Sally-Anne Russell

Australia

Australian Mezzo Soprano Sally-Anne Russell has performed in over twenty countries and has over 40 recordings to her credit. Amongst her many awards she has won an ARIA people’s choice award and nominations for Young Australian of the Year (Arts), Young Achiever of the Year, Green Room and Helpmann Awards. She has performed over 70 roles in the operatic repertoire and has sung with Luciano Pavarotti, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Bryn Terfel, Sir Andrew Davis, Bramwell Tovey, Simone Young, Sir Richard Bonygne, Nicholas McGegan, Bruno Weill, and most recently Sumi Jo.

Walter Martella

Canada

Walter Martella, conductor and Music Director of the Academy of Music, has long been an integral part of the regions musical community. He is an accomplished pianist, accordionist and trumpeter, starting lessons at age five, and soon joining the original Boys Choir conducted by Don James. Music remained his focus as he earned a Diploma in Jazz Trumpet from Malaspina College (VIU), a Bachelor of Music Degree from the University of Victoria and attended the Banff School of Fine Arts.

Martella is a strong believer in the power of music as an important part of community. He has been an adjudicator for instrumental and choral festivals throughout British Columbia and is well known as an enthusiastic mentor, making room for his young students in his own public performances. He has recorded five jazz CDs, performed provincially with many well-known musicians in multiple genres and continues to be in demand all along the West Coast as a trumpet soloist and jazz pianist.

Damijan Močnik

Slovenia

Damijan Močnik completed his musical studies (composition) at the Academy of Music in Ljubljana in 1991. He developed his craft by studying abroad, which included coaching with Swedish conductor Eric Ericson.

Since 1993, Močnik has been the choral conductor and music director at the Diocesan Classical Gymnasium in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and since 2000, the artistic director of all musical activities at the St. Stanislaus Institution in Ljubljana. Damijan is the conductor for several choirs, and has won several awards at national and international choral competitions.

Močnik’s compositional efforts are mainly devoted to the human voice, but he has also composed instrumental pieces. Močnik’s musical speech finds its inspiration in selected texts, and is grounded in rhythmic and melodic stimuli. The melodic narration evolves as a solid form framed in diverse polyphone, polytonal and polychordal structure. Močnik's compositions were performed all over the world and thrills musicians and audiences around the world with its directness, and numerous dramatical turns with rich, exceptional and mysterious sonorities.

Fred Sjöberg

Sweden

Swedish conductor Fred Sjöberg is a gifted musician in a wide variety of genres and styles. He is conductor of the Örebro Chamber Choir and the National Youth Choir of France. In addition Fred has conducted the World Youth Choir, the World Chamber Choir and the European Youth Choir. Fred appears frequently as a tenor soloist and was a member of the famous Eric Ericson Chamber Choir for many years. In 2000, Fred was awarded "Conductor of the Year" in Sweden. Mr. Sjöberg is currently Vice President of Europa Cantat, President of the Music Commission of Europa Cantat and since 2001, Secretary of the Eric Ericson Foundation. Fred Sjöberg was recently appointed Director of the new Swedish International Choral Center in Örebro.

Zimfira Poloz

Canada

Zimfira Poloz is a passionate musician, educator, award-winning conductor, and internationally respected adjudicator and clinician. When working with young musicians, Zimfira believes that ‘brilliance has no age.’ By building the finest capabilities and encouraging superb artistry with boundless positive energy, she is able to unleash the creative and musical potential of every child unlike any other.

Poloz has been decorated with numerous awards, including Honoured Representative of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the city of Hamilton’s VIP Award, and the Leslie Bell Prize for Choral Conducting (Ontario Arts Council).

Zimfira established her musical credentials in Kazakhstan, where she served as founder and principal of the nation’s first choir school. Soon after her arrival in Canada, she worked at St. Michael’s Choir School, and eventually became the Artistic Director of Hamilton Children’s Choir (2002-2022) and Young Voices Toronto (2004-2017). Now, she is the Artistic Director of the world-renowned Toronto Children’s Chorus and teaches Vocal Pedagogy for Choirs at the University of Toronto, Music Faculty. She is a Canadian Representative for the Interkultur World Choir Council, and a mentor for ACDA International Activities. She is a founding Board Member for the World Alliance of Children’s Choirs (A Global Network of Children’s Choirs and Conductors) and curator/editor for the choral music publisher, Cypress Choral Music.

Scott Leithead

Canada

Scott Leithead is the founder and Artistic Director of Edmonton’s Korora Choir Association and TIME Association. Under his direction, Korora was the winner of both the 2015 CBC National Competition for Canadian Amateur Choirs and both the 2015 and 2016 Canadian National Music Competition. In the summer of 2019, Korora was invited to perform at the IFCM World Choral Expo in Portugal, where they represented Canada on the world stage. Scott has a passion for music from southern Africa, and he has been invited to work with choirs in South Africa and Namibia on numerous occasions. In 2008–2009, Scott was on sabbatical in Namibia, where he worked with the Mascato Youth Choir and many other choirs in southern Africa. In February 2023, he conducted the ISSEA Mass Choir in Johannesburg, South Africa, featuring international schools from across the African continent. In 2015, Scott was awarded Choir Alberta’s top honour, the Richard S. Eaton Award. He also received Edmonton’s Salute to Excellence award in 2016. In 2024, he will conduct the 40th Anniversary Manitoba Sings Adult Choir, the Ellison Canadian Honour Choir (Toronto), the Eastman Honour Choir and the Nova Scotia Youth Choir. He will also adjudicate the 2024 Ontario Vocal Festival.