We are delighted to introduce the adjudicators for our 2024 festival, which will take place on 5 and 19 - 24 February 2024.
Ben Costello, BMus, PGDip, MA, FRSA, FISM
Choirs, Orchestras & Bands; Composition
Ben is a freelance musical director, singing coach and adjudicator, working internationally. He is also Artistic Director of Thames Concerts, Chorus Master for the Leith Hill Music Festival, Founding Director of Kingston Chamber Singers, a lecturer in musical theatre at the University of Portsmouth and a singing teacher at Tiffin Girls' School. A generalist music adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals, he judges at festivals throughout the UK and overseas. Ben is also a busy accompanist, working with a variety of singers and instrumentalists in a range of performing environments.
Born and based in London, Ben trained initially as a flautist, before majoring in piano, singing and conducting. His early career included répétiteur work for London opera companies and ensembles including the London Symphony Orchestra. He is a Liveryman and Court Member of the Worshipful Company of Musicians, Chairman of the Company's Jazz Committee, and Chairman of the Company's prestigious musical direction scholarship. Outside music he is a keen motorcyclist.
Ben is pleased to be returning to adjudicate at Stratford (this will be his fourth visit to the festival!) and wishes all the performers every success with their music-making.
Rosanna Whitfield, DipRCM, ARCM, PGCE
Concerto; Instrumental Classes including Recorders; Millennium & Confinemento Classes
Rosie's experience as a performer, teacher, examiner and presenter, teamed with an innate love of music, underpins her unstoppable drive as a dedicated campaigner for music in education. Her natural ability to captivate audiences and inspire young musicians to achieve their dreams stems from an unquestionable belief that music can change lives.
Rosie studied oboe at the Royal College of Music achieving an Exhibition Award in her first year. She went on to study at Durham University and gained a PGCE in 1996. As an experienced adjudicator member of BIFF, Rosie is regularly called upon to adjudicate in the UK and abroad, and has forged long-standing links with specialist music schools in Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Venezuela, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
As Director of Music at Whitgift School, Rosie devised numerous educational projects and regularly presented interactive concerts and masterclasses to primary school pupils. Instrumental in developing the Whitgift International Music Competition in 2013, she continues to support and mentor young musicians hoping for a career in the profession. As an International Consultant, Rosie has worked to assist families in finding schools and applying for Music Scholarships and funding.
Rosie was appointed Head of Junior Guildhall in January 2020.
Bryan Husband, GRSM, ADWCMD, FISM
Solo & Ensemble Singing
Bryan trained at the Royal College of Music, London, and the Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff. After some time spent performing abroad he moved to Guildford, where he held the posts of Head of Singing at Guildford School of Acting, and Lay-Clerk at Guildford Cathedral. He now works as a freelance performer, tutor at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, examiner and adjudicator.
Bryan has performed in oratorios, operas, musicals and various concerts around the UK and the world, and has made many appearances on radio and TV along with various recordings. In all aspects of his work, he is most interested in the connection between text and voice, believing that a vocal technique is quite simply a means of expressing the text and sharing it with an audience.
Adjudication has taken Bryan to Hong Kong, Trinidad and Tobago, Gibraltar, Guernsey, most recently Jersey, and all around the UK and Ireland. He encourages his own students to enter festivals at all levels of their development, and in all styles and genres, believing strongly that the purpose of the festival movement is vital for performers - the platform of a safe, supportive and constructive environment in which to practise and to develop one's artistic and performing persona.
Anthony Williams, MMUS, GRSM(Hons), LRAM, ARAM
Piano
Concert pianist, writer, lecturer, examiner and adjudicator, Anthony Williams studied at the Royal Academy of Music, London and then at Reading University.
Following international competition success, he embarked on a career as a concert pianist and alongside this quickly established an international reputation as a piano teacher and a passionate educator of pianistic musicianship at all ages and levels, giving piano masterclasses, public lecture-recitals and seminars on performance and the art of teaching. Anthony has given talks on piano performance for Radio 3 and is author and editor of various publications including The Best of Grade and Fingerprints (Faber), Teaching Notes (ABRSM) and the highly acclaimed Piano Teacher's Survival Guide (Faber).
He is Chairman of EPTA Europe, editor of Piano Journal Magazine, an ABRSM examiner (jazz and classical), and a member of the ABRSM examiner training and review team. He combines his freelance career with a full-time position at Radley College, Oxfordshire as Head of Keyboard and Instrumental Music.
Katrina Mulvihull, RBTC (QTS Hons), LRAM, AGSM, ALAM, IPA
Speech & Drama
Katrina studied at The Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama and was part of a unique three-year Actor/ Teacher Course. Having graduated with Honours, she won a Scholarship to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and went on to study opera, musical theatre, acting and piano for a further two years. Katrina, as professional Soloist and Principal has appeared at many prestigious venues over the years performing in plays, operas, recitals and concerts.
Katrina is an experienced Director, as well as performer, and has enjoyed producing plays, concerts and shows with adults through to young children in a variety of styles ranging from pantomime and light operettas through to Shakespeare and grand opera. A longstanding member of LAMDA's Examining Board, Katrina has also regularly lectured and given masterclasses for LAMDA and other agencies in mime, improvisation, acting, voice production and musical theatre.
Katrina served as Headteacher for over 30 years across the state, private and independent sectors. She recently took early retirement to focus on and develop her private Communications, Speech and Drama School. She has also increased her workload and commitment as both LAMDA examiner and BIFF adjudicator.
Katrina is absolutely delighted to be working once again with the Stratford and East London Festival team.
Adrian Goss, B.Mus(Dunelm), ARAM, GRSM(Lond), LRAM, LGSM, ARCO(CHM), FTCL, FISM, FRSA
Young Musician of the Year
Adrian studied at the RAM & the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After an initial career as accompanist and clarinetist, he quickly established himself as a Tenor. His work as a singer has included concerts, recitals, recordings, and broadcasts, and in 1999 he was awarded the ARAM, an honour granted to past students of the Academy who have achieved distinction in their profession. A former Lay-clerk at Ely Cathedral, deputy at St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and HM Chapel Royal, a member of the City Glee Club, Director of a chamber choir and work as a Director of Music at a major church has led on to a parallel career in education.
Director of Music at two senior schools and also at the Kent Music Academy for the gifted, Head of Kent's County Groups and Staff Conductor, examiner for grades and diplomas, and a vocal teacher from beginners to diploma level, Adrian currently teaches at Brighton College and also privately. In addition to his successful solo singing career, Adrian directs workshops and master classes for singers and speakers at summer schools and continues to work as an accompanist.
Adrian has 35 years of experience as an adjudicator for international, national and local festivals, including the National Festival of Music for Youth. He was elected a member of the BIFF Adjudicators' Council in 2010 and has been Chair since 2014.