2026 Adjudicators

       At a young age, Mary Ficzere won the Silver Medal for a piano exam through the Royal Conservatory of Music achieving the highest mark in Ontario. Inspired by her accomplishment, she continued her music studies to complete an ARCT in Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music as well as a Bachelor and Masters Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Western Ontario. Influential teachers in her training include John Paul Bracey, Jim Anagnoson, John Hess, and Edna Golandsky.
       Currently Mary is the Head of School Programming and Development at the Merriam School of Music in Oakville where she also maintains a studio of talented piano students in the Enriched Studies Program. As a faculty member at Merriam, Mary has held the positions of Piano Department Head, Enriched Studies Department Head and Director of Examinations for many years. Mary was integral in the development of the Keyfest Curriculum and Examination System for all instruments and levels. She co-wrote the Examination Syllabus for piano and implemented the Keyfest Examiner Training Program. As a teacher, Mary has taught both group and private lessons for all ages and levels. Teaching classical music is her passion, but she also enjoys exploring jazz and pop music with her students and incorporating technology into her lessons.
       As a clinician, Mary runs seminars on Performance Technique and Injury Prevention. She studied at the Golandsky Institute in New York City where she acquired in depth training on piano technique and coordinate movement. Mary is active as an adjudicator for Music Festivals in Canada and can also be seen performing as a collaborative pianist for instrumentalists and singers throughout the GTA.