Keith Allen

Keith Allenstudied at: Royal College of Music, London; Birmingham University, Kingston University, with a Master's Degree from the University of West London.

He worked professionally with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Previous positions include: Clarinet/Saxophone Tutor: Birmingham Conservatoire; Head of Birmingham Music Service.

Current positions include: Music Director: Birmingham Symphonic Winds; Festival Director: National Concert Band Festival (UK); Conductor in Residence: Birmingham University Wind Band; Conductor: Solihull Youth Wind Orchestra; Consultant Editor: Faber Music Ltd, Director: Best-of-British-Music.com – international trade advisory service; Adviser: London International Music Festival. Adjudicating/guest conducting in America, Spain, Latvia, Ireland, Hong Kong, Australia, China and the UK.

Robert Bailey

Robert studied at the Guildhall School of Music with Christopher Bunting and Stefan Popov. He has held principal positions at English National Opera, Birmingham Royal Ballet, and the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, and for four years was cellist in the Delme Quartet with whom he broadcast many times on BBC Radio 3 and made several CD recordings.

In addition to a busy performing schedule, Robert is increasingly in demand as a conductor, appearing regularly with the Locrian Chamber Orchestra at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. He has also introduced and conducted several concerts with the English National Orchestra and recently conducted two concerts with the Canberra Symphony Orchestra in Australia. Robert also teaches cello and conducts at London’s Centre for Young Musicians and examines for the Associated Board.

Anne Hodgson

Anne was a junior exhibitioner at Royal College of Music and studied at Trinity College of Music with Ann Cherry, then at the Guildhall with Averill Williams. After many years as a freelance performer in London she moved to Sussex where she has a private teaching practice, also teaching at Brighton College and Burgess Hill School for Girls. Many of her students gain music scholarships and play in youth orchestras and ensembles.

An active freelance flautist, from playing bass flute in Sussex Flutes quintet, performing and recording new music by Sussex composers to playing flute in a barn dance band, she is trustee of the British Flute Society and appeared at their 2012 convention.

Graeme Humphrey

Graeme has been a Professor of Piano at the Royal Academy of Music since 1974, and has been actively involved in festival adjudicating, examining and teaching; this work has taken him across the globe to Europe, the Far East, Australia and New Zealand. Graeme was awarded an Associated Board Scholarship from New Zealand to study piano at the Royal Academy of Music. While at the RAM he developed interests in chamber music, accompanying and teaching. He has broadcast many times on BBC Radio 3, and has performed at the Bath and Harrogate Festivals, the Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall in London.

He is also active in seminars for teachers in the United Kingdom and abroad, and maintains a substantial private teaching practice with pupils of all ages and stages. In 1997 he was elected Warden of the Private Teachers’ Section of the Incorporated Society of Musicians and in 2002 was elected President of the Royal Academy of Music Club and became Music Director of the Hereford International Summer School in 2004.

Peter Hunt

Peter is an experienced choral trainer and conductor having worked with a wide variety of singers and choral groups for over 40 years. He studied at Dartington and London before a long career in secondary music education, later focusing more broadly on choral education. He was Head of Creative Arts at Chipping Norton School for 10 years and still conducts the local Choral Society after 19 years. Until 2015 he was Head of Voice and Deputy Head of the independent music service Berkshire Maestros. Peter is the inspiration behind the VOICEWORKS publications with Oxford University Press that have transformed singing activities for many people. He has a national reputation as a workshop leader, trainer and adjudicator.

David Kirby-Ashmore

After studying at the Royal Academy of Music David undertook a variety of posts teaching singing before pursuing a full-time performance career. He currently maintains a private teaching practice, with students ranging from teenagers to professional singers, and runs a yearly summer school.

As a performer, in addition to recitals and concerts in major London venues including The Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Purcell Room, St. John’s Smith Square, and The Royal Albert hall, David’s career has taken him all over the world including Hong Kong, the USA, and a world tour in the title role of Rigoletto. Closer to home he has taken principal rôles with English and Welsh National Operas and companies throughout Europe.

In addition to adjudicating widely for the Festival movement, including three trips to Sri Lanka, David has advised many festivals on their choice of repertoire and set music.

Sue Mackay

Sue ran The Fylde Stage School for ten years, teaching all levels of dance, speech and drama before graduating from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama.

After working in Repertory Theatre, touring and TV, Sue decided that it was time to realise other dreams. She now directs Upstage Drama, teaching Speech and Drama, GCSE Drama and Upstage Young People’s Theatre. She also directs Bare Boards Theatre Company and adjudicates at festivals all over the UK as well as abroad. In September 2004, she launched a successful pilot programme reaching out to disaffected Year 10 and Year 11 pupils. In 2007, she took over the role of Co-ordinator of Performing Arts in the Community at a High School, providing links with local primary schools.

Sue sees the role of adjudicator as a combination of bringing new ideas and approaches to the text and the performance as well as fresh encouragement to every performer.

Craig Ogden

Craig was born in Australia and is one of the most exciting guitarists of his generation. He studied guitar from the age of seven and percussion from the age of thirteen. In 2004, he became the youngest instrumentalist to receive a Fellowship from the Royal Northern College of Music in recognition of his achievements. Craig’s recordings for Virgin/EMI, Chandos, Nimbus, Hyperion and Sony have received wide acclaim, and BBC Music Magazine dubbed him "a worthy successor to Julian Bream". His debut solo CD for Nimbus Records of '20th Century Classics by British composers' was nominated for a Grammy Award. Craig has performed concertos with all of the major UK orchestras and also internationally. Craig regularly appears as soloist and chamber musician at the major London venues and collaborates with many of the UK’s top artists and ensembles. He has released a number of CDs and is Principal Lecturer in Guitar at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Colin Touchin

Colin studied clarinet and recorder (Performer’s Diploma at age16) and earned an Oxford University music degree. Later hisinterests developed into conducting and composition. Heconducts and composes for orchestras, bands, choirs and alllevels of ensembles and has founded a number of groupsincluding Warwick Orchestral Winds and Spires PhilharmonicChorus, Orchestra and Youth Orchestra in Coventry. Composer-in-Residence and Conductor with various UK schools and youthensembles. He has inspired and conducted orchestras, bands andchoirs internationally, leads workshops in performance, conducting andcomposition, and is a festival adjudicator in the UK, Europe and Asia. Colin has woninternational awards with his instrumental and choral ensembles from theUniversity of Warwick.

Dave Townsend

Dave is a performer of both traditional and classical music, playing mainly English Concertina, accordion and violin, but these form only a part of a range of activities which include composition and research.
He created the Mellstock Band and founded the West Gallery Music Association, and has also worked as musical director and stage musician at the National Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic.