Issue 57 AUTUMN 2018 presaervrmonye the musicians’ company

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spreserve Issue 57 AUTUMN 2018

harmonythe musicians’ company

During more than forty years in the musicprofession I have periodically had cause to

write my own curriculum vitae, not to mentionproof-reading those of countless students andeven some visiting foreign artists, but this one iscertainly of a different order and has the benefitof encouraging me to use the first personsingular!

So, let me begin by thanking you for the signalhonour of being Master of this wonderfulCompany. Since becoming a Liveryman in 1992, Ihave grown to appreciate at ever-closer hand notonly its role in the City and structuralorganisation, but also its sense of tradition,commitment to innovation, promotion ofexcellence, range of charitable works and,underpinning everything, that special fellowshipwhich flows from a shared love of music. On apractical level I have always felt that it isimportant for musicians to band together toimprove their lot, and in the course of my career Ihave been a member of the Musicians’ Union,the University and College Union and theIncorporated Society of Musicians, on whoseexecutive committee I served for several years.But this Mastership represents for meundoubtedly the high point, carrying with itunique responsibilities and opportunities.

Looking back over my life, I must say that mypresent position could never have been imaginedby the callow youth who, guitar in hand andheart in mouth, walked through the augustportals of the Royal Academy of Music inSeptember 1967. A scholarship to St Paul’sSchool had set me up for a classical education, alaw degree at university and a career with myfather in his Chancery Lane legal practice.Fortunately, my parents had the wisdom torecognise that music was my ‘sine qua non’.

I had started having lessons on the classicalguitar as a boy and my enthusiasm increasedexponentially on hearing the Spanish virtuoso,

Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music

THE NEW MASTER

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MR MICHAEL LEWIN

Published by The Worshipful Company of Musicians 2018.Registered at Stationers’ Hall. Views expressed do notnecessarily reflect the opinions of either the Court or theeditors. Printed by Perfect Imaging Ltd., London E3 3DA.Unless otherwise stated, individual contributors retaintheir copyrights, and no part of this publication may bereproduced without prior written permission.

Editor Emeritus ClerkAdrian Davis Hugh LloydEditor Deputy ClerkJeff Kelly Amanda RatcliffeEditorial Team Yeomen Co-ordinator David Wakefield Christine TwiteMargot Mouat Magazine co-foundersAdrian Mumford John Iles and Adrian DavisDesignJohn Hawkins

The Worshipful Company of Musicians1 Speed Highwalk, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DXT 020 7496 8980 F 020 7628 4528E [email protected] W www.wcom.org.ukRegistered numbers of the CharitableFunds 310040 and 264303VAT No. 162 1105 58

At about that time I was also performing on guitarand lute with the Royal Shakespeare Company,Ballet Rambert, Scottish Opera, English NationalOpera and the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.Tours with the Praetorius Consort took me all overthe UK and to festivals in Europe, of which aconcert in Vienna’s Musikverein was particularly

Andrés Segovia, at the Royal Festival Hall. A fewyears later, however, when my teacher moved away,it proved impossible to find anyone suitablyqualified to replace him. In retrospect this washardly surprising, since at that time there were noaccredited qualifications for guitarists. As a result,one of my chief motivations professionally has beento ensure that no other gifted classical guitaristshould lack guidance in their formative years. Thatis why I instigated a guitar department at JuniorAcademy in 1973, co-founded the European GuitarTeachers’ Association in 1990, and devised a newgrade syllabus for Trinity College and a diplomasyllabus for the ABRSM. I was Guitar Module Editorfor the ISM/University of Reading’s Music Teachingin Professional Practice Course, am on the JulianBream Trust, and have examined on the DiplomaPanel of the ABRSM, as well as for most of theleading UK conservatoires. Giving masterclasses atthe Paris Conservatoire, Sibelius Academy inHelsinki, University of Bologna, and CentralConservatory in Beijing, as well as in festivals fromGermany to Brazil, has given me an addedperspective on international standards which, alongwith regular experience on the juries of majorcompetitions at home and abroad, has steadily fedinto my own teaching.

At the end of my studies, my professor at theRAM, Hector Quine, asked me to become hisassistant and in 1977 I was appointed a Professor.

2 PRESERVE HARMONY AUTUMN 2018

(L-R): Fabio Zanon; Craig Ogden; Nigel North; Dame Emma Kirkby; John Gilhooly OBE; Judith Weir CBE(Master of the Queen’s Music); the then Senior Warden and Chair, Mr Michael Lewin

DIARY2018-19Wednesday 21 NovemberHelp Musicians UK’s Festival of St CeciliaSt Paul’s Cathedral 11.00amWednesday 12 DecemberCarol Service & Supper St Michael’s Cornhill 6.00pmWednesday 30 January 2019Court & Informal Lunch Innholders’ Hall 12.30pmSunday 3 FebruaryEmma Smith Jazz Evening Crazy Coqs Soho 7.00pmSaturday 9 FebruaryNew Elizabethan Award winners concert Wigmore Hall 1.00pmSaturday 16 FebruaryCelebration of Brass Chamber MusicSt John’s Smith Square 5.00pmMonday 25 FebruaryAshley Riches, Myra Verney RecitalPurcell Room 7.45pmSunday 10 MarchDankworth Prize ConcertRoyal Birmingham Conservatoire (Time TBC)Monday 25 MarchMusicians’ Company Concert Purcell Room 7.45pmFriday 29 MarchUnited Guilds’ Service St Paul’s Cathedral 11.00amWednesday 10 AprilCourt & Livery Dinner Skinners’ Hall 6.30pmMonday 29 AprilPrince’s Prize Competition ConcertGuildhall School of Music & Drama 6.30pmSunday 19 MayYoung Jazz Musician Winner’s GigSoho Jazz Club 7.30pmTuesday 21 MaySons & Friends of the Clergy Service St Paul’sCathedral 5.00pmFriday 24 – Monday 27 MayLivery Club Visit Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria Wednesday 26 JuneMidsummer Banquet Stationers’ Hall 6.00pm

memorable; and there were a number of solo,chamber and orchestral recordings, as well as filmsoundtracks. For several years I was lute continuoplayer with the Monteverdi Orchestra and EnglishBaroque Soloists, recording music by Purcell, Handeland Monteverdi and performing at prestigiousvenues, including the Proms.

On a personal note, my greatest good fortuneduring this period was in meeting a lovely sopranoin the Monteverdi Choir called Marylyn, who

PRESERVE HARMONY AUTUMN 2018 3

The Master, Mr Michael Lewin

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Photo: David Bache

Rabbi Sybil Sheridan was born inBolton, Greater Manchester; the

non-musician in a musical family. Herexcuse for not taking piano lessonssufficiently seriously was, being thatsomeone had just to sit and enjoy themusic… and enjoy it she certainlydoes…

Sybil became the first non-Christian tostudy theology at Cambridge Universityand went on to study for the Rabbinateat the Leo Baeck College. She wasamong the first women to be ordained asRabbis in the UK, and through her 37-year career has served congregations inEaling, Reading, and Wimbledon andnow divides her time between the verylarge, historic, West London Synagogue,and a very small synagogue in Newcastle.

Sybil holds a keen interest in interfaithand has worked with many organisations,particularly in dialogue with Muslims. Shelectured at Leo Baeck College and wason the interfaith chaplaincy team atRoehampton University. She is author,editor and contributor to several bookson interfaith, the Bible and women inJudaism. Sybil has recently developed aninterest in the Jews in Ethiopia – possiblyone of the oldest Jewish communities inthe world – and has founded a charity tosupport them.

