Marlow Music Festival

Incorporating Computers in Personnel International Concerto Competition

Music Festival Information

Festival Adjudicators

RICHARD DEERING FTCL GTCL LRAM ARCM PGCA  (Piano and Brass)

Web-site: http://www.impulse-music.co.uk/deering.htm

Richard Deering studied at Trinity College of Music with Frank Merrick (piano) – and subsequently with Peter Wallfisch and Clifford Curzon - and trumpet/cornet with Norman Burgess.  He has given piano recitals and broadcasts in over 90 countries worldwide, and has also made several commercial recordings - including an arrangement of the Beatles’ music as a piano concerto with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra.  Many leading composers have written works especially for him, and in 1981 he was elected a member of the Royal Philharmonic Society for “distinguished services to British music”.

As an accompanist he has worked with Julian Lloyd Webber, Nigel Kennedy, Robert Tear, Brian Rayner Cook, James Blades and others – including popular singers such as Martine McCutcheon – while for many years he worked as a cabaret performer on cruise liners and as Musical Director for television programmes.  Currently, he is the director of the unique performing and recording group of 4 pianists known as Piano40.

He has also played flugel horn with brass bands.

His interest in contemporary music – especially by British composers – has led to many commissioned magazine articles and a series of albums of new music for young musicians published by Bosworths/Music Sales.  He has been an Advisor to the London Arts Board on aspects of contemporary music and jazz.  He is also involved with setting, and examining, of the higher levels of the TCL piano syllabus and examines for Rockschool.

His adjudicating – which includes serving on the juries of several prestigious international and national competitions – and examining work has taken him throughout the British Isles as well as to Australasia, North America, Africa, Orient and Caribbean.  Until 2002 he was the Vice-Chairman of the British and International Federation of Festivals’ Adjudicator’s Council as well as being a Federation Trustee. He also held the position of Chief Assessor for the new adjudicator’s qualifications when administered by the University of Leeds and he was the co-writer of the new adjudication criteria used now by all Federation festivals and adjudicators.

As a teacher Richard has held positions at the London College of Music and Middlesex University as well as visiting positions at Trinity College of Music, Trinity College Dublin, Hong Kong’s Academy of Performing Arts and the State University of New York.

In his spare time he is busy as a cricket umpire both in England and overseas.

 

JULIA DEWHURST FTCL ARCM PGCA Cert Ed FRSA      (Choral and Vocal)

Julia Dewhurst’s extensive performing career has encompassed opera, concert and recital repertoire from Early Music to first performances of contemporary works.

She has appeared with the Royal Opera, ENO, Kent Opera, Pavilion Opera, English Touring Opera, European Chamber Opera, London Opera Players and with the Garden Opera company.  She has broadcast for BBC TV and Radio and has sung in many of the country’s leading concert venues as well as having undertaken engagements throughout Europe.  She has also performed in the Seychelles Festival of Classical Music and has visited the Middle East where she gave recitals and Masterclasses under the auspices of the British Council.

Increasingly in demand as an adjudicator, she also has an extensive teaching practice and teaches voice at the Hindhead Music Centre.  She directs Voice and Performance workshops for singers and teachers and was for many years a visiting singer specialist in a West London primary school.

Julia Dewhurst is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals.

 

OLIVER GLEDHILL MA(Mtpp) PGCA ARCM       (Strings and Composition)

Oliver Gledhill, cellist, was a Scholar at the Guildhall School of Music and won numerous awards including the ISTEL/Redditch Music Society Competition.  He studied with many eminent cellists including William Pleeth, Edmund Kurtz and André Navarra.  He has given acclaimed recitals at the Wigmore Hall and Purcell Room, including three in the Kirckman Concert Society Series.  Festival appearances have included solo performances in England, France, Italy, Mallorca and the Czech Republic.  Oliver has recorded eight CDs, including the complete works for cello by Léon Boëllmann, which was awarded five stars for performance by BBC Music Magazine, and has been played on ABC Classic FM (Australian Radio).

Oliver Gledhill is Professor of Cello at Junior Guildhall, and also teaches at Mill Hill School and Chigwell School.  He has edited music for Peters Edition and Durand.  His published writings include articles and reviews for The Strad Magazine and the British Journal of Music Education.  He is a Council member of the European String Teachers Association, an examiner for Trinity Guildhall, a mentor for the Associated Board’s Certificate of Teaching, and an adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals, for whom he has adjudicated at over seventy festivals.

 

SARAH WATTS ARCM RCM dip perf PGCE PGC(A)     (Woodwind)

Sarah studied bassoon and piano at the Royal College of Music, London, where she also took a teaching diploma in Dalcroze Eurythmics.

She played professionally the bassoon, saxophone, flute and piano in many spheres of music and appeared on both TV and radio.  Sarah now spends a lot of time composing and has written six musicals for schools, a mass, books for classroom use and many books of piano and woodwind music including the popular Razzamajazz series and the best selling “Red Hot Recorder Tutor” (published by Kevin Mayhew).  She had twenty-two works published in the year 2000 alone.  She has pieces in all the major instrumental exam syllabuses.

1999 saw the premier of a new Christmas musical for schools written by her and Jacqui Dankworth, and her musical “The menu bites back” was premiered at the Schools Prom in November 2002.

She is Artistic Director of the “National Youth Music Camps” (formally the Avril Dankworth National Children’s Music Camps) and is also an adjudicator for the “British Federation of Festivals” and the “National Festival of Music for Youth” and a member of the Jazz Development Council for Education steering group.

Sarah was nominated for a British Allmusic award in 1986.