Church Organ Adjudicator – Dr John Henderson

Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is introducing a Church Organ section for the first time this year and we are thrilled to welcome Dr John Henderson, Honorary Librarian and archivist to the Royal School of Church Music. Find out more about him in his biography below:

John Henderson, probably Swindon’s only full-time musicologist, acts as Honorary Librarian and archivist to the Royal School of Church Music and is organist of Wroughton Parish Church.

The Organ at Wroughton Parish Church

A medical graduate of St. John’s College in Cambridge, he was formerly the senior partner of the GP practice in Fairford, Gloucestershire. He retired from the NHS in 1992 and lives in Old Town, Swindon. He describes himself as a ‘train-spotter cum hoarder’ of organ music and his personal library of 36,000 pieces of organ music supplies source material to many performers and recording companies world-wide. He was awarded the ARSCM in 1996 for his services to church music, is author of the prize-winning Directory of Composers for Organ 2005 and co-author of a recently published history of the Royal School of Church Music.

Categories: Music

Speech and Drama Adjudicator – Susy Hague

The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is proud to announce the appointment of Susy Hague as Adjudicator for 2012. If you are a keen Drama student you may have come across her before – she’s a LAMDA examiner of many years standing. Find out more about Susy in her biography below:

Susy was born in Montreal, Canada. Her father was Swiss, and her mother a British singer on BBC radio, hence she has a love of the Arts. Susy returned to Britain, aged 5, and was educated in London and Littlehampton, later studying at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in London, where she gained her Teaching Diploma with Honours.  She has taught all aspects of Speech and Drama over a number of years at numerous Schools and Colleges with pupils of all ages-from 4 to 100 years of age! She has also produced numerous School and Amateur productions, and adjudicated at various Festivals. She currently teaches at Portsmouth Grammar School, and is also a L.A.M.D.A. examiner.

Susy is married with two sons, and speaks French and Spanish. She was also a Beaver Scout leader for five years. She loves the theatre, travel, sport, and plays tennis.

Classical Guitar Adjudicator – Helen Sanderson

The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is very proud of its CLASSICAL GUITAR section. We make a point of appointing CLASSICAL GUITAR specialists who are renowned in their field. This year is no exception; Helen Sanderson, is Director of the World Youth Guitar Festival and Winchester Guitar Festival so we are very privileged to have her with us offering her valuable advice and feedback. Read more about Helen in her biography below:

Helen Sanderson

Helen Sanderson studied guitar at the Royal College of Music with Charles Ramirez, graduating with both the Madeline Walton prize for guitar and the prestigious Anthony Saltmarsh Bursary. Her active concert career has included concerts at major international guitar festivals and recitals at the Purcell Room, St Martin-in-the-Fields, Barbican Hall, the Academy of Arts (Berlin), the British Embassy in Vienna, Bath International Guitar Festival and Winchester Guitar Festival. In addition to her solo performances, Helen is a member of the Vida Guitar Quartet and is much in demand as an adjudicator, recording artist and accompanist for voice and guitar repertoire, working in partnerships with Mark Wilde (tenor) ‘Ancient Melodies’ (Docker Records), Susan Legg (mezzo-soprano), and countertenor James Bowman. Since its launch in 2007, Helen has been the Director of the World Youth Guitar Festival, a biennial residential festival for young classical guitarists aged 8-18 years old.

Helen studied at the Royal College of Music, London with Charles Ramirez and graduated as winner of the Madeline Walton Guitar Prize and Anthony Saltmarsh Bursary. She has been invited to perform at venues including the Purcell Room (London, Southbank Centre), the Academy of Arts (Berlin) and the Barbican Centre (London) and is regularly in demand as an adjudicator.

In addition to a teaching post at Downe House in Newbury and her private teaching practice, she is the director of the World Youth Guitar Festival and the Winchester Guitar Festival.