Married to Rabbi Jonathan Romain,they have four sons – two of whom havefollowed the family’s musical tradition.None wish to become Rabbis.

studied at the GSMD and canactually claim an earlier link to theCompany than mine by havingreceived a Maisie Lewis Award. In1982 we married and for a timecarried on with our busy schedules.When three beautiful childrenarrived, however, we had to adapt!Marylyn gradually moved intoteaching and was appointed Headof Music at a preparatory school inChiswick; while I was asked by SirDavid Lumsden, the then Principal,to take over the reins of theAcademy’s Guitar Department onHector Quine’s retirement in 1987.

For my first year in charge it was‘in at the deep end’, with studentconcerts to prepare for a weeklong festival of music by HansWerner Henze. Other leadingcomposers for guitar havefollowed in his footsteps: MalcolmArnold, Richard Rodney Bennett,Harrison Birtwistle, Leo Brouwer,Elliott Carter, Nicholas Maw, ToruTakemitsu and Peter MaxwellDavies who, like Stephen Dodgson,became an unswerving advocatefor the instrument. What apleasure it has also been to enablea generation of students to play inmasterclasses for artists of the

calibre of Julian Bream, John Williams, ManuelBarrueco, David Russell, the Assad Duo and LosAngeles Quartet. Invariably, they have risen to theoccasion, even in the most dauntingly complexrepertoire, and some, like IMGA winners MilošKaradaglic and Xuefei Yang, have gone on to stellarcareers – thus confirming one of my father’smaxims: ‘Always aim high!’

In my year as Master this will remain a centralaspiration, further exemplified by the NewElizabethan Award about which I wrote in the lastissue of Preserve Harmony. Panel, candidates andaudience alike richly enjoyed the rare qualities ofthe repertoire featured in the NEA Selection Roundon 6 July. You can hear for yourselves if you go toWigmore Hall at 1.00pm on 9 February 2019, whenthe first Holders of the NEA, Jesse Flowers (sologuitar) and the duo of Lotte Betts-Dean (mezzo-soprano) and Andrey Lebedev (guitar), will beperforming. Marylyn and I greatly look forward toseeing you there and at as many other Companyconcerts and functions as you can manage.

Having very broad musical sympathies, I canhappily pledge my best endeavours to support all ofthe Company’s activities. We are justifiably proud ofour Yeomen Outreach and it will be fascinating towatch how this and other initiatives develop overthe next twelve months. Some challenges face us,including one beginning with ‘B’ and ending with‘t’, but my predecessors and current colleagues,assisted by our splendid team in the Clerk’s Office,have ensured that the Company is in fine fettle.Commencing with a royal occasion on 8 November,it promises to be an exciting year!

The Master’sChaplain


“I would like to say thank you to theWorshipful Company for their veryexistence, for taking music directly intoBritish schools where in many cases thearts have become sidelined in thesyllabus, and for their work to promotemusic as a force of unification in theworld.” Dr Brian May CBE

As we assert in Preserve Harmony “TheMusicians’ Company is a long-standing,

forward-thinking City Livery Company thatsupports the music profession in all its forms”,one that “combines goodfellowship and a shared love ofmusic with the activepromotion of talented youngmusicians”. These are indeedaspirational words, but in timeswhen the very relevance ofLivery Companies can be calledinto question, what does thismean in practice? Perhaps theproof of the pudding is in theeating and, talking of which,what better place to look forthis than at the 2018 Court andLivery Dinner?There can be no greater

example of fellowship and theCompany’s commitment to themusic profession in all its forms than theprivilege and unashamed joy of listening to twoextraordinarily gifted and brilliant young artists(Alena Walentin and Joseph Havlat) performing,in the company of the Master and a small groupof some of the greatest musicians on the planet;and all seated at the same table.The word great is often misused, but what

Court and Livery Dinner, April 2018

other word can be used to describe the rockguitarist Brian May accompanied by his wife, theactor Anita Dobson who, in passing, also has aTop Ten UK chart single to her credit, the world-renowned tenor Mark Padmore, the brilliantflautist teacher and winner of the Musicians’Company’s Cobbett Medal, Professor WilliamBennett, and not least our own Pastmaster NigelTully who was just recently honoured by TheQueen for his services to jazz? Whilst there maybe other genres of music, those broadlyrepresented around the Master’s table on April11th can truthfully be said to cover the musicprofession if not in all its forms, certainly in most

of them!A highlight of the evening

was Mark Padmore’s heartfeltand moving speech in which,citing Lewis Hyde’s The Gift,he spoke of the value ofcreativity and its importance ina culture increasingly governedby money and overrun withcommodities. He paidparticular tribute to theenormous contribution madeby his friend and mentor, thelate Richard Hickox. Ofparticular resonance were hiscomments about theselflessness of the manymusicians who, for so many

years and for nothing but the joy of performingand sharing their own ‘gift’, give their time andartistry to festivals such as the one founded byRichard Hickox in 1973 at St Endellion. For me, itwas as much a privilege to hear ProfessorBennett reminisce about the many musical giantswith whom he has collaborated as it wasfascinating to learn how flutes can be very finely

A View from Table

tuned by restricting the holes with Plasticine! The delight and respect that Brian May

exhibited for the performance of Alena, andJoseph Havlat, was not only obvious to all ofthose around the table but was expressed mosteloquently in his opening remarks. In anunscripted and modest address, after warmly

(L-R): The Master Lady Brewer OBE, welcomes the Guests, with (L-R): The Cobbett Medallist, William Bennett OBE; Dr Brian May CBE; S Brian May (centre), and Anita Dobson (right) The Master; Guest Speaker, Mark Padmore

Guest Speaker Mark PadmoreBrian May in performance

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The Prince’s Prize, established in November2003 to mark the installation of HRH The

Prince of Wales as an Honorary Freeman of theCompany, is always a highlight in the Company’scalendar and this year was no exception. TheMaster was delighted to welcome a recordaudience numbering well over eighty Companymembers, their families and friends. The concertbegan and the audience experienced sheerpleasure given by the Young Artists. Prize winnersalready, there was no question about technicalability and skill, but which Young Artist wasgoing to win the hearts of the audience and theadjudicators, and thereby gain this wonderfulprize, valued at £10,000? Would the adjudicator’sdecision marry with that of the audience?Perhaps not – as was the case this time!

The whole programme was a delight,providing us with music played by Ariel Lanyi(piano) Toby Hughes (double bass), Henry Neill(baritone) before the interval, with Oliver Wass(harp) and Margarita Balanas (cello) for the finalsection of the evening. Having heard Ariel Lanyi’sprogramme my mind was made up! Well thatwas until I heard the next artist and so it wenton. The trouble for me was that each Young Artistwas so very different, with there being onevocalist and four instrumentalists. How was I tochoose for the Audience Prize and how wouldthe adjudicators cope; but then they areexceptional musicians in their own right and areclearly used to making such decisions.

The conversations during the programmeinterval, where of course we could not discloseany comments to each other and in the final

drinks break when we could speculate as we hadput our crosses on the ballot paper wereinteresting! There was great support from many forboth Oliver Wass and Toby Hughes. We weretransfixed by the playing of Oliver Wass althoughcould it be said that the music was not necessarilyfor harp? And it was a great pleasure to hear musicwritten by Desenclos (1912 -1971) Bottesini (1821)and Glière (1875 -1956) written specifically for thedouble bass. It was also such a rare treat to hearthe sonorious sounds of the grandfather of thestring family in solo.

We had also been delighted by the singing ofHenry Neill with music from Cosi fan Tutti, GillianWeir’s Songs of the Exotic and Poulenc’s ChansonsGaillardes with, of course, the outstanding playingof Margarita Balanas in Ligeti’s Sonata for solo celloand Schuman’s Adagio and Allegro Op 70. Manycomments were also made about the exceptionalpianists who accompanied the competitors, namelySusie Summers, Somi Kim and Ilan Rechtman.

