2025 Artists and Adjudicators
2025 Artists and Adjudicators:
Steve Kaldestad - Featured Artist & Jazz Band Adjudicator
Bob Rogers - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Nick Dyson - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Campbell Ryga - Combo Adjudicator
Loni Moger - Combo Adjudicator
Emily Denison - Combo Adjudicator
Steve Kaldestad - Featured Artist & Jazz Band Adjudicator
Bob Rogers - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Nick Dyson - Jazz Band Adjudicator
Campbell Ryga - Combo Adjudicator
Loni Moger - Combo Adjudicator
Emily Denison - Combo Adjudicator
Our 2025 Featured Artist: Steve Kaldestad

Since moving to Vancouver in 2008, Steve Kaldestad has become one of the most in-demand saxophonists and guest clinicians on the West Coast scene. Steve is a member of the Jill Townsend Jazz Orchestra, the Dan Brubeck Quartet, and many other groups, as well as leading his own solo musical projects.
Steve has released four albums on the Cellar Live label to great acclaim, including ”Straight Up”, featuring the Mike LeDonne Trio, “New York Afternoon” with the Renee Rosnes Trio, and his latest release, “Live at Frankie’s Jazz Club”.
Originally from the prairies, Steve spent the ’90s in Montreal, obtaining his Bachelors and Masters degrees from McGill University. During this time Steve was awarded a grant to study with Lee Konitz in New York.
In 2000, he began an eight year stint of freelance work in London, England, before landing back in Canada.
Steve now resides in Port Moody, BC and teaches full time at Capilano University. Steve is a D’Addario artist and plays D’Addario Select Jazz reeds on all his saxophones.

Born and raised in Vancouver, trombonist and educator Bob Rogers attended Humber College in Toronto before completing a Bachelor of Music Degree at UBC and a Master of Music degree in trombone performance at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL.
A versatile performer, Bob played with numerous ensembles in the Vancouver area including the Vancouver Opera, the Victoria Symphony, the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra, and numerous small jazz and chamber ensembles. Bob has also performed or recorded with Natalie Cole, Aerosmith, Charlotte Diamond, the O’Jays and the Temptations, and spent a year touring Europe with a New York production of the Duke Ellington musical Sophisticated Ladies.
In 1993 Bob moved to Revelstoke where he taught band and general music to both secondary and elementary students for over 25 years, and since moving to the interior he has been a member of the Okanagan Symphony as well as his own jazz group and numerous other ensembles throughout the Okanagan. In 2020 Bob retired from full time teaching and now lives in Vernon where he is keeping busy as a performer, composer/arranger and clinician.
A versatile performer, Bob played with numerous ensembles in the Vancouver area including the Vancouver Opera, the Victoria Symphony, the Vancouver Jazz Orchestra, and numerous small jazz and chamber ensembles. Bob has also performed or recorded with Natalie Cole, Aerosmith, Charlotte Diamond, the O’Jays and the Temptations, and spent a year touring Europe with a New York production of the Duke Ellington musical Sophisticated Ladies.
In 1993 Bob moved to Revelstoke where he taught band and general music to both secondary and elementary students for over 25 years, and since moving to the interior he has been a member of the Okanagan Symphony as well as his own jazz group and numerous other ensembles throughout the Okanagan. In 2020 Bob retired from full time teaching and now lives in Vernon where he is keeping busy as a performer, composer/arranger and clinician.

Loni Moger
Musician, Arranger, Composer, Producer, Educator, and Sound Engineer who played his first professional gig at the age of fourteen. Received a Bachelor’s degree from Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music where he studied Guitar, Voice, Composing and Arranging.
Loni is equally at home in a wide variety of musical styles from Blues to Jazz to Funk, Rhythm and Blues, Pop and Country. He also harbours a secret passion for classical music, having had several opportunities to work with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra, including Pops concerts and the The “Lord of the Rings Symphony” and the Flamenco opera, “Ainadamar, Fountain of Tears.”

Emily Denison is a unique and sought-after trumpeter whose strengths lie in navigating the space between composition and improvisation. After growing up in Ottawa, her musical path brought her through Toronto and Montreal before landing in Kelowna.
Her years spent studying, performing, composing, collaborating, and presenting in these major cities allowed her to connect with prominent musicians from across Canada and abroad. She has performed and recorded with Proxemics (Mike McCormick’s Norwegian-Canadian quartet), Ken Aldcroft’s Convergence Ensemble, Christine Jensen’s Equals Orchestra, and Nick Fraser’s New Quartet, to name a few.
As a leader, co-leader, and composer, Emily’s credits include the playful jazz ensemble Bellwether4, the Emily Denison Septet, Mars People, Hofbauer/Denison/Kruger (a Canadian-American collaboration), and her solo trumpet cassette Kindred. Emily holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Performance from the University of Toronto where she studied under such accomplished musicians as Jim Lewis, Terry Promane, Mike Murley, Andrew Downing, Phil Nimmons, and others. She finds immense fulfillment in her current work as a certified music therapist (MTA), where she serves a diverse clientele using music as a means for empowerment, development, and enhancing quality of life.
Her years spent studying, performing, composing, collaborating, and presenting in these major cities allowed her to connect with prominent musicians from across Canada and abroad. She has performed and recorded with Proxemics (Mike McCormick’s Norwegian-Canadian quartet), Ken Aldcroft’s Convergence Ensemble, Christine Jensen’s Equals Orchestra, and Nick Fraser’s New Quartet, to name a few.
As a leader, co-leader, and composer, Emily’s credits include the playful jazz ensemble Bellwether4, the Emily Denison Septet, Mars People, Hofbauer/Denison/Kruger (a Canadian-American collaboration), and her solo trumpet cassette Kindred. Emily holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Jazz Performance from the University of Toronto where she studied under such accomplished musicians as Jim Lewis, Terry Promane, Mike Murley, Andrew Downing, Phil Nimmons, and others. She finds immense fulfillment in her current work as a certified music therapist (MTA), where she serves a diverse clientele using music as a means for empowerment, development, and enhancing quality of life.

