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KMAFe 2023 International Judges3

Our volunteer judges consist of internationally acclaimed, multi-Grammy-winning recording artists, composers, producers, songwriters, arrangers, educators, performers, and entertainment professionals from around the world. They have worked with some significant mainstream artists, including Katy Perry, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, Tina Turner, Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Cher, Mariah Carey, Dusty Springfield, James Brown, Michael McDonald, Pet Shop Boys, and Tears For Fears Grace Jones just to name a few.

Carmen Rizzo, FRANCE
 
Carmen is a two-time Grammy Nominee, best known for his Electronic World Music, produced various eclectic album credits which include Seal, Coldplay, Paul Oakenfold, AR Rahman, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Pete Townshend, Huun Huur Tu, and Niyaz. He Composed music for Oscar-winning directors Michael Apted and Stanley Brooks, and wrote the end title for Sony Play Station’s Uncharted 2.
As a long-time Recording Academy member, he has served as a Trustee & Governor and wrote the categories “Best Electronic Album” and “Technical Grammys” for Apple and Roger Linn, inventor of the drum machine. He has also hosted and lectured Master Classes all over the world, including his own TED X Talk in the US. He runs his own music label, Electrofone Music, and previously served as the Senior Artist Relations Manager at Native Instruments running A&R in North America for 7 years.
David Frederick, USA
 
David is an American film and television composer who with years of award-winning work continues to inspire audiences through his music and creativity. In a career that has earned him critical acclaim and numerous awards, David has proven himself to be a versatile and dynamic composer in a wide range of musical styles and contexts. He has earned a reputation as an exceptional collaborator and musical storyteller, making him a top choice for Producers and Directors.
David combines his broad-based musical experience, training, and a strong knowledge of contemporary sounds to easily and effectively adapt to any project. 
David’s work as a keyboard player, synth programmer, and sample developer has been heard on music projects, motion pictures, computer games, synthesizer patches, sample, and sound effect libraries and albums by artists, entertainers, and products like ELP, Yes, Willie Colon’, Keith Emerson, Stevie Wonder, Hipsway, Shakespeare’s Sister, Habit, Micha Paris, The Moody Blues, Omar Hakim, Sallaberry Roberto, Bush, Nine Inch Nails, Tower of Power, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dog, Steve Ferrera, Output, Akai Professional, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kurzweil, Behringer, Elka, Bohm, Wersi, Sound Werx, Creative Labs, ATMEL, The Hollywood Edge, Soundelux, Voice Crystal, Sony Creative Software, and many many more.
Stig Harder, USA

Founder of the Academy of Fashion Arts and Sciences, Stig Harder helped shape the internet we know today when he introduced the field of fashion to the internet and the internet to the world of fashion with the launch of FASHION NET in 1995 — the first fashion website in the world.
In 2016, Harder instituted the Academy of Fashion Arts and Sciences. The Academy, composed of prominent leaders and influencers in the fashion industry, selects the nominees and winners for the @acaddys such as Tom Ford, Kendall Jenner, Saint Laurent, Johnny Depp, Love Magazine, Vivienne Westwood, Kate Moss, Alessandro Michele, Thom Browne, David Sims, J.W. Anderson, Chiara Ferragni, Gucci, Alexander Fury, Vetements and KTZ.
Lacy Darryl Phillips, USA
 
Lacy, aka The Uncle Earl, is a multiple award winning American recording artist, songwriter, producer, actor, radio personality & DJ for over four decades. He is now the president of Earl Hitz Records, a NYC label created to embrace the sounds of house, dance, electronic pop, and funk music. As an avid culture curator of performance & music for the world, he wanted to pay homage by creating “The New Paradise Garage Experience”.
The Uncle Earl Is “The New Caretaker Of House & Dance Music”. Lacy also the Creator/Producer of Ultimate Underground, Host/DJ of his weekly radio show since 2010 and he has worked with Chaka Khan, Mariah Carey, Lauryn Hill, Vanessa Williams, Grace Jones, Sheena Easton, Peabo Bryson, CeCe Peniston, James Ingram, Lou Rawls, The Bette Davis, Debbie Allen, Ray Chew, Randy Jackson, N.W.A. (Dr. Dre & Eazy-E), Jimmy Z., and Lonnie Gordon, among others.
Jan Maliszewski, USA
 
