Guildhall School News Spring 2012

news Guildhall School

Spring/Summer 2012

Anne Sofie von Otter on Vera R贸zsa, learning by experience and payback

p4 International Associations

p11 New summer

schools for 2012

p14 Composition

Department successes

Forthcoming Events Lysistrata

Lysistrata Monday 14, Tuesday 15, Wednesday 16, Thursday 17 May • 7.30pm Tuesday 15, Thursday 17 May • 2pm Owen Horsley, director, Susannah Henry, designer, David Holmes, lighting designer, Jonathan Jones, sound designer

Aristophanes, the greatest comic writer of his time, exuberantly mixes bawdiness and politics in his plea for peace during wartime.

Albany Theatre, Deptford

Our Town Tuesday 29, Thursday 31 May, Saturday 2, Wednesday 6 June • 7pm Clive Timms, conductor, Stephen Medcalf, director, Simon Corder, designer and lighting designer, Susannah Henry, costume designer

Ned Rorem’s opera, with libretto by J. D. McClatchy, is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by Thornton Wilder. It depicts life and events in a small town, Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire. This production of Our Town will be is British and European premiere.

Silk Street Theatre

Chaplin

LONDON PREMIERE

Tuesday 26, Wednesday 27, Thursday 28, Friday 29, Saturday 30 June, Wednesday 4 July • 7.30pm Saturday 30 June, Wednesday 4 July • 2pm Summer Gala evenings: Monday 2, Tuesday 3 July (to book for a gala performance, call Rachel Davis on 020 7382 7157)

Martin Connor, director, Bill Deamer, choreographer, Mark Bailey, designer, Mark Jonathan, lighting designer, Ben Harrison, sound designer, Dan Shorten, video design Music by Roger Anderson, Lyrics by Lee Goldsmith, Book by Ernest Kiney

In 1889, Charlie Chaplin was born into a theatrical family – both parents were Music Hall entertainers.

Performance was in his blood and this new musical traces his struggle to break free of his humble beginnings and follow a quest for identity and fulfilment.

future events 2012 Friday 21 September • 7.30pm

Tuesday 25 September

Guildhall Symphony Chorus and Orchestra

Season Preview

Takuo Yuasa, conductor Messiaen Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum Orff Carmina Burana Tickets: on sale from 2 July

An exclusive insight into the artistic and performance highlights of 2012/13 for Guildhall Circle members.

BARBICAN HALL

Wednesday 21 November • 7.30pm

Monday 24 September • 7.30pm

Sir Colin Davis, conductor

London Schools Symphony Orchestra

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MUSIC HALL

Guildhall Symphony Orchestra Dvořák Symphony No. 7, Humperdinck Excerpts from Hänsel und Gretel

Peter Ash, conductor

Tickets on sale from 2 July

Nielsen Helios Overture, Sibelius Songs, Mahler Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen, Sibelius Symphony No. 6

BARBICAN HALL

BARBICAN HALL

Tickets: available from the Barbican Box Office 020 7638 8891 www.barbican.org.uk

For further about any Guildhall School event, please go to www.gsmd.ac.uk/events GUILDHALL SCHOOLinformation NEWS • SPRING / SUMMER 2012

Contents

Editorial

FEATURES

7 Guildhall awarded

4 International

11 Four new summer

major grants

Associations Unique opportunities for Guildhall students

schools launch in 2012 New technical theatre and music summer schools for youths and adults

8 Musical Chairs Warm welcomes and fond farewells

12 Composition Department successes Tanglewood Fellowships, British Composer Awards and more

17 Opera debut in Barbican Theatre

25 Obituaries ALUMNI COMMUNITY PAGES

14 Anne Sofie von Otter

19 Welcome back!

“You learn by experience”

Alumni return to the School

20 Over To You

NEWS

Written by and for alumni

22 Class Notes

6 Milton Court

Alumni news

campaign update

24 Reunions Recent and Coming Up

Welcome to the Spring/Summer 2012 edition of Guildhall School News.

In January of this year, the internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano, Guildhall alumna and Milton Court Campaign Patron, Anne Sofie von Otter gave a masterclass to Guildhall students at LSO St Luke’s and came into the School to receive her Fellowship. Seizing the opportunity, we asked Anne Sofie for an interview for Guildhall School News and you can read the results in the centre spread of the magazine.

You may notice a bit of an international theme cropping up throughout this issue, with news of our collaborations with music institutions overseas (Banff and Tokyo), opportunities for our students to learn from Barbican International Associates (such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, Gewandhaus, New York Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw orchestras), and composers winning places on the Tanglewood Fellowship Program. Not to mention the number of students we have involved in this summer’s London Olympics.

On a more local front, the Opera Course had its debut in the Barbican Theatre with Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Junior Guildhall percussionists enjoyed a unique opportunity to perform a new work by Orlando Gough on HMS Belfast.

We also have an update on progress of the Campaign for Milton Court and you can even get a sneak peek on site by watching our campaign video at www.gsmd.ac.uk/miltoncourt (and see for yourself what we are all getting so excited about).

I hope you enjoy reading the magazine and if you have something that you would like us to consider for a future edition, please email your submission with any accompanying images to editoral@gsmd.ac.uk.

Editorial Group Rachel Dyson (Editor), Alumni Relations Manager

With best wishes,

Deborah MacCallum, Director of Corporate & Student Affairs Jo Hutchinson, Marketing & Communications Manager Duncan Barker, Head of Development

Rachel Dyson Editor

Richard Grosse, Falconbury Ltd Contact: editorial@gsmd.ac.uk The Guildhall School of Music & Drama is provided by the City of London Corporation

(Please note, we cannot guarantee to include everything that we receive and we reserve the right to edit submissions.)

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International Associations Creative Learning team has also been developing longer term projects with each of them by extending their reach beyond the walls of the Barbican and Guildhall School and taking them out into our wider community.

Raimund Zell from the Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig and Alex Edmundson

Guildhall students benefit from the unique opportunities available through the joint Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning department

Leipzig, New York Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Each has become an International Associate, meaning they will perform regular residencies at the Barbican.

In March 2009 the Barbican Centre launched innovative new partnerships with five of the world’s leading ensembles: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Gewandhaus Orchestra

Each of these fantastic ensembles has already performed to thousands of people in the Barbican Centre, but as part of these International Associate Residencies, the Barbican Guildhall

Canadian Collaboration On Friday 11 May 2012, Henk Guittart of the Banff Centre will conduct Guildhall musicians in a concert of works by Berg, Schoenberg and Webern. This concert is a celebration of the School’s ongoing collaboration with the Banff Centre in Alberta, Canada.

Each year, a small number of Guildhall students are sent as part of a collaborative programme to Banff for three weeks of intensive study. Ed Pick and Bartosch Woroch, who are two of the soloists in the May concert, were among the students who went last year. This year the Heath Quartet and Richard Uttley were selected.

In a new development of this collaborative relationship, this year Technical Theatre student Katie Thackeray will also visit Banff on a seven-week secondment as Assistant Stage Manager.

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The Heath Quartet

Over the past two years masterclasses for Guildhall students have been delivered with fantastic musicians from these ensembles. This year has already seen ten masterclasses from the New York Philharmonic and in May another ten will be delivered by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. In July of this year, as part of the London 2012 Festival, Jazz at Lincoln Center will be visiting London for over a week and will be working extensively with the Guildhall Jazz Department.

Each of our International Associates brings a wealth of experience, knowledge and new ideas to the table.

To be able to share and expand this beyond the walls of the City is very exciting. To find out more please visit www.barbican.org.uk v Anna Rice Music and Cross Arts Producer, Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning

News

Guildhall senior musicians perform at Carnegie Hall Senior musicians from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama performed at the Weill Recital Hall in Carnegie Hall, New York, on 24 January 2012.

Szymon Komasa (baritone), Michael Petrov (cello) and Ashley Fripp (piano) performed a programme which included music by Brahms, Chopin, Rachmaninov, Schoenberg and Guildhall School alumnus Thomas Adès.

