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Judges
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Stuart Barr
Stuart has a dual career as a Singing Coach and Musical Director working in the West End and TV and is also President of the British Voice Association. As a singing coach he has worked extensively for the BBC and adjudicates the BBC's Musical Theatre Bursaries. As a singing teacher he runs a busy private studio and is a vocal coach at the Royal Academy of Music. He has musically-directed, assisted, supervised and/or orchestrated over 20 shows in the West End and internationally and was recently Musical Director for Dame Shirley Bassey's autumn TV performances. Stuart is governor of an inner-London primary school and writes extensively on vocal health and voice issues for Sing Up. |
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Ken Burton
Ken Burton is a conductor, composer, arranger, educator, singer and pianist. He has been associated with Choir of The Year for over two decades as a participant, adjudicator and workshop leader; it was in 1994 that he led two choirs to the final, one of them winning the competition. He is well known for his work on UK television, with regular appearances on Songs Of Praise, and has worked on all series of The X Factor. Currently Ken directs the broadcast choir AVE, Croydon SDA Gospel Choir and London Adventist Chorale, and is a founder singer of another broadcast ensemble Tessera. He has guest conducted and composed works for the CBSO, London Mozart Players and BBC Orchestra and has conducted at venues across the world including Toronto Sky Dome and Sydney Opera House. |
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Gillian Dibden
Gillian Dibden MBE studied piano and cello at the Royal College of Music and then spent many years teaching in primary and secondary schools. She is now a freelance Choral Specialist, particularly well known for her work with young choirs. In 2002 she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship and won Choral Director of the Year in the Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition. Gillian founded 'Taplow Choirs' five years ago and already they have had success at national and international level. Gillian mentors for the National Festival of Music for Youth and leads courses for the Junior Choirs of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain. As Academic Executive for the Montgomery Holloway Music Trust, Gillian runs a summer school with well known Jazz musician Laurie Holloway. |
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Stephen Connolly
For nearly a quarter of a century, Stephen Connolly has been the Bass and co-director of the internationally acclaimed vocal ensemble, The King's Singers and has the distinction of being one of the longest serving members in the vocal group's history having joined in 1987 at the age of 21. As well as having performed in excess of 120 concerts each year, he has made frequent appearances on both TV and Radio around the world and recorded extensively, collecting many awards along the way, including three Grammy nominations and a Grammy. In 2009, Stephen founded and is Musical Director of the International A Cappella School. Stephen lives in Devon with his wife Rachel, relishing the beauty and tranquillity of the South West amidst his frenetic travels abroad. |
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Robert Hollingworth
Robert Hollingworth founded the solo-voice group I Fagiolini in 1986. The group has released fifteen CDs and two DVDs and conceived many innovative productions such as Tallis in Wonderland and The Full Monteverdi, which aim to probe more deeply into the world of vocal ensemble music. In 2006 they were awarded the prestigious Ensemble Prize by the Royal Philharmonic Society, the only time the award has gone to a vocal ensemble. Robert also writes and presents programmes for Radio 3, notably guest-presenting The Early Music Show and Discovering Music, has worked on a number of films, including Quills, and regularly directs choral courses around the UK and abroad. Monteverdi and Monty Python are equal influences on his life. |
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Susan Hollingworth
A Graduate of the Royal Northern College of Music where she studied voice, Sue divides her time between being a Choral Director and Music Educator. In 1990 she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship for her work with choirs. She is Musical Director of the Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir, an open access choir which won BBC Choir of the Year 2008. Last December, Sue lead the Sing Hallelujah Project for BBC Radio 3 and the ENO. She also lead a 'Sing a long' Family Promenade Concert. Sue also conducts the Sine Nomine International Touring Choir and
the Grimsby Philharmonic Choir. Sue's Music Education work includes being an Advocate for Sing Up , working for the Voices Foundation, Making Music, 20,000 Voices, Sing for Pleasure and Canford Summer School. |
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Eugene Skeef
Eugene Skeef is a percussionist, composer, poet and educationalist. As well as being at the forefront of the contemporary music scene, he has also been instrumental in developing the education programmes of some of the major classical orchestras in the United Kingdom. Eugene is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and sits on the board of directors of the London Philharmonic Orchestra. In September 2004 he was appointed musician in residence of the Purcell School of Music and in March 2005 he performed to the Queen as part of the historic Music Day to celebrate the diversity of culture in Britain. |
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Rick Wentworth
Rick Wentworth's diverse musical career includes BAFTA award nominations and a plethora of work in many musical fields and styles. Rick's debut in film music was writing the score for the infamous cult film Withnail and I. He has also had successful collaborations with Paul McCartney and most notably co-producing, orchestrating and conducting Roger Waters' Opera Ça Ira. Rick has established himself as one Britain's foremost television composers (incldand he has also conducted the film scores for many US films, including Pirates of the Caribbean and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and most recently all the choral conducting for the eagerly awaited Alice in Wonderland. |
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The competition
explained
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