Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators' Association

Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators' Association

Canadian Music Festival Adjudicators' Association. An informal movement during the 1930s, its chief aim was to promote, encourage, and assist Canadian adjudicators, thus counterbalancing the predominance of British adjudicators in Canadian competition festivals. Early participants included Leslie Bell, Garfleld Bender, Eldon Brethour, G. Roy Fenwick, Reginald Geen, Harvey Perrin, and George Smale. Owing to Bell's determined efforts the association was established formally in 1960. Membership (approximately 100 in 1990) is open to those whose experience qualifies them to adjudicate music or speech arts. Lists of members are sent to the 250 festivals operating annually across Canada. During its early years the CMFAA was allied closely to the CMEA; in 1968, however, it became separate. Its executive meets three to four times a year, and there are occasional workshops. In 1974 the association published a Festival Handbook which provides guidelines for prospective adjudicators and for festival organizers. Presidents have included G. Roy Fenwick 1960-1, Reginald Geen 1961-8, Martin Boundy 1968-9, Harvey Perrin 1969-71, Clifford McAree 1971-3, George Smale 1973-5, Gladys Whitehead 1975-6, Lansing MacDowell 1976-9, H. Alex Clark 1979-82, James Lawless 1982-4, Carl Duggan 1984-6, Pauline Aldrich 1986-8, and John Paul Bracey 1988-90. Bracey was succeeded by Gwen Beamish in 1990.