Among the many Guildhall School alumni who attended the recital were

Principal Barry Ife, Szymon Komasa, Michael Petrov, Head of Strings Louise Hopkins, Head of Advanced Performance Studies and Keyboard Studies Ronan O’Hora and Director of Music Jonathan Vaughan, Ashley Fripp and Head of Vocal Studies, Linnhe Robertson

former international opera singer Benjamin Luxon (Voice 1963), actress and filmmaker Peter Pamela Rose (Acting 1994), jazz bassist Wayne Batchelor (Jazz Double Bass 1987), Kris Kling (Acting 2005) and Natalie Irene (Acting 2008).

provided an opportunity to appear in one of the most prestigious concert halls in the world – Carnegie Hall. The trio showcased the tremendous talent at the School while highlighting the international associations the School has across the world.

Just as the Guildhall Artists at the Barbican series of recitals offers students the chance to perform on a professional stage, this concert

Credit to Tokyo College Students During October, the School welcomed, for the second year running, piano students from the Tokyo College of Music. Whilst they were visiting the School, the students received a formal introduction to western conservatoire teaching techniques and self-reflection, with the assessment counting towards credits for their degree programme back in Japan. At a certificate presentation ceremony hosted by the Principal, the students expressed how much they had enjoyed their time in London and at the School.

A big thank you goes to Noriko Ogawa and Laura Roberts in the Keyboard Department and Louise Bakker in the Music Office for making this visit a huge success. Thanks also to Ronan O’Hora who initiated this exchange programme. v Katharine Lewis Head of Registry Services and Quality Assurance & Enhancement

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Milton Court Campaign Update The Campaign for Milton Court is raising money to equip the School’s new facilities at Milton Court with the highest possible standard of equipment that will turn it into a world-class performance venue and training school to benefit many future generations of young musicians, actors and theatre technicians.

Within the new 600-seat Concert Hall, the Campaign will provide the money for fully-adjustable acoustics to suit each type of performance, a multi-functional and extendable concert platform, stateof-the-art audio and digital broadcast systems and adaptable lighting. The 225-seat Theatre will benefit from fullyautomated power flying into the integral fly tower, elevators in the orchestra pit to control the adaptable forestage area, state-of-the-art audio-visual facilities, hydraulic access system for installing lighting and other production equipment, and acoustic drapes in the auditorium. The flexible space of the Studio Theatre will be covered by a perimeter technical gallery and a tension-

wire grid and seating for several different performance configurations. All of the main venues will have state-of-the-art lighting and sound facilities, assistedlistening systems, and will be supported with high-quality dressing and green room areas.

Fundraising for the Campaign for Milton Court continues to gain momentum and our fundraising activities mean that we have now raised £6.1 million, 45% of our overall target of £13.5 million. We are looking for donors who would like to support the campaign at all levels to help us reach our target in 2013. Significant acknowledgement and naming opportunities for the main venues, public spaces and the major

rehearsal and teaching rooms within the building, including a gym and TV Studio, are still available. In September we will be launching an exciting opportunity for everyone to get involved with Milton Court and our fundraising activities.

There is still a significant challenge ahead of us, but we are delighted that so many old and new friends of the Guildhall School have been able to offer their support so far.

Following a reception held in October 2011, many of the City of London livery companies have made donations in support of the ‘City of London Livery Companies Bar’ within Milton Court to recognise their long-standing connection with the Guildhall School and their support of education. The livery companies offer a huge amount of support each year to our students through the Scholarships Fund and without their help many students would not be able to take up their places or continue their studies at the School.

We have increased the amount of public information available about both the construction project and the fundraising campaign and this can be found on our website at www.gsmd.ac.uk/ miltoncourt. We also commissioned a short video about the new facilities and the fundraising campaign to add to the website at the same address and this complements the suite of over 40 videos in the interactive tour of the School aimed at prospective students.

There has also been major media coverage of the project and the fundraising campaign through an article in BBC Music Magazine (Oct 2011) and an interview by Richard Morrison with the Principal, Professor Barry Ife, in The Times (Mon 21 Nov 2011). v Duncan Barker Head of Development

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Guildhall School is awarded two major grants The School wins one of four AHRC KE Hubs, and also takes part in Euroclassical project The School has recently been awarded two grants, in recognition of the excellent work it does in supporting the promotion of outstanding young musicians internationally.

one of the seven partners. Euroclassical is a network of European institutions designed to promote talented musicians within and across Europe. The seven partners are:

We are a leading partner in one of the four consortia of institutions to have won one of the four prestigious AHRC KE Hubs for the Creative Economy. The winning proposal, CreativeWorks London, is led by Professor Evelyn Welch at QMUL and consists of four work streams, two of which are led by QMUL, one by King’s College London and one by the Guildhall School. The value of the grant is in excess of £4 million.

• Fundación Albéniz/Reina Sofía conservatoire, Madrid (Coordinator)

The second grant was awarded by the European Union to the Euroclassical project, of which the Guildhall School is

• Instituto Internacional de Música de Cámara de Madrid (Coorganiser) • Sibelius Academy (Helsinki)

The project budget is €4.2 million over five years and the EU grant is 50% of that: €2.1 million. The School’s share is €170,000.

Professor Barry Ife says, “Taken together, these two awards represent considerable national and international recognition and are a measure of the School’s ability to compete in partnership with much larger institutions at the highest level.”

• Guildhall School of Music & Drama (London) • Accademia Santa Cecilia (Rome) • Koninklijk Conservatorium (Brussels) • Escola Superior de Música, Artes e Espectáculo (Porto)

Working Together An enquiry into creative collaborative learning across the Barbican-Guildhall campus A study commissioned by the Barbican Centre and Guildhall School that examines the place of ‘creative collaborative learning’ across the Barbican-Guildhall campus has recently been completed. Increasingly, it is acknowledged that collaboration is integral to the success of those organisations committed to extending learning and innovation, to designing and developing new products, and to creating and exchanging new knowledge.

A full copy of the report is available to download from the Research News area of our website www.gsmd.ac.uk

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Welcome back to Kate John as Stage Management Supervisor Kate John, who is a 2001 graduate of the Guildhall School, comes to us direct from the Grand Connaught Rooms having had a successful career in opera. She has worked for such companies as Matthew Bourne, D’Oyly Carte, Opera Ireland and predominantly Welsh National Opera.

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GUILDHALL SCHOOL NEWS

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Welcome to Dominic Wheeler as Head of Opera, succeeding Clive Timms who retires at the end of the Spring Term.

Dominic studied at Clare College, Cambridge, the Royal College of Music and the Liszt-Akademie in Budapest and was also Audi Conducting Scholar and, later, guest conductor at Dartington International Summer School. Dominic has a wealth of experience conducting at both conservatoires and with major opera companies. He has conducted at ENO, Opera North, Opera New Zealand, English Touring Opera, Scottish

Opera as well as acting as a Visiting Music coach and conducting L’augellino belvedere for the Guildhall School.

Jonathan Vaughan, Director of Music at the School said: “I am thrilled that Dominic has accepted the post of Head of Opera. He is highly respected throughout the opera world and the UK conservatoire sector and has already demonstrated great skill in partnership building and collaboration; forging links between opera companies, composers and Higher Education institutions. As we bid a fond farewell to Clive Timms, who has built an enviable reputation for our opera department throughout the world, I am confident that in Dominic we have found a worthy successor to lead the department in its next chapter.”

News

Farewell to Jack Glickman, who retires as violin professor after 40 years David Takeno pays tribute to Jack My guru and a great friend, Jack has been a true role model for me for all the 40 years that I have known him. A most sincere human being, a musician who truly feels and expresses the meaning of the compositions and a wonderful violinist and viola player.

On tours throughout the world – from a small church in the Bahamas to the glorious halls of Europe – Jack gave his all to every note. He performed as soloist (including Mozart Concertante with Menuhin), as a chamber musician and as leader of orchestras.

He is a deeply dedicated teacher, nurturing his students through human understanding. With his vast musical knowledge and wisdom, he imparted to his students the great importance of being an honest, uncompromising and truthful interpreter of music; all his students are now joyfully working throughout the music profession. will feel a little empty but in our hearts

To the most respected musician and teacher, I wish him the very best for his retirement.

and in our work we will carry the

v David Takeno FGS

Without Jack, the corridors of Guildhall

inspiration that he has given to us all.

