2025 Adjudicators

Dr. Brent Crawford has explored wide ranging aspects of the classical guitar musical journey. As a performer, through his competition wins at the Montreal International Guitar Competition, the Great Lakes International Guitar Competition, the inaugural Hamilton International Guitar Competition, the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals' National Music Competition, and the Domaine Forget International Academy, he has received praise from both audiences and adjudicators alike. His first full-length album, Celebrated Guitar Solos, was released in 2021. A list of recent performances includes a live broadcast at 96.3FM's Zoomer Hall, the Mediterranean Guitar Festival in Cervo, Italy, the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival, the inaugural TEDx talk in Algonquin Park, and an on-stage role in the UTSO's production of the Donizetti opera Don Pasquale.

Brent is a graduate of the Doctor of Musical Arts program at the University of Toronto (Nov 2018). His doctoral research was dedicated to training the next generation of musician through promoting performance excellence. Specifically, his research focused on adopting methods and techniques from athletics to form a more rounded, multifaceted approach to performance preparation for guitarists. This published thesis, "In Pursuit of Guitar Excellence: the Effects of a Multifaceted Approach to Performance Training" can be found online. Invested in the future of the classical guitar, Brent has secured professional membership positions with three major music boards across Ontario, including the Guitar Society of Toronto, the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival, and as Head of the Peel Music Festival's guitar section.

Born and raised in Toronto, Brent started playing guitar at age 8, studying under Richard Summers at the Toronto Guitar Institute. Continuing his musical education with Robert Kubica at the University of Western Ontario, he finished his studies with extensive work under the tutelage of Dr. Jeffrey McFadden at the University of Toronto. Brent maintains a busy teaching schedule with a private studio, is active as both a soloist and a chamber musician, and also finds opportunity for community outreach in the Greater Toronto Area through his board positions at the Peel Music Festival and the Guitar Society of Toronto.

Brent performs on a 2009 cedar guitar by Paulino Bernabé.