Blog

The Festival will now run over THREE weekends in November. 11th & 12th November will be Dance and Classical Guitar, 18th & 19th November will be Speech & Drama, Musical Theatre and Dance and 25th & 26th November will be Music which will include Singing, Piano and Instrumental.

Guitar

Introducing a new Beginners Class in Graded Solos for those who have had up to twelve months tuition.

Introducing a Plucked Strings Family Ensemble where two or more members from the same family can present a piece together.

Novice Grades are now for anyone who would like a performance opportunity – not just adults!

The Composition Class has now introduced a class for age 16 years and over.

Also to remember the Ukulele, Mandolin and Acoustic instruments are part of the Classical Guitar Section.

Music

Following the popularity with the Disney Singing Classes in 2022 there are now three new classes for School Years 10 & 11, School Years 12 & 13 and Adults.

The Piano section have introduced three new classes for Primary, Secondary and Adults to perform any piece by any German composer

 There are also three new Pupil and Teacher Duet Classes for Primary, Secondary and Adults. (Teachers won’t be adjudicated).

Very exciting! The Instrumental Section has introduced three new Recital Classes and Electronic Keyboard Classes for Primary, Secondary and adults.

There is also a new section where Traditional Music from any Country can be showcased, suitable for Solos, Duets and Ensembles. 

Musical Theatre

Solo classes have been introduced for Year 4 & under and Year 5.

Duo classes now have a Year 5 & under class.

Dance

Dance have introduced NOVICE Classes for Solo Ballet, Solo Tap, Solo Song and Dance, Solo Modern / Lyrical, Solo Character and solo National.

Speech & Drama

There is a new Duo-Mime Class for Year 4 and under.

Sight Reading Class Year 6 & under have a new book by local author, Alex Evelyn – The Secret Wild. Alex will be joining the festival this Autumn to speak with entrants after the class to see how much they enjoyed the book and characters, and maybe with some tips on how to be an author!

Competitions

We have a new Radio Play Writing Competition. We invite potential authors to write a ten-minute play for radio. The winning play may be produced, performed, recorded and broadcast on local radio, the RWBAF website and digital media by members of The Western Players. 

The Poetry Competition is now open to Adults!

We are delighted to launch our new logo for 2023.

We have gone for a fresh design in a bright blue. You will start to see this on all our communications and across our digital comms. We hope you like it!

Our most valued long-standing committee member, Daxa Jannaty, is stepping down from her post as Treasurer of the Festival. Daxa has held for the past thirteen years. She has worked tight budgets to ensure that the festival could be maintained on a shoe-string each year: being a charity Daxa’s role is hugely important and her attention to detail critical. We are all truly indebted to her for her dedication and meticulous work in keeping RWBAF afloat.

Daxa has long been the backbone of festival operations taking on several other roles in support and will leave a huge gap in the life of the festival. You will have seen her manning the door, running around delivering things, helping out wherever she can during the Festival itself! Apart from the commitment she has given for all of these years, her warm personality and cheerful disposition will mean she will be truly missed by all. Our gratitude has no bounds.

We presented her with flowers, and afternoon tea vouchers at a very lovely manor house. We look forward to hearing all about it!

The whole committee, and no doubt all the entrants, would like to say a huge thank you, Daxa!

We are thrilled to share with you the winning poems from our Poetry Competition!

All entrants received a chocolate prize and RWBAF pencil for taking part, and we then awarded Bronze, Silver and Gold Medals with a book token for the winners of each section!

Thank you to all who took part. And a special thank you to Ceri Gascoyne.

*****

Winner Years 1&2 – Topic Animals or Food

MONSTER’S PIZZA EXPRESS

A monster’s favourite toppings

Include a layer of elephant droppings

A chink of stinky cheese

A handful of tiny leaping fleas

A pair of smelly socks

Sharp teeth of a fox

A mug of sludgy tea leaves

Torn sleeves of thieves

A heap of slimy frogspawn

A shake of a billy goat gruff’ s horn

Serve it on a chipped plate

It will taste great.

*****

Winner Years 3&4 – Topic Magic or Teachers

MY TEACHER IS A TIGER

My teacher is a tiger,

I’m really really scared!

If you send me to school today

No children will be spared.

My teacher is a tiger

Mum I’m begging you,

If I go to school this week

I’m sure I will be stew

My teacher is tiger

With claws as sharp as knives,

This isn’t like the other times

I am not telling lies!

