2025 Adjudicators

Michelle Chippett was born in St. John's, NL, and holds a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Music (Honours) degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She was the recipient of a scholarship to study at the famous Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, England.

After completing her Master's degree, she returned to St. John's where she has been established as a voice teacher for the past 30 years. In 2008, Michelle opened Dynamic Sounds Music Studio Inc., and expanded in 2014 to include over 10 teachers covering piano, voice, guitar, brass, and drums. Michelle still has a large studio of private singers and pianists.

Michelle has achieved various awards and scholarships and had many opportunities to perform publicly and continues to perform. Michelle has performed with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra as a soloist in Schubert's Mass In G.

Michelle was also director of the St. John's Choir from 2002-2010 and is also a founding member of the highly acclaimed women's choir Lady Cove.

Michelle remains an active adjudicator with the Music Festivals throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

When not in the studio teaching, Michelle can often be found at the hockey rink, volleyball court, or baseball field where she, along with her husband, volunteer with her daughter's sports activities.

Michelle is delighted to be back in Grand Falls-Windsor for this festival!

Good luck to everyone who participates. The most important part of performing is to have fun!

Jacinta Mackey Graham is a graduate of Memorial University's School of Music and Eastern Michigan's Theatre program.

She brings with her a wealth of experience as a voice teacher, choral director, theatre actor and director, clinician and adjudicator.

Throughout her diverse career Jacinta has had the opportunity to mentor students who have gone on to successful careers on Broadway, at Stratford, Shaw and Drayton Theatre and Charlottetown Festivals in Canada, and throughout Europe. Her choirs have toured Ireland, performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and for Pope Jean Paul in Rome, Italy.

Jacinta's directing credits include Annie, Oklahoma, Wonderful Town, Spamalot, Les Miserables, Guys and Dolls, Billy Elliot and Sister Act, 9 to 5 The Musical.

She is most proud of Atlantic Light Theatre's production of A Call to Arms; the story of First World War soldier Stephan Norris. The video production of A Call to Arms will become part of the NL school curriculum next year
.
Jacinta is so excited to work with all the talented young performers in Grand Falls- Windsor and area.

Good luck to all the participants!

Shirley is a Central NL actor, playwright & director with more than 50 years of dedication to the Performing Arts. She has mentored hundreds of young people through initiatives such as Castle Theatre (a youth theatre company) and The Exploits Valley Theatre School (an intensive summer theatre camp).

Her recent credits include 15 Seasons as a writer and stage director with Queen Street Dinner Theatre, where she continues to coach and mentor young talent. Shirley is also a devoted member of the Northcliffe Drama Club, having participated in countless productions since the early 70s. In recent years, her love and passion as a playwright has taken priority as she continues to develop and produce her own work; with her latest premiere, Jam, Toast & Orgasms, slated for performance by the Northcliffe Drama Club, locally and at the 2025 NL Provincial Drama Festival in April.

As a visual artist, she enjoys watercolor painting and is a past executive member of CNVAS (Central Newfoundland Visual Arts Society).

Shirley's enthusiasm for the arts never wanes and she is delighted to take part in this year's Central NL Music Festival as both a volunteer and an Adjudicator.

Shirley is thrilled and honoured to collaborate with artists from across the Province introducing them to the boundless energy and talent that the youth in Central Newfoundland have to offer and promoting our very vibrant and creative communities.

Katie holds conjoint degrees in Music and Music Education as well as a master's degree in trumpet Performance and Pedagogy from Memorial University of Newfoundland. Ms. Sullivan has been teaching instrumental music within the school system since 1995.

As a member of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra since 1993, Katie was appointed principal trumpet in 2004.

In addition to her extensive orchestral experience, Katie also has a vast amount of experience as a chamber musician and solo performer, including a provincial tour of Newfoundland with Jens Lindemann and the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra - Sinfonia performing Vivaldi Concerto for 2 Trumpets in September 2003 as well as a solo performance with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra – Sinfonia in January 2016.

As a member of the brass quintet Saltwater Brass, Katie, and the chamber group, were invited performers and clinicians at the Canadian Women's Brass Collective in January 2024 in Toronto, Ontario.

