Wadebridge Festival of Music and Speech
Rebecca Thompson
BA (Hons) LLAM (Hons)
On graduating from Bristol University with a degree in Drama and English, Rebecca worked for BBC Radio Four’s Drama Department. After further journalism and corporate work, Rebecca studied for her Licentiate Teacher’s Diploma and has been teaching Speech and Drama privately and in schools for over 25 years. She has taught in private and state schools, colleges and businesses and is a facilitator for South Gloucestershire NQT Voice Training. In addition, she has been involved in communication training in schools across the country. Rebecca has been actively involved in theatre in the South West and is an Adjudicator for the Rose Bowl Awards for Amateur Drama and Music. Rebecca has also adjudicated at the Hong Kong International festival.
Rebecca loves being involved with young people in a performance context and feels strongly that the Festival movement is a way for children and young people to develop both performance and communication skills in an encouraging and constructive context. Rebecca is delighted to be returning to adjudicate at Wadebridge Festival of Music and Speech.
Jeffery Williams
BA (Hons), FRSA, LTCL, FTCL, PGCE
Jeffrey is a proud Cornishman and grew up just outside Camborne. His first organ lessons were at Camborne Centenary Church and St Mary’s Church, Penzance. After leaving Redruth Grammar School he read music at Bath, studying organ and choir training with Dudley Holroyd at Bath Abbey and choral conducting with John (W J) Richards
Following a post-graduate course in Music Education with Bristol University he taught at schools both in the state and independent sectors, and after 27 years in music education Jeffrey left full-time teaching in order to pursue a free-lance career, having already joined the panel of Music Examiners for Trinity College, London in 1999. He has examined in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and India, as well as extensively in the UK.
Jeffrey enjoyed a long association with the music at Romsey Abbey, which included 14 years as Organist and Master of the Choristers. He established the choir as one of the largest and most successful all male church choirs in the South of England and, under his direction, the choir sang at most of the major Cathedrals in the country, including three visits to Westminster Abbey and two concert tours to Holland, as well as performing on local television and national BBC Radio Three. Jeffrey worked with the Royal School of Church Music as an Examiner for the School’s Chorister Awards scheme and in directing choral workshops. In December 2003 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for his contribution to music. As an organ recitalist and he has played at many of the English Cathedrals and Major Parish Churches, as well as performances in France, Holland the USA and Hong Kong. His CD recording of the restored Walker Organ at Romsey has had extracts featured on the BBC Radio 2 programme The Organist Entertains.
Jeffrey is in increasing demand as an adjudicator and is a member of the ISM’s International Guild of Adjudicators, Festivals and Workshop Presenters. Recent engagements include the Cornwall Music Festival, Truro School Senior & Junior Music Competitions, Southampton Music Festival, Bangkok Youth Piano Competition, Hong Kong Schools Music Festival, Steinway All Asia Youth Semi-Finals, and the Bangor International Choral Festival. Jeffrey is married to Diane, a pianist, and in 2021 realized a long-held ambition to return to his native county and settled on the outskirts of Camborne. Currently, he is the Principal Organist at St Ives Parish Church and Musical Director of the recently-formed Resurgam Choir.