VAYA Online INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL: Autumn 2025

Adjudicators

	Dominique Bernath, Vancouver, Canada (Percussion) •     "Dominique Bernath's handling of the complex timpani part was spectacular." (Kelowna Daily Courier) •     “Her ebullient personality and percussive flair never failed to delight and this unique exploration of the lyrical potential of the timpani was no exception." (Vernon Morning Star) •     “Kudos to Dominique Bernath for her superb and acrobatic timpani playing." (Kelowna Capital News) Dominique Bernath has been the Principal Timpanist of the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra since 1997 after attending the University of British Columbia where she studied Orchestral Percussion. She began performing with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in 1995, and also performs with the Surrey City Orchestra, Vancouver Island Symphony, Fraser Valley Wind Ensembles, and numerous orchestras throughout the province. Dominique has shared the stage with such Canadian talents as Jann Arden, Natalie MacMaster, Anne Murray, Dee Daniels, The Rankins and Holly Cole. Dominique performed three auditioned sessions with the National Youth Orchestra of Canada and has also been featured as a concerto soloist on timpani. She frequently teaches percussion clinics and masterclasses and has been a pianist since 1981. Dominique has been the stage manager/percussion coach for the Kiwanis Concert Band Festival since 2004 and proudly works as an Educational Representative for Tapestry Music. Ms. Bernath is a Yamaha and Zildjian Artist.
	Vourneen Ryan, Limerick, Ireland (Woodwinds) Vourneen Ryan is a professional flautist, teacher, and performance coach. She began her musical journey at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, studying with Doris Keogh, before continuing her flute studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama under Edward Beckett, Philippa Davies, Sarah Newbold, and Paul Edmund-Davies. In 2015, she earned a Master’s degree in Sports, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, which she now integrates into her work with musicians of all ages and levels as a Performance Coach. In 2004, Vourneen was invited to join the internationally renowned Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra as Sub-Principal Flute. She continues to perform regularly with many of the leading orchestras in Ireland and the UK, including the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Wexford Festival Opera, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Northern Sinfonia, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. A passionate chamber musician, Vourneen is a member of Trio Táin (flute, viola, and harp), Musici Ireland, and Glas Quartet. She is a professor of flute at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, where she combines her expertise in performance psychology with her teaching to inspire and support her students. Beyond her performance and teaching career, Vourneen delivers lectures and workshops on Career Development, Mindset Training, and Mental Skills for Performance at the Royal Irish Academy of Music and has worked with students and young musicians through the University of Limerick, DKIT, RIAM, INO, NYOI, and a range of other arts organizations and schools. You can connect with her at @vourneen.ryan or visit www.vourneenryan.com
	Debra DaVaughn, Waimea, HI, USA Ms. DaVaughn has had a successful professional singing and teaching career for over twenty years. Her radiant voice and stirring performances in opera, musical theatre and operetta have been acclaimed by audiences and critics alike from Canada to Mexico. Over her career she has performed with numerous arts organizations including Vancouver Opera, The Monterrey Symphony, Burnaby Lyric Opera, Royal City Music Theatre, The Vancouver Handel Society, and many more. Debra’s musical training includes study at the Centro Studi Italiano in Urbania, Italy. She has coached with staff from opera programs including the Canadian Opera Company, Metropolitan Opera, and the San Francisco Opera. She has been fortunate to attend masterclasses with some of the world’s finest vocal coaches including Nico Castel (Julliard School of Music), Carol Castel (New York Opera Studio), Joan Patenaude-Yarnell (Manhattan School of Music), Stuart Hamilton (Canadian Opera Company), David Shefsiek (Pacific Opera Victoria) and Alan Monk (Calgary Opera). She has operated a successful private voice studio since 2003. She recently made the move from Vancouver, Canada to Waimea, Hawaii where she is in the process of establishing her studio once again. Debra’s students have enjoyed great success at festivals and competitions over the years, and many have gone on to study at acclaimed conservatories and colleges, including New York City’s Cap21 and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Michigan’s Interlochen Center for the Arts and UBC’s Opera Program. From 2006-2014 Ms. DaVaughn was co-Founder and Artistic Director of A Night on Broadway, an annual fundraising concert benefitting the Surrey Food Bank. During its eight-year run, the event raised over $100,000 for the Food Bank. She is also a former Artistic Director of The Young People’s Opera Society of BC.
