ADJUDICATION
Adjudicators are all registered with the Federation and are recruited from outside of our catchment.
The Festival is competitive, and the adjudicator’s decision is final, with regard to marks, grading, and trophies and awards. Adjudicators will comment on the general standard of performance and marks will be given within one of the following grades:
Outstanding or 90+ An exceptional performance, technically and artistically.
Distinction or 87 – 89 An excellent performance, technically and artistically.
Commended or 84 – 86 A convincing performance, technically and artistically.
Merit or 81 – 83 A capable performance showing some artistic appreciation and/or technical ability.
Moderate or 78 – 80 A performance showing development of technique and/or communication.
Fair or 75 – 77 A performance limited in its communication.
Every entrant will be given written individual comments and a certificate showing the marks and grade achieved. These will be presented at the end of each Class.
Provided by the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech – August 2014
Meet our Guest Adjudicators
2022 Drama Adjudicator

Ann Bauer
MEd, BA(Hons),LRAM, LGSM, PGCE, DipSpLD.
Ann has spent most of her working life in education teaching in both primary and secondary schools, theatres, university and therapy teams, as well as examining drama and theatre studies. Ann ran her own drama school to for many years. Ann is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals. Ann trained to teach under John Hodgson at Bretton Hall, his major influence was the importance of improvisation. Ann continues to be
an enthusiastic teacher of improvisation for developing all performance skills. She believes strongly in the inclusive power of drama, that it offers in confidence building team work, and the discipline of controlling the body, voice – and nerves. Combining her love of the written word, her first degree was in English; she counts herself lucky to spend her life talking about what she loves.
2021 Drama Adjudicator

Samantha Tucker
BA (Drama), MSTSD
Samantha’s love of performing started at the age of four, taking part in both amateur and professional productions and she went on to study Acting, Directing and Textual Analysis as part of her Drama degree, graduating from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Samantha is a passionate supporter of the festival movement and is proud to be part of a movement that gives entrants the chance to showcase their work in an encouraging environment and enables them to take their work to the next level! Samantha has taught Speech & Drama for many years and was principal of her own Drama Studio in Haverhill, Suffolk for over 10 years and directed numerous productions.
2020 Drama Adjudicator

Rebecca Vines
MA, BA, FRSA, FVCM, LLAM, LALAM,
ALAM, ATCL, ANEA, GSMD, Cert. GSMD, MSTSD (Adj.)
Rebecca trained as a journalist at Cardiff University, during which time she wrote a weekly column for The Guardian newspaper before moving to London to study with The Actors’ Company. Appointed Head of Speech & Drama at an Independent School in Cheltenham in 2003, her pupils have been offered training places at all the major UK acting schools – working for the BBC, Channel 4, RSC and the film production company – Working Title. She is the Founder of Close Up Theatre, which has won the elite Sell-Out Status for nine years at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and Artistic Director for No Prophet Theatre.
2021 Music Adjudicator

Malcolm Green
GRSM, LRAM, ARCM, Dip RAM, PGC(A)
Malcolm Green was educated at the Royal Academy of Music, where he obtained a First Class Degree and the prize for the best student on the course, together with the award of the Recital Diploma on clarinet, the Academy’s highest performance award. He has played in the English National Opera and Ulster orchestras and given recitals in the Purcell Room and at the Harrogate International Festival, in addition to performing at many music clubs. Many of his former pupils play professionally, whilst former pupils who have gone into other fields include the former England cricket captain Alastair Cook and the “Pub Landlord” Al Murray!
Malcolm left his post as Head of Woodwind, Brass and Percussion at Bedford School last year in order to devote more time to performing and adjudicating. He is a former Chairman of the Bedfordshire Orchestral Society and is currently Vice President of the Bedfordshire Music Festival. He has been the principal clarinet in the Bedford Sinfonia for over twenty years and has performed both the Finzi and Copland Concertos with the orchestra. His hobbies are walking, in which he has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and been to Everest base camp, and cycling, in which he has won the Mersey Roads 24 hour event, covering 460 miles. He is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and adjudicates throughout the country. He is looking forward to his first visit to Scunthorpe and wishes all performers well.
GRSM, LRAM, ARCM, Dip RAM, PGC(A)
2020 Dance Adjudicator