In excited mood we returned to the auditoriumfor the judges’ decision! Who would it be? At lastthe suspense was over and the Prince’s Prize wasawarded to Ariel Lanyi and the Prudi HoggarthAudience Prize to Oliver Wass. Congratulations toboth of them, but huge thanks to all those YoungArtists who gave us an evening to be remembered.Our grateful thanks are also due to the Principal ofthe Guildhall School of Music and Drama for theuse of the Music Hall and to our Clerk and DeputyClerk for all the preparation and planning for suchan enjoyable and successful evening.

Liveryman JAN YERBURY

congratulating the performers, he went on toraise a glass to the importance of music andthe Musicians’ Company. Then, turning to thetable and graciously thanking the Master forhis Lifetime Achievement Award he told ushow deeply honoured he was to receiverecognition from such an old and augustcompany. Coming from one whose music hastouched a global audience ranked in hundredsof millions, his words were both compellingand, for the Company, a much appreciatedcompliment.In conclusion, when some months earlier Jim

Beach, Queen’s powerful and ever suspiciousmanager asked “how long has the Musicians’Company actually been going?” I was abletruthfully to answer “about 500 years or so”.Even Jim, an old friend and protagonist,seemed reassured! Let us make sure that bystriving to maintain its relevance we can keepThe Musicians’ Company going for a fewhundred years more.

Court Assistant THE HON RICHARDLYTTELTONChairman, Public Relations Committee

A postscript...Brian May and Anita Dobson so enjoyed theevening that Brian subsequently invited theMaster and Sir David Brewer to be his guestsat a performance given by ‘Queen + AdamLambert’ at the O2 Arena as part of their worldtour. Described by Catherine Gee in TheTelegraph as “spectacular”, we are delightedto feature a photograph of Brian May inperformance. And the reaction of his guests?As the Master commented afterwards: “...whatan amazing experience... David still can’tbelieve it and we are still talking about it”.

No1

The Prince’s PrizeApril 2018

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2018 Prince’s Prize winner, Ariel Lanyi (piano) and Audience Prize winner, harpist Oliver Wass withThe Master

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LIVERY CLUB NEWS

Thirty members of the Company wereprivileged to visit St George’s Chapel,

Windsor Castle, as guests of Admiral Sir JamesPerowne, Constable and Governor of the castle.Members clearly realised what a special day thiswould be, as all of the available places weresnapped up within an hour or so of appearing onCompany’s website! Our first port of call was theChapel Archives, in the Vicars’ Hall Undercroft.Along with St George’s School, St George’sHouse, the Chapel Choir and the Military Knightsof Windsor, the Archives form part of the Collegeof St George, founded by King Edward III in1348; the same time as the Order of the Garter.

Archivist and Chapter Librarian KateMcQuillian had kindly laid out a fascinatingselection of documents for our perusal. Theoldest of these was the earliest survivingAttendance Register (1384-85) of Canons, PoorKnights and Clerks at St George’s Chapel, andthe most recent a copy of The Golden Rule, acantata written for Her Majesty The Queen’s 80thbirthday in 2006. Other highlights included the

Canon Treasurer’s accounts for 1541-1542, whichdetailed payments to John Marbeck (Organist of StGeorge’s, c.1531-1585), and letters from boychorister Colin McCallum to his mother, describingthe 1902 Coronation at which he sang with thechapel choir.

Hot on the heels of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex two weeks earlier, our next stop was St George’s Chapel, resting place of ten formermonarchs including Henry VIII, Charles I and GeorgeIII, and spiritual home of the Order of the Garter,where we were given a fascinating tour by one ofthe Military Knights of Windsor. Our highly qualifiedguide shared many fascinating insights, not onlyabout the chapel but also the ancient institution ofthe Military Knights.

Construction of the chapel, located in the lowerward of the castle, was begun by Edward IV in1475 and completed under Henry VIII in 1528. TheQuire was the first part of the chapel to becompleted, being roofed between 1477 and 1483.The Nave was begun in 1483 and roofed by 1496,but the magnificent stone vaulting was not

completed until 1528. None of us were left in anydoubt why St George’s Chapel has long beenconsidered one the finest examples of gothicarchitecture in the country.

Sir James was a charming and generous host,warmly welcoming us, alongside his wife Nicola,into his private apartment for a delicious lunch. Wewere also able to explore his garden, which isn’topen to the public. The Moat Garden dates back tothe creation of the original motte-and-bailey castleby William the Conqueror, in the eleventh century.Terraces and walks form distinct areas within it, thehighest of which allow wonderful views across boththe upper and lower castle wards and, of course, toSt George’s Chapel.

After lunch there was time to enjoy the castle’smagnificent State Apartments, before regroupingfor tea and cake in the Dean’s Cloister andreturning once again to the chapel. By now the

Thank you Paul

Ifind that one of the many enjoyable aspects ofbeing a Liveryman is the opportunity to

participate in the varied and interesting eventsand activities that come with membership of theLivery Club. The last two years, under thestewardship of Paul Gobey, have beenparticularly exciting and memorable. Those whoattended were so lucky to be able to participatein the visit to Bergen in May 2017. Paul arrangeda fantastic programme, including a violin recital,

Livery Club Visit to Windsor Castle June 2018


day’s visitors had departed, and we were able towatch Director of Music James Vivian lead thechoir’s rehearsal for choral evensong. It was nocoincidence, of course, that much of the musicchosen was by composers with strong links to theCompany, including Britten, Elgar and Howells. Weall listened intently, the swords, helmets and bannersof the Knights of the Garter suspended above ourheads, their heraldic stall plates behind us.

The Tour Group with our Hosts at Windsor

Admiral Sir James Perowne and The Masterenjoy an animated conversation

Paul presenting a copy of PreserveHarmony to conductor EdwardGardner during the Livery Club visitto the Bergen Festival in 2017

The new LiveryClub President

Iam delighted and honoured to be taking overfrom Paul Gobey as President of the Livery

Club. As you will see in the accompanying article,Paul arranged a series of excellent educationaland social visits. A hard act to follow! But withideas and suggestions from colleagues of theLivery Club Committee and fellow Liverymen, Ihope to provide instructive and enjoyable eventsover the next two years.

Planning is underway for our visit toEisenstadt:In the footsteps of Haydn (24-27 May 2019)Eisenstadt, the capital of Burgenland, is

situated 50 kilometres south of Vienna. Ofspecial interest is the Esterházy family, theirpalace and the appointment of Joseph Haydn asPrince Esterházy’s court orchestra director. Weshall attend a concert in the Haydnsaal at the

Esterházy Palace, reputed to be amongst themost beautiful and acoustically perfect concerthalls in the world, as well as hear an organrecital in Haydn’s church and visit Haydn’shouse. Liszt’s birthplace house is not far awayand close by is Rust, a UNESCO WorldHeritage site, known as “the town of storksand noble wines”.

Some of our other ideas are:The new Master, Michael Lewin, professor

and head of guitar at the Royal Academy ofMusic, will host a visit to the RAM includingthe new recital hall, the RAM museum toexplore unique instruments, manuscripts andart, and behind-the-scenes stories from theUK’s oldest conservatoire. We shall arrange thevisit to coincide with a concert given by RAMstudents.

A visit to The Charterhouse in the City couldinclude a Brother’s tour and the museum andcoincide with a concert featuring holders ofthe New Elizabethan Award.

This year’s visit to Windsor Castle and StGeorge’s Chapel was very popular and noteveryone who wished was able to attend andcontacts at Windsor have kindly agreed toanother visit.

