Adjudicators
- Melanie Armitstead. BA(Hons)
  - Melanie Armitstead has enjoyed an international career as a soloist in both Opera and Concert. At the outset of her solo career she sang under the baton of Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Sir Charles Groves and Andrew Parrott, later taking the opportunity to understudy at The Garnier Opera House in Paris and returning to sing Mitridate and then Le Chevalier Imaginaire at The Chatelet. In the UK she sang roles for ENO, Opera North, Scottish Opera and Opera Northern Ireland and initially for Kent Opera and Scottish Opera Go Round. Her roles include Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, Micaela and Frasquita in Carmen, 1st Lady in The Magic Flute, Venus in The Return of Ulyses, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Maria in West Side Story, YumYum in The Mikado, as well as understudies of Hero in Beatrice and Benedict, Cleopatra in Jiulio Cesare and Atalanta in Xerxes. She has sung in Oratorios and Concerts with many of the leading UK orchestras and continues to enjoy recitals and concerts at Festivals and Music Societies.
    
    Melanie sang in a number of established ensembles including The Menagerie with Nicholas Daniel and Julius Drake and Classic Cocktail with Colette Louis and David Daley and Stephen Skewes where the programmes included an element of entertainment alongside some of the greats in the classical repertoire.
    
    Teaching and adjudicating at Competitive Festivals and Competitions has become a major element in Melanie's career. She has been Senior Singing Teacher at Sherborne Girls for 15 years and has taken on a number of private students. She adjudicates at Competitive Festivals around the UK and in Hong Kong, and as a panelist in larger Competitions such as the Cecil Drew Oratorio Competition at the Birmingham Conservatoire.
    
    For several years Melanie ran a Junior Choir and began a thriving Madrigal Group In Cheltenham. She now lives in Somerset and is involved in building small choral groups and Summer Music opportunities and giving Master Classes.
- Barbara Lowe. ARAM,LRAM(Hons) ARCM(Hons),
  FTCL, FLCM, DipRAM
  - Barbara Lowe was born in Derby. A scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music enabled her to continue studying with Flora Nielsen, a leading exponent in the art of Lieder, French Song and Opera, winning all the major prizes in these fields. She was awarded the coveted Worshipful Company of Musician’s medal for her outstanding work and performance as the leading student in her year chosen from all the major London Music Colleges. Barbara also studied French Song with M. Pierre Bernac: Lieder with Gerald Moore and worked in Opera with Tito Gobbi.
    
    Her extensive career as a soloist includes Choral Works and Recitals both nationally and abroad: Recitals in the Purcell Room and Wigmore Hall, London, and broadcasts on radio and television. She was a member of the teaching staff at the Royal Academy of Music during her 21 years as a full and part-time member of the Royal Opera Company, Convent Garden with whom she toured to Milan, Athens, South Korea and Japan.
    
    Barbara is now based in Derby, and whilst continuing her own solo career and giving Master Classes in the art of singing and performance, she is in demand as a teacher of singing, drawing pupils from a wide area across the Midlands, South Yorkshire, Manchester and Merseyside, and works with students from various Universities. She travels throughout the country and abroad adjudicating Music Festivals and Singing Competitions and is Vocal Coach and Adviser to the two Derby Cathedral Choirs, the Choristers and Songmen having individual lessons.
    
    She conducts The Barbara Lowe Singers, and Junior Singers, choirs made up of past and present students and Choristers, raising thousands of pounds for various Charitable Organisations, and sponsoring a Hearing Dog working with a profoundly deaf and disabled young man in Yorkshire.
Rules
- 1. Age of performers in the Vocal Sections is as at 15th March 2014. Adults are those who are 19 before 15th March 2014. Performers must strictly observe the conditions regarding age.
  
  2. Where a performer has requested the services of the official accompanist, a copy of own choice music must be sent to: Margaret Thomas, 20 Kersteman Road, Bristol, BS6 7BX. Copies must arrive no later than 1st March 2014. See also General Rules 11 - 14. If there are any difficulties please contact the vocal secretary.
  
  3. Titles of own choice songs must be submitted with entries but changes can be made up to and including 1st March 2014. Performers will not be allowed to sing any other song than that notified.
  
  4. A second copy of own choice music must be available for the adjudicator on the day of the festival. Compliance is the performer's own responsibility and neither the Secretary nor the Committee are able to help in this matter.
  5. When the directive "any standard edition" is given, this must be treated in the same way as own choice music. A copy must be supplied for the adjudicator. A copy must also be supplied for the official accompanist if the official accompanist is used by the performer.
  
  6. Unless otherwise stated in individual classes performers in all classes must sing from memory.
  
  7. Time limits as stated must be strictly adhered to. With regards to Da Capo arias, the whole aria, including the repeat, must fall within the time limit. See Rule 6 of the General Rules.
  
  8. No substitutions can be made, nor change of pairings in ensemble classes, after the closing date for entries.
  
  9. Where classes specify a test piece, the performer must use the edition or copy supplied. Performers may however sing the set piece in any key.
  
  10. Unless otherwise stated in individual classes, a performer may not sing any song more than once in the Festival.
  
  11. A performer may only make one entry in each solo class.
  
  12. A performer may enter more than once in the duet, ensemble or recital classes with a different partner.
  
  13. Fees for vocal classes include the services of the Official Accompanist. A performer may use their own accompanist but there can be no refund of any fees.
  
  14. A performer can choose to enter classes on a non-competitive basis. The fee remains the same and the Official Accompanist will still be available. Please state at the beginning of the performance if you wish to perform non-competitively. You will only receive adjudication for a non-competitive entry.
  
  15. Entry into the Championship classes is only open to the winners of the respective qualifying classes who achieve a minimum mark of 85.
Descriptors for Marking
- 75-77 FAIR
  A performance limited in its communication.New Item
  
  78-80 MODERATE
  A performance showing development of technique and/or communication.
  
  81-83 MERIT
  A capable performance showing some artistic appreciation and/or technical ability.
  
  84-86 COMMENDED
  A convincing performance technically and artistically.
  
  87-89 DISTINCTION
  An excellent performance technically and artistically.
  
  90+ OUTSTANDING
  An exceptional performance, both technically and artistically

Junior Voice Section

Date:	Sat 22nd March 2014
Venue:	St Peter's Church, The Drive, Henleaze Bristol. BS9 4LD
Secretary	Miss Margaret Thomas. 20 Kersteman Road, Redland. Bristol. BS6 7BX E: margart.t.diva1@btinternet.com T: 0117 9243777

New for 2014

In the Junior classes the Own Choice classes are now non-competitive only and as a result the age groups have been merged into two groups.
The Folk Song set of classes have reverted to being competitive.

We have introduced a new section of classes devoted solely to Disney songs (see classes 50V – 54V for further details). Please note that Disney songs are now not allowed in classes 45V – 49V.

Entry into the Championship classes has reverted back to the winners of the respective qualifying classes who must achieve a minimum mark of 85 in winning the class.

Important Information

Qualifying Age 18 years & under
Please read the rules of the Festival and Vocal Section carefully.
This year the age of entrants is at 15 March 2014.
You may enter any class as a non-competitive entrant. See Rule 14 of the Vocal Rules.
Unless otherwise stated, classes are open to Boys & Girls, performances must not exceed 4 minutes and song(s) are the competitor's own choice.
♪ - Denotes a Junior Championship (8-13 years) qualifying class.
♫ - Denotes a Junior Championship (14-18 years) qualifying class.
♪♫ - Denotes a Popular Music Championship (14-18 years) qualifying class.