My teacher IS a tiger

And slowly getting thinner,

When you come to pick me up

I’ll be my teacher’s dinner.

My Mum did not believe me…

She sent me into school…

Now I’m in a tiger,

My Mum is such a fool!!

*****

Winner Years 5&6 – Topic Hobbies or Family

BETTY

My family; Mum, Dad my sister and me

And the world’s most annoying dog, Betty!

She woofs and slobbers and digs and pulls,

Dad says she’s just excitable,

Mum says she’s a bloomin’ handful.

She leaves mud on the carpet,

paw prints on the bed,

She spends all day, everyday,

wanting to be fed.

My sister adores her,

no matter what she does,

I ignore her, but it really is odd,

because…

I’M HER FAVOURITE!

******

Winner Years 7-9 – Topic Environment or Fantasy

REMEMBER WHAT WILL HAPPEN

A wasteland. Covered in ash. Desolate, barren…

Like an endless, unforgiving purgatory… a hell.

Consumed by poison and pollution, foul and

Decaying. A beautiful land that simply fell…

Nothing lives, not anymore. Not since the

People killed it. Destroyed it. Burned it.

Once a perfect heaven, resplendent in its glory—

Now the home of an evil, in this bottomless, despicable pit.

There was a forest, bursting with trees. Trees!

Such gorgeous, gargantuan trees, swaying and

Towering. Covered in a thick mop of lush green

That engulfs the entirety of this sacred land.

A paradise for wildlife, countless and

Infinite; populating its leafy, verdant bowels.

And so you can hear, on any day,

A cacophony of hoots, whistles, shrieks and howls.

Splitting the jungle in half is a river—a

Roaring river. You can trace it back to

A WATERFALL! Cascading, crushing, surging—

An immense, picturesque structure with a view

To die for. A spray of white foam is flung

Into the air. Each and every droplet is

A diamond, a crystal, capturing light. It is a

Stunning sight to behold: just a touch of natural bliss!

This place was a work of art, a fabulous masterpiece,

Crafted in levels of painstaking detail: perfection!

Yet, when the people came, they tore at it,

Doing nothing but staining its reflection

Of excellence, leaving nothing behind.

Brutally unravelling each beautiful thread, ruining it,

Taking apart all that it once was, leaving behind layers of

Filth and grime: a pathetic, mournful cesspit.

And to you, dear reader, I warn you, to

Heed this. When you see the smoke and fire,

Remember what will happen. When you see

Torment, jealousy, corruption and evil, fixated desire,

Remember what will happen. For else,

One day it might be your house in the dust,

Or you, or just your pearly white bones, scraped clean by long-gone

Crows— gone brittle by age, then swept away by a gust

Of wind, to nowhere. Remember what will happen.

Speech & Drama and Musical Theatre: Kim Gilbert, Vivienne Redford, Rebecca Thompson, Jenny Thornton; Guitar: Helen Sanderson; Singing: Maria Jagusz; Piano: Ailsa Howarth; Instrumental: Richard Haslam; Dance: Jodie Clark

Vivienne Redford

Vivienne is Head of Speech and Drama at a large independent girl’s school in Bedford and she is also the Principal of the Redford School of Speech and Drama. For the past eighteen years, she has organised and directed a widely-acclaimed summer school for students aged 7 to 21, which culminates in a commissioned play written for, and performed by, the students who attend. Vivienne is an examiner for the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, a member of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama and an Adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals travelling extensively throughout the UK, Ireland and the Channel Islands. She is Vice-President of the Bedfordshire Festival of Music, Speech and Drama. Vivienne is looking forward to adjudicating at the Festival and hopes that it will be a memorable and happy occasion for all those taking part.

Jenny Thornton

Jenny trained at the Guildhall School of Music and has led the Performing Arts Teams in large Comprehensives, been an Assistant Principal for Edexcel, LAMDA examiner and now enjoys running her own Performance Centre with ages from 4 years to adults delivering drama, dance and musical theatre, and also writing. Her play called “Gone” gained a Commended when performed at The Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond as did her most recent play “Young Love”. She was delighted when LAMDA chose her pieces for their acting anthology. Jenny is looking forward to visiting the Royal Wootton Bassett Arts Festival and making it a very positive experience for all concerned. “Drama is a life skill…We can give our children no better opportunity.”