With the new Queen’s Diamond JubileeGalleries in the triforium and the Queen’sorgan in the Henry VII chapel, a gift from theLord Mayor and the Corporation of London incelebration of the 60th anniversary of TheQueen’s Coronation, it could be time for a visitto Westminster Abbey.I also hope to arrange a visit to Buxton andthe Peak District in 2020 to include an operaand a performance by Musicians’ Companyyoung artists (Yeomen) as part of the BuxtonInternational Festival.

Livery Club President ANN REDFEARN

a one-day rail and boat excursion to the beautifulFjords, and a dinner, which was addressed by theconductor Edward Gardiner (the music director ofthe Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra), who spokeabout the concert performance of Peter Grimesthat we attended on the following evening. Thetour of Grieg’s house where we also heard a piano recital of Grieg’s music was an outstandingand memorable occasion. Paul’s high level of knowledge of Norway and Norwegian musicenhanced all of these activities.

The following September Paul continued theBritten theme and provided a unique opportunity to

stay on the site of the Maltings, Snape. We had adelightful dinner with an address from the CEO ofAldeburgh Music, Roger Wright. The next day Rogergave us a guided tour of the Snape site, told usabout his exciting programme of masterclasses andconcerts and also let us know of the plans for thetotal development of the site, which still hasnumerous derelict buildings that will provideincredible performance and teaching facilities in thefuture. The visit included a guided tour of Britten’shome, the Red House in Aldeburgh.

I was unable to attend all of the Livery Clubactivities organised by Paul, but must mention a

Music has been at the core of daily life in St George’s since its foundation, with services sungthroughout its history (with the exception of theCommonwealth period, 1649-60). The choircomprises around twenty boy choristers, educatedwithin the castle grounds at St George’s School,and twelve Lay Clerks, most of whom live besidethe chapel in the Horseshoe Cloister. James’ closerapport with the boys was immediately obvious, as was his musical sensitivity and superb ear. Assistant Director of Music Luke Bond, who began his career at my local cathedral, Gloucester,ably supported him.

Under the skilled stewardship of Livery ClubPresident Paul Gobey, everyone present enjoyed avery special day that will live long in the memory.However, enormous thanks are also due to ourMaster, Lady Brewer, who first suggested visitingWindsor following her husband David’s investmentas a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garterin 2016, and to Liveryman David Wakefield, whohas known Admiral Sir James Perowne for manyyears following their service in the Royal Navy.Without the efforts of all three our day could nothave followed the form it did, and for that we areenormously grateful.

Liveryman SIMON PROBERT

visit which was very close to home for me – aday at the Horniman Museum in south-eastLondon and a very interesting talk on theextensive musical instrument collection that themuseum holds.

Thank you, Paul, for all the thoughtful workthat you have put into your term of office asPresident of the Livery Club. You provided a reallyinteresting and informative series of visits andoutings.

Liveryman JOHN SMITH


The Livery Club President, Ann Redfearn

The view from the Constable andGovernor’s Garden


THE MIDSUMMER BANQUET 2018

Attended by two Doggett’s Coat and Badge Men (L-R): The Junior Warden; Mrs Miranda Williams; The Santley Award winner, Mr Roderick WilliamsOBE; The Master; Principal Guest, Sir Richard Stilgoe OBE DL; The Senior Warden; The Clerk, Mr Hugh Lloyd

(L-R): The Master; The Santley Award recipient, (L-R): The Junior Warden, Mr John Nichols; Liveryman Sir Richard Stilgoe OBE DLMr Roderick Williams OBE; The Clerk The Master, Lady Brewer OBE; The Senior and Lady Stilgoe OBE (Annabel) Warden, Mr Michael Lewin

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Left: The Fanfare Trumpeters of The Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Schoolof Music. (L-R): former Orpheus student, Charlotte Rowling; Yeoman AliciaBerendse (violin); former Orpheus student, Thomas Puttock; former Orpheusstudent, Angus Morton; Yeoman Elizabeth Rossiter. Above: Fishmongers’ Hall


Will Barry: 2017 Jazz Winner’s Gig

As a first-time guest at a Musicians’ CompanyJazz gig I was unsure of what to expect since

my previous experience with jazz was at the old100 Club in Oxford Street many years ago. It wasalso difficult to imagine members of a City LiveryCompany experiencing a jazz night in Soho! I thendiscovered that the Company added jazz to therange of music genres it supports decades ago andthe Soho Jazz Club has been a popular venue forthese annual events for a number of years.

I had heard much about the previous jazz gigwhen Will Barry won the Young Jazz MusicianCompetition in Autumn 2017 and was intriguedto learn that this award is given annually to anexceptionally talented young jazz musician chosen,unusually, by audience vote. Tradition has it thatthe winner receives a fee of £600 and a further£600 for the band of his/her choice to performlater in the year at the same venue, together with the Musicians’ Company Medal.

Will Barry’s leadership on piano wascomplemented by Fergus Ireland (bass) and JamesMadden (drums). They formed a fantastic trio whoprovided an exciting and varied programme ofmusic. The numbers and nature of the two setsgave each musician the opportunity todemonstrate his amazing ability as a soloist. Thedexterity. The dexterity with which Will’s handsmoved across the piano keys will remain long inmy memory. I wish these outstanding musicianswell and hope that we will hear more of them astheir careers develop further in the future.

My thanks go to all three musicians and toeveryone involved in organising this event, whichmade for such an enjoyable evening, and alsoLiveryman Jan Yerbury for inviting me!

Guest JEFF WALTERS

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Will Barry, Young Jazz Musician 2017

The presentation of the Award to Will Barry

Diary Dates 2019Emma Smith at ‘Crazy Coqs’The Company’s Jazz Committeehas arranged another superb,convivial evening at Crazy Coqs –the striking Soho Art Deco spacefor cabaret and jazz performances.It will feature the talented singerEmma Smith – winner of theCompany’s Young Jazz MusicianAward in 2013 – with an equallytalented trio in support.

The date is Sunday 3 February 2019; the gigstarts at 7.00pm and ends at 9.00pm. Tickets arenow available via the Company’s website. The priceper person of £48 includes entrance, wine and bowlfood. Crazy Coqs is located at Zedel Soho, 20Sherwood Street, London W1F 7ED.

Ashley Riches’ Myra Verney RecitalThe Company’s Myra Verney Awardhas only ever been awarded twice.The first winner, Elizabeth Watts,has gone on to fame and stardomand the second winner, AshleyRiches, is on the same pathway.

The Company is funding arecital by Ashley on Monday 25February 2019 at 7.45pm in thePurcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall (South BankCentre). It is being promoted in collaboration withthe Park Lane Group and pianist Joseph Middletonwill accompany Ashley. Their recital will feature aworld premiere of a song cycle by Michael Berkeley,commissioned for Ashley by the PLG to markMichael’s 70th birthday. The programme will alsoinclude songs by Parry, Gurney, Moeran, VaughanWilliams and Britten. As Ashley is a BBC YoungGeneration Artist the BBC will record theprogramme for future broadcast.

Tickets went on sale on Thursday 1 November.Tickets cost £25, £20 and £10 and are obtainablefrom the Southbank Centre Ticket Office (online: southbankcentre.co.uk phone: (020) 3879 9555 – 9am-8pm daily).

Pastmaster LESLIE EAST

Acapacity audience enjoyed another stunning gig at the SohoJazz Club in Dean Street, seeing trumpeter James Davison

become the Company’s Young Jazz Musician 2018. As Chairman of the Jazz Committee, Pastmaster Leslie East, said: “there was a unique vibe amongst the six Finalists”, which made for a thrillingevening. Whilst the talent and musicianship of all six were remarkable,ultimately the audience decided that James was the worthy winner.

