PLAY The Guildhall School Magazine Spring/ Summer 2015
4 Behind the Scenes Orfeo
6 Your latest School news and stories 12 Guildhall to the World Musical Montserrat
26 The Interview MOBO winner Zara McFarlane 30 Then & Now Robin Merrill
14 Face to Face 18 Song of London 32 Class Notes 34 Recent Releases 36 In Memoriam 38 A Day in the Life 24 Orchestral Artistry Michela Brennan Star Conductors
Short Courses 2015 The Guildhall School offers a variety of short courses for people of all ages and experience, whether you’re looking to learn a new skill or further your professional development. Drama Summer School
Acting in Shakespeare & Contemporary Theatre Acting in Musical Theatre New Drama Summer School for 16-17 years Music Summer School
A Cappella Choral Advanced Saxophone New Advanced Trombone New Contemporary Classical Music Creative Music Training Electronic Music Essential Music Theory Jazz Singers’ Weekend Jazz & Rock Week Advanced Jazz Music Theory: Beyond Grade 5 New Percussion Intensive New Singing Taster Course Technical Theatre Summer School New Costume for Stage & Screen New Opera Stage Management New Practical Theatre Sound Skills
Prop Making Skills Scenic Art Skills Stage Lighting Skills New Stage Management Skills New Theatrical Hair & Make Up Video Projection Mapping Wellbeing & Creative Learning
Mindfulness for Performers Mindfulness for Performers Reconnect Day Learning Labs Booking now open. Find out more at gsmd.ac.uk/youthandadultlearning 2
Editorial Group
Deputy Head of Development (Alumni & Supporter Relations) Rachel Dyson Head of Marketing & Communications Jo Hutchinson Head of Development Duncan Barker Marketing & Communications Officer Rosanna Chianta Writer & Editorial Consultant Nicola Sinclair Art Direction & Design Pentagram Contact
Email editorial@gsmd.ac.uk Twitter @guildhallschool Facebook GuildhallSchoolAlumni Post Development & Alumni Relations Office Guildhall School of Music & Drama Silk Street, Barbican London EC2Y 8DT Photo Credits
Mark Allan, Ascherman, Patrick Baldwin, Marco Borggreve, Paul Cochrane, Global Creatures/BBC Worldwide Ltd, Katie Henfry, Abi Kamalei Studio, Andy Sheppard (for Serious London Jazz Festival), ROH-Roundhouse/Stephen Cummiskey, Susana Sanroman, Jennifer Slater, Andy Staple Photography, Sophie Timms, Clive Totman, Cris van Beuren
Editorial Firstly, I would like to thank the many readers who wrote to me to with positive comments on the new magazine. In our review last year, it became clear to us how many of you read and valued the old magazine, which made us even more determined to make improvements in the new magazine without losing the elements that you told us were important. It has been a relief and a delight to receive your notes of approval! If this edition has a theme, it is the variety of worlds that are touched by Guildhall School, our students, staff and alumni. You will read about Guildhall students working in professional settings around London, ranging from the Roundhouse to the Royal Free Hospital; about alumni whose careers have taken them to a Caribbean idyll, presenting German television and touring the world with dinosaurs; about poetry and jazz and many things in between. Gratitude is another theme. In Face to Face, two supporters talk about the friend whose story inspired them to give to the Scholarships Fund and their scholars explain how much that support has meant to them. Meanwhile, over 100 students and staff came together to thank everyone who gave their time or money to the School in the last year – watch the short video they made at bit.ly/guildhallthankyouday I look forward to reading your responses to our Flashback on p11 and welcome any feedback you have on this edition of PLAY .
Rachel Dyson, Editor
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BE H IN D THE SC ENES
IN THE ROUND Few recent productions have been surrounded by as much excitement as Orfeo, the first collaboration between the Royal Opera and the Roundhouse, which ran for eight sold-out performances in January.
Nine Guildhall postgraduate singers were invited to take part in this ambitious new version of Monteverdi's masterpiece, which was conducted by Guildhall alumnus Christopher Moulds and directed by Michael Boyd. Engaging with the professional world is an important part of the Guildhall training experience, but what is it like in practice? We spoke to some of the people involved to find out
Fulljames at the Royal Opera that we became involved. He had worked with Guildhall in the past and has been instrumental in establishing the groundbreaking Opera Making & Writing programme, delivered in association with the Royal Opera House. This made us the natural port-of-call for an ambitious project that took the Royal Opera out of its usual home and beyond its core repertoire. Our students are training for the professional world so enabling them to engage with professional partners is central to what we offer. As a conservatoire, we aim to give our students the foundations of their craft and the means to put those foundations into practice. To do so with the Royal Opera, with a top production team and wonderful musicians, is especially valuable. Jessica Dandy, Vocal Studies student
principals. They were really helpful and inspiring. The Roundhouse is an intimate place – you feel that the audience is very close, so you’re very aware of your breathing and the way you stand. Performing on the opening night was really exciting because there was a buzz around the production. Some things went wrong – one of the dancers got stuck in the streamers, and Orfeo fell over – but they handled it so professionally. That’s what live performance is, and I think people appreciate that. They don’t expect perfection – they just want energy. They want to be moved. Christopher Moulds, alumnus & conductor
I think Orfeo has come to be regarded as the first great opera largely because it retrospectively fits our idea of an opera: through-composed with no interpolated speaking or dancing, involving an orchestra of wide palette combined with solo and chorus singing. Monteverdi himself called it a ‘Favola in Musica’ which crudely translates as a musical fable. Working in the round is always a challenge. In this instance we were effectively playing to about 270 degrees of audience, with me and the musicians behind most of the singers for the bulk of the evening. In this context you need continuo players with razor-sharp ears and fast reactions, and I was fortunate to have a great team who could deal with this tricky situation. For me it presented the challenge of trying to anticipate what a singer would do by watching them breathe from behind. It was great to have Guildhall singers perform the bulk of the chorus singing. They came without ‘baggage’ and it was a very interesting dynamic to watch them take joint responsibility for sound and deal not only with physical and vocal challenges, but also with pure concentration. I hope they found the experience rewarding, and that it will help them develop as artists.
I was singing in the ensemble, named in John Fulljames, Associate Director of the score as Nymphs and Pastors, but in Opera, Royal Opera House this production assigned the collective Orfeo was the first time Royal Opera role of a jury, sitting in judgment of House had worked with the Roundhouse, Orfeo and Euridice. I was also covering and one of the defining things about the the role of Silvia, The Messenger, sung by Roundhouse is the integration of young the mezzo-soprano Susan Bickley. Silvia’s people in all areas of its work. Young lot is not a happy one: it falls to her to tell people were involved throughout: we Orfeo of the death of his wife, Euridice. had dancers from East London Dance, The rehearsal process provided a broadcast and media apprentices, and valuable insight into the way in which a Guildhall singers forming an ensemble for the chorus and acting as understudies professional company functions, along with the sheer scale and multi-layered for the professional singers. approach such a project necessitates. It They sang beautifully, and brought was inspiring to witness the birth of the freshness of people for whom it was a mutually enriching collaboration a really important project. It was a very between the Roundhouse and the Royal positive environment; they were hungry Opera House. to learn, and to watch. I hope that it The operatic rehearsal process can be was a good experience on their learning quite deceptive: often there are so many journey. people and components to coordinate that The path to becoming a singer is a very the end product can seem elusive until long one, and I think it’s important to a relatively late stage. When these parts engage with the profession at all points – come together, as they did on opening not train in isolation. It’s far more night, the result is incredibly satisfying. inspiring, and that stands for people on the professional side, too. In an opera Bethan Langford, Opera student company it’s a helpful reminder that I was cast as the cover of Proserpina, the talent development is a key part of what queen of the underworld, played by we do every day. Rachel Kelly, who is a Jette Parker Young What the papers said: Artist. She’s someone I could aspire to be Armin Zanner, Head of Vocal Studies, and it was nice to watch her at a higher Guildhall School ‘The Guildhall students’ chorus catch the level of training. The dual focus of being In Monteverdi’s opera, the chorus requisite idiom to perfection.’ in the chorus and also covering the main plays a key musical and dramatic role, The Independent roles was a really good experience to have so this needed to be a small group ‘Principals melt into the chorus of students as a student. of truly outstanding singers who from the Guildhall School of Music & It was a real privilege to be within could work seamlessly with the cast of Drama, especially superb and immediate the walls of the Royal Opera House, predominantly younger soloists. The in the lament that follows Euridice’s death.’ and I learned a lot about the profession nine Guildhall singers were ideal. Artsdesk through the opportunity to talk to the It’s thanks to the vision of John
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News Mike Alfreds, Principal Barry Ife and Michelle Dockery
Congratulations, class of 2014 More than 200 students celebrated their achievements at Guildhall’s annual Graduation Day on 31 October. The Class of 2014 were presented with their degree and diploma certificates at a ceremony in the City of London’s Guildhall. The ceremony also saw a distinguished list of honorands made Fellows of the School. This year’s Fellows include: Vanessa Cass Technical Theatre’s Head of Design Realisation Michelle Dockery Actress Paul Hughes Governor and General Manager of
BBC Symphony Orchestra, Chorus and BBC Singers Emanuele Moris Professor of Vocal Studies Dr Kate Romano Deputy Head of Academic Studies (Postgraduate) Toby Spence Tenor Heather Swain Assistant Registrar Roderick Williams Baritone Director Mike Alfreds, stage lighting expert Mark Jonathan and soprano Dame Felicity Lott were also made Honorary Fellows of the School. 6
Student success
School news
Orchestral triumphs
Thank you!
