2012 AdjudicatorsAmanda Brunk, B.Mus., NATS

An active musical director and cross-over voice instructor, Ms. Brunk earned a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance and remains a student of the constantly evolving field of voice pedagogy and science. She maintains memberships with The National Association of Teachers of Singing and The Voice Foundation and has completed several courses over the years, including Contemporary Commercial Music Vocal Pedagogy Institute (Shenandoah University, VA), The Voice Foundation 3rd Annual Voice Symposium: Voice Evaluation and Treatment - Medical and Therapeutic Considerations (Voice & Swallowing Center of Maine), NATS Vocology Seminar (Princeton, NJ) and The Institute of Voice Performance Pedagogy (Oberlin, OH). She has adjudicated voice competitions in Canada and the United States, and has attended courses and sessions in voice disorders and rehabilitation in New York, Philadelphia and Hamilton, ON.

Current and past voice students have performed as members of the company at The Stratford Shakespeare Festival of Canada and the Broadway production of Jersey Boys, and have starred in T.V.'s Degrassi: The Next Generation and My Life as a Dog. Others have gone on to complete performance degrees in the top college and university programs for classical voice and musical theatre performance in Canada.

Amanda now maintains a cross-over voice studio where she coaches singers of all ages in technique, interpretation and expression of both classical technique and theatre belt singing through private lessons and masterclasses, and is the founder of the Kitchener-Waterloo based production company The Singer's Theatre.

As conductor of the Grand Philharmonic Youth Choir, Amanda enjoys directing classical and contemporary choral music alongside artistic director of the Grand Philharmonic organization Mark Vuorinen. She also holds the position of Vocal Director for LMC Productions, coaching singers in multiple shows and cabarets for Japan Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises.

Musical direction credits number over 20 major musicals, from Les Miserables and Candide to Cats and Rent. She continues to produce, direct and perform, with the intent to promote and maintain the integrity of dramatic vocal music.

Gord Shephard

Gord Shephard holds a Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario. He has taught music for over twenty years at the high school level in York Region.

In 2007 Gord moved to the Curriculum Department where he coordinated the Artist in Residence Project which is a collaboration between the York Region District School Board and the Ontario Arts Council Gord has had articles published in the Ontario Music Educators Journal ("The Recorder”) and the Ontario Band Association Newsletter and has been involved in creating Ministry of Education Curricula for the Revised Arts Curriculum.

Gord has also been on faculty at the National Music Camp of Canada and has adjudicated at numerous music festivals






Tatiana Voitovitch  - Artist Diploma Solo (Glenn Gould School), M. A., B. A., Concert Pianist

Tatiana Voitovitch holds a Master’s Degree from the Minsk Academy of Music (Belarus), as well as an Artist Diploma Solo from the Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music. Currently Ms Voitovitch is studying for her PhD degree at York University specializing in musicology and music performance.

Along with radio and CD recordings in Poland and Belarus, Tatiana Voitovitch’s pianistic career has led her through a number of international piano competitions, and she has earned First Prize at the Artist International Piano Competition (Toronto, 2000) and was a finalist at the Cergy-Pontoise International Piano Competition (France, 1998). She has toured extensively throughout Europe, including performances in Poland, Germany, Austria, Portugal and France, as well as actively performing in Canada at various venues in the Toronto area as a soloist and a brilliant accompanist. Her latest stage appearances include The Living Art Centre, Mississauga and The Toronto Centre for the Arts with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra.

As the former Department Head of the Enriched Studies Program and current Faculty teacher at the Merriam School of Music (Oakville), Tatiana Voitovitch has the great opportunity of bringing up and nurturing young talents through lessons, Master Classes and Workshops. Her creative guidance and unique pedagogical approach have helped them develop into solid contest winners, some of whom have competed in provincial competitions and auditioned for the Juilliard School in New York, and Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Tatiana Voitovitch was invited as a presenter at the Music Pedagogy International Conference in Ottawa in 2010, has recently become an Examiner for the Royal Conservatory of Music, and also remains an active adjudicator throughout Ontario, continuously motivating and encouraging performers and pupils in their endeavours and musical pursuits.

Michael Savona

Michael’s performances have taken him to Europe and major cities across Canada both as a soloist and a chamber musician. He presently records and tours with the legendary Canadian guitarist Liona Boyd, and has worked with critically acclaimed musicians such as Lydia Adams and Rob MacDonald. In addition to receiving many scholarships and awards for his playing, Michael has been invited to play at numerous music festivals and university/college workshops. Several pieces have been composed for him and he has performed in the premiers of many new Canadian compositions.

Michael received his Bachelor degree from "The Glenn Gould professional School” and his Masters degree from the University of Ottawa in guitar performance. He has participated in many international guitar festivals and has performed in master-classes for guitar legends such as David Russell, Manuel Barruecco, Leo Brouwer and Norbert Kraft. He has also attended the Humber College jazz program in Toronto.

Michael has a busy private teaching studio instructing students of all ages and levels. He also gives workshops and Master-classes at universities and colleges and has adjudicated performance exams at the University of British Columbia, Douglas College and Kwantlen College as well as Kiwanis music festivals in Toronto, Ottawa, Sudbury, Oshawa, Guelph, Norfolk, and Walkerton.

Michael is presently on the board of directors for the Toronto Guitar Society.