We are grateful to our Adjudicators and Accompanists for our 2025 Festival who will include

Music Adjudicators

Angela Rowley

Angela Rowley BA(Hons), ARCM, PGCE, MISM

Angela is a graduate in German from University College, London and after a period in teaching, began private singing training with, among others, Paul Hamburger, leading to the ARCM and a successful singing career.

Angela has performed throughout the UK and Europe in recital, concert and oratorio. 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.

Angela has a private practice, leads residential workshops and masterclasses and is Musical Director of Eccles Community Choir and co-ordinator and MD of Harmony ’96 choir.
In 2019 Angela was a finalist in the Francesca Hanley 'Inspirational Teacher of the Year' awards sponsored by the Musicians' Union.

Angela is a fellow of the Incorporated Society of Musicians and an adjudicator with the British and International Federation of Festivals and is happy to adjudicate online festivals.

Christina Thomson

Luise Horrocks

Luise Horrocks MA(Oxon), ARCM, PGCA, PGCE, HON TCL

After studies at Oxford University and the Royal College of Music, Luise’s career as a professional Soprano soloist took her throughout the UK, Europe, America and South Africa.

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. She has recently taken up an appointment as the singing teacher at Keble College, Oxford and has become a Vocal Health First Aider.

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.

Philip Dewhurst

Philip Dewhurst BA Hons PGCE FISM

Philip Dewhurst was born and educated in Bolton, Lancashire. He read music at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne under Professor Denis Matthews where he specialised in performance on the oboe. After finishing his degree, he completed a Post Graduate Certificate of Education and pursued a career in teaching. Philip has held several posts as Director of Music in prestigious independent schools in the North West most recently at Cheadle Hulme School, Cheshire from where he has recently retired.

Philip gives occasional recitals and enjoys orchestral and chamber music playing on a freelance basis. He has a passion for choral music and has conducted and directed choirs & choral societies throughout his career as well as being musical director for many musicals and shows.

As well as adjudicating at music festivals around the country, Philip is an examiner for Trinity College London and an experienced GCSE and A level moderator.

Speech & Drama Adjudicators

Peter Dayson

Peter started his career as an actor in stage, television and film, progressing to writing, directing and producing.
He ran an International Award Winning Community Cross-Over Project which took children and students from across the London Boroughs and performed in the West End, transferring to Ohio, U.S.A. This involved artists from the industry working with local actors and special needs students to produce an innovative and unique international award winning production concept.
As an Actor Peter has appeared in many tv series and sit-coms, on stage played everything from John Macey in ’ MONDAY AFTER THE MIRACLE’ (West End) to Chris Keller in ‘ALL MY SONS’ with rep seasons ranging from Manchester ,Nottingham, Birmingham, Leeds, Swansea, and Basingstoke.
As a writer Peter has written several plays, 8 musicals, show-cased in the West End and is currently working on a spy-thriller.
For television Peter has appeared in several Dr Who episodes with five different Doctors, Blakes Seven, Three of a Kind, Stig of the Dump and The Stanley Baxter Picture Show, Sorry, Play for Today.
He has just finished writing and directing a new musical called Hazlewood Heroes and currently working on a new film script.
Later this year he is directing a 110 centenary production in Birmingham with an all star cast.
As a Director Peter has been responsible for many productions, was Artistic Director for Stafford Gatehouse for 8 years, worked for Disney as a Director and Executive Producer and, also worked for Really Useful Theatre Groups and for 2 years as a writer for E.M.I.
Peter’s passion is working with children, students and young performers, particularly special needs to nurture, encourage, support and develop them with perhaps a career in the industry or just ‘Life Skills’.
Peter has recently finished directing GODSPELL with Chesney Hawkes, Sleeping Beauty in Leeds and Cinderella in Birmingham. He is currently directing a play which is heading into the West End later next year.
With three productions in December 2023 Peter has just directed ' Cinderella ' in Leeds, 'Beauty and the Beast ' in Birmingham and 'Santa' in Wimbledon. He has just completed Sri Lanka Festival and is currently adjudicating Hong Kong. In April 2023 he is adjudicating the Canada Festival, Fleetwood and Hong Kong.
Last year he directed two productions of Snow White in Leeds and Birmingham and has just finished directing Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty in the same locations.

Accompanists

Catherine Hall-Smith

Catherine studied the piano at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Frank Wibaut and the late Paul Hamburger, moving to the RNCM as a post-graduate to study accompaniment with David Lloyd. She began her career with Northern Ballet, where she toured extensively as an accompanist with the Learning and Development department.

Based in Glossop on the edge of the Peak District, she has a busy, varied, and enjoyable career as teacher, coach, accompanist and until recently, as an examiner for Trinity College London with examining tours in the UK, Ireland and farther afield to North and South India.

Since 2015 Catherine has been a visiting accompanist to the RNCM School of Vocal Studies and Opera working in close collaboration with young singers and vocal tutors. She is an Accompanist member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and regularly works at festivals in the North West, Sheffield and Lincolnshire, and is in demand as an audition pianist for the National Youth Choir of Wales and the Halle amongst others.

She is an enthusiastic supporter of choral music and joined Honley Male Voice Choir as their official accompanist in 2017, performing in a variety of venues ranging from Huddersfield Town Hall to Fountains Abbey and beyond, and recently returned to Glossop Choral Society as their regular accompanist.

Stewart Death

As a Federation accompanist Stewart works annually at the Alderley Edge, Buxton, , Hazel Grove, Fleetwood, Heaton Mersey and Southport Festivals and has also worked for Blackburn, Burnley, Crosby and Lytham Festivals.

He has toured throughout Europe with the Concordia Opera Trio, been heard as an accompanist on Classic F.M, B.B.C Radio and Television, worked as an accompanist for Welsh National Opera, recorded several compact discs and appeared at many top venues including the Purcell Room, St. David’s Hall and Barbican Centre.

He is a founder member of Travelling by Tuba who currently perform in excess of 200 concerts a year.

Tim Kennedy

Tim studied music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, but he has now been based in Manchester as a freelance musician for more than twenty years. As well as being a piano accompanist, he also works as a professional singer, vocal coach and organist. He is a staff repetiteur for the School of Vocal and Opera Studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, playing for singing classes, assessments and recitals. He is also an accompanist for the British and International Federation of Festivals. This involves working regularly as an official accompanist at a number of competitive music festivals in the North of England, including Alderley Edge, Blackburn, Bowdon, Burnley, Buxton, Chester, Cleethorpes, Fleetwood, Hazel Grove, Heaton Mersey, Sheffield, Skipton, and at Regional Championship events.