2019 Adjudicators
piano - Murray Nichol
From Honolulu to Yellowknife and Montreal to Mumbai, Murray Nichol enjoys an active schedule of adjudicating, examining, and conducting master classes and workshops. More recently he has travelled to Colombia, Brazil, India, and Myanmar as an advisor to the Vancouver Biennale, an international arts organization that uses art as a catalyst for dialogue, learning, and social action.
As a senior examiner for Royal Conservatory Examinations, he examines in both Canada and the United States and is a mentor for apprentice examiners. He has also participated in the University of British Columbia’s Music Alumni Mentorship Program in Vancouver where he has mentored undergraduate and graduate music students. Mr. Nichol is passionate about working with young musicians, especially pianists. A well-respected teacher (some of his students have received Royal Conservatory regional medals for highest marks in the province of British Columbia), he spent fifteen years at the Tom Lee Learning Centre where his students consistently won scholarships for their polished playing. He inspires pianists of all ages to imagine -- and achieve -- their best. Having graduated from Brandon University with a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance (with Greatest Distinction), Mr. Nichol continued his studies at the University of British Columbia. Under the tutelage of Jane Coop, Dr. Henri-Paul Sicsic, and Rena Sharon, he earned a Master of Music in Piano Performance. A member of the British Columbia Registered Music Teachers’ Association, the Music Teachers’ National Association, and the Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators’ Association, Mr. Nichol is an MTNA Nationally Certified Teacher of Music. |
strings - Jeffrey Plotnick
Jeffrey Plotnick, violin
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Plotnick recently retired after completing his thirtieth season as Principal Second Violin with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Mr. Plotnick performed with orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Caracas, Venezuela before assuming his position in Calgary.
In addition to performing with the Calgary Philharmonic, Mr. Plotnick also served as concertmaster of the Calgary Bach Society and the Calgary Festival Chorus Orchestras. Mr. Plotnick often appeared as violin soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic as well as the Calgary Bach Society, and has been heard in frequent performances as a solo and chamber recitalist. In October of 1998, Mr. Plotnick participated in a cultural mission to Kazakhstan, which included solo performances for its President.
Mr. Plotnick has been a member of the faculties of the University of Calgary, Mt. Royal College and the Amici String program in Calgary, and was the founding director and conductor of Mt. Royal’s Intermediate String Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Plotnick has been a faculty member of the Banff International Youth Orchestra Festival, the Valhalla, Nelson, Strings and Keys and Los Angeles Suzuki summer music institutes, and has appeared as guest artist and clinician at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is currently in demand as a string adjudicator at numerous music festivals as well.
A native of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Plotnick recently retired after completing his thirtieth season as Principal Second Violin with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music, Mr. Plotnick performed with orchestras in Cincinnati, Ohio; Louisville, Kentucky; and Caracas, Venezuela before assuming his position in Calgary.
In addition to performing with the Calgary Philharmonic, Mr. Plotnick also served as concertmaster of the Calgary Bach Society and the Calgary Festival Chorus Orchestras. Mr. Plotnick often appeared as violin soloist with the Calgary Philharmonic as well as the Calgary Bach Society, and has been heard in frequent performances as a solo and chamber recitalist. In October of 1998, Mr. Plotnick participated in a cultural mission to Kazakhstan, which included solo performances for its President.
Mr. Plotnick has been a member of the faculties of the University of Calgary, Mt. Royal College and the Amici String program in Calgary, and was the founding director and conductor of Mt. Royal’s Intermediate String Orchestra. In addition, Mr. Plotnick has been a faculty member of the Banff International Youth Orchestra Festival, the Valhalla, Nelson, Strings and Keys and Los Angeles Suzuki summer music institutes, and has appeared as guest artist and clinician at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. He is currently in demand as a string adjudicator at numerous music festivals as well.