GMF Adjudicators 2026

JAMES KIRBY

GRSM, ARAM

James studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and the Moscow Conservatoire. Following his student years in Moscow, he undertook regular solo and chamber music tours of the former Soviet Union. James now appears regularly as a recitalist and concerto soloist throughout the UK and Europe. Highlights include performances at London's Wigmore Hall and the Edinburgh and Aldeburgh Festivals.

He has appeared as concerto soloist with the English, Scottish and Belarusian Chamber Orchestras, the Moscow, Kazakh, Astana and Penang Symphony Orchestras, the Arad and Oradea Philharmonic Orchestras (Romania), in venues including the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Opera House in London, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire and Astana Opera House. He has performed both Brahms Concertos in Russia and Romania.

James is a member of the Barbican Piano Trio, whose highlights include many cycles of Beethoven's complete Piano Trios including the Master Concert Series at Wigmore Hall. He also enjoyed a long collaboration with the celebrated Russian violinist Lydia Mordkovitch, amongst many others.

James is a dedicated teacher and holds posts at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Royal Holloway, University of London, and Eton College. He is a regular jury member of international piano competitions and is much in demand for masterclasses and as an adjudicator.

ROY ROBINSON 

MA, Dip Perf RCM, ARCM, LTCL, LRAM, ATCL, ALCM

A prize-winning viola player and pianist, Roy trained at the Royal College of Music under the tutelage of Frederick Riddle and Angus Morrison. He holds a complete suite of performing and teaching diplomas on his two main instruments plus the violin. He won the Leslie Alexander Competition at the RCM, which is the highest award on the viola, gained an MA, and has a background as an organist, conductor and published composer.

Roy has spent most of his career combining teaching (largely as Director of Music in independent schools) and performing as a solo recitalist, an orchestral and chamber music player and as an accompanist. He has led numerous orchestral and singing courses for children and directed choral societies. He is a busy ABRSM grade, diploma and jazz examiner and has worked extensively all over the world; he has also presented teacher meetings and selected the previous viola syllabus.

As an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals, Roy is in demand at some of the UK's largest festivals, and enjoys adjudicating the complete range of classes. Away from music, Roy can often be found in one of his old cars, gardening, playing croquet or baking cakes!