Past Festivals

103rd Chipping Norton Music Festival 2015

Events for the 103rd Chipping Norton Music Festival featured:

The Festival Concert once again featured some fantastic local talent, introduced by Toby Blundell and adjudicated by Alan MacLean.

Opposite: Performers from the 2015 Festival

2015 Festival Awards

President's Cup Alice Davis (Violin)
Wychwood Trophy Joanna Pike (Piano)
Rotary Club Cup Bella Bourne Swinton Hunter (Piano)
Youth Jazz Band Challenge Cokethorpe School Jazz Band
William Bailey Folk Award Rachel Chai
Chipping Norton Folk Club Award Chloe Rodger
Chipping Norton & Stow Methodist Circuit Bicentenary Award Theo Laird (Musical Theatre)

The 103rd Festival in 2015 commenced with the Youth Jazz Band Challenge. The event is held in association with the Rotary Club of Chipping Norton. The winning band has the opportunity to play at Chippy Jazz and Music Day in September 2015 - more information about Chippy Jazz.

Colin Touchin adjudicated, commenting on the fantastic young talent all through the evening. Bands that took part were Bloxham School Senior Jazz Band, Oxfordshire Dixieland Jazz Collective, Oxfordshire Dixieland Jazz Band, Cokethorpe School Jazz Band, and Oxfordshire Youth Big Band. The winners were Cokethorpe School Jazz Band (below left) who played Maiden Voyage (Herbie Hancock) and Street Life (Jazz Crusaders).

2015 Festival Adjudicators

Disclaimer - this is for information only as at the time of going to press and may therefore not be current. If you need current information then you should contact the adjudicator or their agent.

Cally Foster

Cally Foster

(Speech and Drama)
BIFF

Since her first appearance in a festival at the age of five Cally has been committed to the festival movement and has pursued a career as a speech and drama specialist.Cally was the principal of her Buckinghamshire-based drama studio for more than 20 years, combining that role… Read More >

Cally Foster

Cally Foster

Since her first appearance in a festival at the age of five Cally has been committed to the festival movement and has pursued a career as a speech and drama specialist.

Cally was the principal of her Buckinghamshire-based drama studio for more than 20 years, combining that role with travelling extensively in the UK, Europe and internationally as an examiner for LAMDA and as an Adjudicator. Cally also delivers workshops on all aspects of communication and performance.

She is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals, a Speech and Drama Representative on the Adjudicators Council, and is a former Chairman of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama.

Cally believes performing in festivals not only encourages an appreciation of the Arts but also develops the communication and presentations skills so important in today’s world. Everyone should have an enjoyable as well as a positive experience.
During these challenging times some Festivals will choose to take place online. This will give Performers the opportunity to perform and to continue developing their skills. As an increasingly experienced online Examiner, Cally Foster is able to work with Festivals and to adjudicate performers online.

Nadia Hinson

Nadia Hinson

(Strings, Orchestras & Mixed Ensembles)
BIFF

Nadia Hinson graduated from the Royal Academy of Music afterhaving studied the violin with Manoug Parikian and the pianowith Jean Harvey. She began a career as a freelance violinist andaccompanist and co-founded the Veloce ensemble (clarinetquintet) touring Britain performing… Read More >

Nadia Hinson

Nadia Hinson

Nadia Hinson graduated from the Royal Academy of Music afterhaving studied the violin with Manoug Parikian and the pianowith Jean Harvey. She began a career as a freelance violinist andaccompanist and co-founded the Veloce ensemble (clarinetquintet) touring Britain performing specially commissioned worksand her own arrangements and compositions for that genre. Aregular recitalist for music clubs, she also performs with herfamily of musicians in the UK and in Europe. She is currently the owner and Directorof Hinson School of Music in Nottingham, and as well as being a festival adjudicatoris an international examiner for the ABRSM and a member of The Royal Society ofMusicians. Nadia is a Senior Consultant for the Performing Arts to the LEADAcademy Trust in Nottingham. She has set up composition workshops inspiringchildren to explore feelings and ideas through music and is a mentor for the Trust todevelop self-confidence and communication through learning and performance.

James Kirby

(Piano)
BIFF

James gives recitals throughout the UK including Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh festival and extensively in Europe. He studied at the Moscow Conservatoire and returns to perform concertos and recitals and lead chamber music courses in the former Soviet Union every year. He… Read More >

James Kirby

James gives recitals throughout the UK including Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh, Aldeburgh festival and extensively in Europe. He studied at the Moscow Conservatoire and returns to perform concertos and recitals and lead chamber music courses in the former Soviet Union every year. He has given concerto performances with the English and Scottish Chamber Orchestras and Moscow Symphony Orchestra. He is also a member of the Barbican Piano Trio, which recently celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary and performs regularly throughout Europe and the USA.
James teaches at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Royal Holloway, University of London and the University of Hull. He is an Honorary Professor of the Rachmaninov Institute in Tambov, Russia, and serves on the juries of many International competitions, most recently in Russia, Latvia, Romania and Slovenia.

In addition to performing, David has been an ABRSM examiner since 1998.

David Kirby-Ashmore

(Senior Vocal)
BIFF

After studying at the Royal Academy of Music David undertook a variety of posts teaching singing before pursuing a full-time performance career. He currently maintains a private teaching practice, with students ranging from teenagers to professional singers, and runs a yearly… Read More >

David Kirby-Ashmore

After studying at the Royal Academy of Music David undertook a variety of posts teaching singing before pursuing a full-time performance career. He currently maintains a private teaching practice, with students ranging from teenagers to professional singers, and runs a yearly summer school.