Katie has also performed in the pit orchestras of many local production companies over the last 35 years including Opera on the Avalon - February, Ours, Dead Man Walking, Sound of Music, Sweeney Tood, La Traviata and Tosca, Kittiwake Dance Theatre - Nutcracker, and as well as many other stage productions - Evita, Jesus Christ
Superstar, Camelot, Damn Yankees, Guys and Dolls, Wonderful Town and The Wizard of Oz.

Ms. Sullivan also has a private trumpet studio and sings with the award-winning choir, Lady Cove Women's Choir.

Dr. Paul Transue has worked professionally for over 30 years as a coach/accompanist with Seattle Opera, Cleveland Opera, Toledo Opera, Opera on the Avalon, Opera Lyra Ottawa, and the Ohio Light Opera, as well as other North American companies.

He currently teaches Lyric Diction and is also the Musical Director of the Opera Workshop at Memorial University of Newfoundland, along with serving as a vocal coach and accompanist.

Past academic positions include serving as the Coach/Accompanist for the Opera Program at the Cleveland Institute of
Music, Accompanist at the Interlochen Arts Academy, Vocal coach and teacher of Vocal Literature at the University of Illinois, and as the Teacher of Collaborative Piano, Vocal and Opera Coach at Southern Illinois University.

Major artists he has performed for on masterclasses include: Frederica von Stade, Graham Johnson, Warren Jones, Barbara Bonney, and Craig Rutenberg.

He received his DMA from the Eastman School of Music where he was a student of Jean Barr, won the MTNA Collegiate Chamber Music Competition and was twice a semi-finalist at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

He lives in Mt. Pearl.

Abra Whitney is a sought after singer, educator, choral conductor, clinician and arts administrator from St. John's, NL, and holds a BMus in Vocal Performance and an MMus in Choral Conducting, both from the University of Alberta.

As a performer, Abra is a frequent collaborator with the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and Opera on the Avalon, and has enjoyed working on stage with Ta Da! Events, Atlantic Light Theatre, Theatre St. John's, and Best Kind Productions. She has also produced her own performance series featuring the music of Nina Simone, Edith Piaf, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Broadway Musicals. Her most recent performance was as a featured performer at the Majestic Theatre's show "Rumour Has It"-The music of Adele.

As an educator, Abra works at Intervals Music Studio in St. John's, as a Private Piano and Voice teacher, and develops the curriculum for the Do-Re-Mi and You Group Vocal Class, focusing on integrating science, math, visual art, and technology into creative learning. Approaching learning from a theoretical and anatomical perspective which speaks directly to the needs of young singers. She has been nominated for the MusicNL's Educator of the Year award, and has a keen interest in play-based learning, keeping the joy in performing, and cultivating a person-first centric studio environment.

As a conductor, Abra is the Artistic Director and General Manager for the Coastal Sounds Choir Association (Coastal Sounds Community Choir and Aurora Women's Choir). Active in the Conception Bay South area of Newfoundland, CSCA is dedicated to maintaining inclusive, community group singing, while encouraging and challenging singers to explore their abilities. Aurora Women's Choir competed in the National level of the Kiwanis Music Festival in 2022, and look forward to working towards this goal again this year. Abra has also enjoyed working as a Chorus Master for Opera on the Avalon's productions, Shawnadithit and The Phantom of the Opera. She is an active, and enthusiastic voice for choral music in the province, and is a proud founding member of Projekt Chamber Voices, and alumni member of Shallaway Youth Choir, Lady Cove Women's Choir, Quintessential Vocal Ensemble and Pro Coro Canada.

As an adjudicator, Abra has enjoyed adjudicating both the Clarenville and Gander Kiwanis Music Festivals and the Southern Manitoba Music Teachers' Association's online festival.

As an arts administrator, Abra has worked on numerous productions as Production Manager (Sidewalk Dandelion-Shallaway Youth Choir; Everybody Calm the **** Down-Artistic Fraud), as General Manager of Opera on the Avalon and Coastal Sounds Choir Association, and as Curriculum Creator and Administrative Support for Intervals Music Studio.