Meet our 2025 Adjudicators
Shirantha Beddage
Shirantha Beddage is a baritone saxophonist, composer and educator from Toronto, Canada. His original music combines hard bop and modern jazz to create a sound that is both accessible and sophisticated. He has released three critically-acclaimed albums as a leader: Roots and Branches, Identity (2013 JUNO nominee) and Momentum (2017 JUNO nominee). As a side musician, he is featured on recordings with the Order of Canada Band, Suzie Arioli, Laila Biali, Nancy Walker, Mike Downes and many others. His compositional skills have won him accolades such as the Montreal Jazz Festival Galaxie Rising Star Award, recognitions at the Canadian Songwriting Competition, and placements in the Emmy-winning TV series “Fargo”.
Dr. Beddage is Assistant Professor of Jazz at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music. He previously held faculty appointments as Professor of Music at Humber College, and Director of Jazz Studies at the Columbus State University Schwob School of Music (Columbus, Georgia, USA). He also adjudicates regularly at festivals throughout the country including MusicFest Canada, where he serves as Vice-Chairman of Instrumental Jazz.
He holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Jazz Studies from the Eastman School of Music (New York, USA), a Master of Music degree in Jazz Studies from William Paterson University (New Jersey, USA), and a Bachelor of Music degree from Humber College. Shirantha Beddage is a Yamaha saxophone artist and performs on the YBS-62. For more information, please visit https://shiranthabeddage.com
Queen Cora Coleman
Queen Cora Coleman is a Grammy-nominated, multi-award-winning drummer, producer, DJ, publisher, philanthropist, and entrepreneur from Houston, Texas (USA). A lifelong academic and musical force, she graduated valedictorian of Kashmere High School and is a Distinguished Alumnus of Howard University (Washington, DC), where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Performance. She is a proud member of Sigma Alpha Iota and Tau Beta Sigma.
Across a 23-year career, Queen Cora’s creative impact on recordings, television, and live performance has reached over 40 countries and millions of viewers worldwide. Her historic tenure includes 5.5 years with Prince, three years as bandleader and drummer for Beyoncé, and she made history as the only drummer to perform in two of Billboard Magazine’s Top 5 most-viewed United States Super Bowl Halftime Shows—with both artists.
Beyond these landmark collaborations, her multi-genre roster reflects a rare convergence of global music, film, and culture, spanning Phylicia Rashad, Patti LaBelle, Jill Scott, Ledisi, P!nk, Fantasia, Zucchero, Tomoyasu Hotei, Andrea Bocelli, Brian Culbertson, Maceo Parker, and Dave Chappelle, among others. Her international presence includes featured residencies at the historic Arena di Verona (Italy), the Sydney Opera House (Australia), and London’s O2 Arena and Royal Albert Hall, alongside appointments as Artist-in-Residence at the Monterey Jazz Festival (Texas Southern University), Assistant Music Director and drummer for Country Music Television’s inaugural Smashing Glass, and recurring host of the International TEC Awards.
She is endorsed by nearly 20 of the world’s leading music equipment manufacturers, leads The Queen Cora Orchestra as its founder and visionary, and recharges through wellness practices, visual artistry, and reading.
Sienna Dahlen
Juno award-winning songstress and songsmith, Sienna Dahlen was born in the pristine Kootenays and raised in the gutsy dusty Peace River region of northern British Columbia. Passionately paving her own path, her music and sound scale the outskirts of folk, jazz and at times, the spatial colours of free music and they do so with one goal in heart and mind; to shower her listeners with a rhapsody of sonic love. Sienna is also a jazz and contemporary voice instructor and small ensemble director at McGill University and Concordia University in Montreal, QC. Lastly, Sienna became a Registered Hypnotherapist through ARCH Canada in 2023.