It’s rare for a week to go by without a Guildhall musician winning a prestigious competition or securing an exciting new role; and in particular, recent months have seen a number of key orchestral appointments for Guildhall students and alumni.
This February saw Guildhall hold its first ever Thank You Day, which paid tribute to our many generous donors and volunteers.
Third year student James Fountain has been appointed Principal Trumpet of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. James took up his role in January, but also intends to complete his BMus studies at Guildhall. “I’ve been fortunate to work with the orchestra for a little while now and have been on trial since August – although the news still came as something of a shock,” he says. “I feel very fortunate and honoured to take on the role and to join a wonderful brass section filled with great players.” Meanwhile Alex Edmundson, who graduated from the BMus programme in 2013, has been appointed 3rd Horn in the London Symphony Orchestra. Alex joins a number of other Guildhall alumni in the LSO brass section, including Angela Barnes (2nd Horn), Philip Cobb (Principal Trumpet) and Daniel Newell (Sub-Principal Trumpet). Other recent orchestral appointments include Joao Seara (BMus 2014), appointed Co-Principal Double Bass in the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra immediately following the end of his studies; and Audun Breen (MPerf 2014), who was made Co Principal Trombone at the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.
Together, Guildhall’s supporters have raised an incredible £3m in the past year alone. The 888 donors helped to deliver world-class training facilities at Milton Court, created artistic opportunities across music, drama and technical theatre and ensured that 46% of students received some form of financial scholarship support. Organised by the Development & Alumni Relations Office, the event on 10 February saw staff and students throng the Silk Street foyer to show their appreciation. More than 100 students and staff left heart felt thank you notes, appeared in our special thank you video and talked openly about the way in which this funding has changed their lives. The event was part of Student Engagement and Philanthropy Month, which is held by CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) to enhance awareness and engagement of students in education philanthropy. Principal Barry Ife said: “I’m delighted that we hosted our first ever Guildhall Thank You Day. It’s absolutely vital to say ‘thank you’ to our many supporters, and it was inspiring to see so many students and staff showing their gratitude.”
And in February, the BBC Philharmonic announced Mark Simpson (MComp 2012) as its new Composer in Association, starting in September 2015 through to 2019. The appointment makes Mark one of the youngest-ever composers to be given a formal role with a major British orchestra. The BBC Philharmonic will programme his existing orchestral works and Mark will also compose three new scores during that time, as well as joining the orchestra in high-profile partnership projects. Mark said: “To be given the opportunity to develop my work and build a solid relationship with an orchestra of such calibre, over this time period, is a dream. I can’t wait for it to begin.” 7
Left to right: Emily Berrington, Freddie Fox, Damian Lewis, Dominic West and Christian Burgess
School news
Irish-born writer and producer Josephine Hart studied drama at Guildhall in the 1960s and went on to lead a highly successful career in literature, theatre and On 10 November 2014, some of television. Her novel Damage was the Guildhall’s most eminent Acting alumni basis for the 1992 film of the same name, came together for a very special directed by Louis Malle and starring celebration: an evening of poetry to Jeremy Irons, Miranda Richardson and commemorate the centenary of the First World War and to celebrate the goodwill of Juliette Binoche. A lifelong supporter of poet and Guildhall alumna Josephine Hart. the arts, Josephine’s legacy includes the Josephine Hart Prize for Best Performance of a Poem by an Actor, which was Actors Damian Lewis, Dominic West, established at Guildhall in her memory by Niamh Cusack, Emily Berrington and M&C Saatchi in 2012. M&C Saatchi also Freddie Fox were joined by Guildhall supports Acting scholarships at Guildhall. Director of Drama Christian Burgess for a recital of thirty WW1 poems, including Eliot Shrimpton, Guildhall’s Head of Wilfred Owen’s Dulce et Decorum Est, Academic Studies (Drama) said: W. B. Yeats’ An Irish Airman Foresees “It was Josephine’s belief that great poetry His Death and Rudyard Kipling’s Epitaphs should be heard being read by great of The War. The event was the first actors, and we were thrilled to welcome Josephine Hart Poetry Hour to be staged back some very familiar faces for this in Guildhall’s stunning new concert hall evening of celebration. The event was held facility, which was packed out by alumni in support of Guildhall School and supporters on the night. Run by the Scholarships Fund and provided a Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation, wonderful opportunity both to honour the Josephine Hart Poetry Hour aims to life of Josephine Hart and to support the bring poetry in performance to a wider next generation of Guildhall actors.” public audience.
Poetry with Hart
Niamh Cusack
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School news
Sing when you’re winning
Guildhall Opera student David Shipley is one of only five singers to be selected from 370 applicants to the prestigious Jette Parker Young Artists Programme. Designed to support the artistic development of talented singers at the beginning of their career, the programme provides the Young Artists with a two-year salaried position at the Royal Opera House. The position tops an exciting year for talented bass singer David, who also won the Joaninha Trust Award. Meanwhile, Opera students Alison Rose and Jennie Witton won first and second prize respectively in the Maggie Teyte Prize. The competition recognises outstanding talent in the interpretation of French song. As winner, Alison Rose received a cash prize along with a lunchtime recital at the Royal Opera House. Three more talented singers including Jennie Witton were awarded the Licette Award to help with the costs of study.
School news
All that jazz
Junior Guildhall has launched an innovative new jazz course to nurture the musical talents of the future. Junior Guildhall Jazz Programme takes place on Saturdays, and is aimed both at specialist jazz musicians and classical musicians keen to learn more about the experience of playing jazz.
David Shipley
School news
Guildhall wins top sustainability award
❦ Guildhall has been named the No.1
UK specialist performing arts institution for sustainability in the recent People & Planet University League table 2015. Guildhall placed 47th out of 151 overall, up from 113th in 2010, 80th in 2011 and 65th last year. This continued upward trajectory is testament to the continued efforts of the School’s Sustainability Steering Group, which is
Alison Rose
dedicated to reducing our environmental impact.
Under the new programme, students spend a full day immersed in playing, listening and studying the tradition in a variety of classes. One-to-one lessons focus on technique, repertoire and improvisation, and this knowledge is then applied in small group and big band contexts. Students will also benefit from a range of specialist classes including Musical Awareness, which covers the history of the genre; Ensemble, which emphasises musical interaction and develops students’ ability to create arrangements on the spot; and Big Band, designed to sharpen sight-reading skills and develop sectional playing across a wide range of repertoire.
