ontario and across Western Canada. She currently co-directs SonoLux Choir, and sings in a five-member vocal jazz/pop group, Due North Voices.
Recently retired from teaching, Dorothy is enjoying working with choirs and choir-loving folks in other capacities.
Frances Roberts | Choral
Frances Roberts recently retired from teaching high school music at Argyle Secondary School in North Vancouver where she directed concert, chamber and jazz choirs, for thirty three years. During her many years of teaching her award winning choirs toured extensively throughout North America, Europe, the Baltics, China , England and Scotland. In retirement she is enjoying free-lance work, conducting VOX PANACEA a women’s physicians choir in the Phoenix Choir Community, and doing workshops with children/youth/adult choirs as well as adjudicating festivals around the province.
She has presented workshops for BCMEA, Alberta Choral Federation, BC Choral Federation, Long & McQuade and the Association of Canadian Choral Communities as well as several BC school districts. Frances is a UBC School of Music graduate receiving her Masters of Music in Choral Conducting in 2017. In 2018 she received the “Most Inspiring Conductor” award from the Vancouver Kiwanis Festival and in 2020 she was honoured by her colleagues with the BC Music Educators Association Outstanding Professional Music Educator Award . Frances has much to be grateful for and is very much looking forward to working with the choirs participating at Kiwanis Choral Festival in April 2026.
Carrie Taylor | Choral
Carrie Taylor studied music at the University of Mary in Bismark, North Dakota and at the University of Victoria in Victoria, BC, where she obtained her Bachelor of Music and Professional Teaching Certificate. She has also studied at the Banff School of the Fine Arts.
Carrie taught in the public school system for 38 years, where she enjoyed teaching both band and choir. At Burnaby Central Secondary, Carrie ran one of the largest choir programs in the province that included a Concert Choir, a Men’s Choir, a Women’s Choir, and two Chamber Choirs. In addition to her work teaching high school, for over 20 years Carrie was the coordinator for the B.C. Provincial Honour Choir.
Carrie has also worked extensively in music education outside of the public school system. She recently retired from Vivo Children’s Choir, a community children’s choir she co-founded and directed for 24 years but maintains involvement with children’s choir by assisting the Phoenix Chamber Choir with their Hatchlings program for elementary school-aged singers. Carrie is currently the educational consultant for Chor Leoni and directs both their MYVoice Teen Choir and their Promys Program for students in grades 4-7. This past year Carrie was the director of the British Columbia Choir Federation Teen Choir.
In 2022, Carrie was honoured by the BC Music Educators’ Association with their award for Outstanding Music Educator.
Carrie has recently retired from teaching high school and is enjoying spending time with choirs around the province providing workshops and adjudicating at music festivals.