William J Earvin
Dr. William J. Earvin is currently an Educational Support Manager for Conn-Selmer, Inc. He also coordinates the Conn Selmer HBCU Collective Community that engages music educators and arts supporters associated with Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music and performed with the Clark Atlanta University Jazz Orchestra. Dr. Earvin graduated from Mississippi Valley State University, earning a Master of Arts Degree in Education. His Doctor of Education degree from North Central University specializes in Higher Education Leadership and his Doctor of Arts in Music Education degree was earned at William Carey University. Wind band and jazz ensembles under his leadership have consistently earned Superior and Excellent ratings and have performed at regional and national festivals. Dr. Earvin has been honored as an “Outstanding Music Educator” by the Berklee College of Music and a “Distinguished Music Educator” by the Yale University School of Music. Dr. Earvin has presented numerous professional development sessions and in-services. He has facilitated workshops in school districts throughout the country. Notably, he presented sessions at the Conn Selmer Institute, the Louisiana Association for Student Assistance Programs (LASAP) Conference, LMEA Conference, The Midwest Clinic, the Music for All Summer Symposium, the ASBDA National Convention, and the NAfME Summit. Dr. Earvin is actively involved in numerous civic and professional organizations; LASAP, LMEA, the National Association for Music Education, Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity, the National Band Association, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., a charter member of the Louisiana Music Adjudicators Association, and is a member of the Music for All Advocacy in Action Advisory Committee. He is also a founding member of the Minority Band Directors National Association
Kelsley Grant
Kelsley Grant is a trombonist, educator, and composer based in Toronto. He holds a Bachelor of Music from McGill University and completed graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music. After leaving New York, he toured the United States and Europe with Maynard Ferguson’s Big Bop Nouveau. His extensive experience and versatility have positioned him to thrive in Toronto’s diverse and demanding musical landscape.
Kelsley has served on the faculties of McGill University, the Université de Montréal, and the University of Toronto. He is currently the Musical Director of the JAZZ.FM91 Youth Big Band and the Chair of MusicFest Canada’s Jazz Division. He is also a full-time faculty member at Humber Polytechnic, where he serves as Program Coordinator for the Foundations in Music Performance program.
Gregory Groover Jr
New York-born and Boston-bred, emerging saxophonist, composer, and educator Gregory Groover Jr has already left an indelible mark in the jazz world, in a short period. Saxophonist Walter Smith III describes him as a “thematic musician, who’s playing very much relates to the song. He plays with a lot of energy, and he leads with that. The heart is the most important thing – the direction and motion of what he plays is where he really feels.” Groover’s artistry seamlessly marries genres as he continues to push the boundaries of jazz while honoring its deep legacy.
Raised with a devotion for music, Groover’s journey in music began at a young age. His passion for jazz flourished as he honed his craft, eventually earning him a full tuition scholarship to pursue his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Performance Studies at Berklee College of Music. Under the guidance of esteemed mentors like Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, Miguel Zenon, and Dave Liebman, he thrived within the acclaimed Berklee Global Jazz Institute, helmed by the renowned pianist and UNESCO Artist for Peace, Danilo Perez.
Groover’s continued dedication to his craft and unwavering commitment to excellence have solidified his position as a prominent figure in the contemporary jazz scene. As a bandleader, Groover has released three albums (Negro Spiritual Songbook, Vol 1 & 2) and made his Criss Cross Records debut in April 2024 with his record, Lovabye. On November 7th, Gregory released his follow up to Lovabye on Criss Cross, Old Knew. In addition to being a bandleader, Groover is a highly sought-after collaborator having performed in music festivals in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Africa with some of the world’s leading voices in contemporary music.
As an educator, Gregory has served as the co-chair of music at his alma mater, the Boston Arts Academy, and currently serves as the Assistant Chair of Ensemble & the Interim Managing Director of the Global Jazz Institute, at the world-renowned Berklee College of Music. Through his teaching, he shares his passion for music with the younger generation, inspiring them to explore their creative potential. His dedication to uplifting the next generation of artists underscores his belief in the transformative power of music.
Joanna Majoko
Toronto-based vocalist, composer, and bandleader has established a reputation as one of Canada’s most exciting young singers. Joanna Majoko has been a regular presence on the bandstand with some of the country’s top musicians, including Larnell Lewis, of Snarky Puppy, Grammy-nominated artist/drummer, Ulysess Owens Jr., multi-Juno award winner & Grammy[1]nominated jazz luminary, Jane Bunnett, Juno/Grammy-award winner & Canadian Hall of Fame inductee, David Clayton-Thomas. She has performed at some of the world’s biggest festivals & venues, such as New York City’s Birdland Jazz Club, Paris’ Le Duc Des Lombards, and Switzerland’s Internationales Jazz Festival Bern. Majoko has also been the recipient of a number of notable accolades, including Emerging Jazz Artist at the 2021 Toronto Arts Foundation Awards, Jazz Artist of the Year at the 2019 ByBlacks People’s Choice Awards, major grants from the Toronto Arts Council, the Ontario Arts Council, Canada Council, and FACTOR. In 2021, she added another important entry to her list of accomplishments: the release of her debut EP, No Holding Back.