Michael Dick, Head of the Sustainability Steering Group for Barbican and Guildhall School, explained: “We’ve scored points for introducing sustainability into our learning and teaching policy, and our contractors also now have to factor sustainability measures “The course not only aims to help students develop their improvisational into their bids. Staff and students have skills but to give them a broad played their part with an impressive list of understanding of the jazz tradition and activities including recycling initiatives, to expand their conception of what jazz fairtrade events and schemes such as ‘is’ and its limitless potential,” said Junior Borrow Bikes, which won Silver at the Guildhall jazz tutor Jonathan Taylor. NUS Green Impact Awards.” 9
School news
Staff round-up
New champion for harpsichord Celebrated harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani is to join Guildhall’s professorial staff from spring 2015. Described as ‘his instrument’s leading champion’, Esfahani joins Guildhall as the new Professor of Harpsichord. Guildhall also welcomes Esfahani to Milton Court on 27 April, when he delivers a stunning recital on the School’s new harpsichord as part of the Faculty Artist Series. Dr Cormac Newark to spearhead research efforts Guildhall welcomes eminent opera scholar Dr Cormac Newark as its new Head of Research. Specialising in 19th century French and Italian opera and literature, Oxford alumnus Dr Newark has won numerous international grants and prizes for his research. His appointment marks a new phase in the School’s development of practice-based research and the expansion of its doctoral programme. Welcome Professor Robert Levin Professor Robert Levin, a world-leading scholar in classical improvisation, has joined Guildhall as International Chair of the Centre for Creative Performance and Classical Improvisation. The Harvard professor has described Guildhall as ‘one of the world’s leading institutions in contributing to the revival of the teaching, learning and practice of classical improvisation in Western Art Music’. In his new role, Prof Levin will spend three days a year delivering intensive workshops, public performances and masterclasses with Guildhall students. Top teachers Guildhall would like to congratulate Chris Goulding (Trombone, 1980) on being named British Trombone Society Teacher of the Year 2014, and Joan Havill on 35 years’ teaching at Guildhall. As one of Guildhall’s longest serving professors, Joan’s achievements were marked by a special celebration concert in February, delivered by some of the School’s most esteemed concert pianists and former students.
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Flashback The lakeside at Silk Street c.1977 Were you at the Guildhall School when we moved to Silk Street? Are you in this picture? We would love to hear your stories and see your photographs. Please get in touch (see contact details on p3).
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G U I LD HALL TO TH E WOR LD
OCTOBER 2014 ********************* Hello Montserrat! It’s a tiny propeller aeroplane (maximum seven people) that moves like a mosquito flying its way noisily across the water. We get a glimpse of a large volcano in the distance, and the island begins to appear. We’re greeted very warmly and taken to what will be our house for the next year. When the sun goes down that day, the crickets, frogs, and birds create an amazing wall of sound that brings the patches of forest closer to my senses. Montserrat is beautiful, no doubt about it. It’s not your stereotypical vacation-resorts-surrounded-by-whitesand-beaches kind of place. It makes you feel tucked in by wilderness, and at the same time really gives a sense of the space around you. There is one radio station that tells you everything that’s happening in the island, and the music you hear the most is energetic Caribbean music, calypso and soca for the most part.
MUSICAL MONTSERRAT ********************* MMus Leadership The high rhythmic energy of Caribbean music is really graduate Cris van present in the teenagers and kids’ characters. I couldn’t help laughing when a few children responded to how Beuren has the they felt after listening to a piece I played for them. It was an arrangement for guitar of J.S. Bach’s Prelude from challenging but Suite 1 for Cello, and when asked most said it was ‘depressing music’. The honesty in kids is wonderful, and inspiring task of teaches us that every kind of music should be placed on the same level of value, which is completely linked to leading Guildhall’s social and cultural influences. year-long community music placement on DECEMBER 2014 the Caribbean island ********************* of Montserrat. Past and present, Christmas, Calypso Here, he shares some and sinking boats fascinating highlights In 1995, the Soufriere volcano explosion brought the country to its knees with the loss of the capital city, along from his blog with the southern two-thirds of the island. It has been almost 20 years since that devastating catastrophe and it looks like it is still dragging. Fortunately, Montserrat is a beautiful place filled with incredibly friendly and capable people, and I’m sure it’s well on its way to regaining its past greatness. On the musical side of things, it’s been a busy month. The teen division of the National Youth Choir sang great at
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the opening of Science Week, while all four primaries had their Christmas concerts with poetry, theatre, dance and songs. It is great to see all the young children performing.
Nature nightlife sounds are so amazing and loud. Music!
Over the Christmas break we held the Calypso Monarch concert, which was a fun event. Anyone can enter as long as they write their own lyrics and melody, and perform it themselves with the house band. Some contestants lacked experience but they deserve to be applauded for their courage in performing for all the island on stage and on radio.
The first project that has just concluded was Digital Dialogue, with Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning in the UK. The theme was ‘People Songs’, and I worked with primary and secondary schools in Montserrat to create different musical compositions from the audio and visual stimulus sent to me over the web. We had amazing results, which will be exhibited in the Dialogue People Songs event in London at the Barbican Centre.
This month I also spent my most exciting night on the island so far. Just as we were sitting down to dinner at a beachside restaurant, a man came in gasping for breath and completely soaked, shouting “Help, my boat is sinking!” We rushed to the shore just in time to see the boat capsize in the waves. Three of us dove into the water and rescued the scattered belongings of the Antiguan fishing boat, and the fire brigade managed to secure the boat. Just as randomly as the whole thing started, so did it end, and we returned to our dinner!
It’s beautiful to be back.
That done, I now put my attention to the projects that will keep me busy for the following months: 1: Re-BEAT (or the Recycled Percussion Ensemble): I’ve been collecting recycled materials such as barrels, pipes, buckets and paint cans, which I’ll use to create a 15–20 piece percussion ensemble in a similar style to Brazilian batucadas, the show Stomp or Barbican World in Motion Drumming. I think group percussion is one of the best ways to engage teenagers in a fun and productive musical activity. It’s rhythmic, physical, and develops an awareness of group work and collaboration. 2: CD Recording with the National Youth Choir – Hits from AIR Studios Montserrat: This will be a great opportunity for everybody to get into the recording studio and I believe it will have a very positive impact on the island’s community in general. But in the meantime, I’m quite busy with the adult division of the choir rehearsing for an event that is being held for Valentine’s Day. It should be a fun show – all romantic hit songs, done acoustically and filled with great vocal harmonies.
JANUARY 2015 ********************* Back on the island Look to one side and you enjoy beautiful ocean views. Look to the other and lush green mountains rise up. Look up during the night, and you see probably one of the most starry night skies you’ve seen. Full moon is better than having a street lamp on. Snorkelling, diving, and hiking. Barefoot most of the day.
Just after arriving back, I had the pleasure and honour of meeting Sir George and Lady Martin. It is always fantastic to meet musicians you admire, and sitting with George and Judy Martin on their veranda at Olveston House, having tea and talking about Montserrat and music, is a memory that I’ll cherish for a long time.
Prior to the devastating volcano eruption of 1995, Montserrat was a glamorous musical paradise, attracting stars such as Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John to record in the high-tech AIR Montserrat studio built by legendary producer and Guildhall alumnus Sir George Martin. Today, Sir George’s legacy is to help the island reconnect with its musical routes, and he is doing so with the help of year-long musical placements run in partnership with Guildhall School. Read more about this year’s placement on Cris van Beuren’s blog crisvanbeuren.com
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FACE TO FACE For over a decade, Maureen Amar and Richard Jenkins have generously funded scholarships for Guildhall students. These scholarships give talented young performers like Josep-Ramon OlivĂŠ (Opera) and Abigail Richardson (Acting) the opportunity to learn their craft free from the financial burden of tuition fees. play brought them together to discover the true value of this gift
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Left to right: Abigail Richardson, Maureen Amar and Richard Jenkins
Maureen Amar & Richard Jenkins
You have been generous supporters of Guildhall School for over a decade. What motivated you to support Guildhall in particular? MA & RJ Guildhall brings together accomplished and talented instrumental, vocal, drama and technical theatre students in one institution, alongside a very appreciative and supportive Development department. We also had the personal motivation that a friend of ours attended Guildhall in the 1960s and was forced to abandon his studies due to lack of finance.
