NAILSEA FESTIVAL OF MUSIC - ADJUDICATORS 22 NOVEMBER 2025

 

Piano

Elizabeth Brazier GRSM,LRAM,ARCM,PGCE,DipEd
Elizabeth was born in London and is a Graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied piano with Guy Jonson and ‘cello with Derek Simpson.
Her first teaching post brought her to Cornwall and she has lived in Truro ever since. It is as a ‘cellist and ‘cello teacher that Elizabeth has become principally known, although she is also a pianist, and was one of the founder members of the leading local opera company, and sang principal roles in its early productions.

She has taught in many schools and has a thriving practice at home, teaching both ‘cello and piano. She plays in orchestras, ensembles and chamber groups around the Southwest.
Her work as an Associated Board Examiner has taken her all over the world, an aspect of her profession that she particularly enjoys. In nearly thirty years’ examining she has gained experience in Britain, America, Bermuda, Scandinavia, Iceland, South Africa, Mauritus, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong and she is an adjudicator member of The British and International Federation of Festivals.
Of her three sons, two, Ben and Daniel, have followed her into music. This has been a satisfying bonus to a lifelong love and enthusiasm for performing and teaching.

Elizabeth is happy to adjudicate online festivals.

Recorder and Strings

Caroline Diffley ARCM
Caroline studied at the Royal College of Music and spent a term at the Academia Chigiana in Siena. Her first teaching post was at the Kent Music School.
She moved first to Oxford, where she taught at the Dragon School, and later to Devon where she was a tutor at Dartington College of Arts and also taught at Wells Cathedral School for eleven years. 

She has been an ABRSM examiner for many years, examining all over the world. She is also a diploma examiner and has been a Music Medals moderator.

As well as her work as an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals, Caroline runs a busy private teaching practice in Exeter.

Singing

Ben Costello MA, BMus, PgDip
Ben is a freelance musical director, adjudicator, singing coach and accompanist, working internationally, and is also Artistic Director of Thames Concerts. He is a generalist music adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals, having joined in 2009, and was elected Music Chairman of the Adjudicators' Council in 2024. He is also a music examiner for LCME and a consultant on their musical theatre syllabi.

 

A specialist in musical theatre and vocal performance, Ben has been musical director for numerous productions across the UK, and a reflective product of this has been his continuing work as a musical director and singing teacher at the cutting edge of performing arts training in London, with his portfolio over the years including Arts Ed, Mountview Academy, Trinity Laban, Laine Theatre Arts, Italia Conti, Guildford School of Acting, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, the Royal Academy of Music, Drama Studio London, and the London School of Musical Theatre. At these colleges his work has included teaching singing technique, portfolio, acting through song, audition technique, and auditioning thousands of prospective students. Countless of his former singing students enjoy successful careers in the West End and beyond. He also teaches singing at Kingston Grammar School and Tiffin Girls' School.

 

Born and based in London, Ben trained initially as a flautist before majoring in piano, singing and conducting. He read Music at Kingston University and the London College of Music, subsequently joining the teaching staff as the College's first resident MD.

 

Ben remains much sought-after as an accompanist, and collaborates in a variety of genres with countless singers and instrumentalists in many performing environments, working with several distinguished singers including Michael Chance CBE, James Bowman CBE, Robin Blaze, Hugh Cutting, Alison Pearce, Joanne Lunn, Peter Savidge, Richard Suart, Lotte Betts-Dean and Mark Dobell. He is one of the regular pianists for Cantabile (The London Quartet), and has given concerts with them in Germany, Belgium and the UK.

Ben is a Liveryman and on the Court of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. He chaired the Company’s prestigious annual musical direction scholarship for eight years, and is presently Chairman of the Company's Jazz Committee.

 

For the Federation, he is also an adjudicator mentor, and is a member of the interviewing panel for potential new music adjudicators.

 

Outside music, Ben is a keen motorcyclist and wine bore.

 

Speech & Drama

Marcia Carr MPhil(Lon), BA(Hons), ALAM, LLCM, ALCM, FRSA

Marcia trained at Royal Holloway University of London. She trained in music, dance and drama, and currently facilitates workshops and directs shows for universities, drama schools and theatre departments internationally. She is a qualified Feldenkrais Practitioner, a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

 

She’s toured internationally, winning Best Performer, Manchester Evening News and Buxton Festival and a Time Out Critics Choice.

 

Marcia co-created two companies Arts Outburst (an NPO) and Creative Blast Company, delivering educational packages, training young people, developing choirs, Community Companies and producing shows touring nationally and internationally in both theatrical and non-theatrical environments.

 

She’s an Associate Artist with the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, directing shows, developing workshops, Rep Vocal Coach, is on audition panels and leads training, an Adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals and Deputy Chief Examiner for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

 

Kim Gilbert BA(Hons), LGSM (Hons), LLAM (Hons), LALAM (Hons), Dip ELS, Cert

Kim originally trained as a professional actress at GSA and also later studied for an LGSM at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. She has a First-Class Honours degree in English Literature and Language Studies.

 

After acting professionally for many years in a range of TV, voiceover and theatre work, Kim has dedicated the past 35 years to teaching and directing plays and musical productions. Kim also examined for Lamda for a number of years and currently runs her own private drama studio which specialises in developing excellence in all forms of performance and communication skills. Kim has recently compiled and written a range of acting books suited for festival and audition work.

 

Kim is a strong supporter of the festival movement. She encourages students to participate at Speech & Drama Festivals as she believes performing at local Festivals provides a vital learning experience for young people whilst also giving them a supportive platform from which to perform.