Music Adjudicator – Richard Haslam BEd ARCM

The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is proud to announce the appointment of Richard Haslam as one of our Music Adjudicators for 2012. At the Wootton Bassett Arts Festival we only engage the best qualified and most experienced people in their field. Find out more about Richard in his biography below:

Richard studied at Sussex University for a degree in Education, specialising in Music and also at the Royal College of Music where he gained a Diploma in Pianoforte Teaching and a Distinction in Grade 8 singing.   Richard is currently Head of Performing Arts at Burgess Hill School for Girls where he teaches to A level as well as running a variety of extra-curricular activities including Chamber groups, Choirs and Orchestras. Richard teaches piano and singing to Diploma standard and is also a Moderator for GCSE Music, an examiner for A Level Music, an adjudicator for the British Federation of Festivals and recently has become a Mentor for Music for Youth.  Richard also examines for the ABRSM and has completed two overseas tours to Malaysia and one to Hong Kong.  He is an experienced accompanist, conductor and singer and works with a number of different groups in the community including Choral and Operatic Societies.  Richard also runs his own choir-“Cantemus”-who have raised over £300,000 for charity in the last twelve years.

Categories: Music

Creative Writing Adjudicator – David Churchill

The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is proud to announce the appointment of our Creative Writing Adjudicator for 2012, David Churchill. Several of David’s books can be bought for Kindle from Amazon. Simply follow the links embedded in his biography below:

David Churchill Biography

David’s first three novels, It, Us and the Others, The Silbury Triangle and Not my World were all published by Heineman in the seventies and eighties. They were teen-age sci/fi with a rural local setting. These were followed by A Focus for Writing, a source book for teachers and students interested in creative writing, also published by Heineman. Later came Fishing Forever, published by Merlin Unwin, a collection of stories about two boys and a girl who fish in our local waters and encounter ghosts, a truanting teacher and much more! This is soon to be issued as an e-book on Amazon Kindle. David taught English in several schools, particularly at Bradon Forest, Purton, where he was Head of English, becoming Senior Teacher, continuing teaching English to all levels which was always his greatest satisfaction. Voluntary creative writing work in Prospect Hospice, following his retirement from fulltime teaching,    saw the production of 13 magazines and two books of patients’ writing (Lifelines and Lifelines 2, published by ELSP Press). He worked with a number of creative writing groups locally and gave service at many school writing-week sessions in Wiltshire and other southern and eastern counties. Recently he has launched two new novels as e-books on Amazon Kindle (Dan and the Teacher Ghost and Nightmares in the Dreamhouse) and is preparing a third to be published later in the year. His poem – Walking with Jaci – was a winner in The Times “love poetry” competition on February the fourteenth, 2010.

PAM WEDGWOOD MASTERCLASS – 10th March 2012

The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival

proudly presents

Pam Wedgwood

Teaching tips & Masterclass

Saturday 10th March 2012

2pm Start at St Bartholomew’s Church, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wilts SN4 7AB

A teaching and performance session by Pam Wedgwood followed by a Masterclass. Please prepare any piece by Pam Wedgwood if you wish to participate in the Masterclass.

On Saturday 10th March Pam Wedgwood will hold a Masterclass where she will offer teaching tips covering both Piano and Instrumental works. Pam is very well known for her books used by many music learners. You may use her books yourself but if you would like to know more about her here is a little background:

Pam Wedgwood

Pam Wedgwood

Pam Wedgwood studied French Horn, Cello, Piano and Composition at the Trinity College of Music London. After graduating, she began a career as a professional horn player before taking up an appointment as a peripatetic instrumental music teacher in Surrey in the late 1970s. Pam began her long association with Faber Music in 1988 with the highly-acclaimed series Jazzin’ About, followed by the Up-Grade! series and the adult piano method It’s Never Too Late to Play Piano. She is recognised around the world as one the UK’s most prolific and successful composers of popular repertoire for young instrumentalists. Pam now concentrates on composing and workshops.

