Adjudicators

We are excited to introduce our 2024 Adjudicators to you. They include Millie Hildebrand (Vocal), Everett Hopfner (Piano), and Annette Hay (Instrumental) from Manitoba as well as locals Nathalie von Niebelschutz (French Drama and Speech Arts), Trevor Barker (English Drama and Speech Arts) and Hilda Boy – Bebaamawe’idamok – (Anishinaabemowin Drama and Speech Arts).

Millie Hildebrand has enjoyed a life-long involvement in the vocal and choral arts, beginning on the family farm where singing was a daily affair and piano and guitars were always within reach.   Familiar to Manitoba’s music community as a teacher, choral director, voice instructor and festival adjudicator, she has taught classroom and choral music at all levels, and has been active in implementing programs for young musicians throughout the province.  These have included collaborations with the University of Manitoba, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, the International Peace Gardens Music Camps, regional and provincial honour choirs, numerous choir tours, and countless musicals. Millie was the conductor of the Faith and Life Women’s Chorus for seven years and co-conducted the UofM Concert Choir, together with her husband Ed, for four years, where they also worked with music teacher candidates as their Faculty Advisors.  Choirs under Millie’s direction have toured extensively in Canada and Europe and have been privileged to be the guests of such luminaries as the late Queen Elizabeth II, José Carreras and, perhaps their favourites — Fred Penner and Al Simmons!  Most recently, Millie was among the conductors leading a choral event at the Centennial Concert Hall commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Russian Mennonite Emigration to Canada.   Going back “a few years”, Millie’s performance history includes productions with Manitoba Opera, Winnipeg Mennonite Theatre, the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus and Canzona, to name a few.  A two-year teaching post in Bucharest, Romania provided an exhilarating adventure into the art and culture of Eastern Europe.  Millie is Past President of the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg and has enjoyed a lengthy involvement with the Manitoba Choral Association.  She looks forward to working with the AMAF Festivals in the coming year.

Everett Hopfner is not a harmonium player. However, if you need a harmonium player, you’re in luck: he’ll probably say yes. An enthusiastic explorer of the piano (or whichever keyboard instrument happens to be nearest), Everett’s performances exude joy and intention, qualities he translates to his roles as teacher, administrator, advocate, and life-long learner. Everett’s reputation as a generous, thoughtful, and brilliantly skilled player continues to grow. His openness and penchant for musical risk-taking has led to many collaborations with composers and artistic peers. Delighted audiences have found him strumming piano strings surrounded by whale skeletons in Frankfurt’s Senckenberg Museum, tinkling away at the jeu de timbres on tour with the Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, performing on cathedral steps under the stars as a collaborative pianist for Casalmaggiore International Music Festival in Italy, touring across Canada as a winner of the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, and illuminated by a pulsating light installation alongside the Assiniboine River as part of Winnipeg’s Nuit Blanche.   Everett is an active piano teacher in high demand for workshops, masterclasses, adjudication, and summer festivals. He facilitates meaningful experiences by asking questions, embracing challenges, and developing goal-oriented, student-centred learning processes. Everett lives for the “lightbulb moments” — instants where his students find clarity or realize a musical wish — and works tirelessly to break down barriers to musical participation and understanding still enduring in traditional institutions. Everett has contributed to his artistic community as a board member for the Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, Associated Manitoba Arts Festivals, and the Manitoba Registered Music Teachers’ Association, and previously served as Director of the Eckhardt-Gramatté Conservatory of Music at Brandon University. He is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. https://www.everetthopfner.com

Annette Hay (Bach. of Music Ed., RMT, UMTC, AMAF Adjudicator) is the gold medal recipient in the 5-year Bachelor of Music Education degree program from Brandon University where her areas of study were: violin, piano, organ, strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion techniques, as well as choral and instrumental conducting.  She has Master’s level certification in Advanced Conducting and Jazz Band.  Annette is a former conductor of the Winnipeg Junior Strings and Youth Concert Orchestra and has also taught band, orchestra and choir programs in various schools.  With her expertise, Annette is in demand as a clinician and AMAF Music Festival adjudicator throughout Manitoba and Ontario.   Presently Annette enjoys her studio of violin, fiddle and piano students and recently she took on the string department of Creative Expressions Music Academy (CEMA).  She has worked with the Manitoba Provincial Honour Band Committee for MBA, Solo Ensemble Festival, Manitoba Registered Music Teachers Association, Manitoba Music Educators Association, Winnipeg Early Music Society, Royal Canadian College of Organists, and Winnipeg Youth Orchestras.   Annette is always excited about sharing her knowledge of music with others.  Her vision is to help musicians grow in a positive learning environment, inspiring a love of music in them for life.

Trevor has enjoyed being a music, dance, and drama teacher for over a decade.    Since last adjudicating, he self-produced and directed A Charlie Brown Christmas in November 2019. During the process, the cast and crew inspired him to dream a little bigger. He decided it was time to bring more opportunities for performing artists to the Rainy River District.    Trevor started the company, Row i Theatre, in 2022, and has since directed The Drowsy Chaperone, 13 The Musical, and is currently working on directing The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee; a musical-comedy coming to Fort Frances in July 2024.   Trevor also continues to seek acting opportunities for himself. He took on a role in the Cyndi Lauper written musical, Kinky Boots (Duluth Playhouse) in the summer of 2023. He will next be seen on stage in the musical, Chicago (Applauze Productions) in June 2024 in Thunder Bay.   Other notable stage credits include Fiddler on the Roof, RENT, West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, A Chorus Line, High School Musical, and Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.   Trevor is thrilled to be back adjudicating the English Drama portion of the festival!

Nathalie von Niebelschutz has been a French teacher for over 30 years.  She has taught Core French, Extended French and Immersion French in the Rainy River District and the Ottawa Capital Region.  Nathalie has been involved in the local Festival of the Performing Arts as a choral director and teacher for many years, preparing students to perform in a choir and to recite poetry, in both English and French.  Nathalie has worked with students aged 6 to 14, coaching and directing children to improve their ability to sing and recite language clearly, correctly, expressively and with maximum vocal ease.  As a Canadian-Swiss, Nathalie speaks French and English fluently.    Teaching is a passion for Nathalie.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Education from Lakehead University, a Master of Education from the University of Ottawa, as well as additional teaching qualifications, including Special Education and French as a Second Language from the University of Toronto.    Nathalie is recently retired from the RRDSB.  Nathalie enjoys traveling, reading, cooking and gardening.  She continues to teach occasionally, establishing positive relationships with her students and motivating them to reach their full potential and to develop their passions