The annual Yorkton Music Festival will be held March 9-21. As is the case every year the Festival will be adjudicator by people with a long resume in music.
They include;
Dr. Melissa Morgan is a choral conductor, educator and performer. Currently, she directs the choral program at the University of Regina where she also teaches courses in choral conducting and vocal diction. She is frequently asked to appear as a clinician, adjudicator and guest conductor throughout Canada. Previous to her appointment at the University of Regina, Dr. Morgan was the Pfeifer Memorial Chair of Music at Luther College High School where she was responsible for the Luther College Senior Choir, the auditioned choir AVE, the String Ensemble, the Luther Band, and the IB music program. Her choirs have performed at a variety of events including Association of Canadian Choral Communities Podium Conferences, showcase concerts at the Rocky Mountain Music Festival in Banff, the installation of the 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan ceremony and at Lincoln Center in New York City. Dr. Morgan was also the founder and artistic director of the Prairie Chamber Choir. Under her direction the Prairie Chamber Choir won second place in the National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs chamber choir category. The choir released Wake the Grain:Choral Art Music from the Prairies, a recording to celebrate and honour composers from the Prairie region with a hop to encourage and support new Canadian music. Throughout her education she has had the privilege of studying with exemplary teachers. She is grateful to have worked under the supervision of Dr. Hilary Apfelstadt, Dr. Victoria Meredith, Kathryn Laurin, and Diana Woolrich. Dr. Morgan holds a Doctorate of Music Performance in Choral Conducting from the University of Toronto, a Master of Music Performance in Choral Conducting from the University of Western Ontario, a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Regina. She is also an Associate of the Toronto Royal Conservatory of Music (ARCT) in piano, voice, and flute. In October 2017, Dr. Morgan was named as one of CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40 under 40 recipients.
Janet Gieck grew up surrounded by rural Saskatchewan culture and landscape, a fact which has profoundly affected her musical output. After completing music degrees from Prairie Bible College (Three Hills, AB) and the Royal Conservatory of Music, she has had her compositions performed at many concerts, New Music Festivals and on CBC radio. Her pedagogical compositions are now listed on many different syllabi across the country. Passionate about sharing music with those in her community and beyond, Janet is a member of the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects, the Saskatchewan Registered Music Teachers’ Association (currently serving as president of the Swift Current branch), and the composer’s collective Red Leaf Pianoworks. Currently, Janet works as a member of the fine arts department at Millar College of the Bible in Pambrun, SK where she lives with her husband and three children. She is also in demand as a piano teacher, adjusicator and clinician.
George Charpentier conducts the Saskatoon Concert Band and the Saskatoon Philharmonic Orchestra. He received his Bachelor of Music and Certificate of Business Administration from the University of Saskatchewan. He holds a Diploma from the Kodaly Institute of Music Pedagogy in Hungary and a Masters Certificate in Orff Schulwerk Methodology from Jos Wuytack. He is a student of the Saito method of conducting. He has studied piano, clarinet, voice and violin. He is a charter member of the Saskatchewan Band Association, a Past President of the Saskatchewan Music Educators Association, and has served on many of that organization’s committees. He served two terms on the Saskatchewan Arts Board, and sat as a volunteer on the funding committee of Saskatchewan Lotteries for the Saskatchewan Council of Cultural Organizations. He has served on the Ceremonies Committees for several major Saskatoon events, including the Jeux Canada Games, World Junior Hockey, University Cup, Special Olympics, and the Labatt Brier. Mr. Charpentier is retired from the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, where he was the coordinator of Arts Education and Social Studies. He has taught instrumental, choral and classroom music from Kindergarten through Grade 12, and has lectured at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Alberta. He was the Associate Conductor of the Saskatoon Youth Orchestra for many years