Canadian Trumpeter, Musical Director and Educator Nicholas Dyson calls Ottawa, Ontario home. He performs regularly with The Beeched Wailers, Prime Rib Big Band, Los Gringos The Convertibles, Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra, Mackenzie Rhythm Section and Point Blan Brass.
Nicholas has also played with the National Arts Centre Orchestra Pops, Sun Valley Summer Symphony, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Gatineau, Capital Brassworks, Ragtime Brass, the 2019 “ = Jazz Orchestra” under the direction of Christine Jensen, Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra, Impressions In Jazz Orchestra, and many musical theatre shows such as Book of Mormon, Motown the Musical, Mean Girls, MJ the Musical, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Drowsy Chaperone, The Full Monty and Producers.
Nicholas has also worked with Aretha Franklin, Dave Brubeck, Barbra Streisand, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roy Hargrove Big Band, Richie Cole Alto Madness Orchestra, Miguel de Armas, Hilario Duran, Changuito, Kim Massie, Jamie Cullum, Linda Eder, Campbell Ryga, Tara Davidson, Paul Anka, The Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Bernie Worrell,
Temptations, The Coasters, The Platters, The Four Tops, Jann Arden, Nikki Yanofsky, So Douglas Swingtet, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Red Young & His Hot Horns, Patrick Watson, Dan Mangan and Broken Social Scene.
Nicholas has contributed to albums by Solomon Douglas Swingtet, Tilda, That’s The Spir Souljazz Orchestra, Slim Moore & the Mar-Kays, The Cooper Brothers, Mike Essoudry’s Mas Potato Mashers, The Yohawks, Orienteers, The Bank Street Bon Bons, Phil Motion & the E Lo-Fi, Delbert & the Commotions, Krytal Jyl & the Jacks, The Bush Pilots, Peter & the Wolves Good Advice, plus a live concert recording for CBC Radio Canada with Los Gringos. Th Beeched Wailers released their debut recording “The Johnson Lake Sessions” in 2015, an Nicholas’ most recent recording is with Prime Rib Big Band “Choice Cuts” and was released in April 2020.
Nicholas is the founder and director of Capital Youth Jazz Orchestra. CYJO is an educationally driven jazz big band, made up primarily of students from Ottawa area universities whose music programs lack a big band component. Nicholas teaches at Carleton University Jazz Camp, hosts Trumpet Bootcamp at Alcorn Music Studios, and has adjudicated festivals, presented clinics and masterclasses across North America.
Nicholas is fortunate to visit British Columbia regularly, where he serves as Musical Director and Lead Trumpet for mighty little big band “Sandy Cameron’s Shuhorns”, and visits classrooms and community band rehearsals in many interior communities.
Nicholas has also played with the National Arts Centre Orchestra Pops, Sun Valley Summer Symphony, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Gatineau, Capital Brassworks, Ragtime Brass, the 2019 “ = Jazz Orchestra” under the direction of Christine Jensen, Ottawa Latin Jazz Orchestra, Impressions In Jazz Orchestra, and many musical theatre shows such as Book of Mormon, Motown the Musical, Mean Girls, MJ the Musical, A Chorus Line, West Side Story, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Drowsy Chaperone, The Full Monty and Producers.
Nicholas has also worked with Aretha Franklin, Dave Brubeck, Barbra Streisand, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roy Hargrove Big Band, Richie Cole Alto Madness Orchestra, Miguel de Armas, Hilario Duran, Changuito, Kim Massie, Jamie Cullum, Linda Eder, Campbell Ryga, Tara Davidson, Paul Anka, The Moody Blues, Procol Harum, Bernie Worrell,
Temptations, The Coasters, The Platters, The Four Tops, Jann Arden, Nikki Yanofsky, So Douglas Swingtet, Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar, Red Young & His Hot Horns, Patrick Watson, Dan Mangan and Broken Social Scene.
Nicholas has contributed to albums by Solomon Douglas Swingtet, Tilda, That’s The Spir Souljazz Orchestra, Slim Moore & the Mar-Kays, The Cooper Brothers, Mike Essoudry’s Mas Potato Mashers, The Yohawks, Orienteers, The Bank Street Bon Bons, Phil Motion & the E Lo-Fi, Delbert & the Commotions, Krytal Jyl & the Jacks, The Bush Pilots, Peter & the Wolves Good Advice, plus a live concert recording for CBC Radio Canada with Los Gringos. Th Beeched Wailers released their debut recording “The Johnson Lake Sessions” in 2015, an Nicholas’ most recent recording is with Prime Rib Big Band “Choice Cuts” and was released in April 2020.
Nicholas is the founder and director of Capital Youth Jazz Orchestra. CYJO is an educationally driven jazz big band, made up primarily of students from Ottawa area universities whose music programs lack a big band component. Nicholas teaches at Carleton University Jazz Camp, hosts Trumpet Bootcamp at Alcorn Music Studios, and has adjudicated festivals, presented clinics and masterclasses across North America.
Nicholas is fortunate to visit British Columbia regularly, where he serves as Musical Director and Lead Trumpet for mighty little big band “Sandy Cameron’s Shuhorns”, and visits classrooms and community band rehearsals in many interior communities.