2025 Adjudicators
Speech - Tina Hartt
Calgary based jazz vocalist Tina Hartt is a sought after adjudicator and performer. Tina has enjoyed traveling from Fort McMurray to Lethbridge, including many cities in between, adjudicating Classical & Contemporary Voice in music festivals all over Alberta. An accomplished classical singer, who has enjoyed performing sacred, rock and operatic repertoire, she now performs mainly in the jazz style. In 2023, she released her 2nd album “Absence of You” which was nominated for Jazz Recording of the Year at the 2023 JazzYYC Awards and reached #1 on the Specialty Charts for Jazz with CFBX.
Tina specializes in bilingual jazz interpretations and adapting French chansons with jazz harmonies and Latin rhythms. Her songs continue to be played on CBC – Radio Canada and have also received positive attention in Europe. She is currently working on music for her upcoming tours in ON and France, and for her next album for release in 2025. Tina is looking forward to meeting tomorrows performers and passing on any helpful knowledge to help them on their individual musical journeys.
https://tinahartt.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ekT3M8YXYM
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ1Q7JS2Oudxc8kI8aR8GEA
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5onbunN5RwSVTbVazfJb4T?si=YNLTnaRIRCW0_5DSR7MyAA
Tina specializes in bilingual jazz interpretations and adapting French chansons with jazz harmonies and Latin rhythms. Her songs continue to be played on CBC – Radio Canada and have also received positive attention in Europe. She is currently working on music for her upcoming tours in ON and France, and for her next album for release in 2025. Tina is looking forward to meeting tomorrows performers and passing on any helpful knowledge to help them on their individual musical journeys.
https://tinahartt.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ekT3M8YXYM
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ1Q7JS2Oudxc8kI8aR8GEA
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5onbunN5RwSVTbVazfJb4T?si=YNLTnaRIRCW0_5DSR7MyAA
Band - Craig Johnson
Performer /Educator /Adjudicator /Arranger & Composer
Originally from Winnipeg MB, Craig studied privately with a long list of classical and jazz
instructors on his primary instruments (Trumpet & Piano). After highschool he attended
The University of Manitoba furthering his studies in the Performing Fine Arts Program.
He went on to study Jazz Arranging, Orchestral Composition, and Writing for Motion Picture and
TV earning his General Music Studies degree at The Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Now living in Calgary with over 30 years of teaching and performing experience Craig remains an active clinician, teaching within the Calgary Board of Education and private sector band music programs. He maintains a large private student base, and has had a number of students go on to pursue their own musical careers at the professional level.
In 2003 Craig accepted the position of Musical Director for a Calgary based big band association followed by a second offer in 2019 from an additional association. His roles include, directing, writing and arranging a large portion of the bands repertoire for performance. In addition to teaching and adjudicating music festivals throughout Alberta, as a band leader he leads his own groups of various sizes and has been commissioned by different organizations and independent artists to write music for their specific recording and or performing projects.
Currently Craig is creating a self published music company under the name MAXALBY Music Publishing, making available his original works and arrangements for Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Orchestra, and various small group ensembles ranging from beginner to advanced to professional levels.
Originally from Winnipeg MB, Craig studied privately with a long list of classical and jazz
instructors on his primary instruments (Trumpet & Piano). After highschool he attended
The University of Manitoba furthering his studies in the Performing Fine Arts Program.
He went on to study Jazz Arranging, Orchestral Composition, and Writing for Motion Picture and
TV earning his General Music Studies degree at The Berklee College of Music in Boston.
Now living in Calgary with over 30 years of teaching and performing experience Craig remains an active clinician, teaching within the Calgary Board of Education and private sector band music programs. He maintains a large private student base, and has had a number of students go on to pursue their own musical careers at the professional level.
In 2003 Craig accepted the position of Musical Director for a Calgary based big band association followed by a second offer in 2019 from an additional association. His roles include, directing, writing and arranging a large portion of the bands repertoire for performance. In addition to teaching and adjudicating music festivals throughout Alberta, as a band leader he leads his own groups of various sizes and has been commissioned by different organizations and independent artists to write music for their specific recording and or performing projects.
Currently Craig is creating a self published music company under the name MAXALBY Music Publishing, making available his original works and arrangements for Jazz Ensemble, Concert Band, Orchestra, and various small group ensembles ranging from beginner to advanced to professional levels.
Vocal / Choral - Tara Laberge
Equally at home as a singer, actor, and educator, Dr. Laberge has performed professionally across Canada and the United States. From Calgary Opera to the Broadway Palm Theatre in Florida, singing the National anthem from the Minnesota Twins pitcher’s mound, or acting in commercials for companies like Best Buy, Dr. Laberge has enjoyed a varied career. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, she began her training at the Mount Royal College Conservatory, subsequently earning a Bachelor of Music Performance from the University of Victoria, and both her Masters and Doctoral degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of Minnesota.
Her love for performing led to a love for arts education. She became passionate about helping singers to become more integrated actors, and helping actors to grow in their singing confidence. Dr. Laberge also developed a specialization in vocal health, training performers for healthy, sustainable careers regardless of their chosen performance discipline. She has had the great pleasure of seeing many of her students move on to professional performance careers in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Teaching credits include positions with Ambrose University, Rocky Mountain College, Augsburg College, Mount Royal University, the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts, and Storybook Theatre.