Can you share a little about your own careers and lives? MA I wanted to be a social worker
but spent most of my professional life in social and market research before joining our family firm of food importers, which was founded by my father in 1945. Whilst still working part-time, I am now thoroughly enjoying my role as a Governor of a primary school in a deprived area. RJ If vocational guidance had existed in
the 1950s, I would have become a chef, but after several years of playing bridge at two universities, I abandoned the idea of an academic career and founded the first of my three companies in 1966. Miraculously, one survives for which I still work, albeit part-time.
You first sponsored an opera scholarship and went on to also offer a scholarship in acting. Are these disciplines particularly close to your hearts? MA & RJ Most certainly. On average,
we’re at the opera or in the theatre at least once a week. 16
Josep-Ramon Olivé
You take an active interest in the careers of the students you support. Has it given you a sense of personal satisfaction to see them progress? MA & RJ It’s enough to have
contributed to the development of any talented career, but there’s always an exhilaration when they get that lucky break that takes them to the next level. Several of our students have become good friends and as our sponsorship expands we’re becoming a couple of septo-euro-groupies!
Do you believe it’s important for people who are in a position to ‘give something back’ to do so? MA & RJ Absolutely. We’re both atheists
but we like the concept of Samnyãsin (abandonment). When you’ve attained a level of financial security there’s no point in accumulating more for personal possession. In 2002 we established our Trust Fund to provide postgraduate funding for the arts and sciences and to establish the pattern for the disposal of our estate upon our decease. For the past thirteen years it has been the most rewarding and pleasurable investment we have ever made and it has given a new purpose and direction to our lives now that we are both in our seventies.
Josep-Ramon Olivé and Abigail Richardson
Tell us about how you came to be at Guildhall – when did you first become interested in the performing arts as a career? JRO I started music education when I
was four, and joined a boys’ choir school in Spain at the age of 10. We performed all over the world, including Japan, Germany and France. It was then I discovered my passion for singing. I came to Guildhall mainly because of my teacher, Rudolf Piernay. I met him at a summer masterclass in Vienna in 2011 and thought he was worth coming to London for. Guildhall sounded really interesting and exciting so I decided it was time to move abroad to this huge city and expose myself to the pressure of sharing a class with so many talented young singers. AR It sounds cheesy, but I knew I wanted
to be an actor after performing in a school production when I was eight. At 16, I toured with a professional show and found myself once again feeling right at home. I decided to go to drama school, but I was living in France at the time and the schools I called all preferred applicants with degrees. So I studied for my degree in French Modern Literature and then applied to Guildhall. It wasn’t until the second round of auditions that I discovered just how prestigious the school was. Despite its stellar reputation the place had an amazing warmth and the auditions were so human. I was overjoyed when I was accepted on the MA.
How have you found the Guildhall experience so far? JRO Coming to Guildhall is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life. The work I’ve done with my professor, Rudolf Piernay, has helped me to improve my vocal, and the School has provided me with so many interesting
and challenging opportunities. I also really value the healthy and positive feeling of competition: Guildhall is full of talented singers and this has made me more demanding in my own career goals. AR It’s even better than I thought it
would be. I knew I’d be acting of course, but I didn’t expect it to be so intense and diverse. We go from acrobatics to singing to voice to circus to project rehearsals… we never stop! It’s been such a life lesson for me – I feel I’m growing every day. The tutors are incredible and the course has changed me in the best possible way. My views have broadened, I’m more aware of what’s going on around me, and I enjoy even the smallest things in life so much more. All these possibilities are opening up for me now and I just have to grab them.
What barriers might you have faced had the scholarship not been available to you? JRO I had some financial support for
my first two years at Guildhall, but relied on my parents’ help to pay the rest of my expenses. I’m now in my third year of four, and since my parents can no longer afford to support me, my scholarship from the the Amar-Franses & Foster-Jenkins Trust and the Sheila White Bequest is crucial. Without their help it would have been impossible for me to stay at Guildhall and take part in such a great training programme. I view these two years as a gift and a unique opportunity to enhance my opera training.
for the scholarship. I still remember holding the letter in my hands and thinking ‘Who does this?’ To be willing to help young people to pursue their dreams is a beautiful thing. I mentally thank Maureen and Richard every day. This course requires so much energy – you have to be really present and open, and you can’t do that if you’re worrying about money.
What is your ultimate ambition for your career? JRO My goal for the future is to be a
professional opera singer, and perform many different roles all over the world. In the meantime, I find it so interesting and grounding to be able to achieve a really accurate level of communication to the audience. I believe this should be the main goal for all singers: to tell a story, provoke a reaction and make the listener experience emotions. The better and more varied the singer’s communicative skills, the more powerful and effective the impact to the audience. AR Originally I was only interested
in theatre, but now I’m interested in other platforms too. Guildhall has really opened my eyes. Sometimes I feel almost guilty that I get to be here, as I wish everyone could have this experience. That’s why it’s so important to have people like Maureen and Richard, who are willing to help open this world up for a new generation.
AR In France, university education
is free, so anyone can study. When I decided I wanted to go to drama school in England I did worry that I was living in a dream world – how could I find the money to pay tuition and support myself? My parents are both artists so they’re not on a stable income. I couldn’t believe it when I was accepted 17
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SONG OF LONDON
Oscar Wilde once said that life reflects art, but Guildhall is on a mission to turn that premise on its head. After all, what could be more meaningful than an arts sector that embraces the diverse character of modern society? PLAY discovers the groundbreaking outreach work that has engaged communities across London for more than three decades
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onservatoire is a word that paints a thousand pictures. It conjures up images of grand concert halls, of feverish rehearsals, of echoing stages and tireless craft. It’s a place that demands the utmost dedication and creativity from the elite artists of their generation. In return, it delivers the highest standards of European arts education.
Guildhall is all of those things. Rated the number one specialist institution in the UK and ranking among the finest schools of performing arts in the world, many of its alumni are household names while many more attain the highest level of craft behind the scenes. Yet it’s also something more. Because for three decades, quietly and with little fuss, Guildhall has sent its students beyond its doorstep and out into the real world. This is not an institution of ivory towers, and nor is it one that wastes much time navel gazing. Instead, it takes a bold and modern approach to arts education in the 21st century, placing a strong emphasis on social responsibility and core life skills. Making connections
Perhaps the first real recognition of this work came in 2005, when Guildhall Connect won the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education. Guildhall Connect – now part of the Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning programme – was set up in the ‘80s with the aim of connecting people, companies and organisations across genres, using musical creativity to inspire and engage young people. Initially focusing on the London boroughs of Newham and Lewisham,
the programme quickly built on Guildhall’s long-standing community bases in Islington and Tower Hamlets, and soon covered most of the east of London. The programme has been credited with introducing the joys of music to generations of young people. “We want our work to have the look and feel of London, today and tomorrow,” says Sean Gregory, Director of Creative Learning and former leader of Guildhall Connect. “To that end, our programmes reflect the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of the communities we serve. We want to break down any negative perceptions that conservatoires are elitist and reinforce the message that the arts is for everyone.” Open dialogue
If Guildhall Connect was all about joining forces to broaden access to the arts, that collaborative spirit certainly lives on in the new Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning programme. Working towards a shared vision of ‘helping young people to find their creative voice’, the Barbican and Guildhall have created a programme of arts experiences that aims to reach every 8–16 year old in east London by 2020, as well as providing 50,000 affordably priced or free tickets to arts events. “Both Guildhall and the Barbican have worked in London’s art sector for decades, and this strategic partnership allows us to maximise the impact of that work,” says Sean. “Cultural alliances such as ours are becoming increasingly popular in the higher education sector, but we are fairly unique in the extent and sustainability of our programme.” 19
‘It provides a wonderful musical tuition resource free to the community.’ The already broad reach of the programme was extended further in 2013, when Guildhall and Barbican joined with six local music education hubs to form the East London and City Cultural Partnership (ELCCP). In the two years since, the ELCCP has grown into a broad network of communities, schools, local authorities and cultural organisations from across the east of the city. One of the fruits of the partnership is the popular Dialogue festival, an annual celebration of the talent, creativity and diversity of the people of east London. This year’s event, which took place on 26 February, saw people from all around east London join together with artists and musicians from Guildhall and the Barbican for a series of free, unticketed performances at venues across the community. Participants included musicians on the Future Band and (Im)possibilities programmes (for musicians aged 8–13 and 14–25 respectively); students on the MMus Leadership and BA elective courses, and community partners such as local primary schools and homelessness charity St Mungo’s.
is not just about encouraging people to learn to play or to take to the stage. Equally important is the development of projects which unlock the power of music to enrich people’s lives in profound, and even surprising, ways. Take for example a project which saw Guildhall musicians perform for patients and staff of the Royal Free Hospital. This partnership between the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers and Guildhall was wide-ranging in its impacts: from lifting the spirits of patients receiving dialysis to motivating amputees during physiotherapy sessions. One patient in the Renal Dialysis Unit expressed her reaction succinctly: “It gives me peace.”