As a performer, in addition to recitals and concerts in major London venues including The Queen Elizabeth Hall, The Purcell Room, St. John’s Smith Square, and The Royal Albert hall, David’s career has taken him all over the world including Hong Kong, the USA, and a world tour in the title role of Rigoletto. Closer to home he has taken principal rôles with English and Welsh National Operas and companies throughout Europe.

In addition to adjudicating widely for the Festival movement, including three trips to Sri Lanka, David has advised many festivals on their choice of repertoire and set music.

Luise Horrocks

Luise Horrocks

(Junior & Senior Vocal)
BIFF

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… Read More >

Luise Horrocks

Luise Horrocks

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.

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.

Peter Hunt

Peter Hunt

(Children’s Workshop)

Peter is an experienced choral trainer and conductor having worked with a wide variety of singers and choral groups for over 40 years. He studied at Dartington and London before a long career in secondary music education, later focusing more broadly on choral education. He was… Read More >

Peter Hunt

Peter Hunt

Peter is an experienced choral trainer and conductor having worked with a wide variety of singers and choral groups for over 40 years. He studied at Dartington and London before a long career in secondary music education, later focusing more broadly on choral education. He was Head of Creative Arts at Chipping Norton School for 10 years and still conducts the local Choral Society after 19 years. Until 2015 he was Head of Voice and Deputy Head of the independent music service Berkshire Maestros. Peter is the inspiration behind the VOICEWORKS publications with Oxford University Press that have transformed singing activities for many people. He has a national reputation as a workshop leader, trainer and adjudicator.

Craig Ogden

Craig Ogden

(Classical Guitar)

Craig was born in Australia and is one of the most exciting guitarists of his generation. He studied guitar from the age of seven and percussion from the age of thirteen. In 2004, he became the youngest instrumentalist to receive a Fellowship from the Royal Northern College of… Read More >

Craig Ogden

Craig Ogden

Craig was born in Australia and is one of the most exciting guitarists of his generation. He studied guitar from the age of seven and percussion from the age of thirteen. In 2004, he became the youngest instrumentalist to receive a Fellowship from the Royal Northern College of Music in recognition of his achievements. Craig’s recordings for Virgin/EMI, Chandos, Nimbus, Hyperion and Sony have received wide acclaim, and BBC Music Magazine dubbed him "a worthy successor to Julian Bream". His debut solo CD for Nimbus Records of '20th Century Classics by British composers' was nominated for a Grammy Award. Craig has performed concertos with all of the major UK orchestras and also internationally. Craig regularly appears as soloist and chamber musician at the major London venues and collaborates with many of the UK’s top artists and ensembles. He has released a number of CDs and is Principal Lecturer in Guitar at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Melanie Ragge

Melanie Ragge

(Woodwind and Brass)
BIFF

Melanie’s musical passions lie in chamber music and education. Originally a medical student, she graduated with an MPhil in Musicology from King’s College Cambridge, then studied oboe as a Leverhulme Fellow at the RCM with Michael Winfield and Edwin Roxburgh and piano with… Read More >

Melanie Ragge

Melanie Ragge

Melanie’s musical passions lie in chamber music and education. Originally a medical student, she graduated with an MPhil in Musicology from King’s College Cambridge, then studied oboe as a Leverhulme Fellow at the RCM with Michael Winfield and Edwin Roxburgh and piano with Phyllis Sellick.

She now teaches oboe at the Purcell School of Music and is an oboe professor at the Royal Academy. A founder member of the New London Chamber Ensemble she has released several CDs and, nationally and internationally, has worked with leading artists such as the Dante & Schidlof string quartets, pianist Angela Hewitt and baritone Gerald Finlay.

Dave Townsend

Dave is a performer of both traditional and classical music, playing mainly English Concertina, accordion and violin, but these form only a part of a range of activities which include composition and research. He created the Mellstock Band and founded the West Gallery Music… Read More >

Dave Townsend

Dave Townsend

Dave is a performer of both traditional and classical music, playing mainly English Concertina, accordion and violin, but these form only a part of a range of activities which include composition and research.
He created the Mellstock Band and founded the West Gallery Music Association, and has also worked as musical director and stage musician at the National Theatre and the Bristol Old Vic.

Colin Touchin

Colin Touchin

(Youth Jazz Band Challenge and Choirs)
BIFF

Colin studied clarinet and recorder (Performer’s Diploma at age16) and earned an Oxford University music degree. Later hisinterests developed into conducting and composition. Heconducts and composes for orchestras, bands, choirs and alllevels of ensembles and has founded a… Read More >

Colin Touchin

Colin Touchin

Colin studied clarinet and recorder (Performer’s Diploma at age16) and earned an Oxford University music degree. Later hisinterests developed into conducting and composition. Heconducts and composes for orchestras, bands, choirs and alllevels of ensembles and has founded a number of groupsincluding Warwick Orchestral Winds and Spires PhilharmonicChorus, Orchestra and Youth Orchestra in Coventry. Composer-in-Residence and Conductor with various UK schools and youthensembles. He has inspired and conducted orchestras, bands andchoirs internationally, leads workshops in performance, conducting andcomposition, and is a festival adjudicator in the UK, Europe and Asia. Colin has woninternational awards with his instrumental and choral ensembles from theUniversity of Warwick.