MISS CARRIE ELLIS
LISTD FBBO FBTDA PGCA
Carrie was initially trained by her mother, Noeleen Balshaw, at the Carlotta School before she went on to finish her training at Arts Educational School London. She has performed in London’s West End, national UK tours, repertory theatre, television, radio, concerts and workshops.
Favourite roles include: Velma Kelly, ‘Chicago’, Maxine, ‘Stepping Out’, Golde, ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, Peaches/Baby Jane, ‘Jerry Springer the Opera’, Carlotta, ‘Phantom of the Opera’, Jellylorum and Grizabella, ‘Cats’, Lady Jacqueline, ‘Me and My Girl’, Lesley Pynchon, ‘The Fix’, Lianne Dexhlemans, ‘Gigi’, Mavis, ‘Stepping Out’, Mrs Molloy, ‘The Matchmaker’, Ida, ‘Honk’ , Consuela, ‘West Side Story’, to name but a few, as well as numerous pantomimes and concerts!
TV works include ‘Cutting It’, ‘Highly Sprung’, ‘Tonight at 8.30’, “Coronation Street” and ‘Jerry Springer the Opera’
On radio, lead roles in ‘Chorus Line’, ‘Follies’, ‘Sweet Charity’ and ‘Take it up the Octave’.
Carrie has had a very successful career in all aspects of theatre over 37 years and when not found treading the boards she teaches Festival work, masterclasses, audition technique and choreographs and directs shows in various colleges all over the country. Carrie teaches drama and performing arts at Liverpool Theatre School, Phil Winston’s Theatre Works and Moorland private school.
LISTD FBBO FBTDA PGCA
2019 Music Adjudicator

Marilynne Davis bacde Gen
From her early experiences of performing in Welsh Eisteddfodau Marilynne has developed a lifelong passion and enthusiasm for all aspects of performance. Having studied piano, voice and cello at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama she took a Masters Degree in Education and became Head of the School of performance at York St John University. Currently she is Deputy Music Director of the 140+ Harrogate Choral Society, director of the Harrogate Polyphonic Choir and of a small vocal ensemble ”Beati”.
Her outreach work on behalf of festivals has included encouraging and supporting Primary School Teachers to be active and confident in school music and to participate in local festivals. Many of these projects have resulted in an increase in entries at Festivals and provided the opportunities for participation in large scale performances.
In October 2011 she was honoured to be made one of the first Adjudicator Fellows of the Federation.
The promotion of the arts particularly Music has been a lifelong interest and she was Chairman of the Yorkshire Region of the National Federation of Music Societies for many years. She served on the committee of a number of councils and until recently she was on the Council of the Association of British Choral Directors and Chairman of the Yorkshire Regional Committee. Voice
2019 Speech & Drama Adjudicator

MAEVE O’DONOGHUE
2019 Dance Adjudicator

Deborah Kate Norris
A graduate of Elmhurst Ballet School, Deborah continued her training at the University College of Ripon and York St John, and completed her MA in Dance Studies at De Montfort University. She then gained a scholarship to study at the Jose Limon Institute of Contemporary Dance, in New York. She has worked internationally as a dancer, teacher and choreographer in both Musical Theatre and Contemporary Dance contexts. Deborah is a Lecturer in Dance at Edge Hill University specialising in teaching Limon-Based Technique and Ballet for Contemporary dancers. Deborah is a PhD candidate at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow, and is exploring narratives in contemporary ballet. Deborah is a committee member for the Society of Dance Research and a board member and adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals, and All England Dance. BC,M,J,CO,T,S+D,MT,N,G,CD
2018 Dance Adjudicator