If you wish to take part, please download and complete the application form below:

Application Form

More about Pam Wedgwood from Faber Music

Cally Foster – Speech & Drama Adjudicator 2012

Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is pleased to announce the appointment of Cally Foster as Speech and Drama Adjudicator on 10th and 11th November 2012. Here is her biography if you would like to know more about her background and qualifications…

CALLY FOSTER LLAM MSTSD

Since her first appearance in a festival at the age of five, Cally has remained committed to the Festival movement and has pursued a career as a Speech and Drama specialist.  She has been the Principal of her Buckinghamshire based Drama Studio for the past twenty years, combining that role with extensive travel in the U.K. Europe and overseas (including Japan, Singapore, Kuwait, The Emirates, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong) as an examiner for LAMDA.  Cally believes that performing in Festivals not only encourages an appreciation for the arts, but also improves the presentation and communication skills that are so important in today’s world.  As an adjudicator member of BIFF, Cally is delighted to have been invited to adjudicate at the Wootton Bassett Arts Festival in 2012.

Creative Writing Results

Here is a list of the winners in the 2011 Creative Writing Competition. The Adjudication, to which all entrants were invited, was held on 12th November. It is well worth coming along to discuss your work with the Adjudicator, meet other writers and learn from their experiences.

Poetry 12 & under 15 years – Tensi Beautyman, 85

Poetry, 15 & under 19 – Julia Smith, 83

Sonnet, open to all ages – Alice Palmer-Ross, Commended

Short Story, 9 years & under – Liberty Shirnia, 76

Short Story, 10 & under 13 years – Niamh Taylor, 90

Short Story, 13 & under 15 years – Emma Bessent, 87

Short Story 19 & over – Tony Clark, 92

Report Writing, 11 & under – Orla Smith, 81

Journalism, 19 years & over – Jane Wade-Scarlet, 85

Classical Guitar Results

Here are the results for the Classical Guitar Competition on 12th and 13th November – the standard was so high and the marks reflect that, well done to everyone!

Class: GU8 Duets Grades 1 & 2

Award: WBAF Cup – Alice Williamson & Ruth Walters, 90

Class; GU1 Solo Preliminary

Award: Adjudication only – Joseph Giles

Class: GU2 Solos – Grades 1 & 2

Award; WBAF Cup – Alice Williamson, 91

Class: GU11 Ensemble – Primary School Age

Award: WBAF Plaque – Corinium Players A, 90

Class; GU14 Workshop for players up to Grade 2

Tuition by Adjudicator; Mark Ashford

Class; GU3 Solos – Grades 3 &4

Award; WBAF Cup – Luke Field, 90

Class: GU6 Solo – any age, own choice of piece

Award: Adjudication only – Ayrton Jimenez-Aldridge

Class; GU4 Solos – Grades 5 & 6

Award; WBAF Cup – Dodi Azmi, 89

Class: GU7 Duet accompanied by a teacher or senior player

Award; Adjudication only – Joe Cretney & partner

Class: GU9 Duets – Grades 3,4 & 5

Award: WBAF Cup – Eleanor Black & Natasha Ion, 89

Class: GU15 Workshop for Grades 3 and above

Tuition by Adjudicator; Mark Ashford

Class: GU13 Ensemble – all ages.

Award: WBAF Plaque – Corinium Players C, 87

Class: GU12 Ensemble – Secondary School Age

Award: WBAF Plaque – Corinium Players B, 88

Class: GU10 Duets – Grades 6,7 & 8

Award; WBAF Cup – Ella Brown & Helen Brown, 90

Class: GU5 Solos – Grades 7 & 8

Award: WBAF Cup – Helen Brown, 90

HIGHEST MARK FOR CLASSICAL GUITAR

Award: The Dreambase Studios Cup – Alice Williamson, 91

Categories: Music, Results

Speech & Drama Results

What a great Festival, what wonderful performances and what great results! Here they all are for you to look through:

CLASS SD2 POEM 8 & 9 years

JESSICA MARTIN – 83

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 84

HARRIET SIMMONS – 83

ELOISE STOKES – 85, CLASS WINNER

ELOISE STOKES received THE PATRICIA READ TROPHY for gaining the Highest Mark out of classes SD1 and SD2

