Our Adjudicators for 2010

Daniel Chandler  BMus(Hons)

Daniel received his early musical education on the Fylde Coast in Lancashire. After studying the Flute with Jonathan Rimmer in Manchester he was awarded a place at the Royal College of Music in London where he studied with Susan Milan.

Daniel has given many recitals for music societies and festivals around the UK. In 2000 he coached chamber music on a ‘National Flute Association’ masterclass course in Texas, USA. From 2002 – 2004 Daniel performed in over 250 concerts and presented workshops as part of a Flute and Harp duo for the ‘Live Music Now!’ scheme, promoting the experience of live music amongst people who would not normally have access to it. Daniel has also performed with the Lancashire Sinfonietta and has delivered education workshops with them at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Since 2007 Daniel has been Assistant Director of Music at Merchant Taylors’ School, Liverpool. He also manages to find time to continue performing, deliver workshops and adjudicate as a member of the British and International Federation of Festivals both here and abroad.

Alan Dean  BA, LRAM, LTCL, CertEd.

Alan Dean studied at Bretton Hall and Manchester. His teachers included Doctor Norman Andrew (piano and theoretical studies), Ellis Keeler (voice) and the renowned concert pianist/accompanist Keith Swallow.

After many years as Senior Lecturer and PGCE Music Coordinator at Manchester Metropolitan University, also External Examiner to another northern university, Alan can now devote more time to the adjudicating and accompanying that he enjoys so much.

Throughout his career he has been active as a director and repetiteur in opera, operetta and music theatre, resulting in frequent collaboration with some of the most eminent names in vocal music. He is equally proud of his achievements with young people, which include productions of all the major Mozart operas, Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd” and the professional premiere of Anne Dalton’s “Her Benny”.

Alan’s keyboard performance experience ranges from concerti to jazz. Highlights have included BBC broadcasts on the Tatton Park harpsichord, piano accompaniment at the Millennium Festival in Leeds and also at the North West Regional Championship in Liverpool. An enthusiastic, knowledgeable and entertaining speaker, Alan is much in demand with music societies, also with music-making and appreciation holidays. He greatly enjoys playing chamber music – when he can find time!

Alan particularly welcomes enterprise and initiative in choice of repertoire at festivals.

He is a Music Adjudicator and Accompanist Member of the British and International Federation of Festivals.

Robin Mundy  MSc, LGSM, PGCA.

Robin Mundy was a native of Hampshire and started playing the piano’ at the age of 5, accompanying choirs at the age of 11, made his first broadcast a year later and became a church organist when 13. He was awarded a B.Sc degree in Geography at Nottingham University, where he learnt the clarinet, and then, after doing his two years original research, gained an MSc in hydrology. He then worked for many years in the North West until 1994 when he made a ‘life change’ to concentrate on music.

Robin competed for many years at music festivals wherever he was living, both as a piano soloist and choral conductor until he became an adjudicator and accompanist member for the festival movement in the early 1980’s. In this capacity he has travelled extensively throughout the U.K. and Ireland. In June 2006, he will be travelling in Sri Lanka for six weeks to adjudicate throughout the whole island at a series of competitive festivals.

Robin lives in Cheshire where he has an extensive piano’ teaching practice with pupils of all abilities and ages. He is also a choral conductor of church, children’s, male and mixed voice choirs who have broadcast on national radio, and toured in the U.S.A., Sweden, Germany and his male voice choir had their own T.V. programme in Finland! When he is not conducting or teaching the piano’, he prepares individual singers and instrumentalists for local, national and international competitions.

Robin is looking forward to returning to the festival and firmly believes that all music is there to be enjoyed. So start practising, wear a smile and come and enjoy yourselves!

Steven Roberts M.Ed, BA(Hons), Cert. Ed, BBCM, CMS

Steven Roberts has combined a career in education with his work as a conductor, musical director and adjudicator, working both in this country and in Europe and as far a field as Peru and Bahrain.

His work in education has included training musicians and actors and has worked extensively with partner schools as part of his past educational responsibilities.

Despite a very busy educational career Steven has conducted numerous groups, including the Liverpool Welsh Choral Union, The Huddersfield Choral Society, Dodworth and Skelmanthorpe Male Voice Choirs and a variety of orchestras, brass bands and wind ensembles, as well as being Chorus Master for concerts with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carreras.

He is currently Musical Director and Conductor with the Altrincham Choral Society, and also holds the same position with the Chesterfield Philharmonic Choir. Steven has also worked as musical director for a number of theatrical productions, and this diversity reflects his music and drama training.

Steven is Music and Company Development Director with Sing Live UK which has seen him conduct in some of the countries most prestigious concert halls, including the Royal Albert Hall (London), the Bridgewater Hall (Manchester), Symphony Hall (Birmingham), the Belfast Waterfront Hall, Birmingham, Leeds and Huddersfield Town Halls, the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, and Sheffield City Hall.

He has acted as vocal coach for concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, London and at the FM Hallam Arena in Sheffield, as well as conducting in the College Gardens of Westminster Abbey for The Lady Taverners and at Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Rome.

Steven has conducted numerous concerts throughout this country but also in Germany, France and Italy and with a variety of ensembles and orchestras.

Steven is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals, regularly adjudicating in this country and also acts as a Music Mentor for Music for Youth. He is also a member of the Adjudicators Council of the Federation.

Steven is an associate member of The Lord’s Taverners, the cricketing charity that raises money to give ‘young people, particularly with special needs a sporting chance’.

Christina Thomson  LRAM., ARCM., GRSM., PGCA.

Christina Thomson attended the Royal Academy of Music after leaving the National Youth Orchestra. A fascinating career as a horn player in Germany followed. She returned to London in 1984 to perform chamber music; she became a soloist with several chamber orchestras, and taught at Harrow and the Purcell School.

In 1991 she returned to her home town of Ripon, where she teaches at the Ripon Choir School and Ampleforth College, as well as having an extensive private teaching practice, encompassing ages 5 to 70.

After she was robbed of her embouchure in an incident in 2000 she retired from professional playing and concentrates on pedagogy. She is internationally in demand as an adjudicator, and examines for the Associated Board in England and abroad, as well as being a Brass Specialist Mentor for the Board’s Professional Development Course.

She enjoys cycling and high level mountain walking in the Austrian Alps as an antidote to the hectic musical life she leads.

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