Jan is three times Emmy Award-winning television director/cinematographer at DGA. He is an experienced TV Director/Cinematographer of storytelling in many disciplines – documentary, feature film, commercials, broadcast, and corporate in Boston since 1981.
Stuart Chambers, DUBAI

Stuart is originally from Yorkshire, he is a content & documentary director & award winning producer, working on films that encourage sustainability : plus advertising, brand entertainment, documentary films, corporate films.
He is the author of The Far Out Cafe // Founder of ‘Project Our World’ // Co founder of Cre8tology Corporation & Design Kitchen Canada He is passionate about creative storytelling & in particular human stories, equally at home heading a large multi location production crew or out on a remote location with a trusted cameraman at his side. His clients will confirm that he is a creative, dedicated, determined filmmaker with an extremely positive mindset.
Rocky Bucano, USA
 
Rocky is a founding member, and he is the Executive Director of the Universal Hip Hop Museum, Inc (UHHM) in New York, the official museum of Hip Hop and educational institution dedicated to the preservation and celebration of Hip Hop’s past, present, and future. The Universal Hip Hop Museum has partnered with Microsoft and has developed envisioning sessions with college students and members of the Hip Hop Community in Los Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta, and New York.
Daya Halai, UK
 
Daya graduated from London, the London College of Communication, University of Arts London, with a BA Honours in Graphics and Media Design, also completing a course with the Society of Typographic Designers. She continued at the University of Arts London, completing courses on Woman’s Wear at London College of Fashion. Daya worked with several top London Design Agencies and Corporate companies, for nine years, followed by head of the the brand department at Babcock & Brown, a global fund and infrastructure company (EMEA). In 2009 she set up her own agency, to provide clients with services equal to top London Agencies. In 2018 she launched her fashion label, Jywal London, a specialist in glamorous garments, all designed, tailored and hand crafted with exuberant quality, with the unique fusion of East and West, exquisitely embellished. Jywal London has been featured in Vogue and Daily Mail. The garments worn by the jazz singer Sarah Goodwin, jazz band Belle Noir, pop singer Chess Galea and Princess Tessy of Luxembourg. In 2020 forming Sheranee Productions, providing services of Co-Executive Producer to various entertainment companies.
Gleb Shagun, Moscow
 
Gleb has over 30 years in the media industry that include VID television company, Channel One, RBC Media HOlding, and TBC-TV. as a director. He is also the founder of First Field Studio in Moscow.
Michele Vice-Maslin, USA
 
Michèle is an Emmy Award-winning music producer, arranger, and songwriter for artists, films, TV, ads, promos, games, and other special projects. She’s amassed numerous major label hit songs and cuts worldwide, as well as close to 6,000 film/TV/media music placements for her production company Mob Force Productions and her publishing company Sweetersongs.
She has been nominated for and won numerous awards including prestigious Emmys and was on the Emmy-winning music team of the TV show “Guiding Light” for 18 years. Michèle is very involved in giving back to the music community that has given so much to her currently serving on the Television Academy Music Peer Group Executive Committee, the Production Music Association Composer Advisory Board, the California Copyright Conference Membership Committee, Writing Sessions America, and others. Michèle continues to enjoy her passion for serving the community and producing, writing, and publishing music every day.
Jeff Bova, USA
 
Born to a musical family, Jeff enjoyed exposure to a wide variety of music from classical to jazz.
During a career spanning over 40 years, he toured as a member of Herbie Hancock’s Rockit Band and has contributed to hundreds of recordings by significant mainstream artists, including Katy Perry, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Luther Vandross, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, Robert Palmer, Billy Joel, Bee Gees, Backstreet Boys, Cher, Meat Loaf, Cyndi Lauper, Iron Maiden and many more.
Jeff is a Grammy Award-winning producer, arranger, and musician with hundreds of platinum and gold-selling records to his name. He won his Grammy for Album of the Year as a producer on Celine Dion’s, Falling Into You and he continues to produce, arrange and collaborate with new and exciting young artists. Inspired by his role in the ever-changing music business, he looks forward to more opportunities for creativity and collaboration.
Fred Vogels, the Netherlands
 