International Chair of Violin

Farewell to Clive Timms, who retires after 22 years at the School Clive Timms has devoted himself to the School’s Opera course since 1989, and has been responsible for the development and running of the course, which is now considered to be one of the best available producing some of the world’s finest singers. In 2007 the Opera Department’s success was recognised when it was awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize.

He has masterminded many notable productions, often of unusual and stimulating repertoire, the majority of which he has himself conducted.

The most recent of these is the upcoming British and European premiere of Ned Rorem’s Our Town, which takes place at the

end of May. He has also provided English translations for several of the operas performed, including the highly acclaimed production of Rimskii-Korsakov’s The Snowmaiden and Rossini’s La scala di seta as well as surtitles for Mignon, Falstaff, Il tabarro and Gianni Schicchi.

Clive spoke about his impending retirement in a podcast interview for the Guildhall School website about his final production as Head of Opera: A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Barbican Theatre. To listen to this podcast, go to www.gsmd.ac.uk/ audio and select ‘Events Podcast’.

Clive’s retirement ‘do’ was a huge success, with alumni, students and colleagues (past and present)

joining together to celebrate his incredible achievements at the School.

A fantastic number of alumni returned to perform a selection of Clive’s favourite pieces with solo performances from Louise Cannon, Victoria Simmonds, Sarah Redgwick, Stephan Loges, Natalya Romaniw and Roderick Williams (who had adapted the Gilbert and Sullivan classic, A Modern Major-General, into A Modern Head of Opera) and many more in the chorus. Thank you to everyone who helped make this a very special evening, and in particular to Janet Farmer who organised it.

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IN BRIEF Neil Alexander wins an Offie!

Congratulations to Neil Alexander, Deputy Sound & IT Supervisor/Lecturer, who was awarded as best Sound Designer at the 2012 Off West End Awards (Offies) for his work on Snake in the Grass at The Print Room.

Alderman David Wootton becomes Lord Mayor Alderman David Wootton, governor and long-term supporter of the Guildhall School has become Lord Mayor of London for 2011-12. Speaking after his election in November, he said, “The theme for my year in office is ensuring that the City and its institutions are Fit for the Future. The Square Mile is part of the UK domestic community and we need to show that it is. It is easy to regard the City as solely about financial services and only looking outside the UK but this is far from the case. In addition to creating huge economic value both domestically and across Europe, it makes a major contribution to a wide range of activities from education, opportunities, training and skills to charity work.”

Patsy Rodenburg on Desert Island Discs Patsy Rodenburg, Head of Voice (Drama) was Kirsty Young’s castaway on Desert Island Discs on 4 March 2012. Amongst the eight discs Patsy selected were the cast recording of Sunday in the Park with George which featured her former Guildhall student, Daniel Evans, and was produced by another, Danielle Tarento. To see Patsy’s selection or to hear the programme go to www.bbc.co.uk/desertislanddiscs

Diana Devlin, Wendy Alnutt and Deborah MacCallum take to the Guildhall stage Thanks to Diana Devlin (Visiting Drama Tutor), Wendy Alnutt (Head of Movement) and Deborah MacCallum (Director of Corporate and Student Affairs), who showed dedication to the School ‘above and beyond the call of duty’ by performing small roles in the first drama production of the year, Clare Booth Luce’s all-female play The Women.

2011

Fellowships Each year the Board of Governors confers fellowship on a small number of professionals from the Arts industries, in recognition of services to the School, services to their industry or for extraordinary achievements in their chosen career.

Whenever possible, new fellows are admitted at our Graduation ceremony in November, in front of the assembled graduands, governors, staff and guests.

In 2011, Richard Antonel, William Bannerman, Jacqui Dankworth, Kate Eaton, Martin Hathaway, Dinah Stabb and the late Tony Wigram were made Fellows of the Guildhall School (FGS), an honour conferred upon distinguished professors, past students and staff of the School.

At the same time, Joseph Blatchley, Angela Hewitt, Oliver Knussen and Sir John Tomlinson were made Honorary Fellows (HonFGS) for services to Music and Drama.

Angela Hewitt and Oliver Knussen were unable to attend the ceremony.

Angela Hewitt was presented with her fellowship at the Board of Governors’ Committee Dinner in January and we hope to present Oliver Knussen with his fellowship in the near future.

We were delighted to have been able to belatedly admit Anne Sofie von Otter to the Fellowship of the Guildhall School to which she was elected in 2005 (see photo on page 15). Talking at the informal ceremony which took place in January, Ms von Otter said she valued the rigorous training she received at the Guildhall, which included working on four fullscale operas at the Guildhall and the chance to perform at Aldeburgh and Cambridge.

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GUILDHALL SCHOOL NEWS

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News

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Skills SuSchool Creative Music Training

The Stage Lighting Skills summer school offers a unique opportunity for primary and secondary school teachers, amateurs and school leavers to develop their stage lighting skills in a fun and friendly environment under the tuition of professional lighting designer Nick Peel, who has worked in the West End and for the Royal Shakespeare Company.

The Scenic Art Skills summer school, led by Katy Slade, is aimed at primary and secondary school teachers, interior design painters, amateurs and school leavers to develop their scenic art skills in a supportive, fun and friendly environment.

Essential Music Theory is open to students aged 12 and over who are working towards the ABRSM or Trinity Guildhall Music

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Further information: www.gsmd.ac.uk/creativemusictraining

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Theory examinations, or anyone who is interested in improving their theory understanding. The summer school is led by Paul Whitmarsh and Matthew Kaner, who are experienced tutors of both Junior Guildhall and Guildhall School students.

Developed by the Barbican Centre and Guildhall School’s joint Creative Learning department, Creative Music Training offers musicians and educators the chance to develop and study collaborative workshop-leading skills and creative ways of communicating through music in diverse participatory contexts.

The four new summer schools join the Guildhall’s long-running and popular Jazz Summer School (for ages 12+) and Drama Summer School (for ages 18+), which draw on the School’s enviable resources and teaching staff to provide high quality non-HE training in a fun environment.

For further information, or to apply for one of our summer schools, visit the Youth and Adult Learning section of our website www.gsmd.ac.uk.

Cue Olympics!

At the time of printing, at least 42 current students are to be involved in the 2012 Olympic Games – one torch-bearer, 38 theatre technicians and three musicians.

BMus student Dominick Felix will carry the Olympic torch through Westminster on 26 July, having been nominated for voluntary work in community opera in Elephant and Castle.

A total of 38 Technical Theatre students (see website for names) will be involved in the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Olympic and Paralympic Games this summer, working in a variety of areas including stage management, sound, staging, propmaking, operations,

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Tuesda y 28 Au gust – Sunday 2 Septe mber 20 12

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Stage Lighting Skills, Scenic Art Skills, Essential Music Theory and Creative Music Training now booking This year, the School has expanded its summer school programme to include four new courses for young people and adults – Stage Lighting Skills, Scenic Art Skills, Creative Music Training and Essential Music Theory. These specialist short courses are open to anyone who meets the criteria for their chosen course.

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lighting, communications and cast! We rely on them to make sure that undergraduate music students Lydia Gosnell (Recorder), Katrina Pett (Percussion) and Felicity Hindle (Percussion), who are performing in the Opening Ceremony, all get the right cues at the right time.

We are delighted to have so many students involved and look forward to hearing about their experiences of this once-ina-lifetime opportunity. If you are connected to the Guildhall School and are involved in the 2012 Olympic Games, please tell us about it (contact details on page 3).

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Guildhall School wins at the British Composer Awards 2011 Professor of Composition Julian Anderson wins two awards, while Wenjing Wang takes student prize Masters student Wenjing Wang won the Student Composition prize at the 2nd British Composer Awards on Wednesday 30 November for April – a piece written for string quartet which was performed by the Heath Quartet, who are currently Guildhall School Fellows, at the Awards. Wenjing was born in Shanghai, China and previously studied at the Royal Academy of Music, graduating in 2010. In 2010 she won the Young Artist Composition category of the Music Teacher National Association competition.

