Jury & Guest Conductors
Don James, C.M. - Canada
After an inspiring concert tour of Europe, Don James envisioned an international choral festival in Powell River and invited a group of friends to make this dream a reality. Since then, the International Choral Kathaumixw (1982) has been embraced and propelled by the community of Powell River to become a world platform for music and
international exchange.
In addition to Kathaumixw, Mr. James has been the inspiration for the development of the Powell River Academy of Music (1981) and the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific (2002). The Academy, a community school for the arts, provides programs in music, visual arts, dance and theater to approximately 800 students with 50 full and part time artist faculty and staff.
Under his direction, Academy choirs have performed in 26 countries and have won awards from the Canadian and European Broadcasting Corporations and have been guest artists at major festivals. Academy Choirs were invited to perform at the 50th anniversary of founding of the United Nations (San Francisco) and by UNESCO to perform at the 50th Anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Academy choirs have sung with the CBC Radio Orchestra, Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Vancouver & Victoria Symphony Orchestras, Seoul National Symphony Orchestra, the Kammerorchester Universitat Karlsruhe and the Taipei National University of the Arts Orchestra. Mr. James has commissioned new works for choirs, opera, symphony, staged works for actors, choirs and orchestra and works in collaboration with the First Nations.
Mr. James has served as president of the Association of Canadian Choral Conductors, the British Columbia Association of Community Music Schools, Board Member of the British Columbia Choral Federation and as Canada's representative at the International Federation for Choral Music. Currently Mr. James is a member of the World Choir Games Music Council. Mr. James is engaged frequently as a guest conductor, lecturer, juror and clinician.
Don James received his diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music (Toronto); BA Music Theory & Literature (summa cum laude) Seattle Pacific University; M.Mus Orchestra Conducting University of Washington.
Mr James is the recipient of the Willan Award and Canada's highest honor, the Order of Canada in recognition of his distinguished service to the performing arts.
Fred Sjöberg - Sweden
Fred Sjöberg is an educated singer and choral conductor at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm and Örebro. Among others he has studied with Prof. Solvieg Grippe, Prof. Eric Ericson and Prof. Helmuth Rilling. He often works as a conductor or tenor soloist and has been a member of the Eric Ericson Chamber Choir for many years.
Fred Sjöberg was on the executive committee for the 2nd World Symposium on Choral Music 1990 in Stockholm arranged by the International Federation on Choral Music and has from that time been working regularly on the international choral scene either as guest conductor, lecturer or as a judge.
He has been the first conductor to conduct three major international youth choirs – the World Youth Choir (1991 and 2005), the World Chamber Choir (1993) and the European Youth Choir (1999). With these choirs, Fred toured many European countries and produced CD recordings with these ensembles. When the Swedish organization for young choirs “UngiKör” started he was elected as their first president.
In 2000 he was awarded “Conductor of the Year” in Sweden by SCDA (Swedish Choral Directors Association) and in 2001 received the Johannes Norrby Medallion for outstanding service and development to the Swedish Choral Life.
From 1997-2004 Fred Sjöberg was Music Director and conductor of the project “Notes for Millions” which produced concerts all over Sweden, each year culminating in a gala concert at the Globe Arena in Stockholm with a mass choir of over 4.000 singers, orchestra and soloists. The project also organized choral competitions and national TV-shows. Since 2000- 2004 he was the Music Director of the Swedish Choral Centre at the Swedish Concert Institute. from 2005-2006 the Artistic Director of Lund International Choral Festival.
Mr Sjöberg is Vice President of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM), Vice President of Europa Cantat and since 2001 Secretary of the Eric Ericson Foundation. Fred Sjöberg has recently been appointed Director of the new Swedish International Choral Center Örebro (SWICCO) as well as principal conductor of the French National Youth Choir.
Arthur Arnold - The Netherlands
Arthur Arnold is “one of the rare conductors that not only possesses a flawless technique, but also is capable of inspiring the orchestra while giving the individual musicians creative freedom.” (Shalom News Moscow).
Arnold is Music Director of the Symphony Orchestra Academy of the Pacific (SOAP) in Powell River, BC, Canada. He appears in the musical film ‘A Single Passion, A Thousand Voices’, a documentary by Avanti Pictures about the International Choral Festival ‘Kathaumixw’, for which he has been a guest conductor and a jury member since 2000. In Canada he also conducted the Victoria Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Glenn Gould School of Music.
In his home country, Arnold has conducted Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra, Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra, North Netherlands Orchestra, Holland Symfonia, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and Nieuw Ensemble. Arnold made his debut with Moscow Symphony Orchestra in the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam during the summer of 2001. Soon after the achievement in Amsterdam, Arnold was appointed principal guest conductor of Moscow Symphony Orchestra.