Dean McNeill
Dean McNeill has been contributing to the Canadian music scene in a variety of capacities for decades as an award-winning musician/educator and arts administrator. As Professor of Brass & Jazz for 25 years at the University of Saskatchewan (9 of which also serving as Head of the Music Department) Dean is the recipient of the UofS’s Dwaine Nelson Teaching Award, USASK Student’s Union Teaching Excellence Award, the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival’s Special Recognition Award, Saskatchewan Choral Federation’s Outstanding Administrator’s Award, and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal (Saskatchewan). Dean is honored to have shared the stage with the likes of Jon Ballantyne, Tommy Banks, David Braid, Dee Daniels, Phil Dwyer, Hugh Fraser, Mark Fewer, Guy Few, Wycliffe Gordon, Kelly Jefferson, Ingrid Jensen, Michael Kaeshammer, Alastair Kay, Bob Mintzer, PJ Perry, Maria Schneider, Denzal Sinclaire, and Brad Turner. Dean was a member of the Saskatoon Symphony for 23 seasons. He is currently the A.D. of the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra which is in its 11th season. Dean has been involved in many interdisciplinary projects and CDs, most notably six USASK Jazz Ensemble ‘Bumper Crop’ CDs (as conductor), various Western Canadian Music Awards-nominated CDs (e.g. The Saskatchewan Suite: The Story of Us (performer), The Complete Rebirth Of The Cool (performer), and *O Music (performer)).*Won a Western Canadian Music Award for classical composition of the year.
Dean attended MacEwan University (M.dip.), McGill University (B.Mus.Jazz), and the University of North Texas (M.Mus.Jazz). He continues to study privately with a variety of teachers/mentors.
For more information visit: http://artsandscience.usask.ca/profile/DMcNeill#/profile
Cynthia Peyson Wahl
Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Cynthia Peyson Wahl holds a Bachelor of Music Education (University of Regina), a diploma in Contemporary Music, Jazz Voice (Grant MacEwan University), and a Master of Music Education (University of Toronto). For fourteen years she taught choir, vocal jazz, and musical theatre at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate Institute in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and directed the jazz choir at Canadian Mennonite University. She currently teaches for Regina Public schools, and Secondary Choral Education at the University of Regina in Regina, Saskatchewan.
At DMCI her choirs were featured performers at Choralfest Manitoba, the ChoralCanada Podium conference, and the Canadian Rocky Mountain Festival in Banff. In 2011 and 2012, her choirs won the Earl Grey Trophy for Outstanding performance by a choir at the Winnipeg Music Festival, and in 2011, her Chamber Choir won the Lieutenant Governor’s Trophy for most outstanding performance of the Winnipeg Music Festival.
Cynthia is the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards for choral excellence, and is published in two books – The Palgrave Handbook on Race and the Arts in Education, and Teaching Music Through Performance in Choir, vol. 5. Cynthia enjoys a busy schedule as a clinician/workshop presenter, regularly travelling across Canada and the US to work with choirs of all genres. She is currently completing her PhD in music education at the University of Toronto.
Erin Propp
Erin Propp is a Juno-nominated, Western Canadian Award-winning singer and songwriter from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Critically acclaimed for her work in jazz and contemporary music, Erin is a highly sought-after vocalist, collaborator, clinician, educator and mentor, lending her voice to an array of recordings and projects. Most recently, Erin has recorded and performed with Grammy-winning Attacca Quartet and is preparing to release an album later this year, featuring not only Attacca but also co-producer and guitarist on the project, Joey Landreth.
A graduate of the University of Manitoba Jazz Program, Erin has continued her studies in recent years with esteemed educators Luciana Souza and Michelle Willis. Erin has two decades of teaching experience in home studio, university, and conservatory settings, teaching voice, sight reading and rhythm.
A past participant in the Brandon Jazz Festival, Erin is delighted to adjudicate and hear young singers discover and deliver performances in the heart of the province!
Larry Roy
Larry Roy has been in the music industry for over 40 years, as a jazz recording/touring artist, part of an award winning/Juno nominated duo with singer Erin Propp, a musical director for radio and television, a composer for film and television, an arranger for symphony and big band, a studio owner and recording engineer/producer for countless artists including Juno winners Will Bonness and Jocelyn Gould. He worked as a professor at the U of M Jazz Program from 2004 to 2023 teaching Improv courses, private study with guitarists, vocalists, jazz violinists, and coaching ensembles and recitals.
With as varied a career as Larry has had he is still primarily a jazz guitarist who has performed, recorded, and taught alongside the best musicians in North America, including Bobby Hutcherson, Terry Lynne Carrington, Jimmy Greene, Larnell Lewis, and countless others. His love of the guitar remains strong as he continues to grow and expand his skills. His co-writing with Erin Propp has produced two highly acclaimed recordings, “Courage My Love” 2013, and “We Want All the Same Things” 2021. Over the years Larry has toured all over North America and Europe and has played the Canadian Jazz festival circuit many times.
