COACHING SESSIONS

Rev. Jon Buller is the founder & director of Hear the Music Ministries. For the past 10 years, together with many partner organizations and leaders, Jon has been producing a regional arts and leadership conference called the Levite Summit. A Covenant Award winner and Juno Award nominee, over the last 25 years he has contributed an eclectic and growing catalogue of music to the artistic landscape of Canada while travelling extensively and hosting the popular community worship concerts called ‘Hear the Music Night’. With decades of experience as a Worship & Arts Pastor in local churches, Jon launched Worship Arts Canada in 2021 as an outlet for his lifelong passion to equip, affirm and care for musicians, artists, technicians, and creatives.

When working with creatives Jaylene Johnson seeks the core message they want to convey, and supports them in their unique artistic journeys: What do you want to say? How do you want to say it? Who do you want to say it to? Jaylene has worked with artists, songwriters and producers across North America, and has had cuts and singles domestically and internationally in Contemporary Christian, Country, Adult Contemporary, Folk, World, Worship, and Pop music. Many of her songs have been licensed for network television, and she has years of experience as an independent artist, songwriter, and worship leader. Multiple nominations and awards include a Juno nomination for her record, “Potter & Clay”. As a teacher and consultant, Jaylene seeks to share her knowledge in practical and inspiring ways and is a guest teacher for the Prairie College Worship Arts program.

Julie has been a music educator and performer for 20+ years, teaching functional technique for contemporary singers, in styles of pop, rock, folk, musical theatre, and gospel. She has worked with all ages and skill levels of singers and has served in several music ministry positions. She continues to partner with church music teams through a variety of workshops that equip singers in vocal technique, harmony and stage presence. Julie holds a Masters in Vocal Pedagogy and is certified with Somatic Voicework (sm) The LoVetri Method, a body-based method of vocal training for contemporary singers. In addition to teaching and leading music in worship, Julie keeps busy with various recording projects, accompanying, special events and speaking at conferences.

Artists like Rush and Gordon Lightfoot have taken a shine to Moon’s renditions of their songs and have lavished him praise and a spotlight that has gained him international attention. It is these inventive covers that draws the fans in, but it’s Moon’s original material and his compelling live show that make them pull up a chair. Jacob Moon is known for his giftedness as a singer, songwriter of award-winning pop and folk songs. He is also a master of the art of ‘live looping’, a performance style where he records what he’s playing in real time and layers sound on sound to make one guitar sound like an orchestra. His talents are matched by his entrepreneurial commitment to making a living as a full-time musician. Don’t miss a chance to receive coaching from Jacob!

John Newton is an avid producer and engineer, and lover of technology for the purpose of creating great music and video projects. He is also an accomplished drummer having played for years in church and secular venues with award winning artists including Andrew Allen, Raquel Cole, Jesse Mast and Jon Buller. Currently he has launched Farmhouse Music, a production facility with high-end video and audio services, as well as on location remote capabilities. For the past two years much of the livestream conferences and events with Levite Summit and Hear the Music Ministries have been produced by John. His studio work with blues artist Les Copeland was reviewed in Vintage Guitar Magazine and he produced the top 40 single ‘Christmas With You’ for Royal (Jodi Pederson). With extensive experience as a musician, producer, and audio/video operator and installer in churches, John is your ideal source for coaching in the technology world.

Music has informed and shaped Mike’s entire life. His unique background in disciplines of jazz, classical, and popular music combined with his technical piano prowess fills the four studio albums he has released. Throughout his career, he has collaborated with and performed with luminary musicians such as Daniel Lanois, Hugh Marsh, Sarah Slean, Steve Bell, Ben Riley, Davide Direnzo, and Phil Dwyer. His portfolio includes commissioned pieces for the CBC, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, and Steve Bell, as well as original arrangements of Broadway tunes for the symphony orchestra, which he performs with Sarah Slean and the Mike Janzen Trio across the country. In 2015, he released his JUNO-nominated album, Nudging Forever. Most recently, his Psalms project is finding its’ way not only into personal playlists, but worship sets and church services everywhere.