CLASS SD3 POEM 10 & 11 years

ALICE CAVEY – 84

AQIL JANNATY -  85, CLASS WINNER

FREDDIE ROBB – 84

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 84

ALEXANDRA SIMMONS – 84

CLASS SD4 POEM 12 & 13 years

LUCY BATHER – 83

ISABELLE MARTIN – 83

NOORISHAH MOLEDINA – 84

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 84

FLORENCE SHIRNIA received THE JACQUIE DE CREED MEMORIAL TROPHY for gaining the Highest Mark out of Classes SD3 and SD4

CLASS SD5 POEM 14, 15 & 16 years

OLIVIA BROWN – 86

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD6 POEM 17 years and over – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 87, CLASS WINNER

ELLIOT SHIRNIA received THE ANDREW McDOWELL CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD5 and SD6.

CLASS SD7 SONNET – OPEN

FIONA NEILL – 86

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD8 CHORAL/GROUP SPEAKING 11 years & under

PATRICIA READ’S FRIDAY GROUP – 85, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD9 CHORAL/GROUP SPEAKING 14 years & under

PATRICIA READ’S MONDAY GROUP – 84, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD10 SOLO ACTING 9 years and under

THOMAS BEATTIE – 87

JOEL FRANKLIN – 82

ANNABELLE MARTIN – 84

SOPHIE MORGAN-RODDA – 83

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 90, CLASS WINNER

ANDRE STAMP – 89

CLASS SD11 SOLO ACTING 10 & 11 years

REBECCA ABINGDON – 84

FLORENCE EVANS – 84

ROSE FAWCETT – 84

ALICE HALL – 84

OSCAR HENRY – 84

AQIL JANNATY – 84

LARA KUROPATWA – 87

DAISY MITFORD-SLADE – 87

WILLIAM PERRETT – 84

FREDDIE ROBB – 85

FREYA SAXTON – 84

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD12 SOLO ACTING 12 & 13 years

LUCY BATHER – 88

ALIYA JANNATY – 85

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 86

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 85

SHAUNA WARREN-GRACE – 89, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD13 SOLO ACTING 14, 15 & 16 years

RUBY BEES – 85

LOUISE CATHERWOOD – 88

MAX CURTIS – 89

ELLA GREENWOOD – 86

RACHAEL KING – 85

THOMAS LOWDE – 90, CLASS WINNER

EDWARD MAYNARD – 88

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 86

BRITTANY WARD – 84

CLASS SD14 SOLO ACTING 17 years and over – OPEN

PHIL COOK – 85

MEGAN PEACOCK – 84

MERVYN PENNY – 86

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 90, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD15 SOLO SHAKESPEARE 14, 15 & 16 years

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 84, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD16 SOLO SHAKESPEARE 17 years & over – OPEN

RACHEL JOHNSON – 83

MEGAN PEACOCK – 87, CLASS WINNER

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 84

CLASS SD17 DUOLOGUE ACTING 9 years & under

ELOISE STOKES & JESSICA MARTIN – 84, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD18 DUOLOGUE ACTING 11 years & under

TATIANA PARR & CATHARINE REID – 88, CLASS WINNERS

CASSIDY MORDAK & LEAHANN HORGAN – 82

EMILY FRANKLIN & FREYA MADELEY – 83

HENRY NEWMAN & FREDDIE HELLENS – 86

JULIAN SHIRNIA & LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 87

CLASS SD19 DUOLOGUE ACTING 13 years & under

ISABELLA BEES & ATALAYA ATHERTON – 85

ALICE HALL & OLIVIA ANNISS – 88, CLASS WINNERS

ALICE CAVEY & ISABELLE MARTIN – 84

MEGAN TOOP-ROSE & LANI BOND – 84

ANASTASIA PIATEK & FRANCIS NUNNERY – 84

DANIELLE BEVAN & JENSON STOKES-DINE – 84

CLASS SD20 DUOLOGUE ACTING 16 years & under

WILLIAM HAYWOOD & OLIVER MacKENZIE – 86

SHAUNA WARREN-GRACE & BRITTANY WARD – 83

JACK COOK & GRIFFIN MORDAK – 82

ELLA GREENWOOD & HARLEY BUNCE – 86

ELLIOT SHIRNIA & FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 84

KENNEDY GALLAGHER & CALLUM ASLANTEPE – 88, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD21 : DUOLOGUE ACTING – OPEN

