2025 Adjudicators

John Kraus, originally from North Bay, Ontario, is an active musician, having founded and worked as the Music Director of the Durham
Chamber Orchestra from 1996-2007, the Lakeridge Youth Orchestra, 2002-2004, the Clarington Concert Band, 2011-2013, the
Music Director and conductor of the Northumberland Orchestra & Choir, 2013-2024, and is the current Music Director of the Parkdale Orchestra, Ottawa. John has performed as a member of the Lavender Chamber Ensemble, a collective of professional musicians who perform across South-Central Ontario and as a saxophone player with the Electric City Swing Band, Peterborough. In the fall of 2017 John was nominated as one of five candidates for the Heinz Unger Award, a national honour administrated by the Ontario Arts Council, recognizing professional conductors.
As an educator, John taught for over 30 years and is a member of the Ontario Music Educators Association promoting the value and need for Music education in schools. He has lead workshops and clinics across the province as well as leading and conducting honour ensembles as part of the Conference of Independent Schools Music Festival, held each spring at Roy Thomson Hall, Toronto. John is a member of the Canadian Music Festivals Adjudicators Association, providing him the opportunity to hear student performances across Canada. For many years in the summer months, John has been a faculty member for the Lake Field Music Camp, an adult music camp based at Lakefield College School, Lakefield.
In addition, John hosts Maestro's Picks, a weekly hour long radio show which can be heard on Northumberland 89.7 and Sudbury's 96.7 CKLU-FM, featuring music of all styles.