	Brett Gunther, Calgary, AB, Canada (Classical Guitar) Canadian classical guitarist Brett Gunther has been active for over 25 years, with a varied and dynamic musical career. Known for “exciting performances, thoughtful interpretations, and sensitive musicality” (thisisclassicalguitar.com) Gunther has appeared on stages throughout Western Canada as a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed with notable Canadian acts including virtuosa guitarist Iliana Matos, renowned flutist Jiajia Li, and the Calgary Festival Chorus. To date Gunther has released three albums: Distant Shores (2024), An Idea (2017), and Guitar Music (2012). The recordings explore a wide range of music including favourites from the repertoire, hidden gems, and contemporary compositions. Brett Gunther is in demand as an educator and is on faculty at Mount Royal University Conservatory teaching private lessons and ensemble classes for their prestigious Academy program. He is a regular adjudicator at festivals across Canada including Hamilton Guitar Festival, Ontario and British Columbia Provincial Music Competitions, and the CMC Canadian Music Competition. He has been an examiner with the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto since 2019. A passionate advocate for classical guitar in the community, Gunther is Artistic Director of the Classical Guitar Society of Calgary and Director of the annual GuitarFest West classical guitar festival. He holds Masters and Bachelors Degrees in guitar performance from the University of Calgary. Beyond the classical guitar world, Gunther has been featured on five commercial releases with The Buzzing Bees, Beija Flor, and SAVK. His work with these bands includes radio performances on CBC, CKUA, and CJSW and playing to an audience of thousands at the Calgary Folk Festival.
	Dr. Tristan Savella, Toronto, ON (Senior and Intermediate Piano) Filipino-American pianist, Dr. Tristan Savella is an active soloist and chamber musician based in Toronto. His career has taken him to performances at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall in New York City, the Schloss Mirabell in Salzburg, Austria, and the Canadian Opera Company's Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre in Toronto. Furthermore, Tristan is the recipient of multiple prizes at various national and international competitions, including third place at the Concours Flame in Paris, first place at the Bradshaw and Buono International Piano Competition in New York City, a finalist prize at YoungArts Week (sponsored by the National YoungArts Foundation) in Miami, and third place at the Glenn Gould School's Chamber Music Competition. Tristan's performances in 2024-25 include a variety of solo and chamber music concerts, including programs for Piano Trio, Cello & Piano, Oboe & Piano, and Piano Four-Hands. Highlights include performances at the Candlelight Concerts (Toronto), Doors Open for Music at Southminster (Ottawa), the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Music Society, Syrinx Concerts (Toronto), the Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage Concert Series (Washington D.C.), and Emerson Avenue Music Salon (McLean, Virginia). Apart from performing, Tristan works as a private piano and music theory teacher and as an accompanist at The Royal Conservatory of Music's Taylor Academy and the Glenn Gould School. He also regularly serves as an adjudicator for local festivals and competitions, including ORMTA and the Aegio International Piano Competition. Tristan holds a Bachelor of Music in Applied Music from the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, a Master of Arts with highest distinction from the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, and an Artist Diploma from The Glenn Gould School in Toronto. He is also an alumnus of the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. His principal teachers at these institutions were John O'Conor, George Kern, T.J. Lymenstull, and the late Nelita True. In 2023, Tristan completed the Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto, where he studied with the late Marietta Orlov, as well as with Jamie Parker and Lydia Wong. Additionally, Tristan has taken part in numerous music festivals, including at the Banff Arts Centre, the Orford Music Academy, the Gijon International Piano Festival, and the Chautauqua Institute. Aside from music, Tristan is a lifelong tennis fan and his other interests include traveling & cultural exploration, learning languages, urbanism, data science & analytics, soccer, and video games.