Formerly lead trumpet in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra(2014-2017), James is currently lead trumpet with the ScottishNational Jazz Orchestra and second trumpet in the London Jazz Orchestra. He has performed with the BBC Big Band, The Syd Lawrence Orchestra and the Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Orchestra amongst many others.

The Musicians’ Company Young Jazz Musician 2018 September 2018

(L-R): 2018 Award Winner, James Davison; Alex Hitchcock

Emma Smith

Ashley Riches

Photo: ©

Debbie Scan

lon


AJuly afternoon in the middle of the summer’sheatwave saw around three-dozen members of

the Company gather in the North Circle Bar at thetop of the Royal Albert Hall to hear David Pickardgive a talk marking his Honorary Fellowship of theMusicians’ Company. Several Pastmasters werepresent, supporting Lady Brewer as she introducedDavid (he being silhouetted against a leafy HydePark backdrop).

David was being honoured for his contribution to

the management andsuccess of several majorUK arts organisations -most notably through along spell as GeneralDirector ofGlyndebourne FestivalOpera and, since 2015,as Director of the BBCProms. Earlier, his careerhad seen him at theRoyal Opera House, theOpen Air Theatre inRegent’s Park, and thenrunning the Orchestra ofthe Age ofEnlightenment.

In his openingremarks, David stressedtwo things as beingessential to a successfularts management career- seizing opportunitiesand working in a range

of different genres (as his career clearlydemonstrates). He related how, at just seventeen,he took the opportunity to hand out chorus musicat the ROH, only to receive a telegram just after hehad left Cambridge, urgently requesting him toreturn to the ROH, but now as a company manager.Presumably the ROH remembered that “nice boywho lived in the stationery cupboard”, as Davidself-deprecatingly put it. He also confided that heinitially “loathed” period-instrument performance

when he took over the OAE, but the job forced achange of mind, though he welcomes the evolutionof ‘authentic’ to ‘historically-informed’ performance.In other words, be flexible and welcome diversity.

The substance of David’s talk was to address thedifferences, similarities and challenges ofGlyndebourne and the Proms; the obviousdifference is funding. As a privately-fundedenterprise, the recent challenge for Glyndebournewas moving successfully from corporate patronageto more individually-sourced income, requiringDavid’s involvement in all aspects of theorganization; notably fund-raising and marketing.Contrast this with the publicly funded Proms(working on an annual budget of around £10m),where his role is truly focussed on programmeplanning, with other departments looking aftersupporting activities. David further observed thatopera planning is a long-term operation, over whichGlyndebourne has complete control - in contrast tothe Proms, where he said only 50% of the 2016season had been decided when he arrived inNovember 2015, and where visiting musical groupsoften arrive with their own agendas.

The similarities include shared aims, the obviousone being the pursuit of excellence: “to do the bestthat can be done” (Glyndebourne, with itsexhaustive weeks of rehearsal) and “present thebest of classical music” (the Proms, especially incommissioning numerous new works). David alsostressed a shared aim to introduce and promotenew artists, such as the young Renée Fleming inHandel at Glyndebourne and, this year, Jacob Collierat the Proms, to create success rather than chase it.Alongside these aims is the constant wish to reachthe widest possible audience, in particular ayounger one - witness the ‘under-30s’ nights andeducation programme at Glyndebourne, and theintroduction of late-night and family matinee Promsin London.

Of the challenges, David concentrated on hispresent role, such as achieving an appropriate

Musicians’ Company Hon Fellow Event 2018

David Pickard

The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra rehearse Joseph Haydn’s Symphony No 104 in D major, ‘London’, conducted by Andrew Manze

(L-R): The Clerk, Mr Hugh Lloyd; The Master, Lady Brewer OBE; The Musicians’Company Honorary Fellow 2018, Mr David Pickard


As Managing Director of the British BandInstrument Company I am currently

serving a three-year term as a BoardMember with the National Association ofMusic Merchants (NAMM). Established inthe USA, NAMM is the not-for-profitassociation that strengthens the £10 billionglobal music, sound and technologyproducts industry. Based in the UnitedKingdom I am one of the few non-Americans privileged to serve on the NAMMBoard during its 117-year existence.

Earlier this year I joined nearly 100 musicindustry leaders, notable artists and artseducation activists from the United States toadvocate for all school-aged children tohave access to quality, comprehensiveschool music education programs. As part ofthe NAMM Advocacy Fly-In, the delegationmet with Members of Congress and otherpolicy stakeholders to reinforce theimportance of music as part of a well-rounded education. I wanted to get a betterunderstanding of support formusic education in the world’s largestmarket for music products.

During the meetings, it was quiteapparent to me how, as a result of theefforts by the NAMM organisation, influentialpoliticians readily accept the importance of musicas part of a well-rounded education in theUnited States. It also highlighted to me howaccessible the US elected representatives are,and how they acknowledge the importance ofmusic in education. We were prepared for ourmeetings by being up-dated on the current issuesfacing the US public school music programs andbriefed on the Every Student Succeeds Act(ESSA); a landmark in federal education policy,which places more emphasis on a well-roundededucation – including music – and gives moredecision-making to states and local districts. Avariety of policy and arts leaders briefed thegroup, including the Arts Education Partnership,the Education Commission on the States, the

Country Music Association, and Turnaround Arts. At the morning meeting, Music Matters, a new

compilation of research, was released by the ArtsEducation Partnership, the Country MusicAssociation, and The NAMM Foundation. Theresearch piece underscores a variety of academicand behavioural benefits such as increased focus,managing and navigating problems, and enhancedmemory and vocabulary development that the non-musician students do not enjoy. In addition to theadvocacy work, I also attended a reception in theMansfield Room at the U.S. Capitol that broughttogether arts advocates and policymakers andunderscored the importance of continuing to lobbyfor all children to have access to music education.

As I write this, I’ve just learned that US Congresshas just passed, and President Trump has signed

into law, a massive appropriations bill forthe combined fiscal year 2019 funding forthe U.S. Department of Education. This isthe first time in 22 years that funding forthe Department of Education has beencompleted before the beginning of a newfiscal year. For 2019 the US Department ofEducation will receive an increase of inexcess of £500 million. As part of theStudent Support and Academic EnrichmentGrant Programme this represents a hugevictory for music and arts education as partof well-rounded education policies.

The visit brought home to me how theelected representatives were so readilyaccessible and receptive to the messagethat music in education should be afundamental in a well-rounded education.

Recently Sir Antonio Pappano, Sir SimonRattle, Lord Lloyd Webber, Sir JamesMacMillan, Kathryn McDowell and JohnWilson were all united to express thatMusic should be a birthright of every child,but it is fast becoming the preserve of theèlite in the UK. This year’s GCSE resultsshow that the uptake of music at GCSE hasfallen dramatically – down more than 15per cent in two years. The English

Baccalaureate (EBacc) continues to damage notonly the uptake of music at GCSE but also at Keystage 3. Even the government’s own figuresshow the damage that EBacc is having on musicand other creative subjects.

We know that music is a vital part of aneducation. It provides knowledge, skills andproblem-solving abilities that play a significantrole in all children’s development. It is central toour cultural life, a key driver of economic growth,and gives our children the tools to navigate afast-changing digital world. Hence, we need tourge the government to reverse its EBacc policyand take action to keep music in our schools.Lobbying politicians does seem to work.