Then there was the clinical trial run by Music Therapy, which helped sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder to channel their emotions through group music sessions. Of the nine men and women attending the 10-week course, five had asylum seeker status and all had suffered traumatic events including imprisonment, torture, bullying and sexual assault. Participants said that the music helped to ‘shut out’ unpleasant Enriching lives feelings and allowed them to express Yet invigorating and joyful though performance is, Guildhall’s outreach work ‘me, before all the bad things happened’. 20
Meanwhile, for elderly residents of the Barbican, free piano lessons run by Guildhall students in the library are a chance to learn a new skill and socialise. It also gives the students a valuable opportunity to hone their teaching skills on a ‘real’ student, as course leader Laura Roberts explains: “The People’s Piano concept was first developed by our Deputy Head of Keyboard Studies, Pamela Lidiard, and Richard Jones from Barbican Library, as part of the Teaching Skills module for fourth year BMus pianists. Previously, students would teach a ‘guinea pig’ – another instrumentalist or singer at Guildhall. Although they might be new to the piano, as fellow musicians they spoke the same language, so there wasn’t much of a leap of imagination involved.
“Through the People’s Piano project, Barbican residents get paired up with a BMus student and receive 10 free weekly piano lessons on the keyboards in the library. These ‘pupils’ are normally enthusiastic music lovers who are new to the physical challenges of piano playing and perhaps to reading music too, so it’s a fantastic opportunity to get our students thinking creatively, and it provides a wonderful musical tuition resource free to the local community.”
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In the 21st century, Guildhall brings together violinists and rappers, beat boxers and conductors. Academic innovation
What all of these programmes deliver to Guildhall students is a much-needed real world context to their studies, and the skills that will set them apart in their chosen career. This vocational focus permeates the academic programme. All first year music students take part in a Performance Matters module run by Creative Learning, which develops the key skills needed by professional musicians through a series of lectures, seminars, mentoring and practical workshops in the community. Building on this foundation, the Year 4 Professional Studies course develops skills such as enterprise and teaching through practical tasks and professional mentoring, and all students can choose from a wide range of elective courses to further enhance their vocational skills. “All of Guildhall’s undergraduate students engage with us, and we aim to offer an open door to help students see the full range of activities they could take part in,” says Sean. “It’s not about compromising your ambition as, say, a violinist, but about recognising that it’s a tough world out there and there’s great value in developing a portfolio of skills. We’re combining artistic excellence and rigor with the development of social engagement and awareness.”
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In this respect, Creative Learning benefits the Guildhall community as much as the London boroughs in which it operates. Sean readily admits that new courses such as the Masters in Leadership and a new BA in Performance and Creative Enterprise were inspired by experiences out and about in the community. “We frequently met young people who had so much talent, but who didn’t fit into the traditional model of principal study,” he explains. “In the past we met people like that and had nothing for them. Now, by developing a greater understanding of their needs and of the wider cultural landscape, we have some of the most genuinely innovative courses of any conservatoire in the world.”
In the 21st century, Guildhall brings together violinists and rappers, beat boxers and conductors. It fuses the classical and the experimental. It’s as much home to world-renowned musicians as it is to kids from east London taking their first tentative steps into the industry they have grown to love. It’s London and it’s the world. It’s art and it’s life.
“There’s a really open and accepting environment on the Creative Learning courses” As he prepares to study jazz at college, 18-year-old musician Sam Jones takes time out to tell PLAY about the unique role Guildhall played in his musical development “I’ve always been interested in music, and as a kid I attended a Saturday music centre run by Lewisham Music Service. Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning runs a number of courses with Lewisham Music Service, one of which is Connect, which brings together a big, diverse group of young musicians to create a piece of music. Up until then I had a really limited experience of music. I played the oboe, which I always struggled with, and even after I took up the drums the only genre I knew was rock, because that was the kind of music I listened to. Through Connect I discovered genres that I’d never thought of before, such as jazz, classical and fusion. Despite my limited experience, the Connect leaders let me join the percussion section of the ensemble and I’ve been crazy about jazz drums ever since. The great thing about Creative Learning and about Guildhall generally is that there’s a really open, accepting environment. On these weeklong courses I met professional musicians who are actually out there, doing it, and I realised I could too. Previously I had thought that music studies were elitist but actually it was incredibly inclusive: they just want you to be passionate about the music, regardless of your background. Once I saw what life as a musician was really like, I knew it was what I wanted to do. I consider myself a jazz drummer now and hope to study jazz music at college. In the meantime, I’m helping out as an assistant on the Creative Learning DrumWorks programme. The DrumWorks leaders were mentors to me, and I could ask them anything. They encouraged me to apply for really prestigious programmes such as Aldeburgh Young Musicians, which I never would have thought of without their support. By volunteering with DrumWorks I get to help other young people to write their own music and at only 18 years old, I’m working with schools all over east London. It’s a really great introduction to a career in music.”
“You start as musicians and become therapists” For alumnus Katy Bignold, working with clients whilst on clinical placement in the community was a formative experience in her training as a music therapist Guildhall’s Music Therapy MA really appealed to me because of the diversity of the course and the fact that it offered instrumental lessons in the first year. I felt it was important to have a high performance standard because if you’re worrying about your technical performance then you’re not really focusing on your client. The clinical placements were crucial to the course because they provided an important opportunity to get out there in the world and encounter clients for the first time. The placements took place in a wide variety of settings, including nurseries and schools, hospitals and mental health units. They really open your eyes to the reality of the working environment and allow you to gain feedback, build confidence and reflect on how you conduct your work. You start out as musicians and become therapists. One of the most fundamental shifts for me was to learn to think objectively. Therapy can be very emotive, and one of the key skills that I had to master is the ability to be present and to connect with a person, and at the same time to be able to think about what’s happening in the room and make appropriate clinical decisions. Today, I run East London Music Therapy (eastlondonmusictherapy.co.uk) in school settings, providing music therapy for children and young people who have a wide range of needs and disabilities, from autism to complex physical and neurological disabilities. I find that most children respond very positively to music, and music therapy gives them a voice to express how they’re feeling as well as to develop their communication skills and ability to relate to others. Guildhall’s Music Therapy course was very eclectic and I had moments when I found that bewildering, but I now appreciate that it gave me the experiences I needed to find my own way. I wasn’t told what kind of therapist to be, but given the tools to learn to be myself.
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O R C H E STRAL ARTI STRY
Bernard Haitink
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“Here we have created the opportunity to perform alongside the best conductors in the world. I’d have died for that kind of experience when I was a student.”
MUSICAL ALCHEMY
J
onathan Vaughan, Director of Music, is reflecting on the unique opportunity on offer to students of Orchestral Artistry. Run in association with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), this groundbreaking postgraduate specialism places the finest students alongside international artists in a context akin to a professional environment.
