Meet your Adjudicator – Strings and Bands

Violinist, Irene Tandberg‘s career as performer and pedagogue spans four decades. She has established vibrant private and university studios where her students have been honoured with many prestigious scholarships and awards, obtained positions at notable international & domestic schools & orchestras, and pursued distinguished solo careers.

Irene’s extensive performance and teaching career inspired her to create the Young Artists Pre-College Academy (YAPCA) and Young Artists Orchestra (YAO, a full symphonic orchestra for beginner/intermediate musicians). YAPCA’s diverse programming cultivates motivated high school & university students who are inspired to explore a high level of technical finesse and artistry through chamber music in a collegial, non-competitive environment. Weekly Performance, Chamber and Master classes offer students the opportunity to master their skills and expand their musical knowledge under the tutelage of a dynamic faculty and guest artists. YAPCA is actively engaged in collaborative projects throughout the community and is partnered with Western in Community Engaged Learning.

Irene is a vastly experienced and fervent pedagogue who has both written and given invited talks on performance, teaching and practice strategies. She is in high demand as a festival adjudicator, master class teacher and workshop clinician in music programs and teaching institutions across Canada. She is co-editor for the RCM 2021 Violin Series and co-writer for the RCM String Teachers Course.

In addition to running her private studio, acting as the Coordinator for Western 360 and Founding Directing of YAPCA, she is a very active faculty member in the Performance Department at Western and recipient of the student council “Award of Excellence” in teaching.