	Annette Beaumont Ellis, London UK/Toronto, CA (Junior Piano) Annette Ellis was born and educated in England and has been involved in music education for over 30 years. Having initially been taught and performed piano under the guidance of Dame Fanny Waterman in Leeds, she subsequently received her undergraduate piano and musical education degrees and diplomas at the Royal Northern College of Music, University of Manchester and the Royal Academy of Music. After initially teaching piano and music at Lady Manners School, Annette moved to Toronto, Canada, where she continued her studies with Margaret Parsons-Poole at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto (RCM) . For over 20 years Annette was a member of the piano faculty and examining board of the RCM. During this period, she also produced a number of CDs with Sony Music and ran her own music management company. Since returning to live in the UK, she has taught and adjudicated piano and has been involved in a number of music/education charitable initiatives, including the Princes Trust (Children and the Arts). She believes in the importance of the arts and particularly music, as a basis for developing human potential. She was involved in introducing the innovative RCM "Learning through the Arts" programme to the UK. Annette has been a Lead Patron and supporter of Leeds Piano Competition since its inception. She is also an active supporter and Patron of the Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Opera North, ENB, Wigmore Hall and Rydale Music Festival .
	Kirtley Leigh Walker-Halstead, Sydney, AU (Strings) Violinist Kirtley Leigh has a career that has taken her across the globe, as soloist, and in chamber concerts, recitals, orchestras and pedagogy positions worldwide. Her performances have been celebrated in over 20 countries. A Dual Citizen of Australia and America, she was born and educated in the USA. Kirtley has performed for dignitaries, royalty, prime ministers and legendary stars of screen and stage in a multi- faceted career. A student of the legendary virtuoso Josef Gingold, she holds a Bachelor of Music (honours) from Indiana University. The US honoured her with the prestigious American Federation of Music Prize/Recitalist in New York. She also studied with Dorothy De Lay and in Masterclasses with Joseph Silverstein, Nathan Milstein, Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, Henryk Szering, and Stephane Grappelli. Kirtley was appointed Associate Leader of the Hong Kong Philharmonic in 1983, launching her international career. As a chamber musician and recitalist, Kirtley has appeared in the Australian Festival of Chamber Music, and festivals including Aspen, Point-Counterpoint, Chautauqua, and Sedona (USA), St. Endellion, Prussia Cove, and Classics Live (UK), Klassik Aften, Bergen Festspille, and Oslo (Norway), Amsterdam, Vienna, Pollensa (Spain), and Hong Kong. In Europe she was Leader in Amsterdam (Kleine Komedie), and in Norway with the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, performing as soloist and recording for Norwegian radio. Kirtley was in leading positions with the UK's finest chamber and symphony orchestras, including the London Chamber Symphony, Midlands Philharmonic, Academy of London, Oxford and European Union Chamber Orchestras. Recently she returned to hold masterclasses in Cardiff for BBC Conductor Mark Eager. European engagements include performing for Queen Sophia of Spain as Leader of the Pollensa Chamber Orchestra, King Olaf of Norway with the Bergen Philharmonic, as well as a world tour with Pavarotti and the Oporto Orchestra, Portugal, and with Soprano Kiri te Kanawa. She has given Command Performances for the Prime Ministers of Papua New Guinea and Malaysia’s Tun Mahathir Mohamad and Madame Siti. She has given World Premiers in New Zealand of a Violin Concerto written for her and in Australia of a concerto for didgeridoo and violin with the brilliant William Barton. Kirtley has collaborated in recital with international artists including pianists Pascal Roge , Melvyn Tan, Clemens Leske, James Brawn, Jenni Flemming, Benjamin Martin and Elyane Laussade. She has shared the stage with such diverse artists as Pavarotti, Dame Kiri te Kanawa, Jessye Norman, Herb Armstrong, Lorna Luft, David Bowie, Tony Bennett, John Travolta, and INXS. In Australia Kirtley has continued her career as soloist and chamber musician, performing with orchestras nationwide and recitals with The Serendipity Trio, Paradise Concerts, and Strings of the North. She was leader of the Australian Symphony on tour in 2022. Her Strings of the North quartet is regularly featured in the renowned Candlelight Concerts. Kirtley recently held the position of Tutor in Violin, Viola and Chamber Music, and Orchestral Conductor with the prestigious The King’s School, Sydney. She is Artistic Director of Paradise Concerts International Chamber Music Series and the Australian Strings Academy teaching studio. Kirtley has adjudicated at Eisteddfods and Festivals in Australia and abroad, most recently in 2025 for Bathurst Eisteddfod and VAYA International Festival later this year. Last year, Kirtley performed a recital tour of Japan with pianist Ami Hakuno and gave 3 solo concerts in Singapore at the invitation of iconic Raffles Hotel. She then joined the prestigious AUSTA International String Orchestra in their 2023 European tour as associate leader.
