Bands, Choirs, Ensembles and Orchestras: Paul Harris
Paul Harris is one of the UK’s most influential music educationalists. He studied the clarinet at the Royal Academy of Music, where he won the August Manns Prize for outstanding performance in clarinet playing and where he now teaches. He is in great demand as a teacher, composer, and writer (he has written over 600 books); he gives the occasional recital and his inspirational masterclasses and workshops continue to influence thousands of young musicians and teachers all over the world in both the principles and practice of musical performance and education.
Brass: Elizabeth Childs GRSM(Hons), LRAM, ARAM, FISM
Liz studied Flute with Gareth Morris and Piano with Graeme Humphrey at the RAM and has performed all over the world. Her varied career includes performing with Quintessimo, adjudicating at both home and abroad and was visiting Flute Teacher for the University of East Anglia when it had a full time music department. Liz is very comfortable adjudicating virtually/online and has already undertaken some of these classes and really enjoyed them.
Liz is founder and Musical Director of the Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy (www.bedfordshirewoodwind.co.uk) which includes the Bedfordshire Woodwind Academy Flute Ensemble which is thriving having undertaken 3 European concert tours with a more extensive one proposed for 2021. Liz is Flute/Piano/ Ensemble teacher at Beechwood Park School in Markyate, Hertfordshire a role that she thoroughly enjoys on many levels.
Liz is passionate about 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 !
Liz wishes everyone all the very best as they prepare for the festival and is very much looking forward to returning to Basingstoke.
Creative Writing: Adults – Alice Fowler.
Alice Fowler is an award-winning writer of short stories and longer fiction. She won the Historical Writers’ Association short story competition in 2020 and the Wells Festival of Literature short story competition in 2021. Other stories have been short- and long-listed in prizes and printed in anthologies. Her historical novel was longlisted for the 2021 Stylist Feminist Fiction Prize.
Alice has a degree in Human Sciences from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford and worked as a national print journalist until 2006.
She lives in Surrey with her husband and teenage sons, and loves theatre, tennis and walking in the Surrey Hills
Children – Angela Hurley B.Ed Hons.
Piano: Jena Pang MA(Oxon), PGDL
Jena Chun-Wah Pang is based in the United Kingdom and is celebrated for his exceptional teaching, judging competitions and scholarship awards internationally. Mr Pang was Chairman of the piano jury of the Amigdala International Music Competition Italy 2019-2024 Italy, and has judged numerous other international competitions.
Mr Pang was awarded an instrumental scholarship to study Music at St Peter’s College, Oxford University and studied the violin with Lydia Mordkovitch and the piano with Lora Dimitrova and had lessons with Christopher Elton, Ruth Waterman, Keith Pascoe, Brenda Farrow, Shalinee Jayatilaka and Elsie Brown. He has been teaching the piano and violin for the last 31 years in addition to being a solicitor and partner in a law firm from 2004-2014. As a child he appeared on British and Hong Kong television playing both piano and violin, at the Purcell Room South Bank, and with English Orchestras for concertos. Recent concert engagements have been collaborations with Dennis Lee, Chee Hung Toh and Graeme Humphrey.
He champions the British Music Festival movement and has seen all sides from child competitor, adjudicator and administration: he is currently the Piano Convenor and a trustee of the Southend Festival of Performing Arts and trustee of the Freda Parry Scholarship Fund Competition. His influence in the musical community continues to grow, making him a highly respected figure in the world of music education and performance.
Singing: David Beer BA(Hons), FLCM, PGCE
David is a professional conductor and pianist. He taught music in schools, before embarking on a full-time career as a freelance conductor and pianist.
He has conducted many West End and international touring shows including Fame, Guys and Dolls, Me and My Girl, We Will Rock You, Cats, Aspects of Love, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and appeared on TV, radio, played on film soundtracks, and recorded 3 original cast albums.
He was Director of Music at the BRIT School for Performing Arts, Director of Performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music and has been a vocal coach and singing teacher at many leading drama colleges (Guildhall, GSA, Italia Conti, RADA, Arts Educational Schools, Hurtwood House, Emil Dale Academy, Stella Mann, ACM). He was also regular Musical Director for student shows at Arts Educational Schools London, and Chichester University.
David is an examiner for London College of Music, and was recently awarded an FLCM for Professional Achievement. He has been a Music Mentor for Music For Youth for several years, is an Adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and has adjudicated many festivals nationwide.
He now lives in Lincolnshire, teaches singing and piano, and conducts and accompanies adult and children’s choirs.
Speech and Drama: Janine Diamond PhD, BA(Hons) Musical Theatre, MA Performance Research
Janine participated in her first festival at the age of five and, prior to her professional training, she was a committed member of the amateur theatre scene.
Janine trained at the Arts Educational School, London, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Musical Theatre. She completed an MA in Performance Research and, in 2021, was awarded a PhD from the University of Bristol.
As a teacher and freelance performance coach with over 15 years experience, Janine has taught students whose ages have ranged from two to seventy-five and continues to enjoy leading drama, musical theatre and dance workshops and masterclasses in vocational, academic and cooperate environments.
As a professional performer, voiceover artist and choreographer, she has toured nationally and performed in London’s West End.
She is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA); TaPRA (The Theatre and Performance Research Association); and the Society of Theatre Research (STR).
Since learning and reciting her very first poem, Janine has been dedicated to performance and she is delighted to be an Adjudicator member of The British and International Federation of Festivals. She looks forward to adjudicating festival participants to support, encourage and celebrate their work.
Strings: Lorraine Deacon GRSM(Hons),LRAM
At the Royal Academy of Music Lorraine studied the ’cello with Douglas Cummings and chamber music with Sidney Griller, and whilst there was awarded the Manson Prize for the Performance of Contemporary Music by Sir Michael Tippett. She subsequently undertook further studies with David Smith of the Alberni Quartet.
Her performing career ranges from West End theatre to the Orchestra of Scottish Opera, whilst recordings range from the haunting cello solo on Katie Melua’s cover of “Turn to Tell” to the string chamber works of David Osbon with the Anglo American duo for Albany Records
She is now principal ’cellist with the Chameleon Arts Orchestra and gives regular chamber music recitals at South Hill Park and Norden Farm Arts Centre. Concerto performances include Bernstein’s Three Meditations and the concertos of Elgar and Walton under conductor Philip Ellis.
Based in Berkshire she teaches ’cello at Wellington College and is passionate about passing on her joy of music-making to the next generation. Many former and existing pupils have been awarded music scholarships to prestigious public schools including Eton, Harrow, Winchester, Wellington, and Charterhouse, or have gained places at specialist centres such as Chethams and The Purcell School, and many have gone on to further study at the country’s leading conservatoires.
Woodwind & Recorder: Elizabeth Childs GRSM(Hons), LRAM, ARAM, FISM
See Brass Section above for Adjudicator Bio