THE 65th COULSDON AND PURLEY FESTIVAL

Janet Gration BA(hons.) FTCL, GRNCM, ARCM, ALCM, PGCE

Janet attended the Manchester School of Music (where she later became a tutor) followed by four years as a Junior Exhibitioner at the Royal Northern College of Music where she subsequently studied full-time for four years. She also studied ballet, the theory and practice of constructing theatrical costumes and gained qualification as a teacher of speech and drama. Her operatic debut was at Sadler's Wells as 'Mimi' in 'La Boheme' after which she went on to become a member of the 'New Opera Company', performing contemporary opera at the Sadler's Wells Theatre. This was followed by a four year contract with the Royal Opera Covent Garden and performances in Denmark, Greece and the USA. She has worked as a soloist in opera, concert and oratorio, and has recorded for television, radio, video and CD. In addition to private teaching, accompanying, coaching, examining, adjudicating and freelance solo work she has given lectures for Adult Education about the ‘Musical Stage’ and is responsible for the formation and musical direction of the 'Tichbourne Chorale' which is based in Mid Sussex.

Woodwind, Brass, Ensembles and Orchestras

Christine Hankin

Christine is renowned as both a performer and teacher. She plays regularly with the artistically acclaimed London Chamber Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra of St John’s, works with the smaller opera and ballet companies that tour the UK, and is a member of the chamber group Equinox. She also loves playing shows in the London’s West End! She is Professor of Flute at the London College of Music and Brunel University and is Director of the Jonathan Snowden International Flute School and the Ealing Flute Academy. Her work as a Diploma examiner, syllabus presenter and teaching mentor for the ABRSM is highly respected and has taken her all over the country and abroad. Her CD ‘The Feminine Flute’ featuring music by female composers has recently been released.

Strings

Judy Burchell-Taylor Post Grad Dip. RCM, GRSM, ARCM.

As a violinist Judy taught at The Royal College of Music Junior Department for 30 years as a violin professor and orchestral coach. She continues to work as a violin and viola teacher and is the upper string secretary for Reigate and Redhill Music Festival. She performs in concerts and goes on orchestral tours. She has played in many venues from the Hungarian-Russian borders to the USA.

Harp

Rachel Masters ARCM

Rachel trained at the Junior Guildhall with Sidonie Goossens and at the RCM with Marisa Robles. Currently she is Principal Harp with the London Philharmonic, the City of London Sinfonia and the London Mozart Players. Besides working as an orchestral and chamber musician she has recorded concerti by Alwyn, Debussy, Ginastera, Glière and Ravel for Chandos Records. In addition she has recorded the major choral works for harp with the choristers of King's College, Cambridge. She has adjudicated for the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.

Pianoforte

Niel Immelman FRCM

Niel studied with Cyril Smith, Ilona Kabos and Maria Curcio. He was still a student at the Royal College of Music when Bernard Haitink invited him to play Rachmaninov’s Paganini Rhapsody with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. This successful debut was followed by further appearances with the London Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic and other major orchestras at the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and it marked the beginning of a concert career that has taken him to every continent. His commercial recordings have received outstanding critical acclaim and have featured in Classic CD magazine’s ‘Pick of the Year’ and Classic FM’s ‘Review of the Year’. Niel Immelman’s teaching career is equally distinguished: he is Professor of Piano at the Royal College of Music and he has given masterclasses at the Chopin Academy in Warsaw, the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, the Moscow Conservatoire, the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Toronto Royal Conservatory and the Universities of Berlin and Vienna. He regularly serves on juries of international competitions.

Organ

Mark Stringer

Mark is formerly Director of Music at St. Martin in the Fields, and currently Director of Music and Performing Arts at Trinity College of Music, where he oversees the examination department

Speech and Drama

Mary Shackel LRAM, LNCSD, LUD

Mary trained at the New College of Speech and Drama and went on to work in theatre, radio and television. She has taught in a variety of schools, including Croydon High School for Girls where she started the Drama department in 1985. Mary runs her own drama studio and visits Primary schools to lead poetry and drama workshops. She also runs drama INSET sessions to boost the skills and confidence of teachers. She is an experienced adjudicator and an examiner for Trinity/Guildhall examinations. She directs for local theatre companies and has taken productions to the Minack Theatre in Cornwall and the Edinburgh Festival. Mary is Chair of Governors at a Primary school. She is delighted to have been invited to adjudicate at Coulsdon and Purley Festival as it is where she began her own career, at the age of seven, annually competing in a variety of Speech and Drama classes.