	Luisa-Maria Cordell, London, UK (Harp) Luisa studied music at The University of Surrey and The Guildhall school of music and Drama. Luisa has recently achieved a Distinction at Masters level. Post Graduate Certificate in performance teaching (Pedagogy and music education) from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. 2024. London. Award-winning harpist Luisa-Maria Cordell has travelled the world performing and teaching the harp. Luisa has a busy freelance career playing for leading orchestras and performing as a solo recitalist for European recital series and has been the featured Classical artiste for well-known cruise-liners. Luisa recently made a recording with ‘cellist Julian Lloyd Webber. She has performed for many dignitaries including members of the Royal Family and various Prime Ministers and Statesmen. Luisa is an experienced educator who enjoys passing on her love of the harp. She has a busy private practice teaching harpists (online and live) from beginner to degree level. She is a regular invited guest tutor for the Clarsach Society, the Edinburgh International Harp Festival, National Schools Orchestras and The European Youth Orchestra. A highly considered educator she has given workshops on harp teaching for tutors enabling critical thinking on subjects such as ‘why do we teach?’ and ‘the benefits of teacher-led student-led collaborations’. She is newly qualified in teacher performing pedagogy; future workshops have pedagogy fundamentals and her own life skills at the heart of them. Luisa will be leading workshops with Guildhall Professor Roberta Wolf for graduate harpists who wish to set up a teaching practice in January 2026. One of her greatest passions is directing the National Youth Harp Orchestra of Great Britain and inspiring the next generations of harpists. Luisa founded the orchestra in 2002, and it quickly grew from eight harpists to forty-five in three years! Luisa enjoys nurturing these students from beginner level to professional level, teaching ensemble and performance techniques, as well as invaluable life skills and disciplines. Luisa founded the orchestra’s charity programme which commissions leading composers, and emerging composers to write for them. This has led to Patrick Hawes (former King Charles resident composer) writing ‘St George and the Dragon’ which was aired on Radio 3. Most recently, Britain’s celebrated leading women composer Liz Lane wrote ‘Emerald Waltz’ which was premiered at The Menuhin Hall in the Spring. The charity has also supported many young harpists who are facing financial hardship, and most recently a new bursary to support undergraduates through their training at music conservatoires. The NYHO has completed twenty European concert tours under Luisa’s guidance. They most enjoy collaborating with other European musicians, and they particularly enjoy working with the musicians and professors from The Faro Conservatoire of Music! The NYHO took part in an exchange programme with The American Youth Harp Ensemble, which led to a performance for Bill Clinton (one of America’s former Presidents) at The English Embassy in Washington. Current accolades include the newly appointed Pilgrim harps harpist in residence and consultant (England’s bespoke hand-crafted harps) Recitals and workshops with the incredible Paraguayan harpist Alfredo Ortiz. Also, solo recitals in Portugal and the Channel Islands. She is busy formulating her new exciting harp tutor book called ‘Harp beat’ whilst preparing her new CD entitled ‘The little fountain’.