Dr. Laberge’s passion for teaching led her to complete a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary in 2021, to deepen her understanding of best practices in teaching and learning. She currently teaches Choir, Drama, Musical Theatre, and English at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School in Okotoks, AB.
www.taramarlenalaberge.com
Her love for performing led to a love for arts education. She became passionate about helping singers to become more integrated actors, and helping actors to grow in their singing confidence. Dr. Laberge also developed a specialization in vocal health, training performers for healthy, sustainable careers regardless of their chosen performance discipline. She has had the great pleasure of seeing many of her students move on to professional performance careers in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Teaching credits include positions with Ambrose University, Rocky Mountain College, Augsburg College, Mount Royal University, the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Arts, and Storybook Theatre.
Dr. Laberge’s passion for teaching led her to complete a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Calgary in 2021, to deepen her understanding of best practices in teaching and learning. She currently teaches Choir, Drama, Musical Theatre, and English at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School in Okotoks, AB.
www.taramarlenalaberge.com
Piano - Brad Parker
Canadian pianist, Brad Parker, has performed extensively as a soloist and collaborative pianist in Canada, the US, France, Italy, and Haiti. Recent performances include solo recitals in Alberta, South Carolina and California, as well as collaborative performances with Pedro Diaz (English Horn, Met Opera Orchestra), Gabriel Goni (flute, Costa Rica Symphony), and Nancy Stagnitta (flute, Interlochen Center for the Arts), multiple events in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, as well as concertos with the Lethbridge Symphony, Charleston Symphony and Lyra Vivace Chamber Orchestra. He is a founding member of the FOURtitude Piano Ensemble, which regularly performs and leads workshops/masterclasses across Southern Alberta.
An active promoter of new music, Brad has debuted several works for piano and various chamber ensembles at the Banff Chamber Music Festival, Musique Maintenant in Paris, as well as the Women in Music Festival at the Eastman School of Music.
Dr. Parker is on the music faculty at the University of Lethbridge, and previously taught at Charleston Southern University and Erskine College in South Carolina. His passion for musical instruction led him to volunteer for several summers at the North Haiti Music Camp, on the campus of the Christian University of North Haiti. Currently, he co-directs the Lethbridge Piano Intensive, a summer program which hosts talented pianists of all ages from across Canada.
Brad completed a Masters and DMA in Piano Performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, with further graduate studies in France at the Paris Conservatory. He studied at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario where he earned a Bachelor of Music with Distinction. His principal teachers include Rebecca Penneys, Dr. Heather Dawn Taves, and Jean Koerner.
An active promoter of new music, Brad has debuted several works for piano and various chamber ensembles at the Banff Chamber Music Festival, Musique Maintenant in Paris, as well as the Women in Music Festival at the Eastman School of Music.
Dr. Parker is on the music faculty at the University of Lethbridge, and previously taught at Charleston Southern University and Erskine College in South Carolina. His passion for musical instruction led him to volunteer for several summers at the North Haiti Music Camp, on the campus of the Christian University of North Haiti. Currently, he co-directs the Lethbridge Piano Intensive, a summer program which hosts talented pianists of all ages from across Canada.
Brad completed a Masters and DMA in Piano Performance at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, with further graduate studies in France at the Paris Conservatory. He studied at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario where he earned a Bachelor of Music with Distinction. His principal teachers include Rebecca Penneys, Dr. Heather Dawn Taves, and Jean Koerner.
Strings - Jeffrey Plotnick
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Plotnick retired after completing his thirtieth season as Principal Second Violin with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Mr. Plotnick performed with orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Caracas, Venezuela before assuming his position in Calgary.
In addition to performing in the Calgary Philharmonic, Mr. Plotnick also served as concertmaster of the Calgary Bach Society and the Calgary Festival Chorus Orchestras. Mr. Plotnick often appeared as violin soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic as well as the Calgary Bach Society, and has been heard in frequent performances as a solo and chamber recitalist. In October of 1998, Mr. Plotnick participated in a cultural mission to Kazakhstan, which included solo performances for its President.
Mr. Plotnick has been a member of the faculties of the University of Calgary, Mt. Royal College and the Amici String program in Calgary, and was the founding director and conductor of Mt. Royal’s Intermediate String Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Plotnick has been a faculty member of the Banff International Youth Orchestra Festival, the Valhalla, Nelson, Strings and Keys, and Los Angeles Suzuki summer music institutes, and has appeared as guest artist and clinician at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is currently in demand as a string adjudicator at numerous music festivals.
In addition to performing in the Calgary Philharmonic, Mr. Plotnick also served as concertmaster of the Calgary Bach Society and the Calgary Festival Chorus Orchestras. Mr. Plotnick often appeared as violin soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic as well as the Calgary Bach Society, and has been heard in frequent performances as a solo and chamber recitalist. In October of 1998, Mr. Plotnick participated in a cultural mission to Kazakhstan, which included solo performances for its President.
Mr. Plotnick has been a member of the faculties of the University of Calgary, Mt. Royal College and the Amici String program in Calgary, and was the founding director and conductor of Mt. Royal’s Intermediate String Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Plotnick has been a faculty member of the Banff International Youth Orchestra Festival, the Valhalla, Nelson, Strings and Keys, and Los Angeles Suzuki summer music institutes, and has appeared as guest artist and clinician at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is currently in demand as a string adjudicator at numerous music festivals.
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