Jasmin Taylor-Hazzard
Dip. RBS TTC, ARAD, AISTD, Graduate Ballet Rambert,
Dip. Benesh Institute of Choreology.
Following graduation Yasmin studied with Ballet Rambert.
She worked with the National Youth Ballet as an assistant choreographer in their production of the Dolls House at Sadlers Wells Theatre. She then went on to dance with the Dutch National Ballet in their tour of Romeo and Juliet. Yasmin is the principal of a successful dance school in Hampshire and many of her ex-pupils are currently pursuing professional careers in dance. Yasmin also runs Classical Greek Dance workshops and choreographic competitions in the Hampshire area. She is a British Federation Adjudicator and is on the panel of the All England Dance Competition.
2017 Music Adjudicator

Steven Roberts
2016 Music Adjudicator

Caroline Clemmow cjdfb

Philip Dewhurst facge
The Committee are pleased to welcome Caroline and Philip to Scunthorpe Festival and look forward to spending week with them.
2016 Dance Adjudicator

Tanya Allen
Miss Allen trained in the Reading area until the age of 17 and then attended the College of the Royal Academy of Dance in London. Upon graduation she was elected a Licentiate (LRAD) and has since completed her Licentiate, Licentiate Diplomas with Distinction, PCG(A) in adjudication, Fellowship of the ISTD and is a graded RAD examiner. She then went on to perform in several TV shows, stage productions and Summer seasons. She was also cast as a ballet dancer in various Operas. Having taken a special interest in National Folk Dance, Miss Allen travelled the world studying the national dances from many countries and was awarded the Haxell Cup by the ISTD National committee for all her work and support of the National Faculty over the years.
Miss Allen is also now a freelance choreographer and has choreographed many stage performances for the Theatre. Her most recent Choreography was for a touring production of Aida for The International Opera and Ballet company.
Miss Allen also runs a large school with over six hundred pupils and six branches, where she and her other members of staff teach all aspects of dance and theatrical training in all genres of dance from the Grade work through to Advanced 2 level.
Many of Miss Allen’s students have gone on to full-time training at well-known dance colleges across the country. Some have then progressed on to teach and others moving on into the theatre or dance profession. Apart from all her teaching and examining,
2017 Drama Adjudicator

Priscilla Morris
In 1972 she founded her own drama school in the midlands which she handed over to her daughter in 2013 although she continues to teach youngsters and adults at her home studio.
Priscilla joined the LAMDA board of examiners in 1986 and has examined throughout the UK, Spain, Singapore, USA, Malta, Sri Lanka & Dubai. She has been an adjudicator in Speech & Drama for the British and International Federation of Festivals since 1991 and has adjudicated in Bermuda, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong (8 times).
Since 1998 she has been Voice Advisor to the Amateur Swimming Association, for whom she delivers Voice Protection courses for swimming coaches nationwide and she is also a registered Tutor for the Voicecare Network and a published author on Shakespeare. Priscilla has directed and acted in over 40 plays, musicals and pantomimes during her performing life.
Now, she spends most of her time in the business sector with her company, Loud & Clear voice coaching. As a professional speaker she appears at conferences and seminars nationwide and enjoys entertaining audiences on P&O and Cunard cruise ships. BDCA www.loudandclearuk.com
2018 Drama Adjudicator
Hilary Clulow
2018 Music Adjudicator
Roy Robinson
He has performed in orchestras and ensembles, and as an accompanist and recitalist, most recently in a piano duet partnership. He is a busy ABRSM grade, diploma and jazz examiner and has worked extensively overseas, including tours to Malaysia, Hong Kong, Qatar, Jordan, South Africa, Namibia, USA and Germany (the latter examining in German!). He has also presented a number of teacher workshops at home and abroad.
After a recent period of completely freelance activity, Roy has returned to school life, this time as a Director of Music at Alton Convent. He is an adjudicator member of the British Federation of Music Festivals and in demand at some of the country’s largest Music Festivals.
Away from music, Roy’s interests include playing tennis and being actively involved in the classic car scene in his old Morris camper! Viola / Piano dcbfg Gen
2018 Music Adjudicator
Kathryn Page