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Instrumental

All enquiries to the Section Co-Ordinator
Mrs Ruth Pitts, 07933 210667, Email

Ruth is a music teacher and freelance musician More ...

Ruth is a music teacher and freelance musician working in the Southwest. She teaches piano and clarinet to a range of ages and abilities, both at home and school. She enjoys preparing pupils for performances and exams, whilst encouraging a sense of fun and creativity in their music-making. She is excited about creating opportunities for young people to perform, especially in environments like the Devon Performing Arts Festival, where they will be built up and enthused for their musical journey.

Ruth studied music at Royal Holloway University of London, specialising in clarinet performance and composition. She also holds a PCGE in primary education from Exeter University, and a diploma in piano performance. Alongside teaching, she regularly performs solo piano in local concerts and recitals, as well as accompanying instrumentalists for performances and exams. 

Where Levels are given rather than grades, the approximate levels are:

  • Beginner: Pre Grade 1 & Grade 1; Elementary: Grades 2 & 3
  • Intermediate: Grades 4 – 5; Advanced: Grades 6 – 7
  • Open: Post Grade 8

GUIDANCE

Where reference has been made either to a specific grade, or to terms such as elementary, intermediate etc, or to a level expressed in Grades, it is expected that entrants, parents, and especially teachers, will bear in mind that it is in the spirit of the festival to try to adhere carefully to the standards suggested by the the relevant grade.  If in any doubt about the level of a piece then teachers should not hesitate to contact the Instrumental Section Co-ordinator who will be happy to give guidance.  

Whilst it is obviously acceptable to play an exam piece in the festival, wider repertoire is strongly encouraged, in the context of the above advice.

Entrants may play more than one piece in a class as long as the time limit is adhered to.

Within any class, the adjudicator will pay more heed to the standard of the performance than to the level of difficulty of the piece. 

Adjudicator: Dr Jonathan James

Dr Jonathan James is a music educator, conductor and founder-director of the Bristol Pre-Conservatoire, which he ran for 13 years. His wider education work involves lectures, pre-concert talks, professional training and creative workshops. As a presenter and conductor he has worked at all the major UK concert venues, as well as on BBC radio 3, and for many orchestras, including the Czech Philharmonic, BBC Philharmonic and National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, where he has been an Associate for 10 years.

After a conducting fellowship in Boston, USA, Jonathan freelanced as an orchestral conductor in Europe and UK. Then followed a stint as a head of performing arts in Further Education and in teacher training, since when his focus has been improving musicianship through collaborative improvisation, the subject of his PhD. This is a specialism he now shares at various levels, from community groups such as the Dovetail Orchestra for displaced people, through to specialist music schools (Chethams, Wells Cathedral), national youth organisations (National Childrens Orchestra, Pro Corda) and conservatoires (RAM, RCM and Guildhall). 
 
He currently conducts two highly accomplished choirs, St Ambrose and The Fitzhardinge Consort, and has launched a  new contemporary instrumental ensemble, the Radial Collective. He was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to music last year.