Court Assistant ALUN HUGHES

Music and Education in the USA

balance of classical and non-classical concerts inthe face of a press inevitably homing in on themore newsworthy non-classical departures. But hereminded us that out of each season’s ninety or soconcerts, seventy-five to eighty remained coreclassical. Persuading musical groups that small-scale repertoire (Mozart, Bach, or Monteverdi’sOrfeo) could work wonderfully in such a largevenue was another challenge. But David admitted apersonal concern; that a significant proportion ofthe audience, between the ages of thirty and sixty,appeared to be experiencing classical performancefor the first time, and that the Proms’ presentation,including programme booklets, may not be giving

them what they required. While needing to becareful not to patronise them, he instancedBernstein’s famous orchestral lectures and theAurora Orchestra’s approach to performingBeethoven’s Eroica as pointers in how to engageand retain these new listeners; but “a hard nut tocrack”, he conceded.

Overall, he remained bullish about the futureprospects of the Proms and of Glyndebourne,pointing out that both institutions had weatheredthe post-2008 financial climate relatively well.

There followed an invitation to sit in on theafternoon rehearsal of the BBC Scottish SymphonyOrchestra, under Andrew Manze, preparing for that

night’s performance of two ‘London’ symphonies:Haydn’s Symphony No 104 in D major and VaughanWilliams’ early A London Symphony. I could onlystay for the Haydn, but under the energy andprecision of period-instrument violinist-turned-conductor Andrew Manze (he asked for “anexplosive” start to the symphony!), it brought homethe transformation in the performance of classical-period works that David had alluded to. This waslean, fleet-footed (or ‘historically-informed’) Haydnthat you were unlikely to have heard from any BBCorchestra fifty years ago.

Liveryman BEN PATEMAN

Court Assistant Alun Hughes at the US Capitol

Along with my cousin, Caroline Swire, the greatgrand daughter of John Henry Iles, we

attended the unveiling ceremony of the BluePlaque, which took place in St Andrews Park,Bristol, in front of JHI’s original house inSommerville Road. The City of Bristol Brass Bandcommenced the proceedings with a 15-minute

In June, after a short illness, Pastmaster HenryWillis 4 died at his home in the Nilgiris District

of Tamil Nadu, aged 91. Henry was born in 1927

and christened in St Paul’s Cathedral. Afterschooling at Westminster and in Yorkshire, at theripe age of 17 he joined the regular army in 1944

session, which attracted quite a crowd in spite ofthe cold, cloudy weather.

On her arrival, the Lord Mayor, Councillor LesleyAlexander, in full regalia, was introduced by GordonYoung of Bristol Civic Society Blue Plaque Panel,who went on to explain about blue plaques and towhom and how they were awarded. This was followed by a speech from myself generally about

John Henry’s very varied and full life. There alsowere a few words from Steve Ellis of the City of

Bristol Brass Band, which playedanother 15-minute session.

The Lord Mayor explained that herofficial car still carried the originalnumber plate of the first car in

Bristol, which was owned bya Mr Butler (an important

Bristol businessman)whose daughter wasmy grandfather’smother and afterwhom the late

and was commissioned in the Queen’s RoyalRegiment in 1947, seeing service in the Far East.

1948 marked the start of his fifty years with thefamily firm of Henry Willis & Sons – which todayhas been in continuous operation since 1845,producing an opus list of more than 2500 organs.He was clothed with the Company’s Livery in 1949.

Whether he was always the somewhat acerbicand distinctly eccentric colleague we came to knowand admire is unclear from the records. He wassomeone about whom neutral feelings wereimpossible. Becoming Master of The Company in1991-2, Liverymen will recall his Installation Feastwith the Hall bedecked by half-a-dozen chamberorgans which, perforce, organ playing memberswere required to play, myself included, on thegrounds that a company of musicians ought to beable to make its own music! It was a memorableevent by any yardstick.

In 1997 he retired from active leadership of thefirm and within a few years had left the UK for thedelights of Tamil Nadu, Southern India.

Willis organs reached most parts of the world;one expression, I suppose, of Pax Britannica. It istestimony to generations of Willis craftsmen that

Henry Willis 4

Remarkably, no fewer than four members of the Iles family served as Master Musicianduring the Twentieth Century. The first was John Henry Iles in 1932, in whose name aCompany medal was established in 1947 and awarded annually in recognition of services tothe brass band movement. Earlier this year a commemorative Blue Plaque was unveiled inthe City of Bristol in his honour. We asked his grandson, Honorary Court Assistant John Iles(Master in 1992-93 and co-founder of PH), to tell us about this memorable occasion.

The John Henry Iles Blue Plaqueunveiling Ceremony

Photos: G

ordo

n Young

Photo: Liverym

an Jo

hn-Paul B

uzard

Pastmaster Henry Willis 4at the Leeds Gentlemen’sClub 1994

Steve Ellis, Leaderof the City ofBristol Brass Bandwith the JohnHenry IlesCommemorativeBlue Plaque


(L-R): Honorary Court Assistant, Pastmaster John Iles; The Lord Mayor of Bristol,Councillor Lesley Alexander; Caroline Swire, great grand-daughter of John Henry Iles

The City of Bristol Brass Band

The involvement of Australian and New Zealandforces in much of the fiercest fighting in

northern France in 1917-1918 is well documented,and the band’s commemorative tour will take it tobattlefields and cemeteries as well as to Paris,London, York, Durham and Leicester. Searchingthrough images to support the theme and contentof the war-related repertoire for the tour, theMelbourne designer rediscovered one of the trulygreat pictures of the conflict – first used, in fact, asa wall-covering at the time of the 1919 warexhibition mounted in London’s Australia House.

Reproduced here, it shows the band of the 5thAustralian Infantry Brigade marching into theGrande Place of the devastated town of Bapaumein northern France, not far from Amiens, the dayafter the Australians took it on 17 March 1917.Appropriately, the band is playing Alex Lithgow’smarch Victoria, and leading quite literally from thefront, cornet to his lips, the focal point of the picture,is Bandmaster Sergeant Albert John Peagam.

Born in South Molton, Devon, in 1885, and incivilian life a “journalist printer”, the cornet-playingBert Peagam was enlisted in 1915 as a sergeant.This suggests prior musical knowledge and playing

prior to The Great War – which he survived,returning home to Australia where he died, inSydney, in 1965. “It’s surely more than a purecoincidence that, here in England, all malemembers of the family have, from the time of WW1to the present, been brass bandsmen, mostly withThe Salvation Army,” says Anthony. “And howinteresting that my father and grandfather wereboth printers, and that I and Oliver have careers injournalism, public relations and marketing.” Thediscovery that places Bert Peagam at the centre ofthe action at Bapaume in 1917 has thrilled themodern-day Peagams. “I’ve spent a lifetime lookingfor the family name on cenotaphs and churchmemorials, and never once found it,” says Anthony.

“Now we find that it’s writ large in theAustralasian history of The Great War. How can younot be proud about that?”

Footnote: The Footscray-Yarraville City Band,during its recent visit to London, played at theExhibition Hall, Australia House, on 11 November,and Southwark Cathedral on 12 November. Itsprogramme included The Endless Silence by ToddSmith, commissioned for the European tour.

Lest We ForgetPastmaster Gavin Barrett has produced the CD Lest We Forget for Signum Classics (with ChichesterCathedral choir and organist), featuring works written during World War I. A number of thecomposers were associated with the Musicians’ Company, notably Herbert Howells (Rhapsody No 3for Organ), together with works by Elgar, Holst, Stanford and Parry. The charity ‘Combat Stress’, alsomarking its centenary this year, will benefit from the CD’s sales.

most instruments remain playable and in use.One such organ in Thailand had fallen intodisrepair - Henry unstintingly sent drawings,copious notes and step-by-step instructions forits repair, even deciding at the last moment totravel there himself to finish the task to a properWillis standard.

He was hospitable to a fault and generous in aquiet and private way, helping many of hisformer craftsmen who had fallen on evil days. Hissharp-edged exterior persona gave little clue tothe inner man - great integrity, conservativevalues, thoroughness and pursuit of highstandards.

I saw him abashed only once, when, due totravel commitments in my Mastership, I askedhim to represent The Company at the Funeral inWestminster Abbey of Her Late Majesty, QueenElizabeth the Queen Mother on 9 April 2002. Hewas profoundly moved – even speechless. It wasat his strong urging that I joined the Court in1992. I, for one, will treasure memories ofPastmaster Willis – we shall not see his like again.

Pastmaster GAVIN BARRETT

Liveryman Gordon Butler Iles, brotherof Pastmasters Henry Frederick BirdIles and John Bird Iles was named. To add to the circle, the owner of the house where the plaque is to bepositioned came and introducedhimself. He told me that a familymember had also just married a John Iles!

Martin Bolton also deserves muchcredit, for it was his original interestin Gordon Butler Iles’ Link & Silothtrainers used for training aircrewsduring the last war which providedthe link to John Henry his father.Martin is also keen on brass bands

and started a detailed study, which led to hisapplication to the Civic Society for JHI’srecognition. A very successful afternoon wasrounded off with homemade cakes and teasupplied from the Park café.

On a personal basis it was good to chat tosome of the bandsmen who had known andplayed at the Royal Albert Hall with some of myfather’s and grandfather’s associates - althoughmost seemed to be in their mid 30’s and 40’s.The brass band movement needs all the help itcan muster, as today there are so manycompeting activities with those taking partmostly being amateur and not the wealthiest ofindividuals. They were interested in some of theactivities of the Musicians’ Company, especiallythe supporting of young players; the Iles andMortimer Medals; Diplomas of Honour and somesilverware that might be available! Philip Biggsalso came out with high plaudits and everyone’sthanks must go to Rosemary Grant who, ineffect, organised the whole event.

Having an unusual surname is a mixed blessing: frequently reinvented, invariably misspelt.But all praise to the graphic designer in Melbourne who got everything right and linkedtoday’s Peagam family to one of the iconic images of The Great War. Liveryman AnthonyPeagam says: “Our son Oliver lives in Sydney but visits Melbourne regularly and has beenworking there with a freelance designer, among whose other commissions has beenpublicity material for the European tour, in November, of the Footscray-Yarraville CityBand.” Anthony has been a Liveryman since 1994 and was actively involved in the PR Committee and PH for some considerable time. We asked him to tell us more.

Bandmaster Sergeant A J Peagam

Bandmaster Sergeant A J Peagam leads the Band of the 5th Australian Infantry Brigade, playing theVictoria march, through the devastated Grande Place of Bapaume, 18 March 1917


Photo: The

Australian War M

emorial


Among the rewards of being part of theCompany’s Archival Project are making the

contacts and meeting the people who have apersonal interest in our history. We have received anumber of enquiries over the past five years frommusicians, researchers and family members of thosepeople who are mentioned on our Archive website.One such enquiry began with The Maske of‘The Golden Tree’.

forefathers. It was a magnificent presentation of atypical ancient Maske, scenery, rich dresses,graceful dances and delightful old music allcombining to furnish an evening’sentertainment rarely paralleled.”

Around the same time, special medalson the Company’s ribbon were struckcommemorating the occasion. Clearlyvery rare, I was fortunate enough to findand purchase one several years ago.

Carl Hentschel, Chairman of theMusic Committee of the Corporationof London also greatly assisted in thearrangements for The Golden Treeand, in recognition of their service,Cummings and Hentschel were bothawarded the Company’s Silver Medal.

So, amazingly, in 2016, idly browsing the webpages of Ebay’s online auction, I saw for sale theSilver Medal that had been awarded to Hentschelback in 1905, still in its black and gold-stampedcase. Of course, it had to be purchased. Thevendor explained that he had bought themedal at an Antiques Fair on the Isle of Wight.One can only wonder how this treasuredaward came to be there and where it hadbeen during the previous 110 years!

All this good fortune, together withphotographs of the performance andnewspaper cuttings reporting the event,led your Archival team to investigatefurther and to add much new

information to the website. A real sense ofexcitement infused our researches and the webpage for that event is one of the most detailed onour Archival site.

http://www.wcomarchive.org.uk/–masque-of-golden-tree

While we were stillinvestigating The Golden Tree,

further great news wasannounced: Mrs Vikki

Templeman inAustralia, a distantrelative of theGuildhall School’sprincipal, WilliamCummings, had‘Googled’ anddiscovered theinformation about herancestor on our website.She was planning an earlyvisit to London with her

son and daughter and hopedto learn more about Cummings. What

an opportunity! At once I offered to meet thevisitors and take them round some sites in the Citythat Cummings would have known. She alsooffered to bring Cummings’ Silver Medal, which shehad inherited, so that it could be photographed forthe website. So, on a rather bleak autumn day in2017 I was able to guide the Australian family tosee the Guildhall School’s old building, where, toour pleasure, we spotted a foundation stonebearing Cummings’ name, as Principal. Manyphotos were taken of that piece of history! We alsowent to Stationers’ Hall, where Cummings hadreceived his Silver Medal in 1905, and St Paul’sCathedral where he had been a chorister.

What a day for that family and what avindication of all the work undertaken on theArchival website! It is such satisfying successes thatmake our researches so rewarding.

Pastmaster PAUL CAMPION

A Maske by Thomas Campion

To celebrate the marriage of the Earl of Somerset and Lady Frances Howard (1613 and 1905)

The Golden TreeThe Medal with theCompany’s three-coloured ribbon

Photos: The M

usicians’ Com

pany Archives

The cast of The Golden Tree on-stage in 1905

‘The Maske’ programme frontispiece

This masque, written by Thomas Campion (norelation, alas), was first performed at WhitehallPalace in 1613 in celebration of an aristocraticmarriage. Campion was a poet, dramatist andcomposer who flourished around the beginning ofthe 17th century and died in 1619.

Moving forward almost 300 years, to 1905, wefind the Court of the Musicians’ Companydiscussing another performance of this rarely-seenentertainment, to be held at the Guildhall School ofMusic, then sited in John Carpenter Street, betweenthe Embankment and Fleet Street. The performancewas organised by the Master, Mr C D C Crews, andwas graced by the presence of their RoyalHighnesses Prince and Princess Christian ofSchleswig-Holstein. Given by kind permission of theSchool’s Principal (and a Freeman of our Company),Dr William Hayman Cummings, the evening was agreat success, as reported in the Musicians’Company’s Handbook some years later: “The performance at the Guildhall School of

Music…would indeed have delighted our

COMPANY YEOMEN NEWSContributions from members of the Yeomen Coordination Committee, compiled by Christine Twite


Yeomen Co-ordination Committee UpdateA key part of the work of the Yeomen Coordinating Committee is providing performanceopportunities for our Young Artists. This is an initiative started by Senior Warden John Nichols,which, as the figures show below, he has skilfully developed to be a significant part of our workthrough tirelessly working with concert partners across the country. With new responsibilities,John is stepping down as concerts coordinator and, on behalf of the YCC, I want to say a verybig thank you for this amazing work over many years. I am delighted to report that Freeman SirNicholas Warren will be taking over this role.

Liverymen Neil Price and Margaret Lewisohn are retiring from the Outreach programme and I want to thank them for their enthusiasm and energy over the years, while we are delighted towelcome Liveryman Carl Jackson as a new volunteer. It is wonderfully rewarding to beassociated with the Yeomen Programme and we are keen to hear from Company members whomay be interested in being a volunteer: please do contact Director of Outreach, Liveryman JanYerbury for more information on [email protected] Lastly, but far from least, a bigthank you to Yeomen Co-ordinator, Christine Twite, for both excellent administrative support andgreat ideas to keep the Yeomen Programme moving forwards.

