Jim Raycroft, Coach/Adjudicator

I come from a family of teachers, and find that I truly love working with students, both young and old. I began teaching swimming at the age of 12 and now focus my energies towards people who want to make music.

I currently work with private voice students, as a technique instructor and coach, and love to coach vocal ensembles.

I began adjudicating music festivals years ago and have recently begun judging the Varsity Vocals competition.

I try to bring my eclectic background and range of experiences to the moment so that the performer can benefit from the broadest possible palette of information.

Testimonial - Janice Kueppers, Choir Teacher, LAUSD

"Jim Raycroft is amazingly talented. During my years at Walter Reed MS, Jim sang in an L. A. Master Chorale octet in our school assemblies, adjudicated my students in Festivals of Music competitions, served as adjudicator and clinician in several LAUSD choir festivals held at my school and coached my highest level choir before our major competition in San Francisco. Jim has excellent insight into assessing the needs of the group he is coaching and giving them attainable goals to take them to the next level. He brings his expertise to an understandable level and coaches with great energy and enthusiasm. He shares memorable stories with the students to drive home the points he is trying to make. Every time he visited my classroom before competition, he helped us raise our level to gold or superior."

"As an adjudicator, Jim is fair and right on the money as to the level of the group he is adjudicating. Working in front a large number of choirs and other adjudicators present, he comfortably and confidently improves and inspires group after group. I can tell by the students' reactions that they know something very special is being presented to them through Jim's coaching."

"I am very grateful to Jim for all he has done for my students."

Testimonial - Kenneth Bauer, Film Composer & High School Band Director

"I've worked with Jim Raycroft for many years and under many, diverse situations. Jim is a musician's musician. He lives and breathes music whether it is singing at the Disney Hall with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, working on a sound stage, scoring a music chart, critiquing musical performances, adjudicating at one of my music festivals, addressing music students in the classroom or just talking music. Jim is a musical gem!"