Meet the 2026 Adjudicators

Lauren Helmer has been a music educator in Kitchener, ON, since 2009. Presently, she is the Associate Director of Bands of Eastwood Collegiate Institute’s Integrated Arts Magnet Program. Previously, Lauren taught at Preston High School in Cambridge, ON, where she gained recognition by developing its award-winning jazz ensembles and wind ensembles. All of her bands have consistently achieved the highest honours at the provincial and national level, competing at various festivals, and competitions, both locally and abroad. 

As a performer, Lauren was the associate principal trombonist, and 2nd trombonist of the Guelph Symphony Orchestra for 8 years before joining the Stratford Symphony Orchestra in 2012. After 14 years of service, Lauren retired from the Canadian Army Reserve Forces in 2021. She was the trombone section commander of the internationally honoured Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Band since 2007. Prior to joining the RHLI, Lauren spent four summers performing on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, with the Band of the Ceremonial Guard, from 2007-2010. 

As a conductor, Lauren is the first woman appointed as Artistic Director of the Guelph Concert Band (2022); one of the longest running concert bands in Canada. She has studied wind ensemble conducting with Dr. Denise Grant, the late Michael Purves-Smith, and has attended conducting clinics throughout North America. Lauren holds the position as the Assistant Conductor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Youth Concert Band, she is the Artistic Director for “Summer Music” Camp in Southampton Ontario, and she serves as the brass coach for the Grand River Blues Camp. Lauren is also a sought-after clinician, being called to work with middle and high school groups throughout Ontario.

Lauren is a member of the Canadian Band Association, the Ontario Band Association, the Ontario Music Educators’ Association, the National Band Association, and is the Provincial Chair of Ontario for the Women Band Directors’ International. 

When she is not teaching, Lauren enjoys both performing with, and directing local wind ensembles, big bands, and brass groups. Lauren holds an Honours Bachelor of Music Education from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Bachelor of Education from the University of Western Ontario. Lauren spends her down-time enjoying multiple cups of coffee, exercising, snowboarding, golfling, and spending time with her husband Andreas, and their daughter Nora. 

Rebekah Jordan-Miller is an accomplished piano pedagogue, accredited music therapist, and pianist who has performed extensively as a soloist and collaborative artist throughout Canada, the United States, Austria, Australia, and Norway. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma, a Master’s degree in Music Therapy from Wilfrid Laurier University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Piano Performance from the Eastman School of Music. Her principal mentors include Gwen Beamish, Rebecca Penneys, Fernando Laires, Valerie Tryon, and Dr. Jane Magrath.

Rebekah currently serves as Director of the Laurier Academy of Music and Arts (LAMA), overseeing a vibrant community of over 1,000 students and 56 music and art faculty members. In addition to her administrative leadership, she teaches piano and music therapy at LAMA and serves on the faculty of Wilfrid Laurier University as a music therapy instructor.

An active adjudicator, Royal Conservatory of Music examiner, and clinician, Rebekah has previously held academic appointments at Oklahoma City University, Shorter University in Georgia, and Western University in London, Ontario. She frequently presents workshops on developing performance psychology strategies and has provided performance coaching to individuals ranging from young emerging musicians to oncology surgical fellows.
Rebekah also maintains an active performing career, collaborating with her piano partner, Dr. Marnie Van Weelden, as part of the Blondes on 88 piano duo.

Soprano Alexandra Lennox has been performing with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto for 29 seasons singing well over 200 productions in small roles, understudying larger roles and as a full time member of the professional Chorus.

Alexandra has a Vocal Performance diploma from the Royal Conservatory of music Glen Gould School, a Vocal Performance BMus from the University of Toronto, and an ARCT in Voice from the Royal Conservatory of Music. A versatile singer, dancer, actor Ms. Lennox has sung in television commercials for Shoppers Drug Mart, Miller Beer, Nescafe Coffee and Kraft Dressing. Operatic roles include; "Adele" in Die Fledermaus, "Serpina" in La Serva Padrona with, "Musetta" in La Boheme with, "Nellie" in Leo the Royal Cadet, "The Voice" in Facing South, "Apparition" in Macbeth with COC, “Strawberry Seller" in Death in Venice with COC, "The Cousin" in Madama Butterfly with COC, and "soprano soloist" in The Nightingale with COC. Ms. Lennox has performed in musical theatre productions; as “Anne” in Anne of Green Gables, “ Hodel” in Fiddler on the Roof, “Liesl” in Sound of Music and many small and ensemble roles as both a singer, actor and a dancer.

Alexandra is a co-founder and co-organizer of the Halton Hills Music Festival in Georgetown, Ontario. As a busy and sought after festival adjudicator, she has judged voice and choral classes at Pickering GTA Music Festival, Kiwanis Festival of Sudbury, Kingston Kiwanis Festival, Peel Music Festival, Arcadia Academy of Music Musicfest and Miriam Academy of music’s Music Festival. Alexandra has been teaching and coaching a select group of singers in her home studio “Lennox Voice Studio" for 20 over years.

Renée Salewski is a vibrant performing arts professional with twenty-five years of diverse performing, teaching, writing, and directing experience. Creative opportunities have taken Renée all over the UK, London’s West End and off West-End, Europe, Canada, Korea, Central Asia, and many other inspiring places. As a music theatre / opera director, Renée has had the privilege of working with some of the most wonderful casts on some very special projects. She is a teaching artist (director/dramaturg/devising) at the Canadian Opera Company and core faculty on the Summer Intensive for Emerging Artists there. Renée is honoured to be a sought out guest clinician and coach for various voice studios, Western University, SOLT, University of Toronto, Hart House Theatre, The National Opera Studio London, England and her joint initiative with MD Allyson Devenish, The Audition Clinic. 

Renée also has the privilege of serving as a voice teacher/coach/mentor to individual singing actors at varying stages of their development and careers. 

Laurence Schaufele is a violist intent on exploring musicianship in a wide variety of genres.
His experience spans diverse styles of music such as classical, jazz, klezmer, celtic,
bluegrass, and many more.

Hailing from rural southern Alberta, Laurence trained in the European classical tradition. He
specialised at an early age on chamber music, from duos to string orchestra ensembles.
Starting his post-secondary in Calgary, he transferred to Toronto for a change of pace. After
graduating from the Royal Conservatory of Music in 2015 in viola performance, Laurence set
off on a career which stretched the viola between many genres.
Laurence has toured with a variety of ensembles ranging from string quartets and orchestras
to progressive rock bands. He has performed on stages across four continents. Most
notably, Laurence recorded with the jazz/classical ensemble SymphRONica. Their album
UpfRONt received a JUNO nomination.

When not performing, Laurence spends his time teaching violin/viola, listening to music,
cooking, walking his dog, and spending time with his family.