2019 Adjudictors

2019 Adjudicators

Concert Band

Dr. Robert Taylor
Robert Taylor is Professor of Music and Director of Bands at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, where he conducts the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, teaches graduate and undergraduate conducting, and serves as Chair of the Woodwind Brass and Percussion Division. With a career in music education spanning over twenty years, previous appointments include the University of Puget Sound in the state of Washington and Eureka High School in northern California, where ensembles under his direction earned recognition by Downbeat Magazine, the Selmer Corporation, and Grammy Signature Schools.
Dr. Taylor received the Master of Music and Doctor of Music degrees in conducting from Northwestern University and the Bachelor of Arts degree in Trumpet and Music Education from Humboldt State University. He maintains an active schedule as a guest conductor, with past engagements including performances with the Vancouver Brass Project, Pacific Symphonic Wind Ensemble, and Chicago-based contemporary music group, the Maverick Ensemble, in addition to collaborations with a wide range of international artists—from brass virtuosi Allen Vizzutti, Gail Williams, Jeff Nelsen, and Daniel Perantoni; to composers Jodie Blackshaw, Michael Colgrass, John Corigliano, David Maslanka, Joel Puckett, Alex Shapiro, Frank Ticheli, and Dana Wilson; to jazz and pop performers Ingrid Jensen, Manhattan Transfer, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. As a passionate advocate of music in the schools, Dr. Taylor is in high demand as a festival adjudicator, rehearsal clinician, and guest conductor throughout North America and internationally.

Dr. Wendy McCallum
Dr. Wendy McCallum is the Instrumental Music Education Specialist and director of the Symphonic Band at Brandon University where she teaches courses in music education and conducting. She has conducted junior high and high school regional, provincial and state honor bands, presented at provincial and international music conferences, and has worked as a solo and ensemble adjudicator and clinician for concert and jazz ensembles in Canada and the United States. She is an Educational Clinician for the Conn-Selmer Division of Education. McCallum, active as a conductor and clinician, investigates areas related to teaching and learning, conducting, and instrumental literature as curriculum in the music classroom.

Dr. Emily Moss
Dr. Emily A. Moss is the Director of Bands and Director of Instrumental Music Education for the Department of Music, Theatre and Dance at California State University, Los Angeles. Her duties include direction of the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band, teaching undergraduate and graduate conducting, and instruction in instrumental music education methods. Her previous appointment (2008-2011) was at the Conservatory of Music at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York where she served as Director of the Conservatory Wind Ensemble and Coordinator of Music Education.
Originally from Seattle, WA, Dr. Moss earned her Bachelors’ degrees in music and music education at the University of Washington, studying conducting with Timothy Salzman and bassoon performance with Arthur Grossman. She taught middle school band and private bassoon lessons in Chandler, AZ and Seattle, WA for six years where her bands received honors and awards from regional and state festivals. While serving as a teaching assistant with the University bands at the University of Northern Colorado, she earned her Master’s degree in Wind Conducting and the Doctor of Arts in Music Education and Bassoon Performance, studying with Kenneth Singleton, Richard Mayne and Charles Hansen.
As a conductor and clinician, Dr. Moss has been invited to guest conduct at middle schools, high schools and universities in Washington, Arizona, Colorado, Texas and California and regularly gives band clinics throughout Southern California. She is also an accomplished bassoonist, actively performing during her degree programs in Washington and Colorado, with the Conservatory Orchestra and other ensembles at Brooklyn College, and for faculty recitals at Cal State L.A.
Dr. Moss is passionate about music education and effective teaching. As a member of the Advisory Board of the Center for Effective Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Cal State L.A., she is actively involved in exploring and finding ways to improve student learning. She was recently awarded a planning grant from the Lipton/Modarres Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to develop a Pre-Service Teaching component within the B.M. in Music Education program at CSULA. She can be seen presenting at conferences across the United States on topics ranging from effective rehearsing and good ensemble tone to practical tips for non-percussionist band directors. Her professional memberships include College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA), National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), California Band Directors Association (CBDA), National Band Association (NBA), and the National Honor Society Phi Kappa Phi.

Jazz Band

Hans Verhoeven
Hans Verhoeven has lived and worked in many vibrant music scenes in Canada and abroad. Recognized for his authenticity, playfulness and creativity, he has performed with an array of artists from Oscar Stagnaro, Ingrid and Christine Jensen, to Brad Turner, Phil Dwyer, PJ Perry and Brandi Disterheft.
Hans holds a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance from McGill University where he studied with Chris McCann, and a Master of Music in Orchestral Percussion Performance from the University of Victoria where he studied with William Linwood. He currently works as the drum instructor at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo, British Columbia.

Ryan Oliver

Drum line

The Victoria Music Festival is pleased to welcome the Canadian Drum line Association to our festival this year.

Mike Michalkow
Mike Michalkow has been performing, recording, and teaching drums for more than 20 years, with a storied career that has seen him brush shoulders with some of the most recognized drummers in the industry.
As a firm believer in drum education, Mike has studied privately with Mitch Dorge (Crash Test Dummies), Dom Famularo, Jim Chapin, Chuck Silverman, John Fisher, Peter Magadini, and Virgil Donati - while also taking classes with the Drummers Collective in New York City, and graduating at the top of his program while majoring in Latin and Jazz under Brian Thurgood at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton.
His passion for drums and percussion has earned him a name in the business. This led him to be the Orchestra Drummer on a popular cruise line, heading up the drum department for the USA West Coast for the “National Guitar Workshop”. Mike has also performed and recorded with songwriters and bands with a range of styles including progressive rock, latin, jazz, blues, pop, funk, celtic, country, metal, and R&B.
Mike has taught on various drum instructional DVDs including “Moeller Method Secrets”, “The Jazz Drumming System”, “The Latin Drumming System”, and the world-famous “Drumming System” which has sold nearly 20,000 copies. Mike is also an ongoing instructor for the online drum lessons community at www.Drumeo.com.
Mike’s goal as an outgoing performer and enthusiastic teacher is to excite and motivate others about the drums and music.