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… Read More >

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.

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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… Read More >

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.

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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… Read More >

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.

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After graduating with distinction from the Royal ScottishAcademy of Music and Drama, Alan continued his studies withinternationally-renowned pianists including Karl Schnabel.Although principally a pianist, he also studied 'cello and singing,and trained as a conductor. Alan is… Read More >

Alan MacLean

After graduating with distinction from the Royal ScottishAcademy of Music and Drama, Alan continued his studies withinternationally-renowned pianists including Karl Schnabel.Although principally a pianist, he also studied 'cello and singing,and trained as a conductor. Alan is much in demand as achamber musician, having played with many of the UK's leadinginstrumentalists. In 2010 he and the violist Carol Hubel-Allen formed the DuoKaradys, the pair enjoying a busy concert schedule. His recordings include EnglishMusic for Piano Duet, which received critical acclaim, followed by British Music forPiano Duet. After 20 years as Head of Keyboard Studies at The Cheltenham Ladies’College Alan left to explore a number of musical projects. Alan travels extensively,speaking and adjudicating regularly at a wide range of music events in the UK andoverseas. Alan has a busy schedule including visits to festivals and masterclasses forpianists and chamber musicians in major cities in the UK.

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David, a former High School head teacher, was Folkworks Education Director (1993-2009) and has wide experience of delivering courses, workshops and training in folk music, song and dance. A leading Northumbrian dance band accordionist and caller, he leads The Hedgehog's Skin… Read More >

David Oliver

David, a former High School head teacher, was Folkworks Education Director (1993-2009) and has wide experience of delivering courses, workshops and training in folk music, song and dance. A leading Northumbrian dance band accordionist and caller, he leads The Hedgehog's Skin ceilidh band. and is creator of The Hexham Village Band. In recent years he has led community music projects across the world and in the UK. He is co-author of Folk Voiceworks (2007), author of English Accordion Music (2008), and creator of the best-selling Folkworks Session Collection. A passionate, cheerful, and engaging advocate of traditional music and dance of these islands, he loves to encourage everyone to be happy, confident and enthusiastic about participating in our great musical traditions.

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Angela is a graduate in German from University College, London and followed a career in teaching before embarking on voice training, working with many eminent teachers including the late Paul Hamburger. Her first experiences of public performance were at school, in choral… Read More >

Angela Rowley

Angela is a graduate in German from University College, London and followed a career in teaching before embarking on voice training, working with many eminent teachers including the late Paul Hamburger. Her first experiences of public performance were at school, in choral societies and at Music Festivals. She encourages her pupils to enter festivals for the opportunity to perform, hear peers and receive professional critique. Her hopes are that the experience will be challenging, educational and fun! For several years Angela taught singing in a large comprehensive school and later in a Sixth Form College where she formed a choir, assisted in the production of musicals and initiated the development of music in the curriculum for students with both mild and severe learning difficulties. She is a firm believer that music is an essential life skill from which no one should be excluded on grounds of ability. She has performed widely in the UK and in Germany, France and Romania and performs regularly in recital, concert and oratorio. She especially loves to sing Lieder and 20th century English song and also directs Harmony '96, a large ad hoc choir which performs major oratorios twice a year. Angela teaches privately and regularly runs performance workshops and masterclasses.

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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… Read More >

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.

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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… Read More >

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.

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