Court Assistant ADRIAN MUMFORD Chairman Yeomen Co-ordination Committee

Outreach:We continue with our successful programme oftermly school visits, which remain the bedrock ofour activities. During the last academic year weworked with about 40 different maintainedprimary schools and 40 Yeomen Young Artistsworking with almost 7,000 children.

Through the generosity of the Hampstead,

playing alongside such gifted musicians cannot beunder-estimated. Additionally we have also begunan ensemble project in Westminster City Academyfor wind and brass. Generous sponsorship fromLiverymen and an external sponsor has let usextend our programme into The Royal Hospital forNeuro-disability in Wandsworth, with YeomenYoung Artists the Behn Quartet and violist JordanSian. This has been both humbling and inspiring forYeomen and Volunteers alike and we shall becontinuing this project in the coming year.

We were pleased that Yeomen Young ArtistsJoseph Shiner (clarinet) and Catriona McDermid(bassoon) were awarded the 2018 Patricia PrindlAward for Outreach.

Performances:In 2018 over 75 Yeomen Young Artists gaveperformances as a result of our concerts schemes,which is over a third of our yeomen (who numberaround 190). We gave out over £10,000 ofsubsidies to a range of different concert partners,including St Magnus International Festival andBuxton International Festival. Yeoman Young ArtistJâms Coleman (piano) organised a series ofconcerts at St Clement Danes, which we helped tosubsidise, and we continued our partnerships withSt Lawrence Jewry, City Music Society, LothertonHall, St John’s Smith Square and Chapel RoyalHampton Court. For monthly updates on theseperformances, please subscribe here:http://eepurl.com/dv0ccr

Social Media:We recently launched our very own Instagramaccount, which can be found atwww.instagram.com/themusicianscompanyDo also search for us on Facebook and Twitter, youdon’t have to sign in to do so!

Our Twitter page is:www.twitter.com/MusiciansCompOur Facebook page iswww.facebook.com/TheMusiciansCompany

Other News:In December we bid goodbye to the Yeoman YoungArtists who joined us in 2013, half of whom havealready expressed interest in joining as Freemen ofthe Company. We are delighted that thesemusicians want to continue their relationship withthe Company in this way! As always, we have had arush of new Yeomen join the scheme in the past sixmonths, all of whom you can find out more abouton our website.

If you have any Musicians’ Company news whichyou want shared, please [email protected]

Yeoman Emily Mitchell leading an Outreach at Mission Grove Primary SchoolPhoto: Rog

er Press

Photo: By courtesy of the Royal H

ospital for Neuro-disab

ility

Yeomen Group The Behn Quartet perform at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability

Wells and Campden Trust we have been able tocontinue our project work in three primaryschools and one SEND school in Camden. Eachschool received several Yeomen-supported musicworkshops around different themes (includingthe particularly popular James and the GiantPeach), all of which ended with a performance.The joy and inspiration for the children from

AND FINALLY

Following the earlier, unanimousresolution of the Court, The Clerk, MrHugh Lloyd, was admitted as aFreeman of the Musicians’ Companyat Girdlers’ Hall on 10 July. Followingthe ceremony, which was conductedby the Deputy Clerk, Mrs AmandaRatcliffe, Pastmaster Sir AnthonyCleaver spoke most warmly aboutHugh. Sir Anthony was Master at thetime when a new Clerk to theCompany was required, following theretirement of Liveryman MaggieAlford as Clerk, and he was closelyinvolved in finding a suitablesuccessor – a hard task indeed.Clearly Hugh has established himself

IN MEMORIAM

We record with regret thedeath of the followingMembers of the Company:Anne Le BretonCatherine DunlopPaddy DunnPhilip PotterHenry Willis 4

COURT NEWS

AS A RESULT OF MUSIC…I sing in an annual choir for anAdvent Service. About three yearsago, I was talking to its conductorabout our Elgar letters and hesuggested I contact his great friend Martin Bird who “lives and

NEW COURT ASSISTANTSThe Hon Richard LytteltonTina MayNEW STEWARDSBen CostelloPenny JonasCORPORATE MEMBERSABRSMBoosey & HawkesEdition PetersMusic Sales GroupNAXOS UKTrinity College LondonVictoria College Examinations

breathes” Elgar. Martin was compilingall Elgar’s correspondence and wemet as he worked on the Elgar/Richtercorrespondence, which I have (seeReflecting on Richter, PH, Issue 44, pg. 4). Martin’s book Hans Himself:Elgar and the Richter Circle waspublished earlier this year anddedicated to my sister Jessica and me.

Also this year, a Dr Anton Groihoferfrom Kleinzell (a village outsideVienna where the Richter’s had asummerhouse), discovered the Richterconnection with the village andmarked the 175th anniversary of hisbirth with a concert given by HansRichter, a great-grandson of ‘the’Hans Richter. He found our names inHans Himself and made contactthrough Martin Bird. My sisterattended the concert and met the‘younger’ Hans, who then brought hiswife to stay with us.

We all went to Manchester for aperformance of Siegfried, given by theHalle Orchestra and Mark Elder. Wethen visited Bowden, where theRichters had lived, the house having ablue plaque. Hans knocked on thedoor and we were welcomed withopen arms and given a tour of all the

AWARDSNew Lambert FellowGabriella Jones violinMusicians’ Company AwardsHuw Evans tenor (RWCMD)Elliot Gresty clarinet (RCM)Matilda Lloyd trumpet (RAM)James Newby baritone (GSMD)Goldman AwardLea Shaw mezzo-soprano (RCS)John Christie AwardWilliam Thomas bassRAM BrassConnaught Brass:

Aaron AkugboPippa ScourseRobyn BlairChris BrewsterAled Meredith-BarrettIles MedalTrevor CaffullMortimer MedalGwyn EvansYoung Jazz MusicianJames Davison trumpetJazz Lifetime Achievement AwardPeter King

WCoM Popular Music Awards:Musical Direction in MusicalTheatre ScholarshipWilliam Bullivant (RAM)BRIT School Annual ScholarshipEnzo LibbertWCOM Prize at Christ’sHospital SchoolYun Shin clarinetChoral Director’s LifetimeAchievement AwardLiveryman Dr Stephen Cleobury CBE


(L-R): Hans Richter (front, left);Dom Elliott (behind); Jessica Loeb(centre); Jayne Wilson (behind);Liveryman Caroline Loeb (front,right); with commemorativeplaque above the doorway

(L-R): YeomenCoordinator, ChristineTwite; LiverymanBiddy Baxter MBE;Patron, Sir SimonRattle OM CBE; the 2018 Biddy Baxterand John Hosier MusicTrust Scholarship winner, LilyWhitehurst

(L-R): Pastmaster Sir Anthony Cleaver; Steward of the Musicians’Company Margaret Steinitz (obscured); The Deputy Clerk, Mrs AmandaRatcliffe; The Master, Lady Brewer OBE; The Clerk, Freeman Hugh Lloyd

as a much-respected Clerk who isheld in high regard by the Court andmembers of the Company, as wellas his colleagues in the Fellowshipof Clerks. Congratulations Hugh!

memorabilia. Robert Elliot, who hadbeen Head of Keyboard at the RNCM,bought the house because of itsmusical connection and his son Domand his family, who are wonderfulenthusiasts, now live there. Sadly,

however, they have to sell the housenext year. It would be lovely ifsomeone enjoying its heritage could buy it!

Liveryman CAROLINE LOEB

OUR LEARNED CLERK BECOMES A FREEMAN

THE BIDDY BAXTER & JOHN HOSIER MUSIC TRUSTSCHOLARSHIP 2018

Photo: Chris Christodo

ulou

Documents

Issue 57 AUTUMN 2018 presaervrmonye the musicians’ company