Fred is an Emmy-winning composer.
At age seventeen, he entered the Royal Conservatoire for his admission exam for the flute and he played his first concerts with The Hague Philharmonic Orchestra, amongst others, under the legendary conductor Willem van Otterloo. In addition, he also performed for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Westdeutsche Rundfunk Orchestra and the Dutch Radio Orchestras. He started composing music in 1992 and his music played at several documentaries for Dutch television and radio while teaching music and art. Fred then co-founded the Percussion Group The Hague, which became famous around the world in contemporary music. This ensemble made many tours and played world premieres at countless international festivals and on radio and television abroad and in the Netherland.
Richard Niles, USA
 
Richard’s career spans pop, R&B, rock and jazz as a recording artist, composer, producer, songwriter, arranger, conductor, musical director, guitarist, broadcaster, author and educator.
He has been called “one of the most versatile men in modern music” (Sound On Sound Magazine). His credits include work with Paul McCartney, Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Cher, Mariah Carey, Dusty Springfield, James Brown, Michael McDonald, Pet Shop Boys, Tears For Fears Grace Jones, The Troggs, Wet Wet Wet, Boyzone, Westlife, Take That, and Kylie Minogue.
He is an acclaimed writer, broadcaster and producer of music documentaries for BBC Radio 2 and was twice nominated for the Sony Broadcasting Award.
Dr. Yalil Guerra, USA

Yalil is a Latin Grammy winner and 8-times Latin Grammy nominee for film scoring composer and multi-instrumentalist . He is also a professor, record producer, and composer for more than three decades in the music and entertainment industry collaborating with companies such us: PBS Networks, CBS, Disney, ABC, Verizon, Loreal, John Dear, Tele-Futura, TVE Spain, and Univision networks.
Ory Shihor, USA
 
A graduate of Juilliard and Curtis, Ory is an internationally acclaimed, award-winning pianist and master teacher who has spent the last 25 years helping young gifted pianists develop their musical talent to its fullest potential. He is also a frequent speaker and master-class teacher at major conservatories and universities around the globe and has served as a judge in prestigious international competitions.
He has helped countless students ace their college auditions and get accepted into the world’s top music conservatories and universities, such as The Juilliard School and Yale University. He served as piano professor at the Colburn Conservatory and as founding dean of its pre-college academy for highly gifted young musicians. He is now a co-founder of the Ory Shihor Institute (OSI).
Andres Garzas, USA
 
As a Cinematographer, Andrés Garzas endeavors to have his visual interpretation of the narrative be embraced by the audience. His work in music videos with Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Little Wayne, Lil Keed, Emily Estefan or Christina Aguilera have enjoyed world wide recognition.
He studied cinematography in Madrid, US, Cuba and Hundary concurrently working as an A/C on internationally renown films; among them: Pedro Almodóvar’s Talk To Her, Milos Forman’s Goya Ghost, El Dos de Mayo, directed by Jose Luis Garci, and Black Butterfly, directed by Pancho Lombardi. In addition to his film work, his commercial campaigns include Coca Cola, Vodafone, Toyota, Miami Marlins, Discovery Channel, Telemundo, Univision, Samsung, Shell, ING, Zumba, and Florida Lottery. A passion to help others, Andres has also lent his talents to support non profit organizations, such as UNICEF, Save The Children, and Acción contra el Hambre, to name a few.
Wendell Yohannes Hanes, USA

Wendel is an Emmy Award winning composer and owner of Volition Sound. He earned a SPORTS EMMY for his work with ESPN and scored the EMMY NOMINATED PEACOCK film, “THE SIT IN: HARRY BELAFONTE HOSTS THE TONIGHT SHOW by 2 time Emmy-nominated director Yoruba Richen.
In addition to scoring Oscar nominated producer Lisa Cortes and Farah X’s 6 time Award Winning NETFLIX documentary THE REMIX: HIP HOP X FASHION. Hanes composed the the 2021 NAACP IMAGE AWARD-WINNING HULU documentary “THE KILLING OF BREONNA TAYLOR, “ as well as the JAMIE FOXX hosted theme for the NBA FINALS and is currently the composer and songwriter for the new Nickelodeon show “THAT GIRL LAY LAY” and NETFLIX’S EMMY nominated sitcom “FAMILY REUNION.”
He scored Oscar directors James Cameron and Louie Psihoyos’s film THE GAME CHANGERS which was submitted for the 2020 OSCARS. Wendel is also a songwriter and composer writer for both DISNEY and ABC tv shows and with over 2,000 commercials and 48 Films scored and another 30 music supervised, Hanes has become a trailblazer when it comes to composing to picture.