Adjudicators

2027 PIANO & INSTRUMENTAL Adjudicator

JAMES KIRBY

James is a popular adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals. He has been delighted to work at many Festivals throughout the UK, as well as the Hong Kong Festival on several occasions. When time allows, James is always pleased to incorporate "mini-masterclasses" into his feedback.

As a solo pianist, James gives recitals throughout the UK including Wigmore Hall, Edinburgh and Aldeburgh festivals and in Europe and Asia. He studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Moscow Conservatoire and was a Semifinalist in the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1990. He has given concerto performances with the English and Scottish Chamber Orchestras and Moscow and Penang Symphony Orchestra in venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Symphony Hall, Birmingham and the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire.

He was a member of the Barbican Piano Trio for Over thirty years and performed regularly with them at Festivals and important concert series in the UK and throughout Europe and the USA. Highlights included Carnegie Recital Hall and the Complete Beethoven Piano Trios in the Wigmore Hall Master Concert Series. The Trio has a repertoire consisting of over seventy works and an impressive discography.

James is a dedicated teacher and enjoys positions at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Royal Holloway, University of London and Eton College. He is an Honorary Professor of  Rachmaninov Institute in Tambov, Russia, and serves on the juries of many International competitions, most recently in Latvia, China (including Hong Kong) and Korea. He gives many masterclasses in the UK and overseas.

He has been an ABRSM examiner since 1998 and has worked in Singapore, China, and Indonesia and many European countries.

2027 Singing Adjudicator

BRYAN HUSBAND

Bryan studied singing and piano accompaniment at the Royal College of Music, London, and singing and acting at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. Having performed for some years in continental and UK opera houses, concert halls, and Musicals, he now divides his time between homes in St Albans and Malvern Wells (Worcestershire, near Wales).

After spending some years as Head of Singing at Guildford School of Acting, Bryan lectured on the MT BA at Trinity Laban, London for 18 years, was an examiner in Classical, MT and Rock & Pop for 14 years, and now runs a private teaching practice, gives workshops and masterclasses, performs, adjudicates, and has also worked as a ski instructor! Performances include tv and radio broadcasts, opera, oratorio and recital.

In 2005, Bryan was selected as a BIFF (British and International Federation of Festivals) Adjudicator in vocal and choral music, later as a Generalist.

Adjudication has taken him all over the world, including Hong Kong, Gibraltar, and Trinidad & Tobago, and all around the UK and Ireland. In 2026 Bryan adjudicated all around the UK, from Cornwall to Yorkshire.

Examining has taken him to Hong Kong several times, India many times, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, New Zealand – to name but a few countries – and around the UK. Recent performances include recitals, operas concerts and oratorio in Bergen, London, Worcester and Malvern.

His hobbies include all theatre, gardening, skiing and walking. Bryan is delighted to be at the Festival in Worthing again.

2027 SPEECH & DRAMA Adjudicator

TIMOTHY MCCARTHY

We are delighted to welcome Timothy McCarthy as our Speech & Drama Adjudicator for this year's Worthing Music & Arts Festival.

Tim studied Speech & Drama at the Cork School of Music before completing an MA in Drama and Theatre Studies at the National University of Ireland. He runs his own Speech & Drama Studio in Cork, teaches students of all ages and is an examiner in Speech, Drama and Communication.

Alongside his teaching, Tim is Director of Cork Feis Maitiú, one of Ireland's leading music and drama festivals, and has extensive international experience delivering workshops, teacher training and adjudicating festivals across the UK and overseas. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the festival movement, he was awarded a Fellowship of the British and International Federation of Festivals in 2011.

Tim is passionate about encouraging performers to develop confidence, creativity and excellence, and we are delighted to welcome him to Worthing.

2027 DANCE Adjudicator

JUDITH VARDY

We are delighted to welcome Judith Vardy as our Dance Adjudicator for this year's Worthing Music & Arts Festival.

Judith trained in the North East of England before joining the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain and embarking on a ten-year performing career across theatre, television, film, circus, cabaret and cruise productions. She is Director of JVS Performing Arts in Warwickshire and is an Examiner with the Royal Academy of Dance, as well as a tutor and mentor for both the RAD and the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing.

During twelve years teaching and lecturing in the United States, Judith worked with Orlando Ballet Company and School, taught at Dr Phillips Theatre Magnet and presented at the Dance Teachers Web Conference in Las Vegas. She is also an Associate Dance Artist for the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera's Chance to Dance outreach programme.

A highly respected adjudicator with the British and International Federation of Festivals, All England Dance and TDCI, Judith is passionate about inspiring performers of all ages to achieve their full potential through positive, constructive feedback.