BENJAMIN McMAHON & SAM STAFFORD – 85

PAULA CLIFFORD & SALLY HOPKINS – 87, CLASS WINNERS

CHARLOTTE TILLEHY & ABI TAYLOR – 84

CLASS SD22 GROUP ACTING 11 years & under

SWINDON YOUNG ACTORS – 84, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD23 GROUP ACTING 14 years and under

THE ENTHUSIASTS – 88

CALNE BOYS GROUP – 89, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD25 GROUP ACTING – Senior OPEN

THE CLARENDON PLAYERS – 84, CLASS WINNERS

SD27 GROUP DEVISED 16 YEARS & UNDER

SWINDON YOUNG ACTORS – 90, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD29 PREPARED PROSE READING 9 years & under

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD30 PREPARED PROSE READING 11 years & under

AQIL JANNATY – 86

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD31 PREPARED PROSE READING 14 years & under

ANEELA AHMED – 83

BHAVISHA DESAI – 83

NOORISHAH MOLEDINA – COMMENDED

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 84

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 85, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD33 PREPARED PROSE READING 17 years & over – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD34 MEMORISED PROSE 9 – 11 years

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 89, CLASS WINNER

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 88

CLASS SD35 MEMORISED PROSE 12 – 15 years

OLIVIA BROWN – 85

BHAVISHA DESAI – 85

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 86

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

GUYON TRUSSELL – 87

CLASS SD36 MEMORISED PROSE 16 YEARS & OVER – OPEN

RACHAEL KING – 87

FIONA NEILL – 88, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD37 PREPARED BIBLE READING 11 years & under

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 88

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 89, CLASS WINNER

GREGORY STRANGWARD-PRYCE – 88

CLASS SD38 PREPARED BIBLE READING 15 years & under

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 90, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD39 PREPARED BIBLE READING – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 88, CLASS WINNER

ELLIOT SHIRNIA received the BIBLE SOCIETY CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD37, SD38 and SD39

CLASS SD40 T.V. NEWS READING 11 years & under

FREDDIE ROBB – 86, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD41 T.V. NEWS READING 14 years & under

BHAVISHA DESAI – 87, CLASS WINNER

ALIYA JANNATY – 86

CLASS SD42 SOLO MIME 9 – 11 years

FREDDIE ROBB – 86, CLASS WINNER

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 85

CLASS SD43 SOLO MIME 12 – 14 years

ALIYA JANNATY – 85

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 84

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

GUYON TRUSSELL – 83

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 84

CLASS SD45 DUO MIME 9 – 11 years

ELOISE STOKES & JESSICA MARTIN – 84, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD46 DUO MIME 15 YEARS & UNDER

ISABELLE MARTIN & ALICE CAVEY – 84

BEN GREEN & GUYON TRUSSELL – 85, CLASS WINNERS

JAMES VEALE & PETER COOPER – 84

CLASS SD49 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING 11 years & under

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD50 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING 15 years & under

ANEELA AHMED – 89, CLASS WINNER

NOORISHAH MOLEDINA – 88

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 88

CLASS SD51 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING – 16 YEARS & OVER – OPEN

SAARIA AHMED – 85, CLASS WINNER

ANEELA AHMED received the XPRESS TRAIN TROPHY for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD43 SD44 SD45 SD46 & SD47

THE DOREEN ROOM MEMORIAL ROSE BOWL awarded to the most outstanding Solo Acting piece was awarded to THOMAS LOWDE at the Highlights Concert on Sunday 13th November 2011

THE CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY FOR ENTERPRISE for best overall performance, was awarded to SWINDON YOUNG ACTORS DEVISED GROUP 16 & UNDER at the Highlights Concert on Sunday 13th November 2011.

Syllabus

Download the WOOTTON BASSETT ARTS FESTIVAL SYLLABUS 2012 (covering both the June and November Festivals) HERE.