Music Adjudicators 2027

Ian was educated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he directed the College Choir. He worked in London as Musical Director of All Saints Chamber Choir and as guest conductor of various choirs and a capella groups. He relocated to the North West, where he is much in demand as a conductor, composer and arranger, and he also sings in various chamber choirs. Currently he is Director of Music at King`s School, Macclesfield, Choral Director of Nantwich Singers and also Cambiata NW for boys' changing voices.

Ian has been a popular and inspiring adjudicator for our Festival events and we were delighted to have him adjudicate at our 2026 Festival of Choirs.

Richard has spent over twenty years working in music education and is part of the leadership team at Oldham Music Service. He conducts the Oldham Youth Orchestra and also works with the Greater Manchester Youth Strings Orchestra, coaching and supporting young musicians from across the region working

Richard has a real love for musical theatre and has conducted several award-winning productions over the years. He trained at the Royal Northern College of Music and later spent time studying at the University of Michigan, which helped widen his musical outlook even further.

Before moving into education, Richard played with a number of professional ensembles and was involved in plenty of recording sessions — experience he now brings straight into the rehearsal room to inspire the next generation..

Amanda Roocroft graduated from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in 1990 and quickly gained international acclaim as one of Britain’s most exciting singers. She has enjoyed a close relationship with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Glyndebourne Festival, the English National Opera, the Welsh National Opera, and the Bayerische Staatsoper, performing leading roles ranging from Handel to Wagner. Amanda has also sung at The Metropolitan Opera House in New York, Houston, Amsterdam, Berlin, Salzburg, Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris.

Amanda is a professor of vocal studies at the Royal College of Music and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She is passionate about teaching and believes in developing young singers into unique, well-rounded artists through solid technique and vivid imagination. She has conducted masterclasses at various esteemed institutions, including RNCM, RCM, GSMD, Pembroke College Cambridge, and the Royal Opera House for the Young Artist Programme. Amanda has also been a visiting tutor at the Sammling Foundation, Abbingdon summer school, Jackdaws, Leeds Lieder Festival, and the Mediterranean Opera Studio Festival.

Amanda has received several prestigious awards, including The Royal Philharmonic Society Music Award for an operatic debut and a Silver Medal from the Worshipful Company of Musicians. In 2007, she was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera for her portrayal of Jenufa at the English National Opera.

She is a fellow of the Royal Northern College of Music and University of Lancashire and was made an honorary doctor of Manchester University.

Annabelle Lawson is a distinguished pianist and educator. She is currently Professor of Piano at the Royal Northern College of Music, as well as a tutor at Sheffield University and Sheffield Music Academy. Annabelle was an ABRSM Examiner for fifteen years, as well as working for the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music for ten years. She has worked for outreach and education projects across the UK, including Chamber Music 2000, Wigmore Learning, Music in the Round, Spitalfields Festival, Bach to Baby and Concerteenies - and has collaborated on projects with Ballet Rambert and the National Portrait Gallery. As a chamber musician, Annabelle has performed with the Lawson Trio in venues including Wigmore Hall, Kings Place, Southbank Centre and Bridgewater Hall - as well as giving concerts in Australia and across mainland Europe. She has broadcast frequently for BBC Radio 3 and has recorded numerous CDs including, most recently, solo discs of music by northern composers such as Gordon Crosse (the complete works for solo piano), Walter Carroll and Dorothy Pilling. In addition to this, Annabelle has a graduate diploma in Integrative Psychotherapy and is currently completing a Masters in Psychoanalytic Observational Studies. She lives in the Peak District with her husband and two young sons and she enjoys running, yoga and cake-baking!