The 2026 Oundle Festival of Music & Drama will continue its proud heritage of offering competitive performance opportunities to all, with this year being our 107th Festival.
The Festival is open to all amateurs and welcomes performers of all ages in music, speech and drama. Performers are invited to compete in a variety of classes.
Adjudicators

David Beer
David is a professional conductor and pianist. He taught music in schools, before embarking on a full-time career as a freelance conductor and pianist.
He has conducted many West End and international touring shows including Fame, Guys and Dolls, Me and My Girl, We Will Rock You, Scrooge, Cats, Aspects of Love, Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph and appeared on TV, radio, played on film soundtracks, and recorded 3 original cast albums.
He was Director of Music at the BRIT School for Performing Arts, Director of Performance at the Academy of Contemporary Music and has been a vocal coach and singing teacher at many leading drama colleges (Guildhall, GSA, Italia Conti, RADA, Arts Educational Schools, Hurtwood House, Emil Dale Academy, Stella Mann, ACM). He was also regular Musical Director for student shows at Arts Educational Schools London, and Chichester University.
David is an examiner for London College of Music, and was recently awarded an FLCM for Professional Achievement. He has been a Music Mentor for Music For Youth for several years, is an Adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and has adjudicated many festivals nationwide.
He now lives in Lincolnshire, teaches singing and piano, and conducts and accompanies adult and children’s choirs

Marcia Carr
Qualifications: MPhil(Lon),BA(Hons),ALAM,LLCM,ALCM,
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.

Nadia Hinson
She began her career as a freelance violinist playing in many London based orchestras. As an accompanist to singers and instrumentalists, she met her musician husband Nigel and together they founded the Veloce Ensemble (string quartet and clarinet quintet) touring throughout Britain performing specially commissioned works for that genre. Appearances at festivals and stately homes inspired a regular concert series at Belvoir Castle and Holmepierrepont Hall. As a recitalist throughout the East Midlands, Nadia has been highlighted in festivals and BBC features locally.
She is also currently the owner and director of the Hinson School of Music in Nottingham, and is an International examiner for the ABRSM, an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals, and a member of the Royal Society of Musicians.
Nadia has recently been appointed a senior consultant for the LEAD Academy trust, involved in developing music departments in schools in Nottinghamshire, and leading workshops to encourage and involve as many youngsters as possible in experiencing music and the arts in large scale productions and showcase concerts. She has set up composition workshops to inspire children to explore feelings and ideas through music and is a mentor for the Trust to develop self-confidence and communication through learning and performance.
Nadia has also recently been appointed to the ABRSM jazz examining panel.
Also trained for online adjudication and examining