Mark Ashford

Mark is a world-renowned performer and teacher, beginning his formal musical training at Chetham's School of Music. He studied with Michael Lewin as a scholarship student at the Royal Academy of Music (RAM), graduating in 1993 with first class honours. Some years followed in Spain with guitarist David Russell, supported by various bursaries including one from the RAM. Early in his performing career he became a laureate of several major national and international competitions including Radio 2’s Young Musician and the Julian Bream Prize. He has performed at many of the UK's most prestigious music venues, and international performances have also taken him to Europe, the Americas and the Far East. He has performed concertos with leading orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra. Mark has ten CDs to his name including the Rodrigo Concerto. His latest CD is ‘Bachianas’ with the Vida Guitar Quartet and features saxophonist Amy Green. He is currently Head of Guitar at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire of Music.

Liz Childs

Liz studied Flute with Gareth Morris and Piano with Graeme Humphrey at the RAM and has performed all over the world both as a soloist and orchestral/chamber musician. Her varied career includes performing with many orchestras, Quintessimo, adjudicating both abroad and in the UK where she is very busy as well as an extensive teaching schedule. A founder and Musical Director of the Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy she is also flute teacher at Beechwood Park School in Markyate, Hertfordshire and St Francis College in Letchworth. Liz founded alongside the BWA a Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy Flute Ensemble which goes from strength to strength and which has made in 2019 its 3rd European Concert Tour with a proposed tour to Slovenia and Austria in 2021. Liz thoroughly enjoys her work as an Adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals, regarding it a real privilege to be able to encourage and inspire performers. She believes that a positive experience at a Federation Festival can change a performer’s life forever. It did hers!

Eva Maria Doroszkowska

Eva Maria Doroszkowska is an international pianist whose dramatic and colourful interpretation of the piano repertoire has earned her high acclaim. She enjoys a busy soloist and chamber performing career which takes her round the world and she has appeared on BBC and Polish television and radio. A keen interest in contemporary music has led her to work with two of the 20th Century’s finest composers, Gorecki and Per Nørgård leading to her giving the UK premier of Nørgård’s Cantica for Cello and Piano. Eva Maria won a scholarship to study piano at the Royal Northern College of Music. With awards from the Countess of Munster and government scholarships she also studied under the renowned Jasinski in Poland and took soloist diplomas in Amsterdam and Copenhagen winning many prizes and bursaries. Alongside her performing career, she is an adjudicator, gives masterclasses and workshops, teaches piano and chamber music at the Royal Academy of Music Junior Department, and is passionate about working with young musicians.

Nadia Hinson

Nadia Hinson graduated from the Royal Academy of Music afterhaving studied the violin with Manoug Parikian and the pianowith Jean Harvey. She began a career as a freelance violinist andaccompanist and co-founded the Veloce ensemble (clarinetquintet) touring Britain performing specially commissioned worksand her own arrangements and compositions for that genre. Aregular recitalist for music clubs, she also performs with herfamily of musicians in the UK and in Europe. She is currently the owner and Directorof Hinson School of Music in Nottingham, and as well as being a festival adjudicatoris an international examiner for the ABRSM and a member of The Royal Society ofMusicians. Nadia is a Senior Consultant for the Performing Arts to the LEADAcademy Trust in Nottingham. She has set up composition workshops inspiringchildren to explore feelings and ideas through music and is a mentor for the Trust todevelop self-confidence and communication through learning and performance.

Luise Horrocks

Luise has held teaching positions in both the Junior and Senior departments of Birmingham Conservatoire and as a visiting lecturer at Birmingham University. She runs an extensive private teaching practice and regularly gives masterclasses, choral workshops, presentations and teacher sessions both at home and abroad. She has worked as a mentor on the CT ABRSM panel and as a vocal coach on residential courses for singers. She has also trained and conducted the Wyre Forest Young Voices Choir.

For many years as Associate Chief Examiner in music for Trinity College London, Luise has worked on syllabus setting and leading projects for diplomas, examiner training and teacher support. Publications include a series of books on Musical Theatre repertoire and graded songbooks.

Luise is an experienced adjudicating member of the British and International Federation of Festivals.

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.

John Kirkpatrick

Born in Chiswick, West London, in 1947 a deep love of music was instilled from birth, and family gatherings always included a hearty sing-song. He joined the Hammersmith Morris Men at the age of 12, got ‘hooked’ and began playing the melodeon, then the button accordion, then the Anglo concertina for the dancing. He quickly became in demand as a musician for country dance evenings, courses, and folk camps and went on to play in numerous dance bands as a teenager. A professional career followed with groups such as The Albion Country Band, Steeleye Span, Band of Hope and with the Albion Band at the National Theatre. These days John is most often seen as a soloist in his natural habitat as a champion of traditional English folk music, in festivals, clubs, and village halls. By way of rewarding his efforts over the years, he was made an honorary lifetime member of The International Concertina Association in 2002, awarded The Gold Badge of The English Folk Dance & Song Society in 2003, and named Musician of the Year in BBC Radio 2’s Folk Awards in 2010.

Steven Roberts

Steven has been a music adjudicator since 2001; has sat on the Adjudicators Council and in 2020 was re-elected for his third term of office to the Board of Trustees. He is a busy professional; conducting, teaching and lecturing. He brings with him experience as a manager, knowledge of quality systems, business acumen and many years of leading change.

He has successfully combined a career in education with his work as a conductor, musical director and adjudicator, working both in this country and in Europe and as far a field as Peru and Bahrain.

Steven has conducted numerous concerts throughout this country and throughout Europe with a variety of Choirs, ensembles and orchestras, winds bands and brass bands.

He studied piano, brass and voice and has worked in a variety of musical settings. He has worked alongside actors and dancers on many projects and is keen to support the work of the Federation to maximise opportunities for performance within all disciplines. He enjoys working with his colleagues on the Board, Councils and the wider community of volunteers that help to keep our Festivals vibrant.

Having previously held the post of Director of External Relations at Barnsley College he has excellent communication skills and enjoys collaborative working.

He his happy to adjudicate virtual/on-line Festivals.

Rebecca Thomson

Rebecca read Drama and English at Bristol University followed by a career in radio journalism, working in both drama and documentaries. After which Rebecca moved into teaching where she developed her speech and drama skills, working at schools and colleges in the South West of England. Rebecca continues to work in a variety of educational establishments, running weekly classes, workshops and facilitating training to assist schools implement the constructive Speaking and Listening Criteria. Rebecca is also an adjudicator for The Rose Bowl Amateur Awards, reading and reviewing plays and musicals in seven counties throughout the south west.