Download ADJUDICATORS FOR SPEECH AND DRAMA 2017

ADJUDICATORS FOR SPEECH AND DRAMA 2017
MARCIA CARR trained in music, dance and drama, facilitates workshops and directs shows for universities,
drama schools and theatre departments internationally. She has toured extensively, winning Best Performer Manchester Evening News Theatre Award, best actor - Buxton Festival and a Time Out Critics’ Choice. She is
Co-Artistic Director of Impetuous Kinship and Co-Director of the Creative Blast Company, delivering
educational packages, training young people and producing shows touring internationally. She is an Associate
Artist with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and an Examiner for the London Academy of Music and
Dramatic Art, for which she has designed and delivered workshops. In 2014 Marcia led a successful Drama
Masterclass for this Festival. *
MARIE DIXON has been involved with the theatre since early childhood with regular performances in
Lancashire comedy, liturgical plays and musical theatre. She became a member of Equity and appeared in
television and theatre, eventually forming her own Music Hall Company. Marie opened her own schools of
Speech and Drama in 1972 and in 1975. She has worked extensively in schools, writing, directing and advising
staff on the techniques of good speech. Recently she was advisor to the Executives at the New York Bank,
Mellon. She has directed mime workshops in Northern Ireland and tours the UK, working with young performers
encouraging their performance techniques. An adjudicator with the Federation since 1986, Marie is a former
Board and Council Member and was delighted to be made a Fellow of the Federation in 2012. She has
organised international conferences and is the North West Area representative for the International Society of
Teachers of Speech and Drama.*
BRIAN HINDLE trained at the New College of Speech and Drama, London and went on to become a Lecturer
in Drama at St Anne's College of Further Education. He followed this by becoming Head of Drama at Blackpool
and the Fylde College of Further and Higher Education. Brian has been the director of numerous productions
ranging from theatre-in-education projects performed in schools to full scale Shakespeare plays presented at
the Grand Theatre, Blackpool. He is an examiner for LAMDA and has worked throughout the UK and in
California, Singapore, Kenya, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India and Athens.*
PRISCILLA MORRIS was a member of the National Youth Theatre before training at the Guildhall School of
Music & Drama in London and holds equity membership. In 1972 she founded her own drama school and she
continues to teach youngsters and adults at her home studio. Priscilla joined the LAMDA board of examiners in
1986 and has examined nationally and internationally. She is Voice Advisor to the Amateur Swimming
Association, delivering Voice Protection courses for coaches nationwide. Priscilla is also a registered tutor for
the Voice-care Network and a published author on Shakespeare. She has directed and acted in many plays,
musicals and pantomimes. Now, she spends most of her time in the business sector with her company ‘Loud &
Clear’ voice coaching. As a professional speaker she appears at conferences and seminars nationwide. She is
an experienced adjudicator in Speech & Drama both nationally and internationally.*
KATRINA MULVIHILL studied at The Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama and was part of the unique
three year Actor/Teacher Course. Having graduated with Honours, she won a scholarship to The Guildhall
School of Music and Drama and went on to study Opera, Musical Theatre, Acting and Piano. Katrina has
appeared at many prestigious venues including The Drury Lane Theatre, Sadlers Wells, The Purcell Room and
the Queen Elizabeth Hall. She is an experienced Director and has produced plays, concerts and shows with all
age groups in a variety of styles, ranging from pantomime and Gilbert and Sullivan’s light operettas through to
Shakespeare and grand opera. A member of LAMDA’s Examining Board for over 30 years, she has also
regularly given lectures and master-classes in mime, improvisation, acting, voice production and musical
theatre. Katrina is Head Teacher of a large Independent School and Nursery..*
VIVIENNE REDFORD has been Principal of the Redford School of Speech & Drama for nearly thirty years,
training adults and children from across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire in all aspects of
performance and communication. An experienced LAMDA examiner and teacher, Vivienne is also Head of
Speech & Drama at a large Independent Girls’ School and runs successful drama classes and summer
courses, offering young adults professional instruction in performance and theatre skills. In addition, Vivienne
has directed a diverse range of musical and theatrical productions and many of her former pupils are now
working in theatre, film and television across the world.*
*An accredited Adjudicator with the British and International Federation of Festivals*
ADJUDICATORS FOR MUSIC 2017
PHILIP DEWHURST read music at Newcastle-upon-Tyne University under Professor Denis Matthews, where
he specialised in performance on the oboe. He completed a Post Graduate Certificate of Education and
became a teacher. Philip gives occasional recitals and enjoys orchestral and chamber music, playing on a
freelance basis when his teaching commitments permit. He has a passion for choral music and has conducted
and directed choirs and choral societies throughout his career. As well as adjudicating at music festivals around
the country, Philip is an examiner for Trinity Guildhall and an experienced GCSE and A level moderator. He is
Director of Music at a large, well known Independent School in Cheshire.*
MARILYN HILL SMITH trained at the Guildhall School of Music and has sung principal roles with English
National, Scottish and Welsh National Opera, Royal Opera House both at Covent Garden and in Los Angeles,
Canadian Opera in Toronto, Lyric Opera of Singapore, Penang Festival Opera, New Sadlers Wells, Carl Rosa
and D’Oyly Carte Opera. She has been closely associated with the English Bach Festival performing works by
Handel, Monteverdi, Purcell, Rameau and Bach throughout Europe. A highly experienced performer, Marilyn
has a wide and varied repertoire: from early French Opera at Versailles, Gilbert and Sullivan at the Hollywood
Bowl, Sondheim at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Ivor Novello at the Novello Theatre, Royal Galas at
London Palladium, and the role of Mother Abbess in the national tour of The Sound of Music. She has sung in
major European Festivals, BBC Proms, and BBC Radio’s ‘Friday Night is Music Night’. Her recordings are
acclaimed worldwide.*
SARAH JEFFERIES is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied with Josephine Veasey
and Patricia Clarke. Sarah received many awards and prizes ranging from Early Music, English Song, Opera
and Lieder. In her final year, she was awarded the Ann E Lloyd Scholarship to fund a year of advanced study.
Later, she won a place to study at the Sweelinck Conservatoire in Amsterdam with Margreet Honig and Elly
Ameling. Sarah has had a varied career in the UK and Europe as a soloist, and has worked at the Opera de
Lyon and the Nederland Opera in Holland. She has recorded with the LPO, with conductor Kent Nagano, such
varied works as Orf's 'Carmina Burana' and Schonberg's 'Moses und Aaron'. Sarah works with choirs of all
ages and choral societies. She has a thriving teaching practice, where she works with students from Grade 1
through to Diploma standard. She gives master-classes and workshops in the UK and greatly enjoys
adjudicating.*
FIONA McLEAN BUECHEL is a founder member of the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, an alumna of St
Mary’s Music School, the Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy of Music. She has held teaching
posts at the Junior Guildhall School of Music, Colchester Institute, Goldsmiths College, National Children’s
Orchestra and is a strings examiner and syllabus developer for the Guildhall Examinations Board. Fiona has
been visiting professor of violin at Dartington College and Cardiff University. She co-founded the Dartington
International Summer School, directed the Youth Strings Programme and subsequently founded and is now
Creative Director of South West Camerata, whose work was nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society for
Education award. Passionate for music in all forms, Fiona combines a busy career as a performer with writing
creative and collaborative national and international projects. She has delivered Mindfulness for Musicians
sessions for many organisations and schools including Trinity Laban Conservatoire where she teaches violin
and viola for Junior Music and Stringtime programmes.*
KATHRYN PAGE studied at the Royal College of Music and went to Canada on a Menuhin Scholarship. She
has given over 20 recitals at the South Bank and Wigmore Hall, both as soloist and chamber music pianist. She
has toured Norway, Italy, Ireland and Australia where she gave seven recitals at the Sydney Festival and
broadcast for ABC. At home, Kathryn has performed at many of the leading music festivals and has given
numerous live broadcasts for BBC Radio 3. TV work has ranged from a live recital from Paris on CNN to the
Korean broadcasting network, several performances on Irish TV and from the BBC a much treasured Blue
Peter badge.*
ROSANNA WHITFIELD is a graduate of the Royal College of Music, where she won a coveted Exhibition
Award. A freelance oboist, she performed regularly with leading London orchestras and enjoyed unique solo
opportunities alongside Paul Weller at London’s Royal Albert Hall. As Director of Music Development at a large
Independent School in London, Rosanna devises unique educational projects including presenting and
promoting concerts to thousands of primary school pupils from the local area. A keen conductor and
composer, she directed the World
Premiere of her work, ‘The Gift’, at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls in 2012 involving over 350 performers. Rosanna is
a busy adjudicator and experienced examiner for Trinity College. She regularly adjudicates competitions and
festivals in Eastern Europe and has forged links with specialist music schools in Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria
and Hungary.
With a voracious appetite for live music, Rosanna aims to ensure all festival performers feel inspired to
continue their musical journey with an engaging, positive and helpful appraisal.*
*An accredited Adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals
OFFICIAL ACCOMPANISTS 2017
CATHERINE HALL SMITH studied at the Birmingham Conservatoire with Frank Wibaut and Paul Hamburger.
Later, as a post-graduate student she specialised in piano accompaniment with David Lloyd at the RNCM.
Whilst there, she was awarded the Dora Gilson Scholarship and John Ireland Prize for accompanists. She
completed her studies with an exchange to the Paris Conservatoire and Britten Pears School, Aldeburgh. For
fifteen years Catherine was accompanist to the Learning and Development department of the Northern Ballet,
where she toured extensively around the country working closely with dancers and choreographers. Based in
the Peak District, she has a busy career as accompanist, repetiteur and teacher. She currently teaches at a
well known independent School in Bolton and is visiting teacher at several Derbyshire schools. Recent concerts
have taken her to Sheffield Cathedral, Blackburn Cathedral and Buxton Fringe Festival. Catherine is an
accompanist member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and is regularly in demand at
festivals all over the North West and Lincolnshire. She is a keen choral accompanist working with Bolton
Symphony Chorus and St. Ann’s Hospice Festival Choir.
KATHLEEN HESFORD started to play the piano at the age of four. She was accepted into the Junior
Department of the Royal Manchester College of Music at the age of ten where she studied piano and flute.
Kathleen continued her studies at the RNCM and, after graduating, she chose to specialise in accompaniment,
studying with John Wilson and David Lloyd. Kathleen was the accompanist with the Manchester Boys’ Choir, a
post she held for 20 years. She travelled extensively with them, performing in Canada, Russia, Australia, USA
and many European cities. Kathleen now works freelance in the Manchester area, working with several local
choirs and teaching piano privately.
STEWART DEATH began his formal musical training at City University in 1984 studying piano with Alan
Schiller at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After graduating, he entered the Royal Northern College of
Music to study piano accompaniment with David Lloyd, gaining the prestigious Professional Performer’s
Diploma. Since leaving college he has toured throughout Europe with Concordia Opera Trio and has been
heard as an accompanist on Classic FM, BBC Radio and Independent Television. He has worked as an
accompanist for Welsh National Opera and has recorded with many artists including Stephen Mead, Roger
Webster, Simone Rebello and Andrew Berryman. Stewart has appeared at the Purcell Room, St. David’s Hall,
the Royal Festival Hall and the Barbican Centre and is an accompanist member of the British and International
Federation of Festivals.
TIM KENNEDY studied music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, and is now a freelance musician
based in Manchester. As well as being a piano accompanist, he also works as a professional singer, vocal
coach and organist. He is a staff repetiteur for the School of Vocal and Opera Studies at the Royal Northern
College of Music, playing for singing classes, assessments and recitals. He is a member of the British and
International Federation of Festivals and works as an official accompanist at a number of competitive music
festivals in the North of England, including Alderley Edge, Bowdon, Burnley, Chester, Cleethorpes, Hazel
Grove and Heaton Mersey. Tim often accompanies musicians at Manchester University, and plays for
auditions for the National Youth Choir. He is the rehearsal pianist for the Tatton Singers (Knutsford)
and Unlimited Voices. Tim is also a staff accompanist for the solo singing course “The Art of Singing” in
Sherborne every summer, and regularly accompanies singers and instrumentalists in concerts.