Arnold has conducted orchestras throughout Europe, North America and Asia, including South Korea where he became principal guest conductor for Seoul National Symphony Orchestra. He has been featured in interviews and live performances on radio with Moscow Symphony Orchestra as well as Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra. He also performed with Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra in a national live radio broadcast from the Concertgebouw.
In addition to ongoing partnerships in Russia, The Netherlands, South Korea and Canada, Arnold frequents Romania where he conducts Transylvania State Philharmonic Orchestra and Targu Mures State Philharmonic Orchestra. His conducting career has taken him to Italy, Great Britain and Poland. In the United States, he conducted performances at Woodstock Mozart Festival in Illinois.
Arnold started conducting studies in The Netherlands with Anton Kersjes and continued training internationally with Marcello Viotti, Jean Fournet and Graeme Jenkins. In 1996 he received the Prins Bernhard Foundation award to study at the Accademia Chigiana in Siena, Italy with Myung-Whun Chung, and was later honoured with the Busenhart Morgan-Evans award to participate in master classes with Jorma Panula, Diego Masson, and Gianluigi Gelmetti.
Gunnel Sjöberg - Sweden
Gunnel Sjöberg received her training as a singing teacher from the School of Music at the University of Örebro. She has also studied at the Royal University College of Music in Stockholm.
Gunnel is a frequent soloist in such works as the St John Passion, the St Matthew Passion and the Christmas Oratorio of Bach and the Requiems of Mozart and Fauré. She has also appeared in several TV shows and concerts. Ms. Sjöberg performs a wide range of repertoire; however, baroque music is closest to her heart.
Gunnel has worked with such renowned conductors as Eric Ericson, Robert Sund, Helmuth Rilling and Nikolaus Harnoncourt. She is the vocal coach for the French National Youth Choir. Together with her husband Fred Sjoberg she has founded the Swedish International Choral Center Örebro (SWICCO).
Tobin Stokes - Canada
Tobin is originally from Powell River and has been premiering commissioned compositions with the Powell River Academy of Music since 1990.
From single choir works to fully staged productions with massed choirs and orchestra, his affiliation with both Kathaumixw and the Symphony and Opera Academy of the Pacific (SOAP) has been fruitful. His commissioned works for the academy's choirs have led to premieres in Venezuela, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Mexico, France, and England.
From years of experience as a performer in many genres, Tobin is comfortable working in a variety of styles. He is a prolific composer for film, theatre, opera, orchestra, chamber ensembles, and large events. His music for television has aired on all the Canadian networks. He has been commissioned by CBC, Ballet British Columbia, the 2010 Olympic Bid, the BC Choral Federation, the Victoria Symphony, the Vancouver Youth Symphony, The XV Commonwealth Games, and many others.
After living in Vancouver, Toronto, the Gulf Islands, and Montreal, Tobin returned to the west coast of Canada. He lives in Victoria, B.C. with his family, where he is a Composer-In-Residence with the Victoria Symphony.
Ay-Laung Wang - Canada
Ay-Laung Wang is an active organ recitalist, conductor, adjudicator and teacher. Her outstanding musicianship, brilliant technique, and great personal charm make her a favorite with audiences and congregations wherever she performs. Currently Ms Wang is principal organist for the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and First Baptist Church. In addition, she is a member of the faculty of Trinity western University and Assistant Conductor for the acclaimed TWU Chamber and Concert Choirs.
Ay-Laung graduated from Trinity Western University where she excelled in her piano and conducting studies. While at Trinity Western University, she served with great distinction as special assistant conductor to the TWU choirs. She continued her studies at UBC with Edward Norman receiving a Masters of Music with top standing in organ performance. She also holds performer and teacher ARCT diplomas from the Royal Conservatory of Toronto.
In 1995, the National Music Committee in her native Taiwan named her the New Musical Star. Since then, she has performed with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra (for which she continues as Principal Organist), the Vancouver Bach Choir, the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra, the Victoria Symphony Orchestra, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Radio Brass, and the Taipei National University of the Arts Orchestra. Concert tours have taken her to Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Ay-Laung is well known for her extraordinary versatility. She was featured on CBC national television for the Easter Sunrise Celebration of 2004 and for the nationally televised memorial service for Sgt. "Smokey” Smith, the last surviving Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross. She has accompanied the Taipei Christian Children’s Chorus in concert at the Vatican and has performed for the renowned composer Fu Yu-Lin on national television in Taiwan. Each summer, she participates in Festival Vancouver, and frequently performs as member of the "Fanfares N' Fugues", a trumpets and organ trio.
