Adjudicators
Heat Adjudicators 2026
Cathy Lamb
Cathy Lamb (www.cathylamborganist.co.uk) is Head of Performance Music at Lichfield Cathedral School plus manager and practitioner for the MusicShare Singing Schools Programme (www.lichfieldmusicshare.org.uk) . Until Easter 2017 she was Director of Music at Lichfield Cathedral alongside her husband Ben. Her role included directing the Lichfield Cathedral Girl Choristers and organizing the Cathedral’s exciting singing outreach project entitled ‘MusicShare’, which expanded so much under her leadership that the need to focus on this work led to her new role. MusicShare won the 2019 TES Independent-State School Partnership Award. She is also founder/Director of the Lichfield Cathedral Young Voices, which has now expanded to include Youth and Mini sections plus the Ladies who Lark.
Cathy enjoyed guest conducting for Lichfield Cathedral Chorus in their Autumn Term 2016, conducting the second ever performance of Paul Spicer’s Advent Oratorio and again at Easter 2019 when they performed the Verdi Requiem. Cathy’s roots, however, are as an organist and she has held Organ Scholarships at Salisbury Cathedral and Sidney Sussex College Cambridge and organist posts at Wells Cathedral and Christchurch Priory as well as Lichfield Cathedral. Cathy’s recital engagements have included many major venues across the country. She has tutored on several courses for the NCCGB (National Children’s Choir of Great Britain), RCO (Royal College of Organists), Oundle for Organists and the RSCM (Royal School of Church Music – and was awarded the ARSCM for her educational work) and is the main accompanist for Salisbury-based choir, Sarum Voices, and is featured on ten of their CDs.
Cathy has one solo CD recorded on the organ by B.C. Shepherd & Sons at St. Alphage, Burnt Oak (London). Cathy is proud to be the President of the North Staffs & District Organ Society, on the committee of the Lichfield Area RSCM, Lichfield Area Representative (Cathedral Music Trust) and Trustee on the Board of FOSYM (Friends of Staffordshire’s Young Musicians).
Mike Nowland
Mike completed his professional studies at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, studying under John Todd (former member of the Coull Quartet) and Catherine Ardagh-Walter of the CBSO. Since graduating he has experienced a varied freelance career; and performs extensively across the United Kingdom and internationally, with orchestras and other ensembles. A particular highlight was being able to perform with Dionne Warwick at the Royal Albert Hall.
Performances of note include working with: The Royal Shakespeare Company; Sinfonia Viva; The Tedesca Quartet; Russell Watson; Laura Wright; Alfie Boe; Madness; Dionne Warwick; Steve Hackett; Led Zeppelin Masters; Il Divo, Callabro; and Paul Potts. Mike also enjoyed working on West Side Story, South Pacific, An Officer and a Gentlemen, The King & I and The Beauty & the Beast touring shows.
In 2018, Mike had the pleasure of appearing on Jane McDonald and Friends, and Songs of Praise. He was also in Malta performing as part of the opening ceremony of a new Seabourn cruise liner attended by Tim Rice and Elaine Paige.
In the last twelve months performances have included: Sydnie Christmas live at the Adelphi theatre; Tony Christie; An evening of Radiohead/Pink Floyd and other orchestral projects within the UK.
Our final adjudicators this year will be Sharon Guy and Saphran Ali , click here to read their biographies.