In October 2014, Guildhall welcomed through its doors two of the greatest living conductors: Sir Antonio Pappano and Bernard Haitink. Pappano led the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra through Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Verdi’s La forza del destino, and less than two weeks later they performed Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 in F op. 90 under Haitink’s expert baton. In June the School will also host Sir Simon Rattle conducting Walton Symphony No. 1. “The feedback we received from the students was quite extraordinary,” says Jonathan. “Conducting Force of Destiny, Pappano was like an alchemist – he transformed the piece from a competent but ordinary performance into something truly magnificent, that sparkled with long melodic lines and subtle crisp accompaniment. Haitink has a very different style. He is so unassuming and appears to indicate very little, yet he has the ability to bring about a profound change, a spiritual depth that has incredible musical expression at its heart but which belies his seemingly modest gestures. The students came out buzzing from both projects. To have Rattle perform with the students in addition to these two experiences, all in the same year, is remarkable.” Experiences like these are the cornerstone of the Orchestral Artistry course, which commits to placing students side by side with professional musicians. Students receive coaching and advice from LSO musicians and have benefited from masterclasses with the New York, LA and Berlin Philharmonics, among others. “Our students get a huge cross section of direct input and mentoring from professional musicians,” says Jonathan. “The value of that advice in a competitive market is second to none.”
Sir Antonio Pappano conducts the Guildhall Symphony Orchestra
by osmosis’. “Gareth studied flute at Guildhall and was constantly being told to play louder and play quieter. He didn’t fully understand the importance of that lesson until he sat in a side by side with Paul Edmund Davies, the principal flute of the LSO, and realised what a vast dynamic range Paul had. He went away, focusing many hours of practise on his sound, and ended up landing the principal flute job as a result. That illustrates the power of the learning that takes place when you place students alongside professional musicians.” It is this willingness to learn that will set Guildhall students apart in their professional lives. Since the course accepts only the finest musicians, Jonathan believes it’s a ‘given’ that they can play: it’s adaptability that will make or break their careers. “The culture of every orchestra is different, even down to the way they tune their instruments, so it’s important that students have both the skill to perform and the necessary ‘radar’ to instantly adapt to what is going on around them,” says Jonathan. “Haitink and Pappano were very complimentary of our students’ willingness to be steered in new and unexpected directions.” And with a start like that, it seems for these students the only direction is up.
The story of Gareth Davies, principal flute of the LSO, is testament to the power of what Jonathan calls ‘learning 25
TH E IN T ERVI EW
From an Essex kid who loved reggae and dance, to a MOBO award-winning jazz singer, Zara McFarlane has been on quite a journey. Here, she shares how Guildhall helped her to carve her own niche in a challenging industry.
VO FINDING MY
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OICE
When did you first realise you wanted to be a singer?
Did you ever feel that your shyness was a barrier in your career?
Actually, I wanted to be a dancer! I went to dance classes like ballet from the age of 8 because I loved moving my body and exploring the music. Growing up in a Jamaican family, our house was always full of music, especially reggae. We played John Holt, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs and Bob Marley all the time – parties, weddings, funerals, you name it! My parents aren’t musical themselves but they were always very supportive of my interest in music and dance.
Some of the most famous people on the planet – performers like Michael Jackson and Prince – said they were shy. Some people seek out fame but at Guildhall there was a great awareness that you are there to craft a career in music without the ‘celebrity’ tag. What Guildhall helped me to do was focus on the music and the profession at a very high level. As a musician you’re running a business, so you need to understand the financial and technical aspects of music, and you have to have the presence and the focus to make your way in a difficult industry. Essentially, you have to find your own voice.
Your interest in music led you to the nowlegendary BRIT School. How was that experience? I attended BRIT School from the age of 16 to 18, and studied Musical Theatre. At the time it wasn’t as well known as it is now – people like Leona Lewis and Amy Winehouse achieved their fame years later – so it never felt like a fame academy or anything. It was just a great place to be – very supportive, and with lots of opportunities for musical exploration. There were six or seven majors you could study and a really strong distinction between them – I think everyone thought the Musical Theatre students were a bit crazy! You had to have so much energy to perform in that environment all the time.
What attracted you to study at Guildhall? I was working with a charity called Tomorrow’s Warriors, which develops young jazz musicians, and gigging with some really great artists. I got to a point where I realised that I didn’t really know what I was doing! I wanted to be able to ‘talk the talk’ and be seen as an equal, so I studied Jazz and Improvisation to help me understand the nuts and bolts of jazz and get to the heart of the music. I studied an MMus for two years part-time and continued with teaching and gigging at the same time. It was quite a challenge to juggle everything but it gave me the grounding I needed to feel like a professional jazz musician. What I loved most at Guildhall were the Composition and Arranging sessions. These allowed me to explore composing on a much grander scale, writing for eight-piece to twenty-piece bands.
What are your inspirations? Generally speaking, I don’t get my inspiration from listening to music. Theatre, dance, personal experiences like travel and relationships – that’s what gets me writing. There are many elements to being an artist which lie outside of my comfort zone. I’m quite a shy, private person so aspects of the industry don’t really suit me, but what I love about song-writing is it allows me to share something with people in a different way. I also love the physical sensation of singing – the way it feels in my body – which I guess goes back to my love of dance and movement.
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How has your music evolved in that time? I released my first album in 2011, and my focus then was on creating a consistent sound, using the same line-up and instrumentation throughout. The second album (released in January 2014) is much more personal. I’m really passionate about song-writing at the moment, so the new album explores lyrics and melody. It’s me opening up, taking listeners on a journey.
It must be a pretty amazing journey, since it landed you a MOBO for Best Jazz Act 2014! How did it feel to win such a coveted prize? It was a very strange feeling and even as people were congratulating me I still hadn’t really taken it all in. Over the years it has become an international prize, so it’s opened a lot of doors for me. I’ve been very busy touring lately. I’ve just come back from South Africa, where I did some TV, radio and performing. My goal for 2015 is to broaden my reputation internationally, and I’m going to the US to follow up on some exciting leads over there – so watch this space!
Throughout all this success you’ve continued to teach. Is it about giving something back, for you? I’ve never really seen it that way. I always wanted to teach, and I genuinely enjoy working with children and young people. It’s fantastic to be able to pass on some of what I’ve learned and adapt my teaching style to different students. With young people, you get to see them reach this point where they feel free enough to express themselves through music and have so much fun along the way. It’s also very rewarding to see that light go on for adults, as we’re often so closed to new experiences and challenging ourselves.
What is the number one lesson you want to pass on? There are always people who will say it won’t work, just because your ideas are different. The trick is to keep doing exactly what you want to do, and learn as much as you possibly can along the way. Be very clear in your own mind about what you want, and then go for it.