The Guildhall’s Professor of Composition and Composer-inResidence Julian Anderson won two awards: the Orchestral Award for Fantasias and the Liturgical Award for Bell Mass.

Anderson’s music has been performed by the CBSO, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta and the Nash Ensemble, amongst others. He has been described as ‘one of the most talented [composers] of his generation’ by the Evening Standard. His first acknowledged work Diptych (1990) for orchestra, won the 1992 Royal Philharmonic Society prize for young composers.

Wenjing Wang accepting her award from composer Michael Berkeley

The British Composer Awards celebrate the music of today’s composers living and working in the United Kingdom and also UK premières of work by composers from outside the UK.

Guildhall acting students find top jobs Cara Theobold and Jonathan Barnwell cast in top television series, Emily Berrington goes to the Almeida Theatre Three Guildhall School thirdyear actors have got their careers off to a flying start by securing professional roles prior to finishing their course this summer.

Cara Theobold joins the cast of the hugely successful Downton Abbey to play new kitchen maid Ivy.

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Jonathan Barnwell has been cast opposite Matthew Macfadyen in Ripper Street, a new eight-part BBC cop drama by Richard Warlow (Mistresses, Waking The Dead) which is set in London’s East End in 1889 during the aftermath of the notorious ‘Ripper’ murders.

Emily Berrington takes the part of Effie in the world premiere of Matthew Dunster’s Children’s Children at the Almeida, which is directed

by Jeremy Herrin, Associate Director of the Royal Court. Emily is also filming Michael Winterbottom’s King of Soho alongside Anna Friel and Steve Coogan.

News

Three Guildhall composers make Tanglewood Three Guildhall School composers have won places on the prestigious Tanglewood Music Center Fellowship Program 2012. Matthew Kaner, Alastair Putt and Edmund Finnis will head to the US to study composition on Tanglewood’s summer residency which runs from 23 June to 20 August 2012.

The Boston-based classical music academy awards just six composer fellowships each year, with applications open to young composers from all over the world.

Competition for entry is fierce, with applicants often having to apply more than once, though Kaner, Putt and Finnis were all accepted on their first attempt.

Carnegie Workshop Two of our composers were accepted on to a very prestigious opportunity at Carnegie Hall: an international composition project with Kaija Saariaho at Carnegie Hall. DMus student Edmund Finnis and MMus student Louis Chiappetta were selected from hundreds of applicants to take part in this workshop which took place in March 2012.

BBCSO premiere for Raymond Yiu DMus student Raymond Yiu’s orchestral piece The London Citizen Exceedingly Injured will be given its world premiere at the Barbican Hall in January 2013, performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra.

LSO Panufnik Composers Three Guildhall composers have been selected for the LSO Discovery Panufnik Young Composers Scheme 2012: Patrick Brennan (Composition 2010), Leo Chadburn (Composition 2004) and Bushra El-Turk (Composition 2006). The Panufnik Scheme is an exciting initiative offering six emerging composers each year the opportunity to write for a worldclass symphony orchestra.

Under the guidance of renowned composer Colin Matthews, the scheme enables the selected composers to experiment over time and develop their orchestral writing skills; they form collaborative musical relationships with LSO players as well as witnessing their specially composed pieces put under the microscope by the LSO and François-Xavier Roth in a public workshop rehearsal – a major learning curve.

In addition, each year the Panufnik Young Composers Scheme offers one composer (from the previous year’s intake) the chance to write a larger-scale commission for a main-stage Barbican concert and to hear it rehearsed by the LSO well in advance of its premiere, giving them valuable time to refine and rework these pieces prior to public exposure.

This year current student Matthew Kaner (MMus Composer) was awarded a 10 minute commission while alumnus Alastair Putt (Composition 2010) was awarded a 5 minute commission.

2012 Royal Over-Seas League Competition Winners Three Guildhall musicians had been announced as winners in the 2012 Royal Over-Seas League Competition at the time of printing. Londonbased chamber group, The Busch Ensemble, featuring postgraduate cello student Jonathan Bloxham, were winners of the Ensemble Prize, Matthew Featherstone (Flute 2011) was awarded first prize in the Wind and Percussion section and Njabulo Madlala (Opera 2009) won the Singers Award. Winners

receive prize money and performance opportunities at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and Edinburgh Festival.

Celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2012, the ROSL ARTS, the arts division of the Royal Over-Seas League, has developed a diverse portfolio of arts activities in music, visual arts and literature. It is devoted to the career development of talented young professional artists and musicians from the UK and the Commonwealth.

The Busch Ensemble

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Interview

Anne Sofie von Otter Internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter came to the Guildhall School to study under the legendary singing teacher Vera Rózsa on the Opera Course in the early 1980s. Since then her high-profile career, spanning more than three decades, has seen her perform at the world’s most important venues and festivals, and produce an unrivalled and multi awardwinning discography.

A Patron of the Campaign for Milton Court, Anne Sofie returned to the Guildhall School in January 2012 to be presented with her Fellowship and gave a masterclass to current students at LSO St Luke’s as part of the Centre for Orchestra programme.

What made you apply to study at the Guildhall School?

I had studied for six years in Stockholm and decided it was high time to leave the safety and comfort of my home town to see how I would do elsewhere and to get new influences, work with new people.

London seemed like a good option as it´s a place I know well and like, I lived here as a child. And in those days – early 80s – many Swedish singers were studying with Vera Rózsa so I thought I would too, she taught Guildhall students.

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What did you most enjoy about your studies here?

My studies with Vera were invaluable, she had a keen sense of “what, where and why”. She knew which roles to prepare, which agents to audition to, which competitions… She helped me develop my voice quickly and safely.

And she worked just as hard on my interpretation as my technique.

The other very good thing about the Guildhall Opera Course was that we

did four fully-staged productions in just the one year. You learn by experience, and this was a very good start, I had very little stage practice prior to the Guildhall.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were a student?

Nothing. It´s good that you don´t know everything when you´re young. Life is about learning.

Do you perceive the life of, and demands upon a young singer getting ready to leave the Guildhall today to be different from when you were here, and if so, how?

Well I guess it´s tougher these days; there is more competition perhaps.

And today it seems one has to be not only a good singer, but also be good at self-promotion, involve yourself in web sites, blogs, push harder to get yourself known: “HERE I AM!”. There was much less of that 30 years ago thank goodness, as it is not my kind of thing.

What aspects of study do you consider to be most important for a career as a professional singer?

A jolly good technique and musical intelligence, confidence and a very strong will to keep doing it.

Y

ou recently gave a masterclass with some of our students at LSO St Luke’s.

How did you find that?

I enjoy masterclasses but it´s hard work and I am still figuring out what kind of things to say. The four singers and their pianists were very good, hopefully they will always remember to not just sing or play, but to use their imagination and be creative in their music-making. That´s very much what makes me tick and what I try to inspire in others.

It´s good that you don´t know everything when you´re young. Life is about learning. lucky to land a two-year contract with wonderful roles in Basel, Switzerland.

How did your career plans change?

Suddenly I found myself being an opera singer! Suddenly I was wooed by recording companies! And conductors!

Wow! But in fact those things didn´t make me truly happy, I very much wanted to be at home in Sweden and found the first couple of years abroad depressing. I also wanted a family, I wanted a social life at home with friends, not the easiest to combine with an international career, which involves some sacrifices after all.

What is the secret to your success?

Who knows... I work hard, find the learning and rehearsal process very creative, inspiring, fun. I am mostly well prepared, and I have a good attitude towards others I think. And I can´t deny that I have quite a few gifts that I was born with, and that I have had the sense to develop.

A

s a singer who is almost uniquely versatile in the repertoire you sing, and equally at home in the opera house or on the concert stage, do you find that these different disciplines feed each other?

Of course. All experience is good experience.

What one piece of advice would you give to a singer leaving the opera course now?

Work hard, keep at it, learn new things, get coaching, have patience (for a while).

W

hen you left the Guildhall School, what were your career plans/ expectations?

