We're very pleased to welcome Tanya Bénard on her return engagement at the 2011 Midland Y's Men's Music Festival. Tanya Bénard holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Clarinet Performance from the North Carolina School of Arts. While pursuing a career as a professional musician, she became interested in working with children, proceeding to gain her Orff Certification, an Advanced Certificate in Early Childhood Music Education and a Post-Level III Orff Certificate from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. Tanya has taught music and movement in a number of settings, as well as working as an itinerant Orff and Recorder Specialist with the Toronto District School Board, most recently joining the faculty of the RCM's Orff Teacher Training Programme as a recorder specialist. In addition to her already busy teaching schedule in a variety of venues, Tanya maintains a private practice in which she works with many musicians. As a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique, Ms. Bénard instructs at the RCM Community School and during the summer at the More Than Music Suzuki Kingston Festival.

C'est avec grand plaisir que nous souhaitons la bienvenue à Elise Bédard, qui est de retour au Festival de musique du Club de Midland Y's Men pour 2011. Acclamée par la critique (“a marvellous singer-performer”), Elise Bédard s'est mérité des prix internationaux aux concours de Barcelone, 's-Hertogenbosch et Montréal et des bourses du Conseil des Arts du Canada, des Jeunesses Musicales, de Phonogram International, du Gouvernement du Québec et de l'Institut International du Théâtre. Elle détient une Maîtrise, un Baccalauréat et un 'Licentiate' de l'Université McGill et a enseigné à McGill, à Dawson College, au Collège Marianopolis et à l'Université Brock. Elle enseigne à l'Université McMaster, juge de nombreuses compétitions, presente cliniques et classes de maître et est membre du Collège des Examinateurs du Conservatoire Royal de Musique de Toronto. Ses élèves se produisent sur la scène, au concert et à l'opéra, sur film et enregistrements et à la télévision.

We're delighted to welcome Aaron Solomon to adjudicate at the 66th Midland Y's Men's Music Festival. A native of Cape Breton and now based in Toronto, Aaron is recognized as a world-class musician and performer. His passion for music began at the age of 2 when he asked for his first fiddle. He has been captivating audiences ever since with his fiery fiddling style and his versatility as a violinist, singer, actor and multi-instrumentalist, having mastered an astonishing variety of styles, including jazz, swing, Celtic, rock, blues, R & B and Cape Breton. His band, 'Coole Park' launched its début CD, Water Journeys last June. Aaron has appeared with such headline artists as Shania Twain, as well as in performance at the Glenn Gould Studio and John Denver's Windstar Festival in Aspen Colorado.

It's a pleasure to welcome Robert Tardik back to Midland to the 66th Midland Y's Men's Music Festival. Robert began serious private guitar tuition at age 15, proceeding to the study of Classical Guitar and Theory at the Royal Conservatory and a degree in Music and Fine Arts at York University. In addition to his experience and music qualifications, he also holds diplomas in Recording Engineering and Television Media and Fine Arts. Robert launched his début album with MCA, Without Words, to critical acclaim in 2005. He has taught guitar in the Toronto region for over 20 years, since 1997 in his private studio at the Merriam School of Music in Oakville, in addition to conducting annual, intensive summer guitar workshops at Appleby College. Recently Robert was named, 'The 2010 Canadian Smooth Guitarist of the Year', and also received the accolade in 2007 of being acclaimed, 'The Mississauga Established Performing Artist of the Year.’

We extend a warm welcome to Stella terHart on her return engagement in Midland for the 2011 Midland Y's Men's Music Festival. A native of Estevan, Sakatchewan and a direct descendent of the violinist and composer, Tomaso Vitali, Stella is currently the only individual in Canada to hold all four degrees from the U of T Conservatory of Music in Teaching, Performance, Composition and Theory. Stella greatly enjoys adjudicating at festivals and has pursued engagements in Ontario and throughout Canada, in addition to teaching classroom music to Grades 6 –12, directing Junior and Senior bands, jazz ensembles and choirs and accompanying operatic productions and classical vocal performances by noted singers. As a busy composer, teacher, musician and member of the International Association of Women Composers (IAWC), Ms. terHart has gained numerous distinctions. Her works have been recorded and published in the US and Canada, among others by The Frederick Harris Music Co., and performed regularly on CBC Radio.

We're very pleased to welcome Colleen Orr to adjudicate at the 2011 Midland Y's Men's Music Festival. Colleen, a native of Sudbury, is extremely active as a teacher, clinician, performer and choral conductor, holding an ARCT in piano performance in Grade X violin, as well as a Bachelor of Music Degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and a Master's Degree in Music from the University of Western Ontario. Colleen has been active for over 30 years as a vocal music teacher, choir director, and music consultant for the East York Board of Education and subsequently with the Toronto District School Board. Under her directorship, the East York Youth Choir was invited to sing on several occasions with the Cathedral Bluffs Symphony Orchestra.

We extend a cordial welcome to Irene Ilic to the 66th Midland Y's Men's Music Festival. Irene received her Master's Degree in Music from the Cleveland Institute of Music and has been teaching privately for over 20 years. She is also active as a recitalist, clinician and adjudicator and is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), as well as of the Canadian Music Festivals Adjudicators' Association (CMFAA). Irene prepares students for RCM examinations, at which two of her students recently won top honours for highest standing in Ontario. She is the founder and director of the Newmarket Voice Festival, an annual event since 1996, and also directs the award-winning triple-trio, “Vivace” that has released a CD and regularly provides entertainment for numerous corporate events and functions.

Dr. Jeffrey Reynolds is Assistant Co-ordinator of Performance at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto and conductor of the Wind Symphony as well as instructor of trumpet, conducting, chamber music, jazz history and music education courses. As a trumpeter he has performed and recorded with the Calgary Philharmonic, Hamilton Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Hannaford Street Silver Band and the Stratford Festival Ensemble among others, as well as playing many theatre and commercial engagements. He regularly conducts student, community and professional ensembles, including the York Region Honour Band, and the Durham Schools Honour Band, as well as the Southampton Festival Winds and the Toronto Wind Orchestra, and last December guest conducted at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic with the Oregon Symphonic Band. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, after degrees from York University, the University of Calgary and the University of Victoria. Dr. Reynolds is a founding member of the Canadian Wind Band Repertoire Project, and is active as a guest conductor, clinician, journal contributor and adjudicator across the country.

A native of Toronto, John Armstrong studied composition at the University of Toronto, receiving a Bachelor of Music in Theory and Composition in 1975. Following studies with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, John continued his formal studies at the University of Michigan, obtaining his Master's Degree and a Doctorate in Composition. His extensive composing career has included prizes gained at the William St. Clair and Sir Ernest McMillan competitions and the award of a number of grants. Performed throughout North America, Dr. Armstrong's compositions have been played also in Belgium, France and Great Britain. He has authored a number of published and widely performed solo, chamber and orchestral works. Although primarily a composer of concert music, he has also written for film and theatre. John has taught theory and composition at various universities throughout Canada and the United States and is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa.