https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/dr.-allison-star%C2%A0is-an-internationally-recognized-classical-pianist%2C-accompanist%2C-adjudicator%2C-and-musicologist.%C2%A0%C2%A0-dr.-allison-star's-early-training-includes-studies-at-the%C2%A0university-of-british-columbia%C2%A0(vancouver)-with-mary-tickner-and-jane-coop.%C2%A0she-was-awarded-scholarships-for-graduate-studies-at-the%C2%A0university-of-southern-california%C2%A0(los-angeles)%2C-where-she-worked-with-brooks-smith-and-jean-barr.-dr.-star-was-then-awarded-a-full-scholarship-to-continue-her-graduate-studies-at%C2%A0the%C2%A0dominican-university-of-san-rafael%C2%A0(san-francisco-bay-area)-with-dr.-ted-blair.-%C2%A0she-has-enjoyed-an-active-performance-career-as-a-soloist%2C-collaborative-pianist%2C-and-with-the-symphony%2C-particularly-with-the-marin-symphony-(bay-area)%2C-under-the-direction-of-hugo-rinaldi%2C-accompanying-the-uvic-chamber-singers-and-playing-at-the-international-beethoven-symposium-hosted-by-the%C2%A0university-of-victoria%C2%A0(victoria%2C-b.c.).--dr.-allison-star-loves-to-combine-her-passion-for-teaching%2C-performing%2C-and-research%2C-notably-in-her-presentation-of-many-lecture-recital-across-the-u.s.a.-and-canada.-she-has-taught-at-the%C2%A0dominican-university-of-san-rafael%2C%C2%A0the-school-of-music%2C%C2%A0brandon-university%2C%C2%A0and-more-recently-at-the%C2%A0university-of-victoria%2C%C2%A0presenting-courses-in-classical-music-history%2C-theory-and-aural-skills%2C-piano%2C-chamber-music%2C-and-performance-practice. 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/paul-dykstra-has-been-a-performing-artist-in-north-america-for-over-35-years.-musically-nurtured-and-trained-in-canada-in-edmonton%2C-and-at-the-university-of-alberta-with-helmut-brauss%2C-his-subsequent-ventures-took-him-to-northern-bc-and-alberta%2C-and-then-to-the-us.-american-performance-credits-include-recording-with-clarinetist-richard-stoltzman%2C-performances-of-beethoven%E2%80%99s-emperor-concerto-with-abendmusik-philharmonic-in-2016%2C-and-tchaikovsky%E2%80%99s-piano-concerto-no.-1-with-the-great-bay-philharmonic-in-2018.-he-was-also-a-finalist-in-the-american-prize-concerto-competition-in-2017.-other-concerto-collaborations-have-included-beethoven%E2%80%99s-fourth-concerto-with-the-prince-george-symphony-and-mozart%E2%80%99s-concerto-for-two-pianos-with-the-granite-state-symphony-in-new-hampshire.-paul-has-frequently-participated-in-chamber-music-collaborations-with-renowned-new-england-artists-and-in-many-solo-concerts-in-canada-and-the-united-states.-paul-was-a-finalist-in-the-american-prize-concerto-competition-2017.-he-has-toured-with-nyc-living-arts-company-in-performances-of-gershwin%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9C-porgy-and-bess-%E2%80%9C-in-the-us-and-trinidad-and-played-keyboards-for-the-disco-band-tavares%E2%80%99-reunion-in-atlantic-city.-other-endeavors-of-note-include-his-engagement-as-musical-director-for-the-opera-%E2%80%9Cgrace%E2%80%9D-by-roger-rudenstein-in-boston.-recently-relocated-to-his-native-canada-in-2020%2C-he-now-resides-in-kelowna-and-continues-an-active-musical-career-which-includes-performing%2C-mentoring%2C-teaching%2C-arranging%2C-and-musical-collaborations-of-all-types.-paul-is-on-the-faculty-of-the-kelowna-community-music-school%2C-and-is-a-member-of-the-college-of-examiners-of-the-royal-conservatory.-he-has-been-and-continues-to-be%2C-active-as-a-festival-adjudicator-throughout-north-america. 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/bruce-walker-is-an-associate-professor-of-music-at-columbia-basin-college-in-pasco%2C-wa%2C-music-director-for-the-walla-walla-symphony-youth-orchestra%2C-past-president-of-the-washington-chapter-for-the-american-string-teachers-association%2C-on-the-board-of-directors-for-the-suzuki-association-of-the-americas%2C-college%2Funiversity-representative-for-the-washington-music-educators-association%2C-and-the-2021-music-educator-of-the-year-by-the-washington-music-educators-association.-previously%2C-he-held-the-position-of-music-director-for-the-yakima-youth-symphony-and-oregon-east-symphony-youth-orchestras.-during-the-summer-months%2C-mr.-walker-works-throughout-the-united-states-and-canada-at-various-suzuki-institutes%2C-music-camps%2C-festivals%2C-and-retreats.-internationally%2C-he-has-also-worked-with-the-youth-excellence-on-stage-academy-in-collaboration-with-american-voices%2C-a-non-profit%2C-cultural-exchange-organization.-through-this-organization%2C-he-has-conducted-orchestras-and-taught-cello-in-iraq%2C-syria%2C-lebanon%2C-and-jordan.-as-a-conductor%2C-mr.-walker-participated-in-many-workshops-and-music-festivals-across-the-united-states-such-as-the-marrowstone-music-festival%2C-pierre-monteux-school-for-conductors-and-orchestral-musicians%2C-various-workshops-sponsored-by-the-conductor%E2%80%99s-guild%2C-astoria-music-festival%2C-rose-city-international-conductor%E2%80%99s-workshop%2C-and-the-university-of-oregon-orchestral-conducting-institute.-he-has-appeared-as-guest-conductor-with-the-central-washington-university-symphony%2C-oregon-east-symphony%2C-yakima-symphony%2C-portland-columbia-symphony%2C-walla-walla-symphony%2C-olympia-symphony%2C-and-the-musicians-of-the-spokane-symphony-orchestra.-memorable-for-his-engaging-teaching-style%2C-positive-student-rapport%2C-and-extensive-knowledge-of-the-orchestral-repertoire%2C-mr.-walker-is-in-high-demand-as-an-adjudicator-and-guest-conductor-for-all-state-and-honors-orchestras-nationwide.-recently%2C-he-has-been-a-clinician-for-the-2024-national-orchestra-festival-and-conducted-the-2024-music-in-may-festival-in-forest-grove%2C-oregon%2C-as-well-as-the-2023-all-state-orchestras-in-oregon%2C-alabama%2C-and-georgia.-his-upcoming-engagements-for-the-2024-2025-season-include-guest-conducting-with-the-walla-walla-symphony%2C-working-with-various-school-and-honor-orchestras-and-festivals-in-the-pacific-northwest%2C-and-conducting-all-state-orchestras-in-washington%2C-florida%2C-maryland%2C-and-the-nafme-all-eastern-orchestra-in-hartford%2C-connecticut.-mr.-walker-earned-bachelor-of-music-degrees-in-music-education-and-cello-performance-from-southern-illinois-university-edwardsville-and-a-master-of-music-degree-from-central-washington-university-focusing-on-orchestral-conducting-and-cello-performance.-in-the-fall-of-2019%2C-he-began-his-doctor-of-music-arts-degree-in-music-education-through-boston-university.-outside-the-classroom-and-off-the-podium%2C-he-enjoys-hiking-and-traveling-around-the-pacific-northwest%2C-experimenting-with-new-recipes-on-his-bbq-pit-and-smoker%2C-or-shopping-for-and-admiring-argyle-socks. 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/dr.-hsuan-ju-wang-is-a-violinist-currently-residing-in-taiwan.-she-is-engaged-in-violin-instruction%2C-substitute-teaching-for-elementary-music-classes%2C-sectional-coaching-for-school-orchestras%2C-and-other-music-education-activities%2C-as-well-as-orchestra-and-chamber-music-performances.-in-2023%2C-she-formed-the-%E2%80%9Chsu-yueh-trio%E2%80%9D-with-cellist-ko-hsin-chang-and-pianist-ya-wen-wang.-in-january-2024%2C-they-were-invited-to-perform-at-the-auditorium-of-taipei-city-arts-promotion-office-in-taipei%2C-taiwan%2C-receiving-high-praise.-recently%2C-they-have-been-devoted-to-promoting-family-friendly-concerts%2C-combining-storytelling-with-music-to-make-it-easier-for-children-to-engage-with-classical-music.%C2%A0-before-moving-to-taiwan-in-2022%2C-hsuan-ju-wang-lived-in-the-seattle-area-for-nine-years.-during-this-time%2C-she-served-as-associate-concertmaster-in-the-northwest-sinfonietta-from-2013-to-2022-and-as-associate-concertmaster-in-the-northwest-symphony-from-2016-to-2022.-additionally%2C-she-worked-as-a-violin-and-viola-instructor-at-the-happy-minds-school-of-music.-in-2016%2C-she-was-appointed-as-the-program-director-of-the-music-matters-foundation%2C-which-has-been-organizing-music-events-and-providing-supportive-music-education-for-the-community-over-the-years.-in-her-career%2C-hsuan-ju-served-as-associate-concertmaster-of-the-northwest-sinfonietta-from-2013-to-2022%2C-associate-concertmaster-of-the-northwest-symphony-orchestra-from-2016-to-2022%2C-concertmaster-of-the-texas-music-festival-orchestra-in-2011-and-2012%2C-concertmaster-of-the-purely-professional-orchestra%C2%A0from-2005-to-2006%2C-and-section-first-violinist-of-the-champaign-urbana-symphony-orchestra-and-sinfonia-da-camera-in-illinois-from-2011-to-2013.-hsuan-ju-wang-achieved-second-place-in-the-national-taiwan-normal-university-concerto-competition-for-strings-in-2005.-in-2006%2C-she-received-an-excellence-award-in-both-the-violin-and-viola-categories-of-the-hsing-tian-kong-competition-and-the-%E2%80%9Cstring-string-quartet%2C%E2%80%9D-of-which-she-was-a-member%2C-received-an-excellence-award-in-the-hsing-tian-kong-chamber-music-competition.-in-2008%2C-she-won-the-mannes-school-of-music-concerto-competition-for-strings-and-advanced-to-the-final-round%2C-which-was-not-divided-by-instrument.-born-in-taipei%2C-taiwan%2C-hsuan-ju-began-learning-piano-at-the-age-of-four-and-started-studying-the-violin-at-eight.-she-received-her-early-violin-training-from-shu-mu-wu%2C-followed-by-guidance-from-chao-chuan-chen%2C-shu-te-lee%2C-and-zheng-tan.-hsuan-ju-wang-graduated-from-the-department-of-music-at-the-national-taiwan-normal-university%2C-studying-under-professor-c.-nanette-chen.-in-2007%2C-she-was-awarded-a-scholarship-to-pursue-a-master's-degree-at-the-mannes-college-of-music-in-new-york%2C-studying-with-dr.-chin-kim.-in-2009%2C-she-received-a-full-scholarship-to-pursue-a-doctoral-degree-at-the-university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign%2C-studying-under-sigurbjorn-bernhardsson.%C2%A0 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/dr.-chin-kim%2C-an-international-soloist-and-pedagogue%2C-is-a-top-and-high-prizewinner-at-the-concours-international-musique-de-montr%C3%A9al%2C-queen-elisabeth-competition%2C-paganini-competition%2C-and-the-international-violin-competition-of-indianapolis.-he-was-a-soloist-with-the-philadelphia-orchestra%2C-st.-louis-symphony-orchestra%2C-atlanta-symphony-orchestra%2C-orchestre-symphonique-de-montr%C3%A9al%2C-czech-philharmonic%2C-and-all-major-orchestras-in-south-and-north-korea.-he-is-on-the-violin-faculty-at-queens-college%2C-cuny-graduate-center-for-doctoral-studies%2C-and-the-columbia-university-teacher%E2%80%99s-college.-he-also-teaches-privately%2C-performs-and-teaches-at-multiple-festivals%2C-and-gives-masterclasses-online-as-well. 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/pianist-dan-kramlich-has-established-himself-as-one-of-seattle%E2%80%99s-most-sought-after-performers%2C-educators%2C-composers%2C-and-adjudicators.-his-style-was-informed-by-jazz-legends-fred-hersch-and-billy-hart%2C-with-whom-he-worked-extensively-while-studying-at-western-michigan-university.-dan-can-be-heard-on-many-recordings-by-local-musicians%2C-including-steve-treseler%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Ccenter-song%2C%E2%80%9D-the-vern-sielert-dektet%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cfrom-there-to-here%E2%80%9D%2C-and-phil-parisot%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Clingo%E2%80%9D%2C-%E2%80%9Ccreekside%E2%80%9D%2C-and-%E2%80%9Cinventions%E2%80%9D.-he-currently-performs-with-his-group%2C-the-dan-kramlich-trio%2C-as-well-as-the-java-town.-swing-orchestra%2C-billy-brandt-band%2C-and-many-others.-dan%E2%80%99s-compositions-have-been-featured-by-the-seattle-composer%E2%80%99s-alliance%2C-of-which-he-is-a-member%2C-and-published-by-dapper-page-music.-his-composition-%E2%80%9Cthe-egg%E2%80%9D-was-on-the-editor%E2%80%99s-choice-list-for-jazz-ensemble-at-jw-pepper-in-2023.-dan-also-maintains-a-teaching-studio-at-seattle-pacific-university-and-bellevue-college%2C-where-he-teaches-piano%2C-jazz-history%2C-and-music-technology. 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/pianist-judith-widrig-is-a-native-of-syracuse%2C-ny-and-teaches-in-the-piano-department-at-western-washington-university.-she-received-a-dma-in-piano-performance-from-the-university-of-colorado-and-performance-degrees-from-the-hartt-school-of-music-and-the-university-of-minnesota.-prior-to-commencement-of-her-doctoral-work-she-was-collaborative-pianist-at-the-oberlin-conservatory-of-music.-judith-has-also-studied-at-the-banff-centre%2C-schweitzer-institute%2C-and-holzhausen-music-festival-in-germany.-judith-is-active-in-the-pacific-northwest-as-a-solo-and-chamber-musician-and-has-performed-with-orchestras-on-both-coasts%2C-including-a-recent-performance-of-the-age-of-anxiety-with-the-wwu-symphony.-she-is-a-passionate-teacher-and-her-students-have-received-top-prizes-in-many-state-and-international-piano-competitions-as-well-as-gone-on-to-study-piano-performance-at-leading-music-schools-including-new-england-conservatory%2C-oberlin-conservatory%2C-and-stanford-university.-judith-currently-directs-the-bellingham-youth-chamber-players-and-co-directs-wwu%E2%80%99s-chamber-days.-judith-credits-her-many-wonderful-teachers-over-the-years%2C-including-college-teachers-luiz-de-moura-castro%2C-lydia-artymiw%2C-larry-graham%2C-and-robert-spillman.-she-has-also-worked-with-anton-kuerti-at-the-banff-centre%2C-the-emerson-string-quartet%2C-and-was-fortunate-to-both-study-under-and-collaborate-with-hungarian-violinist-denes-zsigmondy-on-several-tours-of-canada-and-alaska.-when-not-engaged-in-music-activities%2C-judith-loves-to-be-outside%2C-either-on-a-hiking-or-backpacking-trip-or-working-in-her-garden. 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/dr.-quinton-morris-enjoys-a-multifaceted-career-as-a-violinist%2C-educator%2C-entrepreneur%2C-and-filmmaker.-he-has-performed-and-given-master-classes-around-the-world-including-venues-at-carnegie-hall%2C-sydney-opera-house%2Cthe-louvre-museum%2C-cincinnati%2C-nashville%2C-and-seattle-symphony-orchestras%2C-the-university-of-paris-at-dauphine%2C-dong-eui-university-(korea)%2C-monash-university-(australia)%2C-the-boston-conservatory-at-berklee%2C-and-the-national-taiwan-normal-university%2C-among-many-others.-dr.-morris-is-the-executive-director-and-founder-of-key-to-change%2C-a-non-profit-violin-and-viola-studio-serving-south-king-county-that-focuses-on-creating-opportunities-for-young-musicians-of-color-and-those-from-underserved%2C-lower-socio-economic-backgrounds.-hundreds-of-students-have-received-world-class-music-instruction-under-his-tutelage.-students-enrolled-at-key-to-change-have-won-local-awards%2C-appeared-as-concert-soloists-with-the-seattle-symphony-and-other-regional-symphony-orchestras%2C-and-performed-for-vice-president-kamala-harris-and-dr.-jill-biden%2C-the-first-lady-of-the-united-states.-dr.-morris-is-the-recipient-of-numerous-awards-including-the-seattle-university%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Coutstanding-teaching-award%E2%80%9D-and-%E2%80%9Coutstanding-scholarship-%26-creative-endeavors%2C-seattle-magazine%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%9Cmost-influential-educator-award-for-2024%E2%80%9D%2C-the-pathfinder-award-from-the-puget-sound-association-of-phi-beta-kappa%2C-the-boston-conservatory-at-berklee-distinguished-alumni-award%2C-and-the-outstanding-studio-teacher-award-by-the-washington-state-chapter-of-the-american-string-teachers-association.-he-is-also-the-recipient-of-the-governor%E2%80%99s-arts-award%2C-the-seattle-mayor%E2%80%99s-arts-award%2C-the-first-place-%E2%80%9Cdiamond-award%E2%80%9D-at-the-european-independent-film-awards%2C-and-the-%E2%80%9Cbronze-award%E2%80%9D-at-the-global-music-awards.-dr.-morris-is-the-professor-of-violin-at-seattle-university.-he-is-the-first-black-man-to-receive-the-rank-of-professor-in-any-academic-field-in-seattle-university%E2%80%99s-college-of-arts-%26-sciences-and-is-the-second-living-black-violinist-in-united-states-history-with-the-title.-the-role-of-professor-is-the-highest-rank-in-academia%2C-which-is-only-held-by-29%25-of-university-faculty-nationwide.-he-is-also-the-host-of-unmute-the-voices%2C-the-radio-show-and-video-series-that-is-sponsored-by-classical-king.-dr.-morris-holds-a-doctorate-in-violin-performance-from-the-butler-school-of-music-at-the-university-of-texas-at-austin%2C-where-he-studied-with-daniel-ching%2C-the-first-violinist-in-the-miro-quartet.-he-also-holds-a-master-of-music-degree-from-the-boston-conservatory-at-berklee-and-a-graduate-diploma-in-business-management-from-the-harvard-extension-school. 2025-12-30 https://www.musicmatterstoday.org/2025-adjudicators/dr.-ko-hsin-chang-is-an-active-soloist-and-chamber-musician-who-has-given-recitals-across-the-united-states%2C-singapore%2C-and-taiwan.-she-holds-a-doctor-of-musical-arts-degree-from-the-university-of-illinois-at-urbana-champaign%2C-where-she-studied-on-a-full-scholarship.-she-earned-her-bachelor-of-fine-arts-from-national-taiwan-normal-university-and-her-master-of-music-from-indiana-university-bloomington%2C-where-she-served-as-an-assistant-cello-instructor.-her-teachers-included-csaba-onczay-and-brandon-vamos.-dr.-chang-has-participated-in-masterclasses-with-renowned-musicians-such-as-janos-starker%2C-aldo-parisot%2C-tsuyoshi-tsutsumi%2C-arto-noras%2C-pieter-wispelwey%2C-fritz-dolezal%2C-patrick-demenga%2C-martin-menking%2C-the-pacifica-string-quartet%2C-and-the-orion-string-quartet.-she-also-received-a-full-scholarship-to-attend-the-master-courses-at-the-international-summer-academy-in-austria.-dr.-chang%E2%80%99s-accomplishments-extend-beyond-her-impressive-musical-background.-she-has-been-selected-twice-for-the-pacific-music-festival-in-japan%2C-where-she-served-as-assistant-principal-cello-and-collaborated-with-conductors-such-as-riccardo-muti%2C-andrew-boreyko%2C-and-valery-gergiev.-she-has-performed-with-the-columbus-indiana-philharmonic%2C-the-macao-orchestra%2C-and-as-a-guest-principal-with-the-philharmonic-orchestra-singapore.-in-the-2023-2024-season%2C-dr.-chang%E2%80%99s-highlights-included-a-recital-with-pianist-abigail-sin-at-the-esplanade-recital-hall-and-a-concerto-with-the-singapore-japan-ensemble-at-the-same-venue.-she-performed-at-nanyang-technological-university%E2%80%99s-lunchtime-concert%2C-toured-with-the-singapore-armed-forces-central-band%2C-and-participated-in-the-virginia-international-tattoo-festival.-additionally%2C-she-was-featured-in-the-music-salon-series-by-the-taipei-city-arts-promotion-center.-in-the-second-half-of-the-2024-concert-season%2C-dr.-chang-will-give-recitals-and-chamber-concerts-at-taipei-national-recital-hall%2C-national-taichung-theater%2C-and-weiwuying-national-kaohsiung-center-for-the-arts. 2025-12-30