I can´t remember... I already had a nice career going as oratorio, lieder and concert singer. I was quite happy doing that but my agent said I had to get myself a contract in an opera house, so that´s what I did. I was

Anne Sophie (with Tom Hoffman, Chairman of the Board of Governors) receiving her Fellowship

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News

Anne Sofie in the lead role of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, Guildhall School 1982

How do you prepare a new piece of music that you have never performed before?

Nothing remarkable; with a pianist, by myself, buy a recording to get an idea.

Learn it as early as possible to let it sink in.

At this stage in your phenomenal career, what personal goals do you still have to achieve?

To keep the voice in good condition is important, and I still have lots of music to explore, learn and perform. Not so many new opera roles around for me, alas. My voice hasn´t changed much, so I can´t go too far into new territory, dramatic or otherwise.

You have very kindly agreed to be on the Board of Patrons, endorsing the School’s fundraising campaign for the new building at Milton Court. What made you support this campaign?

Doing my duty, really. It´s payback time, as they say.

Why is it important for young artists And is it sometimes difficult to

to have the opportunity to train in world-class facilities?

manage having to move rapidly between them?

[laughs] It´s just nicer and better, that´s why.

Ahem, no, I´m lucky and I don´t think so. Though these days, as I am older, the voice needs more time to adjust between Wagner and Monteverdi than it used to.

Which of the many roles that you have sung are the most memorable and enjoyable?

It´s often the role you´re doing just now. I got very tired of the trouser roles even though they were all wonderful to sing and act when I was younger, and they suited me so well – Sesto, Idamante, Octavian. Carmen was truly exciting, Melisande too, in a different way.

Loved getting to know Wagner, and French baroque too.

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The other very good thing about the Guildhall Opera Course was that we did four fully-staged productions in just the one year. You learn by experience, and this was a very good start.

News

Opera course debut in Barbican Theatre The Guildhall School’s award-winning opera programme makes its Barbican Theatre debut with four performances of Benjamin Britten’s spellbinding account of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The production, which marked a welcome return for alumnus Stephen Barlow as conductor, was a great success: well attended by an appreciative audience in front of the curtain and a fantastic learning experience for those on-stage and backstage.

This production marked another first for the Guildhall School as the performance on Saturday 3 March was streamed live on the internet via the Euroclassical website. (For more information on the Euroclassical project, see page 7).

Classical Iconoclast wrote, “A magical effect… the mechanicals, in particular, moved precisely, as if in a chorus line, each man perfectly synchronised, arms askew…very impressive!”

The Arts Desk wrote, “There’s no shortage of ideas here, and Dick Bird’s beautiful designs gamely pursue each one, conjuring flying beds and a rustic milk-float stage for Bottom et al, and bringing not only fairy-lights and bunting but an entire forest down from the sky.“ What’s On Stage wrote, “The current crop of Guildhall singers are a welldrilled outfit and a credit to their great school… Ashley Riches, a resonant baritone and a match for any other Demetrius I can recall. He is in strong company, among whom Sky Ingram (an imposing Helena) and Catherine Backhouse (the role of Hippolyta), make a notable impression. Alexander Knox is a bastion of fine diction in the spoken role of Puck, while Tom

Verney and Eleanor Laugharne show outstanding promise as the Fairy King and Queen respectively.”

Classical Source “In the main fairy roles, Tom Verney (Oberon) and Eleanor Laugharne (Tytania) achieved a delightful combination of disquieting

vocal purity and operatic sensuality.

The two pairs of human lovers – Stuart Laing (Lysander) and Kathryn McAdam (Hermia), Ashley Riches (Demetrius) and Sky Ingram (Helena) – also sang excellently throughout, showing both vocal control and dramatic energy.”

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Interview

Epic performance on HMS Belfast Junior Guildhall percussionists get the opportunity to perform a new work in a unique setting for the Thames Festival Back in August I received a phone call from the composer Orlando Gough to see if I knew of any young percussionists who may be interested in performing a percussion duet on board HMS Belfast as part of the Thames Festival. They needed to be energetic performers and also have the ability to be creative.

I gave Orlando the contact details for Daniel Marks, who had just left Junior Guildhall and Richard Rayner, who had just started his final year. Dan and Richard are both fantastic dynamic musicians who love performing and, most importantly, working together.

They arranged a couple of days of rehearsals so that they could find which parts of the HMS Belfast would create the most interesting sounds and Orlando composed a new and exciting work called Transmission. It’s a short, sharp drumming conversation with the audience on the riverside walkway.

Richard and Dan had in-ear monitoring so that they could clearly hear one another from a large distance apart.

The result was not only a great piece of music but also wonderful theatre.

Transmission is the first part of a two-year project which will culminate at the Thames Festival 2012. v Rob Farrer Junior Guildhall Percussion Co-ordinator

Junior Guildhall students in BBC Young Musician Junior Guildhall were delighted to have three students in the Category Finals of the BBC Young Musician 2012. Brothers Peter Rayner and Richard Rayner qualified for the Percussion final, whilst last year’s winner of Junior Guildhall’s most prestigious award – the Lutine Prize – tuba player Christopher Dunn made it

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GUILDHALL SCHOOL NEWS

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to the Brass final. This was a fantastic achievement in this most prestigious competition.

Now in its 34th year, the BBC Young Musician 2012 competition received 453 applications, with 404 people auditioning across the UK during the regional auditions.

Richard Rayner at the Lutine Prize 2011

News

Alumni Community News • Over to You • Reunions • Class Notes

Welcome Back!

We have been fortunate to welcome a variety of alumni back into the School in recent months including…

In August, Shoji Kokami (Acting 1998) and Raymond Waring (Acting 2000) filmed a discussion about their time together at the School for a Japanese documentary about Shoji. In September the GGSM Class of 1964 held a reunion at the School to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the start of their course, organised by Eirlais Tomkins (Voice 1964), and January saw the return of a number of alumni who had studied under renowned clarinettist Yona Ettlinger, as arranged by Maureen Phillips (Clarinet 1981).

GGSM Class of 1964

Christopher Gunning

We are particularly grateful to those alumni who have generously taken the time to share their skills and experiences with our current students. They include: Hayley Atwell (Acting 2005), who talked to the acting students about her work on stage and in film and television; Guy Chambers (Composition 1985), who spoke about his career as a song-writer and record producer; Stuart Crane (SMTT 1992), who gave a talk about working in the events industry; Caitlin Crosby (SMTT 2008), who worked on the collaborative project; Christopher Gunning (Composition/Piano/Percussion 1965), who gave a talk about his work as a composer for film and television; Trevor Nichol (SMTT 2009) who assisted with a technical theatre student project; Roderick Williams (Opera 1995), who gave a talk on life skills in the operatic profession; and Alison Balsom (Trumpet 2001), Paul Lewis (Piano 1994) and Anne Sofie von Otter (Opera 1982) who have all given masterclasses this year.

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Over To You

Tips to get your CV to the top of the pile Julian Morgenstern (Piano/Percussion 1981) of Morgensterns Diary Service offers valuable advice on how to present yourself in writing to orchestral and session fixers

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encourage the fixer to pick up the phone to find out more about you.

The following suggestions are based on the assumption that your CV and covering letter are being sent to orchestral and session fixers. Fixers receive lots of CV mailings, so to have an impact your CV should be concise and informative.

• Naturally you want to include as much information as possible, but I would be careful to edit your orchestral lists down to those you currently work with.

• Don’t pad out your CV with unnecessary details such as repertoire performed and conductors worked with at music college – a professional fixer understands what happens at college. It’s sufficient to simply list where you studied, your teachers, results, prizes and awards and any other non-college training orchestras and professional orchestras you have worked with.

• Archival information, i.e. anything more than two years old, should only be included if it relates to orchestras you have worked with on a regular basis, either as a member or regular freelancer. If a fixer makes the effort to contact an orchestra about you, they don’t want to be told that “you may have worked with them some years ago, but that they have no memory of your playing.”

• While it’s sensible to list your education details in chronological order, all other information should be sorted alphabetically – this is the easiest way for a fixer to identify the information that interests them.

