Our Adjudicators
ADRIAN GOSS
bMus(Hon)(Dunelm),ARAM,GRSM,FTCL,LRAM,LGSM,ARCO(CHM)
Tenor soloist, vocal coach and teacher, pianist, organist and choral director, Adrian studied piano and clarinet at the Royal Academy of Music & singing with Arthur Reckless at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and subsequently with Ian Partridge, Ron Morris and Paul Farrington. He is also a graduate of the University of Durham.
After an initial career as accompanist and clarinettist, he quickly established himself as a Tenor, enjoying a solo career in concert and recital over 35 years. His work as a singer has included recordings and broadcasts and in 1999 Adrian was awarded the ARAM, an honour granted to past students of the Academy who have achieved distinction in the profession. A former Lay-clerk at Ely Cathedral, deputy Vicar Choral at St Paul’s Cathedral, deputy Lay Vicar Westminster Abbey and deputy Gentleman of HM Chapel Royal, and a professional member of the City Glee Club, Adrian is Director of the Chamber Choir Quorum, and works also as a Director of Music and Organist at a major church, alongside a parallel career in education.
Formerly a Director of Music at two independent senior schools for over 13 years, Adrian was Director of the Kent Music Academy for the gifted and talented young musician, and Head of Kent’s County Groups where he was the Staff Conductor for orchestras and bands at county level and summer schools for 9 years. Adrian was also an examiner for grades and diplomas for 15 years for the Guildhall. As a vocal teacher from beginners to diploma level for over 20 years, teaching in both independent and state schools, at Brighton College, Cranleigh School and The Judd School, Tonbridge and also privately, his pedagogy reflects current accepted up-to-date practice and personal ongoing engagement in contemporary research. Many of his pupils have gone on to study at conservatoires, taken up choral scholarships at university, and currently sing in the National Youth Choirs. He is increasingly in demand as a vocal troubleshooter. In addition to his successful solo singing and teaching career, Adrian directs workshops and master classes for singers and speakers at summer schools. He is a member of the Association of Teachers of Singing (AOTOS), and a Fellow of the Independent Society of Musicians (ISM). In the year 2000 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and in 2020 was elected a Member of the Royal Society of Musicians.
An Adjudicator appearing at International, National and Local festivals, including the National Festival of Music for Youth, Adrian is both a Generalist Adjudicator, appointed in 2011, and a Specialist in vocal and choral, woodwind, piano, and organ with 37 years experience. An Adjudicator Member of the British and International Federation of Festivals since 1983, Adrian has been an elected member of the Adjudicators Council since 2010, was elected Vice Chair in 2012 and was asked by the Council to be their Chair holding this position for ten years until 2024. Among many initiatives, Adrian instigated and led on the development of the New Marking Scheme from inception to its rolling out across the Federation in 2024, and directed the revision of the Potential New Adjudicator (PNA) assessment process as it moved online. He sits on the PNA Assessment Panel and is also a Federation adjudicator Mentor.
In 2024 Adrian’s work and commitment were recognised by the prestigious award following election as an adjudicator Fellow of the British & International Federation of Festivals for an outstanding contribution over many years to the Federation and the festival movement.
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. 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. He was a member of the Adjudicators’ Council for 11 years, culminating in being elected Music Chairman, before stepping down in 2025.
Outside music, Ben is a keen motorcyclist and wine bore.
GRAEME HUMPHREY
ARAM
Graeme has been a teacher of piano all his professional life, both at the Royal Academy of Music for thirty-six years from 1974 – 2010, and privately. He has also been very actively involved in festival adjudicating and examining – work which has taken him all over the world.
He was awarded an Associated Board Scholarship on the piano from New Zealand to study at the Royal Academy of Music. He regularly teaches in Hong Kong, and was external examiner at National Academy of Fine Arts in Singapore from 2009 – 2011.
In 1988 he founded the Blackheath Music Festival in London. From 1993 – 2010 he tutored at the Shrewsbury International Summer School and was Music Director of the Summer School from 2004 – 2010.
In 1997 he was elected Warden of the Private Teachers’ Section of the Incorporated Society of Musicians, and in 2002 was elected President of the Royal Academy of Music Club.
Graeme has recently been involved in the selecting and editing of a major new piano duet project that is republishing long out-of-print beginner and intermediate level duet material, primarily for the pupil/teacher.
Graeme is both a Fellow and an adjudicator member of The British and International Federation of Festivals.
ANN BAUER
EdD,MEd,BA(Hons),LRAM,LGSM,PGCE,DipSpLD
Ann has spent her working life in education teaching in secondary and primary schools, theatres, university and therapy teams, as well as examining drama and theatre studies. Ann ran her own drama school for many years. Ann is also an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals.
Ann trained to teach under John Hodgson at Bretton Hall, his major influence was the importance of improvisation. Ann continues to be an enthusiastic teacher of improvisation for developing all performance skills.
She believes strongly in the inclusive power of drama, that it offers confidence building, team work, and the discipline of controlling body, voice – and nerves. Combining that with her love of the written word, her first degree was English; she counts herself lucky to spend her life talking about what she loves.
Currently Ann combines her teaching with specialist teaching, research and writing in SEN.
Ann is continuing to teach online and is able to offer online/virtual adjudication sessions
In her spare time Ann still attends ballet and tap classes, a lifelong passion, enjoys theatre going, advocacy in SEN, precious time with her family and long distance back-packing treks.