In the last 20 years Larry has devoted much if his energy towards the University of Manitoba Jazz Program as a guitar, Improv professor and ensemble coach. His understanding of harmony and rhythm has helped countless young musicians develop their abilities. Many of them continued on to Masters programs at institutions such as the Julliard School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and Michigan State University. Larry is also committed to the continued growth of jazz education in western Canada through his association with jazz educators in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, and the BC interior.
Alex Samaras
Alex Samaras is a singing artist. His output as a performer and recording artist span every genre and style. Alex leads his own band, Tryal, and has released two records since 2017. His vocal group Grex, founded by Alex in 2010 explores the extremes of the human voice and the body/voice connection. Alex sings with the Queer Songbook Orchestra and is Beverley Glenn Copeland’s music director for his tours across North America and the UK/EU.
Alex is an active member in the Toronto theatre and dance community. He has presented new operas and created roles in new musicals including The Cave (2018-2022) by Tomson Highway and John Millard and Universal Child Care (2024) by QuoteUnquote Collective. With Soundstreams he has performed Claude Vivier’s Musik für das Ende and Love Songs in Berlin and London. Cecilia Levingston wrote her piece ‘mark’ specifically for Alex in 2023. He has worked as a composer and vocal collaborator with choreographers including Susie Burpee, Meredith Thompson and at the Toronto Dance Theatre with Ame Henderson and Christopher House.
Alex loves collaborating with people of all ages. He has taught at the University of Toronto Jazz and Classical Department, Humber College, Jazz Works Music Camp and National Music Camp, where he directed a chorus of 250 students. He is also the founder of the PAL Chorale, a community choir for seniors at the Performing Artists Lodge in Toronto. 2024 saw the release of a new album of original songs with Tryal and in 2025 he will release a jazz album of obscure Judy Garland songs.
Aretha Tillotson
Aretha Tillotson is a Canadian bassist, band leader and composer. As a passionate lover of improvised music, Aretha has played across North America with Kris Davis, Francesca Remigi, Allan Chase, and Josh Rosen. In 2023, she toured as a member of the Ingrid and Christine Jensen quintet. She released her debut album Introducing Aretha Tillotson (Bent River Records), and in 2024, she won a Western Canadian Music award for Jazz Artist of the Year. The record was composed by interviewing intersectional women across arts disciplines about their experiences in arts institutions as part of Aretha’s masters thesis, and feature Allison Au.
Her second album as a band leader, Kinda Out West will feature Ingrid and Christine Jensen and David Laing, releasing November 1, 2025. As a session musician, Aretha has toured with Universal artist Mick Flannery and worked as a touring resident bassist on the Broadway rendition of SIX. She continued her work with SIX in 2024 as the bassist for Mirvish Theatre’s residence in Toronto.
Aretha was honoured to receive a presidential scholarship in 2020 to attend Berklee’s Global Jazz Masters program, receiving an individual mentorship with John Patitucci, and studying with Linda May Han Oh, Joe Lovano, and Danilo Perez. She earned a Masters of Music in 2022. Aretha is a faculty member at MacEwan University, teaching bass and theory, and Berklee College, teaching bass and ear training.
Kathie Van Lare
Kathie Van Lare, born and raised in Calgary, has been teaching music in the Calgary area for 35 years. Now retired from full-time teaching, Kathie continues to direct the Foothills Music Society Concert Band and the Westwinds Music Society Gold Jazz South Big Band.
She is active as a guest conductor and adjudicator throughout much of Western Canada and has also served on faculty with MusiCamrose and the Calgary Regional Summer Band Workshop. Kathie is currently Co-President of Women Band Directors International – Alberta Chapter and is also Director of the newly formed Calgary Women’s Jazz Orchestra.
Bands under Kathie’s direction have been the recipients of several awards and she has been the recipient of various personal awards: Alberta Band Association’s “Elkhorn Award” as the Band Director of the Year; Alberta Band Association’s “Vondis Miller Legacy Award”; Laureate in John Philip Sousa Legion of Honor at the MidWest Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago. Women Band Directors International, “Scroll of Excellence”; and an Honorary Lifetime Membership from the Alberta Band Association.
Kathie continues to be active as a free-lance musician (trumpet) and has performed with many groups including among others, the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra, Prime Time Big Band, Calgary Jazz Orchestra, Alberta Winds and Altius Brass.
Besides music, Kathie enjoys woodworking, horseback riding and is an avid baseball fan. Go Cardinals!