And if your CV happens to include details of orchestras or institutions they have an association with, then your CV presentation should

• Your covering letter should be as personal as possible – if your handwriting is easy to read, you might even hand-write important letters. You should address the fixer by name, and include the name of their orchestra in your letter. Fixers receive lots of CV mailings and so an impersonal round-robin mailing may be just filed-and-forgotten.

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• Your opening paragraph might read “Dear [fixer name], I’m writing to introduce myself and to find out how I might be included on the [orchestra name] extra list.”

• Next you should draw attention to any CV details that you think would be of interest to your target orchestra. Here you tell the fixer that you know about their orchestra; that you are interested in their orchestra, and that you are familiar with their orchestra’s repertoire. For example, ”I’d like to draw your attention to the symphonic work that I have performed with...” and adapt this paragraph for other categories of orchestra you are contacting, such as chamber, opera or ballet orchestras.

• A strong final paragraph might read “and I thought you would like to know that [name] from your orchestra (preferably a principal player) knows my playing and has said that they would be happy to speak to you about me.”

This is why consultation lessons are so valuable. v Julian Morgenstern www.morgensternsdiaryservice.com

Over to you

Elgar’s lost masterpiece – the Guildhall connection Musicologists are seeking a lost Elgar manuscript which may have been in the possession of a former Guildhall professor.

In 1928 Elgar wrote incidental music for the play Beau Brummel. Critics described the music as “masterly” and “up to the genius mark”. Recent research indicates that the score was at least 100 pages long. But with the exception of a brief Minuet the music has entirely vanished.

What is the Guildhall connection?

In 1930 Elgar gave his earlier incidental music, for the play Arthur, to Joseph Lewis (Guildhall Professor of Conducting 1946-1954) asking him to make it into a concert Suite.

Lewis never did so, but gave the score to one of his Guildhall pupils, Alan Barlow.

If Lewis had also received the Beau Brummel score, and given it to another pupil (Barlow did not receive it), it might today still be in the hands of that pupil or his descendants.

Any person with Guildhall connections who can suggest any action, or contacts, is requested to contact Robert Kay on 01531 670634 or acutamusic@googlemail.com.

There may be an unknown Elgar masterpiece out there somewhere! v Robert Kay Acuta Music

Blanche Munro Remembered By chance I spotted her obituary a I was a student of Blanche in the eighties, I few days ago and was very sad that initally attended her classes at the Guildhall School but due to a young family and work she had passed on. I still have a memento of her, one of the two I had to stop. Blanche offered me lessons A.A. Jones Guitars she sold me which at her home in Golders Green and for a is my pride and joy. The act of selling number of years I visited her house once it to me was a very kind gesture for a fortnight. Blanche was an exceptional which I will always be grateful. teacher of guitar and the technique she The guitar, in its way, is a piece taught me was the best. Her teaching and the guitar were her life, she was a very kind of history. and warm person and I will never forget her. v Kevin Bayes Chelmsford I eventually had to stop having lessons and to my regret lost contact with her.

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Class Notes Fiona Bennett (Piano 1983)

Music Alistair Bamford (PCS 1994)

Alistair Bamford, co-founder and former Associate Director of Music for Life, has stepped down after fifteen years to focus on creative musicmaking with people with dementia.

Through his work with organisations including Sing for your Life! and the Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Singing for the Brain’ project, and with students at Canterbury Christ Church University where he currently teaches, Alistair has focused on the capacity of music to develop communication and expression. In addition to outreach work Alistair also performs frequently in oratorio and recitals, and is currently singing in ENO’s Billy Budd.

Music for Life is run by the Wigmore Hall’s Department of Learning. Originating in the Performance & Communication Skills programme at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Music for Life now develops skills and awareness training for care staff and musicians.

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GUILDHALL SCHOOL NEWS

Fiona has recently released A Country Suite, a collection of short pieces for piano plus an original Welsh folk song with lyrics by Nia Williams.

Susan Bickley (Voice 1981), John Hudson (Voice 1987) and Claire Rutter (Opera 1991)

Susan, John and Claire were soloists on the recording of Elgar’s The Kingdom conducted by Sir Mark Elder with the Halle Orchestra which won the Choral Category in the 2011 Gramophone Awards.

David Cowan (Accompaniment 1984) David is currently working as Head of Music Staff/Head Vocal Coach, Casting Director and occasional conductor at the opera house in Basel.

The Basel Opera House won “Opernhaus des Jahres” (opera house of the year) award for two consecutive years 2009 and 2010, a title given by a vote of 50 music critics in the Germanspeaking countries.

GéNIA formerly Yevgenia Chudinovich (Piano 1997) With an eclectic repertoire embracing classical and contemporary works and multimedia projects, GéNIA has worked with some of the most prestigious figures in the contemporary music industry, including The Brodsky Quartet and Gabriel Prokofiev, and has released numerous albums on the Blackbox and Nonclassical labels.

Following her training at The Life Centre® in London, GéNIA qualified as a B.W.Y. (British Wheel of Yoga) teacher in 2007. She also runs the GéNIA Music Piano School in London.

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David Hahn (Lute 1983) A new single of my audio collage Apocalypse Cow and experimental electric guitar piece Chernobyl. This is a hand-numbered limited edition release on heavy pilsener-colored vinyl with original cover art by Jonathan Clarren and extensive liner notes from Seattle’s ‘boutique’ label Fin Records. A video of Apocalypse Cow by master visual artist Victor Ingrassia is also ready for viewing. www.finrecords.com/ARTISTS/ DAVIDHAHN

Morgan Hayes (Composition 1995)

www.genia-music.com

David Golightly (Composition 1979)

Adam Cooke (Trombone 2010) Adam is the conductor of Brass United (RNCM and University of Manchester), which was the winning Brass Band at the University Brass Band Championships 2012.

The band also swept up the prizes for Best Soloists, Best March and Most Entertaining Band.

In September 2011, with funding from Arts Council England for Middlesbrough Town Hall’s 2011/12 Classical Season and to celebrate the Transporter Bridge Centenary, the symphony was performed exclusively for the first time at the Town Hall by a specially extended Northern Sinfonia.

Ardent Boro fan and classical composer David F Golightly’s Middlesbrough Symphony gained widespread critical acclaim after being recorded by the City of Prague Orchestra back in 2000.

A new work by composer Morgan Hayes, entitled E Vesuvio Monte, received its premiere at the 2011 Aldeburgh Festival. The piece is a setting of Pliny the Younger’s eyewitness account of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. It is scored for eight a capella voices and was commissioned by the Aldeburgh festival and performed by Exaudi conducted by James Weeks.

Later in 2011, NMC Recordings released a recording of his Violin Concerto & Other Works, conducted by fellow Guildhall

Class Notes alumnus Christopher Austin (Composition 1992).

Michael Marshall (Trombone 2002)

Shabaka Hutchings (Clarinet 2007)

Mick has recently been appointed second trombone in the RTÉ Concert Orchestra.

Shabaka has been nominated for Jazz Musician of the Year in the 2012 Parliamentary Jazz Awards.

Joshua Kaye (Composition 2009) and Matthew Lee Knowles (Composition 2008) Joshua and Matthew have joined forces with Neil Luck to form KLK, who have released a new album called Spoken Word Music which is available to download for free from www.squib-box.com

Andrew McCormack (Jazz Piano 2000) Andrew has been singled out as one of the New Faces of British Jazz in the Sunday Observer. He has recently released a new CD, in collaboration with Jason Yarde, called Places and Other Spaces.

Marian McPartland FGS (Piano 1938)

Bryan Kesselman (Voice 1981)

Leo Patsalides has recently founded the Arioso Orchestra, Resident at the National Musicians’ Church in the City of London. It aims to become one of the finest non-professional symphony orchestras in London and its members include music college and university students, as well as advanced non-professional musicians. www.ariosoorchestra.co.uk

Tamsyn Rose-Steel (Voice 2006) I went on to do a PhD in Medieval Musicology at the University of Exeter, which I completed last year. I am now working on a project at Exeter to produce a complete edition of the works of fourteenthcentury poet and composer Guillaume de Machaut.

record two recital discs with Malcolm Martineau: one of Shakespeare, Stevenson and Byron text and the other of French composers for Chandos.

