MUSIC – (VOCAL) – Melanie Armitstead
Melanie Armitstead has enjoyed an international career as a Soprano Soloist in both Opera and Concert. Early in her solo career she sang under the baton of Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Sir Charles Groves and Andrew Parrott in Kent Opera and Scottish Opera-Go-Round. As a soloist for ENO, Opera North, Scottish Opera and Opera Northern Ireland she sang the roles of Tatiana in Eugene Onegin, Micaela and Frasquita in Carmen, 1st Lady in The Magic Flute, Venus in The Return of Ulyses, Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte, Maria in West Side Story and YumYum in The Mikado. Melanie understudied the roles of Hero in Beatrice and Benedict and Atalanta in Xerxes for ENO and Cleopatra in Giulio Cesare for the Paris Opera, returning to sing Mitridate and Le Chevalier Imaginaire at The Chatelet. She performed in Oratorios and Concerts with many of the leading UK orchestras. Recitals and concert performances took her to Holland, France, Spain, Gran Canaria, Singapore, Oman and Japan.
Melanie sang in a number of established ensembles including The Menagerie with Nicholas Daniel and Julius Drake and Classic Cocktail which mixed Classical and Jazz repertoire. Her degree from Durham in Russian and French allowed her to specialize in French and Russian Song Recitals.
Melanie now teaches and adjudicates at Competitive Festivals and Competitions. She was the Senior Singing Teacher at Sherborne Girls for 21 years and teaches advanced students privately. She adjudicates at Competitive Festivals around the UK and in Hong Kong, and as a panelist in larger Competitions.
MUSIC – (INSTRUMENTAL) – Bryan Husband
Bryan studied singing and piano accompaniment at the Royal College of Music, London, and singing and acting at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. Having performed for some years in continental and UK opera houses, concert halls, and music theatre, he now divides his time between homes in London and Worcester.
Having spent some years as Head of Singing at Guildford School of Acting, he now lectures at Trinity Laban, London, runs a private teaching practice, gives workshops and masterclasses (‘belting’ to audition techniques), performs, adjudicates, has examined for a music board, and has also worked as a ski instructor! Performances include tv and radio broadcasts, opera, oratorio and recital.
In 2005, Bryan was selected as a BIFF (British and International Federation of Festivals) Adjudicator in choral and vocal music, later as a Generalist. Adjudication has taken him all over the world, including Hong Kong, Gibraltar, and Trinidad and Tobago, and all around the UK and Ireland; recently, Bryan has adjudicated at festivals in the UK and abroad; this year, so far, Bryan has been at festivals in Gibraltar, Guernsey, Torbay and Alderley Edge. In 2012, Bryan was invited to become a music examiner in Classical & Jazz, and Rock & Pop: his most recent examining work was in Malaysia and India, and around the UK. Recent concerts include recitals in Bergen, London and Malvern. His hobbies include all theatre, gardening, skiing and walking.