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Robin Merrill meets the Queen Mother after a performance with The Whiffenpoof Glee Boys, 1975
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THEN & NOW
As the first student to set foot in the Barbican nearly 40 years ago, a recent visit to Guildhall sparked many a happy memory for musician and TV presenter Robin Merrill. Here, he talks student hijinx, jazz tours and getting the girl
I
wish I could say that it was my deep dedication to singing that brought me through the doors to Guildhall, but all these years later I think it’s safe to admit that that’s not the case. No, my motivation for studying singing was – to put it plainly – girls. I attended an all-boys public school and remember the biannual music concerts as the highlight of the school year because we got to meet the girls from the nearby girls school! One year, I was due to perform the oboe in Bach’s Magnificat, when the bass soloist became ill. I was asked to sing, and after I did, not only did a girl talk to me, but she even gave me a kiss. I was 17, and a light went on in my head. I realised that oboe playing isn’t sexy, but singing is! I make light of it now, but it’s a choice that has served me well. I studied Classical Singing at Guildhall and loved it. I didn’t realise it at the time, but the skills I learned – skills such as breathing techniques and looking after your voice – were to come in very useful when I toured with the jazz band, the Pasadena Roof Orchestra. I once performed every night for three months straight without ever losing my voice. Swing music is a lifelong passion of mine and I have fond memories of performing at Guildhall as part of the Giles & Jessop Duo with my friend Dave Watts, all decked out in our stripy blazers and bow ties! Another highlight of my time at Guildhall was Rag Week, where
students caused all kinds of chaos in the name of charity. The years fly by
The Student Union was the centre of my social life at Guildhall, and I took a sabbatical from my third year of studies to serve as its President. At this time we were still based in John Carpenter Street, but in 1977 I became the first student ever to set foot in the Barbican. It was a construction site at the time and I was taken around with some ‘suits’ as the token student representative. Wandering around with a hard hat on, it struck me that there seemed to be no student union room anywhere. Some of the suits quickly consulted their plans and after a lot of humming and harring confirmed that we had, indeed, been forgotten. This was quickly remedied and what had been a double bass practice room on the ground floor was rapidly changed into a student union office. It was rather cramped, but that's where I spent the next year looking after student affairs. On a recent visit to Guildhall, I shared this story with a member of staff who noticed me wandering around the foyer. With great pride I related that I had been the first student to set foot in the Barbican building some 25 years ago. She said that was strange, because the building has been open for nearly 40 years. Like many people my age (I’m now 60) I still think only a few years have passed since I left university! Going places
In fact, I left Guildhall in 1978 before completing my studies, because I had been offered a part in the original cast of Evita in the West End, alongside Elaine Paige and David Essex. Back then we had no idea it would become such a hit, and it was so exciting to be a part of it. I’m still friends with the guy who wrote the lyrics, Sir Tim Rice, to this day. In 1979 I landed my dream job, as the lead singer of the Pasadena Roof Orchestra, playing hot dance music of the Twenties and Thirties. It was a band that was really going places. Well, I certainly did go places – for the next 10 years I was almost permanently on tour. We were really quite famous in Germany, once selling out the Berlin Philharmonic for two nights. It was while on tour in Berlin that I met my wife of 26 years, Karola. I met her in a pub and invited her to one of our
concerts. It was sold out so she had to sit at the side of the stage. I thought it would ‘wow’ her, but she wasn’t impressed – she told me afterwards that it wasn’t her kind of music. This time around, it seemed my singing wasn’t going to win me the girl, and I spent the next couple of years chasing her from across a continent! Berlin calling
Karola and I finally married in 1988, and I left the band and moved to Berlin. By this time I had developed a keen interest in radio. I’d been interviewed numerous times with the band and always fancied being on the other side of the microphone. Then, a guest at our wedding told me about a vacancy with the British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS), which was the only English language radio station at the time. I wrote them a letter on my wedding night and by the time we returned from our honeymoon I had a letter inviting me to audition. I joined the BFBS on 1 January 1989, and on 9 November the Berlin Wall fell down. I was one of only a few English-speaking reporters in Berlin, and while I understood its significance even then, it’s incredible to look back now and realise I was part of history. I still work in broadcasting, and now present Insight Germany for Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster. It’s a talk show that follows the lives of people who have moved to Germany. Germany is a huge supporter of the arts so many of the people I interview are musicians, and I enjoy having that connection. You can find many of the talk shows on YouTube by searching ‘Insight Germany’. I still sing professionally with my own band, the Savoy Dance Orchestra, but only on an occasional basis. I am, however singing classical music once again with the Kreuzberg Chamber Choir. My children, Max and Milena, have both inherited my musical streak – Max sings in a rock band and Milena plays piano. Max is at university in Aberdeen and Milena is about to go to England on an exchange programme from her university here in Berlin, so I do come back to the UK a couple of times a year for a wander around. Each time I come back I feel more like a foreigner, so it’s wonderful to return to Guildhall and feel that connection again – even if more decades have passed than I care to remember! 31
Class Notes
MUSIC Sofia Escobar (Soprano 2008)
Sofia has been selected as a judge for the hit TV show Got Talent Portugal!, the Portuguese version of Britain’s Got Talent.
Ivana Gavric´ (Junior Guildhall 1998)
Ivana’s third disc of piano works by Grieg was named Recording of the Year 2014 by the Grieg Society. This comes after the CD was chosen as Gramophone Editor’s Choice in March. Ivana was awarded BBC Newcomer of the Year 2011 for her debut disc In the mists. ivanagavric.com Robert Holliday (Trombone 1993)
Robert has been appointed Sub Principal Trombone in The Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has previously held positions in the BBC Scottish and Philharmonic Orchestras. Shabaka Hutchings (Clarinet 2007)
Shabaka has won a prestigious Paul Hamlyn Foundation Composers’ Award 2014. These awards are the largest individual awards made to visual artists and composers in the UK and are intended to give artists the time and freedom to develop their creative ideas and to further their personal and professional growth.
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Edward Nesbit (Composition 2008)
Edward Nesbit has won the Britten Sinfonia’s Opus 2015 competition. The competition was open to composers not represented by a publisher and received 258 entries, of which 12 were shortlisted. The Britten Sinfonia’s chief executive, David Butcher, said this year’s entries represented “a particularly rich year for composing talent, where quality, imagination and invention were in no short supply”.
Libor Novácˇek (Piano 2004)
Libor Novácˇek has been appointed professor of piano at the Prague Conservatoire. libornovacek.com Rhiannon Randle (Junior Guildhall 2012)
Rhiannon was commissioned by BBC Radio 3 to write an anthem for live broadcast on International Women’s Day. The commission was a setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem A Birthday, and the idea behind it was to incorporate the sound of the ‘chime’ from the famous old clock in the Stanley Library in Girton College. Rhiannon continued her studies at Girton College, which has been at the forefront of women’s education during the past two centuries. Louisa Treger née Westbury (Violin 1988)
Former Violin student Louisa Treger (née Westbury) published her first novel in October 2014. Louisa turned to literature after a successful musical career, earning a PhD in English at University College London. Her debut, The Lodger, was published by Thistle Press in the UK and Thomas Dunne Books in the US. The novel was also published as an audiobook by Audible Studios Inc, which led to a happy collaboration with fellow Guildhall alumna Helen Lloyd née Roberts (Speech & Drama 1969). Helen has
spent most of her professional career bringing characters to life in live and recorded media, and was thrilled to be cast to read The Lodger. The pair finally met face to face late last year.
Max Narula (TTA 2014)
Nancy Strevens née Sweet (Flute 1949)
DRAMA
“It was interesting to see a historic photo of the Guildhall concert hall in the Carpenter Street building. I began my studies there as one of the first post-war intake in 1945, to study Flute under Gilbert Barton.
Eric Fellner (SMTT 1979)
The Theory of Everything, one of the many films that Eric has co-produced this year, has won both the Best Film and Outstanding British Film awards at this year’s BAFTA Film Awards. Richard Goulding (Acting 2007) and Sophie Roberts (Acting 2005)
announce the birth of their baby girl: Grace Mary Isobel Goulding.
Max won the Michael Northern Bursary 2014. The Bursary, organised by the Association of Lighting Designers, is awarded annually to a student or recent graduate who has demonstrated strong, imaginative and creative lighting designs. 5 Drama alumni featured in ‘The Stage 100’ this year They were : #7
Samantha Kinkaid (Acting 1997)
“My studies at Guildhall have greatly influenced my work, though not in the performing arts. This includes, particularly, one of the programs I have created that serves youths with autism, sensory and social learning challenges, anxiety and depression. My teachers at Guildhall, notably Patsy Rodenburg, Wyn Jones, Wendy Allnutt, Martin Connor, and Ken Rea, gave instruction that not only empowered students with skills to be exceptional contributors to the arts, but also in life. I remember Patsy speaking to this point more than once. I’m paraphrasing here: the dedication and discipline we learn at Guildhall serves us regardless of where we end up with our career.
Neil Constable
(SMTT 1985)
#16
Daniel Evans
(Acting 1994)
#38
Simon Russell Beale
(Acting 1981)
#58
Judy Craymer
#97
(SMTT 1978)
Rebecca Quigley
(SMTT 1990)
FLASHBACK
The Principal Edric Cundell was a very practical musician and he took the orchestra through a wide range of the repertoire the players would meet on entering the profession. In addition, he conducted a Mozart opera each summer that we then took to Cambridge. Thanks to this background I was able to go straight into the professional orchestral and operatic world with relative ease.” Hazel R Morgan (Singing 1967)
“The Concert Hall was where I started out, on my first day on the Performers’ Course (I switched to Graduate the following year) in September 1963. As a first study singer, I was in the choir for the forthcoming performance of Verdi’s Requiem, and our rehearsals, directed by Cyril Gell, were held there on Monday afternoons… I never gave a recital there, but I did sing there one Friday morning when the Graduate students were working on Mozart’s C minor Mass. A soprano was needed to sing the Et incarnatus est; I’d been studying it, and I sang. It went well.” Elizabeth Sharland-Jones (Piano 1954)
Last issue’s ‘Flashback’ photo of the concert hall at John Carpenter Street (p11) struck a chord with many readers. Here’s a selection of your reactions… Ann Dyer née Lowe (Piano 1964)
It’s true. In addition to the dedication and discipline, the access and trust in the creative process and presence – which is beyond concentration – are powerful life skills. I feel blessed to be doing the work I am doing now and having a positive impact in my community.”
seated sideways to the organ. We didn’t take photos in those days as often as we do today, so I have no pictures, just memories.”