Jonathan Watkins (Trombone 2007) Jonathan has recently been appointed to first trombone with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

James Weeks and Sophie Weeks née Appleton (Violin 2003)

Nicky Spence (Opera 2009)

Bryan’s latest composition, Diamond Jubilee Choral Fanfare (commissioned by the London Borough of Harrow), was performed by a choir of 150 in Harrow for The Queen as part of her jubilee tour of the UK. www.kesselmanmusic.co.uk

Stephen Lumsden (Bassoon 1977) Stephen was named Artist Manager of the Year at the 2012 conference of the Association of British Orchestras.

Produced by Films By Huey, In Good Time is a documentary film about the life and career of jazz legend Marian McPartland as a musician, composer, and host of National Public Radio’s Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz.

Released in Autumn 2011, In Good Time was awarded the Manny Berlingo Best Feature Documentary award at the Garden State Film Festival, USA, in March 2012. www.filmsbyhuey.com

Leo Patsalides (Junior Guildhall 1999)

I’ve released a few CDs over the last six months including a disk of premiere works by Turnage, which was editor’s choice in Classical Music Magazine.

Opera wise, I’m still a young artist at ENO where I’m returning for David Alden’s new Billy Budd and before that I’m off to New Zealand Opera where I’ve created the role of Thomas Mason for a world premiere over there.

Future engagements include my debut at the Met, New York in the lead role in Two Boys and I’m set to

Clementine Florence Weeks was born to Sophie and James Weeks (Composition Professor) on 9th November, weighing 7lbs. Many congratulations to Sophie and James!

Deborah Wilson née Crooks (Clarinet 1971) Congratulations to Deborah Wilson, who won a copy of A Change of Light – Bryars, Lang, Hillier in our last Guildhall School News Prize Draw.

For a chance to win a copy of the DVD of In Good Time: The Piano Jazz of Marian McPartland, send your full name and address to alumni@gsmd.ac.uk, quoting ‘In Good Time’ in the subject line.

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Drama

Christian Dixon (Acting 1987)

Robert Dyer (SMTT 2011) Robert is this year’s recipient of the Association of Lighting Designers Michael Northen Bursary Award.

Owain Arthur (Acting 2006)

Owain had a couple of very special guests in the audience for a preview performance of the West End transfer of the National Theatre’s hit comedy One Man, Two Guvnors, in which he plays the lead role of Francis Henshall. The Queen and Prince Philip slipped quietly into the auditorium for a preview performance at the Haymarket Theatre; they were reported to have been seen laughing and enjoying the show.

George Blagden (Acting 2011) Since completing his studies last summer, George has worked on feature films The Philosophers and Wrath of the Titans (sequel to Clash of the Titans). Most recently he has been cast as Grantaire in the much-anticipated film adaptation of the musical Les Misérables, directed by Tom Hooper and featuring a stellar cast.

It has been a very busy year for Christian since returning to theatre, television and film last year after almost a tenyear break.

The Michael Northen Bursary is awarded annually to a student or recent graduate who has demonstrated strong, imaginative and creative Lighting Design.

It is organised by the Association of Lighting Designers, a professional body representing lighting designers in the live performance industry.

Formerly known as Anthony Dixon, Christian won the Sarah Churchill Memorial Award at Guildhall in 1985 and went on to work with companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company, The Old Vic, Cheek by Jowl and BBC TV.

Roger Gale (Speech & Drama 1963)

In 2010, Christian launched his return to the business in the award-winning play Mogadishu by Vivienne Franzmann, staged by The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester and The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. In 2012, Christian will make his debut at The Royal Court Theatre in a new play by David Eldridge called In Basildon directed by Dominic Cooke.

Alice Horsey (SMTT 2010)

Christian says, “It’s truly fantastic to be back and being at Guildhall was, undoubtedly, some of the best years of my life.”

Chris Brown (SMTT 2009) and Alex Riverol-Elliott (SMTT 2008) Congratulations to Chris and Alex who have recently become engaged.

Congratulations to drama alumnus Sir Roger Gale MP on receiving a knighthood in the New Year’s Honours list for public and political services.

GUILDHALL SCHOOL NEWS

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17 Sept 2011 GGSM Class of 1964, 50 years since the start of their course 22 Jan 2012 Students of Yona Ettlinger 24 Jan 2012 Annual New York Reunion 24 April 2012 Beijing Alumni Dinner

26 & 28 April 2012 Hong Kong Alumni Dinner and Lunch

Alice has been appointed Deputy Stage Manager at Scottish Opera.

Danielle Tarento (Acting 1994)

Coming up 26 June 2012 Recent graduates (2010, 2011) of Acting and Technical Theatre November 2012 Hong Kong Alumni Lunch Danielle (pictured with Burlesque writer/director Adam Meggido) won Best Producer and her production, Burlesque, won Best New Musical at the 2012 Off West End Awards (Offies).

PLEASE NOTE: These listings are collated from information sent in to us. They reflect only a tiny proportion of the exciting and varied things that our alumni do.

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Reunions Recent

22 Jan 2013 Annual New York Reunion

If you would like further information about any of the above, are planning or thinking about planning a reunion that is not listed, please contact the Alumni Office (alumni@gsmd.ac.uk, 020 7382 2325).

Obituaries Patrick Bashford 1929 – 2011

Guitarist and male model, Patrick Bashford, has died aged 82.

Born in what was then Beuthen, German Silesia (now Bytom, Poland) in 1929, Patrick Bashford had a European background – Polish mother, British father in the Consular Service, Irish grandmother – and travelled widely as a young man. He was educated at St Paul’s and later at the Guildhall School, under Adèle Kramer, having spent a year among the gipsies of Andalucia developing what The Telegraph described as an “anthropologist’s approach” to music. He later returned to Spain to further hone his guitar technique and undertook further study at the Mannes College of Music and under the Cuban guitarist José Rey de la Torre.

He took up modelling in order to finance his studies and became a professional, working throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Meanwhile his musicianship continued to grow and in 1971 he became a professor at the Royal College of Music where his pupils included Charles Ramirez, Chris Salt, Dave Pash and Philip Davies. Having performed throughout the British Isles earlier in his career, Patrick had recommenced solo recitals in recent years.

Sally Crooks (née Anderson) 1927 – 2011 Sally Crooks was a noted teacher, writer, actor and contributor to CBC Radio.

Born in Kilmarnock in 1927, she took the Civil Service exams after the war and moved to London, always with the secret intention of studying to

be a performer. After weekly private lessons with Julian Kimball at Bluthner’s Studios from 1947, Sally obtained a full scholarship to study singing at the Guildhall School from 1951 to 1953, when she embarked on a professional singing career.

In the mid-1960s Sally emigrated to Regina, Canada with her family. Soon after the move, she obtained a bachelor of education degree and started a teaching career that lasted until 1988.

Throughout this time Sally continued to take an active role in the performing arts and, later, acting and directing stints with the Regina Little Theatre, the Regina Lyric Light Opera Society and Regina Summer Stage led to a third career as an actress. She had roles in the feature films Just Friends and Tideland and on television in Corner Gas and Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Sally was also a writer of memoirs (her book, About Jim and Me: A Love Story received an award from the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild) and poetry, as well as a radio performer and writer, whose work was aired on CBC Radio.

Michael Garrick 1933 – 2011 I first discovered Michael Garrick’s music in my mid-teens whilst browsing through the jazz vinyl collection at Chelmsford County Library – the first LP I heard of his being Home Stretch Blues. What struck me then as it does now about Mike’s music is its originality – jazz with an English slant that I had never come across before and very different to the American bebop or neo bop sound of other jazz I had heard to this point.

A few years later I heard the Michael Garrick Trio in performance at a workshop in Brentwood. This was a particularly exciting and inspirational moment in my life, meeting and playing with the musicians who were inspiring me on records at home.

I was delighted to gain praise from Michael after a solo I played at a Guildhall Summer School concert in 1988 and received a phone call from him a few weeks later asking me to do a gig with him at the Monkeys Jazz Club in Brentwood, where I had first met him. This was the beginning of a

musical and personal friendship that lasted for 23 years. We enjoyed the first of our UK tours together in the autumn of 1989 and these were magical times that I will never forget.

