About Mojo
 

Mojo formed in March 2006, and has quickly earned a reputation as a high-energy and entertaining a cappella quartet. They captured gold in their first SAI Regional competition and 6th place in their first SAI International competition, and have performed before audiences of 10,000. The quartet members include vocal coaches, contest judges, choral directors, choreographers, and international-level competitors.

   
 

Judy Pozsgay (Bass)
Judy is one of two Canadians in the group and the youngest member of the quartet, as well as the tallest.

Judy hasn't been at this barbershop thing as long as the others, but she's piled up her credentials quickly. She started in Sweet Adelines as a lead, but had switched to bass about six months before the International-bound quartet Go-Go! asked her to sing with them in 1997. Less than three months later, they placed 12th in the International contest. Most recently, Judy has finished four times in the Top 10 at International competition with the quartet Unplugged.

Judy is a member, choreographer, and Assistant Director for the award-winning Lions Gate Chorus from Vancouver, Canada, under the master direction of Sandy Robinson (Brava!, the 2004 International Championship Quartet). She is an Approved Candidate judge in the Showmanship category, is an SAI International Faculty Associate, serves as Regional Faculty for both Regions 26 and 13, and is the past Education Coordinator for Region 26. Makes you tired just reading about it!

Judy is a lawyer and graduate of the University of British Columbia Law School. In 2006, she married her American sweetheart and left her position on the UBC Law Faculty to immigrate to the USA. Although she no longer "officially" practices law, that hasn't stopped her from using her courtroom interrogation and persuasion tactics on the quartet.

   
 

Corinna Garriock (Tenor)
Corinna is the other of the group’s Canadians, hailing from the East Coast of Canada and currently living and working in Metro Vancouver.

She started in Sweet Adelines at the ripe old age of 24, initially as a baritone but quickly switching to tenor to sing with her first competing quartet The Leading Edge. They placed second in the 1989 Region 26 Quartet Competition - and Corinna was smitten with the quartet bug! She’s rarely been out of a quartet since, singing with a variety of combinations in her 19 years of membership including Five Foot Four, Brava! (1995-2000 and a 9th Place International medal), Omni (2002 Region 26 Champions) and Transit (2005 Region 13 Champions).

Corinna is also a member and Associate Director of Lions Gate Chorus from Vancouver, Canada, under the master direction of Sandy Robinson (Tenor of Brava!, 2004 International Championship Quartet). Prior to joiningLions Gate Chorus, she was a member and then master director of Westcoast Harmony Chorus in Surrey, B.C. She is an arranger, a member of her region’s Education Faculty and like Judy, is also a past Education Coordinator for Region 26.

Professionally, Corinna is a Senior Manager with Accenture, a global consulting, technology, and outsourcing firm. Her work stretches her tenor brain to the max, but she appreciates the contrast between her professional and artistic endeavours. And yes – in Canada, endeavour is spelled with a ‘u’! Both Corinna and Judy are introducing their American quartet members to Canadian cultural quirks. It’s just a good thing the quartet is called Mojo and not Rumours, eh?

   
 

Julie Hagstrom (Lead)
Julie is the quintessential barbershop brat.  She grew up in Chehalis, Washington watching her dad, Maurice, sing with his barbershop quartet.  At just 8 years of age, she started attending Dad’s chorus rehearsals and by the age of 14, Julie was a full fledged member of the local Sweet Adelines International chapter and eventually went on to become the director of that chorus!   She was definitely hooked early on the barbershop style!

After 20 years as a Sweet Adeline, Julie won her first regional quartet medal – a gold – in 1996 with TrademarK; a true example of how hard work and a "never give up attitude" pays off!  Between 1997 and 2000, Julie earned three more regional quartet championships with Seattle Style, not to mention a few Regional and International chorus medals with Pacific Sound Chorus, where she serves on the directing and section teaching teams.  With Judy, she recently placed in the Top 10 of the International Quartet Competition on four occasions with Unplugged.  Julie is also a member of the Region 13 music education faculty.

Julie’s husband, Ron, is a great supporter of Mojo - which is very fortunate because when Julie is busy at a quartet weekend, Ron is busy managing 4 kids, 3 cats and 2 dogs!  Josh (21), Megan (16), Danny (8), and Emmalee (4) make for a busy and rewarding family life for Julie and Ron.  Julie’s oldest daughter Megan may be even more of a barbershop brat than her mother, at times joining her mom on the Pacific Sound Chorus risers and more recently competing in the 2006 Rising Stars quartet competition for young women.  Julie’s parents also continue to be valued supporters of Julie’s passion for singing, attending her competitions and performances whenever possible.

In this busy life, Julie also finds time for work and community!  She is a partner in a mortgage brokerage business and is active in her church.  Mojo is regularly astounded by Julie’s boundless energy and her ability to balance many priorities.  With all that she does, we’re just happy she manages to show up at rehearsals!

   
 

Patti Burklund (Baritone)
Patti is another veteran of the Sweet Adelines International organization having, along with Julie, just passed her 31 year membership mark!   Patti started singing in kindergarten and, like the other members of Mojo, began singing barbershop in earnest as a young woman.  She grew up in the greater Seattle area and settled in Mount Vernon (which is geographically the center of the Mojo universe) in 1985.

Patti actually sang bass for 14 years before finding her home in the baritone voice part.  She began her Sweet Adelines career as a member of the very famous Lakeside Chorus (1976 – 1989) and went on to direct the Sea Island Sound Chorus for 8 years.  During her directorship, the chorus captured the Region’s 1st Place Small Chorus award two years in a row (1994 and 1995), a significant achievement!  Subsequently, Patti was an 8-year member of the mighty Pacific Sound Chorus (Top Ten International) and at one time served as their Associate Director. 

Patti is less fickle than the rest of Mojo about her quartet life!  She has been in three long-term, high-achieving quartets: Crosstown Sounds (1978-1990); HeartBeat (1992-2004) and now Mojo (2006-2013?).   With these quartets she has collected seven first place Regional quartet medals, and earned Top 15 honors with HeartBeat in 2005, placing 12th at the International contest.  Most recently, she was a 6th place finalist with Mojo at the 2007 International contest in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She serves on the Region 13 Faculty and once served as Regional Business Manager.  Internationally, Patti is a Certified Judge in the Expression Category, traveling all over the world to adjudicate barbershop contests and share her considerable knowledge of the craft.

Patti has been married for 20 years to her wonderful husband, Dan.  She has three step-daughters and a frisky cat named Felix.  She is presently enjoying an early retirement from her role as Executive Director, Port of Skagit County.  She also serves on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Skagit County where she’s had an opportunity to witness the positive impact these clubs have on children that are abused, ignored, from low income families, or all of the above. She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Skagit Hospice Foundation - and is an active singer with her church coed ensemble SPIRIT. Patti’s other interests include strength training, golf, and spending time at her Palm Desert, CA home.  She plays no musical instruments but blows a mean pitch pipe.

 

 
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