Larry Nickel - Canada
Dr. Larry Nickel, an Associate Composer of the Canadian Music Centre, is a busy choral clinician 
and sings bass in the Vancouver Chamber Choir. In 2003 Larry took a leave from 25 years of teaching music and drama to complete a Doctorate in Composition. His thesis, Requiem for Peace, is an extensive work for chorus and symphony orchestra in twelve languages. It received a second performance at the Orpheum in 2009 with the VSO and the Vancouver Bach Choir.
Larry is co-founder and composer-in-residence for the West Coast Mennonite Chamber Choir, which has recorded over 120 of Larry's compositions on thirteen CDs. Published by Cypress, Shawnee, Classica, Pavane, Canadian International, G. Schirmer and Oxford University Press, Larry's music is presented around the world with recent performances in Toronto, Kiev, Tokyo, Melbourne, Cape Town, and Taipei. Larry is the new owner of Cypress Choral Music Publishing, which specializes in promoting Canadian composers.
Chad Louwerse - Canada
Chad Louwerse is poised to take his place among the most important bass-baritones
of his generation. He debuted in Europe with l’Opéra National du Rhin in Strasbourg as Bernadino in Berlioz’ Benvenuto Cellini and in Canada has been heard from Quebec to British Columbia. With the Montreal Opera, he starred as Boniface in Haydn’s Il Mondo Della Luna, sang Talpa in Il Tabarro and covered Leporello in Don Govanni. As a member of Montreal Opera’s Atelier Lyrique, he was singled out by Gingras of La Presse in Chabrier’s L’Etoile, who stated that “for pure comedy, first distinction goes to Chad Louwerse”.
In 2007-2008 he sang Capulet in Roméo et Juliette with Montreal Opera and the Bonze in Madama Butterfly with Pacific Opera Victoria. In 2008-2009, he was in Vancouver for Artesia in Eugene Onegin, a Nazarene in Salome and Monterone in Rigoletto and was also heard as Hortensius in Edmonton Opera’s La Fille du Regiment and as Palemon in Thaïs for Pacific Opera Victoria. Highlights of the 2009-2010 season include The Rake's Progress for Pacific Opera Victoria, Alidoro in Cenerentola and is bass soloist in Johannes Passion for the Calgary Philharmonic.
In past seasons Mr. Louwerse appeared with Pacific Opera Victoria as Harasta in Janácek’s Cunning Little Vixen and Bonze in Madama Butterfly. He performed the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro and Balthazar in Menotti’s Amahl and the nght Visitors with Opera NUOVA, Don Alfonso in Cos fan tutti with the Opera Project and Leporello in Don Giovanni with the Masterworks Festival. He was a member of the Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble singing Bartolo in Figaro! Figaro! Figaro! based on Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Sviglia and Alidoro in La Cenerentola. He has been featured in Vancouver’s mainstage series in Macbeth, Werther and as Happy in La Fanciulla del West.
He is a winner of both the CBC Westcoast Performance Pacific Spotlight competition and the Début competition and has given recitals broadcast on CBC Radio Two. On CD, he can be heard in excerpts of Robert Turner’s opera Vile Shadow and Sylvia Rickard’s song-cycle Three Chinese Songs of Autumn for the Canadian Music Centre. He was named to the Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques in 2005 and received the Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold award. An active oratorio singer and recitalist, Mr. Louwerse’s concert repertoire includes the Bach Mass in B minor, the Brahms and Mozart Requiems and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.
Megan Skidmore - Canada
Megan Skidmore obtained both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Voice Performance from McGill University. She continued her studies at the Wiener Meisterkurze in Vienna, the Mozarteum in Salzburg and the Franz Schubert Institut in Baden bei Wien.
While in Montreal she had great success as Feu and Rossignol in L’Enfant et les Sortilèges, Cunegonde in Candide and Sara Riel in Louis Riel with Opera McGill. She also performed the title role in Princess Ida and Josephine in HMS Pinafore with McGill’s Savoy Society. She has performed the role of Annina in Pacific Opera Victoria’s production of La Traviata and was also a member of the POV opera chorus for their productions of Erewhon and Il Trovatore. Ms. Skidmore was solist in Schubert’s Mass in G major with the North Island Choral Society and in
R. Vaughn Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem at the 2009 Chorfest in Powell River. She has collaborated with pianist Sarah Hagen for a number of performances in the Comox Valley.
Ms. Skidmore was raised in the Comox Valley and returned in 2007 as a private voice teacher. Her students’ accomplishments include acceptance to the University of Victoria Voice Program and the Grant MacEwan College Musical Theatre program and performance in the Provincial Festival of the Arts. She was also a music director for Mel Brooks’ The Producers presented by Light Fantastic Productions in November 2008.
Ms. Skidmore recently joined the faculty of the Powell River Academy of Music where is teaches voice and is music director of the Musical Theatre program. As well she maintains a busy voice studio in Comox.