Michael Garrick was an inspiration to many people during his 50-year career as an original voice in British jazz. As a performer, composer and educator he dedicated his life to his art, and his appetite for the music and sharing it with others was undiminished at the time of his death. I have been extremely honoured and fortunate to have been associated with Michael Garrick. His playing and music is still as inspirational as when I first heard it.

Martin Hathaway FGS Head of Jazz

Michael Goodwin 1946 – 2012 Conductor Michael Goodwin was killed earlier this year in a car accident.

Michael, who lived in Oregon House, California, was born in London in 1946.

His long music career began at the age of six, when he began piano lessons followed by flute and cello. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in music at Leeds University and a master’s in music, with distinction, at California State University, Chico. He studied conducting at the Guildhall School, the Mozartium Summer Academy and the London Opera Centre, where he was also trained as an opera pianist and coach.

Goodwin performed and taught all over the world, including stints with the Sydney Symphony and the Tasmanian Symphony in Australia. In 1976, Goodwin was appointed as the chorus director with the Tehran Opera in Iran and later worked with opera companies in Germany.

Goodwin moved to the United States in 1981, when he became Music Director of Apollo Orchestra and Chorus, California. He also became Conductor of Apollo Opera in 1984 and Artistic Director and Conductor of the Auburn Symphony in 1995, both positions he continued to hold at the time of his death.

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Paul Harris 1958 – 2012 South Florida Gay News reports that Paul Harris has died aged 53.

The actor and writer was born and raised in England, and educated at the London School of Economics. Paul changed direction from the business and politics field towards the arts, studying at the Guildhall School before emigrating to the United States.

He worked for several years as an actor before starting his own small publishing company, Upstart Press. Amongst other books, he published local writer Paul Gallotta’s Living and Dying in 4/4 Time, the memoir of an AIDS social worker and his struggle to overcome drug abuse. Gallotta told South Florida Gay News that, “You can’t overestimate Paul Harris’ contribution to our community.

He was out before it was cool, he quietly mentored many writers, myself included… and through his newspaper, The Independent, he gave voice to the voiceless – even when most people didn’t particularly like what he had to say.”

David Nicholson 1938 – 2010

David Nicholson was born and educated in Newcastle upon Tyne, and studied the flute with Geoffrey Gilbert at the Guildhall School, where he was a medallist in the final examinations.

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David was one of the founders of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, with whom he played principal flute on more than 130 CDs. David was a frequent soloist with the orchestra, playing Bach, Vivaldi, Stamitz, Mozart, Nielsen and he premiered and recorded the Concerto written for him by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. He also appeared as a concerto partner in double concertos with Jean-Pierre Rampal, Aurele Nicolet and James Galway.

David was on the teaching staff of the RSAMD for more than 40 years, and his pupils have been members of, or have worked regularly with, orchestras from Bournemouth in the South of England, many of the London orchestras, orchestras in Wales, Birmingham and Manchester, and all of the Scottish orchestras.

Rosalind Runcie (née Turner) 1932 – 2012 Lady Rosalind Runcie, widow of the late Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Runcie, was a pianist and music teacher.

On her death earlier this year Lady Runcie’s children, James Runcie and Rebecca Tabor, released a statement which paid tribute to her as a “warmhearted, enthusiastic and irrepressible woman who was determined not be pigeon-holed as a traditional ‘clergy wife’”. They said that Lady Runcie was “first and foremost” a musician.

Having studied piano at the Guildhall School she went on to perform recitals internationally and to become a “strict, encouraging and inspirational” music teacher.

Although she confessed that she was “not terribly religious”, Lady Runcie made her own substantial contribution to the life of the Church. She raised more than £500,000 for charity from concerts and recitals and organised restoration work at Lambeth Palace and fundraised for the replanting and designing of the gardens at the palace.

Pete Saberton 1950 – 2012 Described by Sebastian Scotney of London Jazz as “one of the most quietly influential, and most respected musicians in British jazz”, pianist/ composer Pete Saberton has died after a battle with myeloma.

Pete Saberton grew up in Sheffield as the youngest of four brothers, and studied classical piano at the Royal Northern College of Music. He was central to the music, working and writing for the London Jazz Orchestra, and in groups with Pete Hurt, Henry Lowther, Stan Sulzmann. Also a dedicated and excellent educator, he taught at the Guildhall School, Royal Academy of Music and Trinity College of Music as well as on several summer schools.

Guildhall School jazz professor Scott Stroman wrote, “Pete’s loss has come as a shock to all who knew him, and especially to those of us who worked with him regularly (and so recently). His influence in the jazz world is huge: he was a truly original voice, both through his playing and compositions, and a most generous and loving human being.

His cheery grumpiness was a natural result of his constant quest for high standards and creative freedom – for himself and everyone around him. I feel tremendously privileged to have been touched by such an important, courageous, and influential musician and great friend.“

Stay in touch David Whitaker 1931 – 2012 David Sinclair Whitaker was a leading musical arranger and worked with a wide range of artists, including Jimmy Page, St Etienne, the Eurythmics, Air and Simply Red. Born in Kingston upon Thames in 1931, David attended the Guildhall School after finishing National Service in 1951.

He began his career as a songwriter before he began musical arranging, starting with string arrangements for BBC orchestras and later working on pop records and film scores. One of his best-known arrangements was Comme d’habitude for the French singer Claude François, a song which, with new English lyrics, became Frank Sinatra’s My Way. David also wrote more than twenty film scores, including Seventies’ horror films Vampire Circus, Scream and Scream Again, and Dr Jekyll and Sister Hyde and the fantasy movie The Sword and the Sorcerer. He was nominated for the César Award for Best Music Written for a Film in 2001 for his work on a French film about a friendly psychopath released in Britain as Harry, He’s Here to Help.

In October 2011 he recorded three arrangements for Nana Mouskouri, and two for Mick Hucknall.

Stay in touch!

In 2006 the Guildhall School set up a dedicated Alumni Office to contact and maintain mutually beneficial relationships with former students, staff and fellows. We are gradually reconnecting with more of our alumni community and are now in contact with over 7,000 individuals in over 50 countries worldwide.

Given the sometimes nomadic nature of the industries that the majority of our former students work in, it is all too easy for us to lose touch with our alumni and friends. We rely on you to keep us informed of your address (either post or email) changes. Please do keep in touch.

We currently have over 10,000 ‘lost alumni’ on our database for whom we do not have current contact details and, wherever possible, we would like to find them. If you are in touch with or meet alumni of the Guildhall School, and you are not certain that they hear from us, please email their details to us (alumni@gsmd.ac.uk) or ask them to contact us directly.

See below for Alumni Office contact details.

Guildhall School of Music & Drama Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DT Tel: +44 (0)20 7628 2571 Fax: +44 (0)20 7256 9438 www.gsmd.ac.uk

Development Office Email: development@gsmd.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7382 7179

Guildhall School News Email: editorial@gsmd.ac.uk

Photo Credits Clive Barda, Lawrence Burns, City of London Corporation, Nobby Clark, Ian Dingle, Katie Henfry, David Jensen, Nina Large, Johan Persson, Ewa-Marie Rundquis, Susan Schiffer, Clive Totman, Mary Yeatts

Alumni Office Email: alumni@gsmd.ac.uk Tel: +44 (0)20 7382 2325

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Want to know what’s happening at the Guildhall School before anyone else?

Join the Guildhall Circle For a donation of £30 a year or more you will receive: • Advance copies of the Guildhall School events guides detailing all operas, plays, musicals, concerts and recitals • Priority season booking for all major performances requiring tickets • Priority annual booking for all opera productions (members at ‘Supporter’ level and above) • Invitations to exclusive Guildhall Circle events such as the Season Preview on Tuesday 25 September 2012 In addition, your donation will provide vital support for students at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. For further information pick up a leaflet in the School, visit our website at www.gsmd.ac.uk, email us at development@gsmd.ac.uk or call Elise Farmer in the Development Office on 020 7382 7179.

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