Rebecca Thompson

Rebecca has worked for BBC Radio Four’s Drama Department, reading and assessing new scripts and also researching Radio Four Documentaries. Rebecca studied for her Licentiate Teacher’s Diploma and has been teaching Speech and Drama privately and in schools for over 18 years. Rebecca now runs a thriving speech and drama practice in Bristol, teaching both children and adults. A voice and presentation skills coach in the region, Rebecca also teaches in private and state schools, colleges and businesses and is a facilitator for Speaking and Listening Courses in the South Gloucestershire region. 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 is thrilled to be returning to the Royal Wootton Bassett Arts Festival this year.

Kim Gilbert

Kim originally trained as a professional actress at GSA and studied for an LGSM at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. 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 runs her own drama studio which specialises in developing excellence in all forms of performance and communication. Kim has recently compiled and written a range of acting books suited for festival and audition work. Kim believes in encouraging students to participate at Speech & Drama Festivals. She feels that performing at local Festivals provides a vital learning experience for young people.

Helen Sanderson

Helen is a performer, educator, arranger, composer and creative entrepreneur in guitar studies at RWCMD. Helen’s international performing career has centred on chamber music with performances at the Southbank Centre, Kings Place and the Guitar Foundation of America. She has made CD recordings with the VIDA Guitar Quartet, James Bowman and Mark Wilde. She is founder of the music charity, Guitar Circus, and her work is regularly chosen for the Trinity College Exam Board for whom she was a consultant in 2019, and for the ABRSM. Helen was also a consultant for the London College of Music Exam Board in 2020. She has often appeared on competition juries including BBC Young Musician of the Year, Guitar Foundation of America, the Sky Arts televised series “Guitar Star” etc. She has toured extensively giving notable performances across the US and in Europe.

Maria Jagusz

Maria trained as a dancer before taking up a place at the Royal Northern College of Music where she was awarded the Ricordi Prize for Opera. Further scholarships enabled her to continue her studies at the National Opera Studio. As a singer Maria has worked as soloist for most of the leading opera companies in the U.K. and Europe She has performed with many of the world’s leading singers including Domingo, Carreras, Freni and Dame Felicity Lott. As a teacher Maria runs her own private teaching practice, and she is vocal consultant for The International College of Music Theatre in London. She is founder of MJ-UK Music and Arts. For MJ-UK she has directed Carmen, Bastien and Bastienne, Dido and Aneas, Les Miserables, West Side Story etc. Maria also works for Longborough Festival Opera.

Ailsa Howarth

Ailsa was a multiple prize-winner at the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied the piano with Max Pirani. A Norwegian Government Scholarship enabled her to study Norwegian music at Oslo University, and she followed this with a degree in Music and Norwegian at the University of East Anglia. She has taught at Downe House School, Berkshire, Cheltenham College Junior School and Dean Close School Cheltenham. Currently Ailsa teaches piano at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, as well as in her highly regarded private practice. Her performance experience includes solo recital and accompaniment work in the UK and Europe. Fear of iPads (!) led to her recent retirement from examining Diplomas and Grades for the ABRSM after 35 years.

Richard Haslam

Richard studied at Sussex University for a degree in Education, specialising in Music and also at the Royal College of Music where he gained a Diploma in Pianoforte Teaching and a Distinction in Grade 8 singing. Richard was Director of Music at Burgess Hill School for Girls for nearly thirty years where he taught to A level as well as running extra-curricular activities including Chamber groups, Choirs and Orchestras. He has recently retired from full time teaching. Richard has taught piano and singing to Diploma standard and has also been a Moderator for GCSE Music and an examiner for A Level Music. Richard examines for the ABRSM and has completed a number of overseas tours. Richard ran his own “Cantemus” for over twenty years and raised over £300,000 for charity. He enjoys singing 1st Tenor in the Stratford-upon-Avon Chamber Choir.

Jodie Clark

Jodie has enjoyed a diverse performing career across many genres appearing in commissioned work for Dance Umbrella to open the new British Library and travelling worldwide on luxury cruise liners as well as many pantomime and summer seasons both in the UK and Europe. At The BRIT School she teaches a range of techniques and writes, choreographs and directs performance work. She is a guest lecturer at Lougborough University. Jodie’s freelance engagements include teaching and mentoring under the banner of the ISTD, examining for The Urdang Theatre and Dance Syllabus and creating for various corporate events, flash mobs and pantomimes. She is an Adjudicator member of The British and International Federation of Festivals and All England Dance. Jodie has been a keynote speaker for the FA Talent ID Conference and is passionate about potential, creativity and motivation.