“I was a student of John Carpenter Street from 1961–64 and I remember the building well with all its quirkiness and limited space. During the three years that I was there I sang in the large chorus which performed in the Guildhall with Gordon Thorne and we filled this hall
“I was delighted to see the photo of the concert hall in John Carpenter Street – I recognised it immediately. Even after 50 years I went straight back there. Yes, I played in that hall. I was absolutely terrified. I played for my piano finals there as well as with the school orchestra, and my relatives came over from Tasmania to be there, including Mum and Dad and an Aunt. They sat in the corner of the room... as there was no room for an audience. It’s lovely to see the photo published.” 33
Recent Releases
CDs
Complete RCA Album Collection Box Set
Sir James Galway (Flute 1961) Sony Music Classical
Under the Skin
Schubert Chamber Works
Mica Levi (Composition 2009) Warners
Tasmin Little (Violin 1986) Chandos
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Etude
Ribbons
Clare Hammond (Piano 2008) BIS Recordings
Joshua Jaswon Quintet incl. J. Jaswon (Jazz Saxophone Fellow 2012), G. Moore (Jazz Piano 2009), A. Chapman (Jazz Percussion 2006) Joshua Jaswon
Double album: Poetry / Synergy
The Famous Weiss
Mainly Two Marie Schreer (MMus Violin) and John Garner (MMus Jazz Violin) bandcamp
David Miller (Lute/Guitar 1979) Timespan Recordings
Pièces de clavessin
Ewa Mrowca (Harpsichord 2004) Dux 0137
Yoshiro Kanno: Light, Water, Rainbow…
Noriko Ogawa (Piano professor) BIS Records AB
Footfall
Intermesso
Quest Ensemble F. Sousa (Piano Fellow 2011), T. Franks (Cello 2009) and P. Narayanan (Violin Fellow 2011, DMus Leadership) bandcamp
Jørgen Skogmo (Guitar 2006) Jørgen Skogmo
BOOKS
Wolf Hall
Come Together
Cathedrals in the Sky
Debbie Wiseman (Composition/Piano 1984) Silva Screen Records
Guy Wood aka Guy Wampa (Leadership 2007) and Justin Percival WW Records 2015
Andrew Rajan (Acting 1993) San Fernando Press
The Outstanding Actor
Dramaturgy in the Making: A User’s Guide for Theatre Practitioners
Ken Rea (Acting Tutor) Bloomsbury Methuen
Katalin Trencsényi (Trainee director 1999) Bloomsbury Methuen
Get the Happiness Habit
Christine Webber (Singing 1968) Bloomsbury Reader
Franz Schubert: The Complete Songs
Graham Johnson (Senior Professor of Accompaniment) Yale University Press
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In Memoriam Raphael Jago 1931–2015
(Speech & Drama 1958) Raphael Jago was principal of Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, one of the UK’s leading drama schools, for 40 years. Raphael joined the RAF for his National Service but, as his sight was not good enough to become a pilot, he left to follow his other passion: the arts. After graduating from Guildhall School, Raphael worked with Joan Littlewood at Stratford East before turning to weekly repertory theatre, where he continued to hone his acting and directing skills. After being asked to direct at Webber Douglas by George Rossiter in 1957, Raphael succeeded Rossiter as principal of Webber Douglas in 1966, taking over ownership of the school a few years later. He continued to run the school and teach improvisation until it was merged with Central School of Speech and Drama in 2006. One of his students, Sir Antony Sher, described Jago as “an immensely important figure in my life – he gave me my career”. Raphael was instrumental in the establishment of the National Council for
Drama Training, of which he was chair for a number of years, and was made a Fellow of the Royal Scottish Academy of Acting Music & Drama (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).
Margaret Keep née Corp 1922–2014
(Speech & Drama 1943) Margaret Keep’s great passion was for performance. Margaret’s parents did not want her enter into a career in acting. However, despite being sent to Blackpool at the beginning of the war, she managed to attend the Guildhall from 1941–1943. It was to the amateur and not the professional stage that Margaret turned at the end of the war to satisfy her love of performance. She made her name with the Pinner Players, with who Margaret appeared in lead roles in thirteen productions between 1945 and 1954. During this time she also appeared in numerous lead roles with other Harrow amateur theatre groups.
David was appointed Associate Conductor at Besses o’ th’ Barn Band and had associations with James Shepherd Versatile Brass, Wingates and National Smokeless Fuels. In March 1980 David was appointed Resident Conductor at Black Dyke. He returned to Cornwall in 1990 and continued to work with many of the region’s bands. He became Senior Tutor to the Cornwall Youth Brass Band in 2003.
Fiona Merritt 1955–2014
Margaret moved with her parents to Sussex in 1955 and continued to act with both the Lindfield Dramatic Club and West Chiltington Dramatic Society. In all, despite taking a ten year break, she appeared in around 35 plays before she called it a day at the age of 74. Margaret was very fond of her time at the Guildhall and she kept in touch with some of her peers until the time of her death.
David Loukes 1946–2014
(Trombone 1968) David Loukes was a respected conductor, musician and educationalist. His early musical training came through the Salvation Army. He went on to study trombone under Denis Wick at the Guildhall School, where he won the prestigious Gold Medal and Dove Memorial Prize. In 1969, David was appointed Assistant Principal Trombone with the Hallé Orchestra – a position he held with distinction for seven years. 36
David’s passion was conducting and working with Brass Bands. While in Manchester, he helped establish the brass band musicianship courses at Salford College of Technology and, as conductor, he lead East Lancs Paper Group to victory at the 1977 Grand Shield – a feat he repeated two years later with Rochdale Band.
A stalwart of the Music Office at the Guildhall School, Fiona Merritt – known to many as Fi – was popular with students and staff alike. Fiona enjoyed spending time outdoors – going for long walks in the country at home; lying in the sun catching the rays with the occasional dip in the pool or sea on holiday. Not long ago, she was on holiday with her nephew, quad biking and speed boating. Fiona’s family wrote of her time at Guildhall: “Seventeen years ago Fi started work at the Guildhall School of Music, an organisation she was proud to be involved with. Fi loved the interaction with the students as well as her colleagues; it enabled her to indulge her wacky side along with her love for almond croissants… Fi would change her hair colour and style frequently,
a splash of red here, then brown, then blonde then back to red, set off with Gok Wan glasses and bright clothing. Fi made an impact and you could hear her laugh from a mile off. ” One of her happiest achievements was the arrival of her daughter, Hannah, and ultimately two grandchildren, Charlie and Isabelle, who she adored.
worked with composer Stephen Dogson to produce two volumes of studies for the guitar and in 1990 published his highly regarded treatise Guitar Technique. Bill worked with a variety of composers including Michael Berkeley, Timothy Bowers, Stanley Glasser, Gordon Langford, Joseph Horovitz, Kenneth Leighton and John Rutter, significantly expanding the repertoire for classical guitar.
Hector Quine 1926-2015
(Piano 2008) Classical guitarist Hector Quine has died aged 88. An acclaimed musician and highly influential teacher, he was a passionate advocate for classical guitar both on the concert platform and in conservatoires. Hector William Quine, known as Bill, spent four years in the Army, serving in Egypt, Palestine and Norway. In 1948, having been demobilised, he bought a guitar from a friend and soon mastered the instrument. Bill studied with Alexis Chesnakov and Julian Bream. Bill was committed to the idea that the guitar should stand alongside instruments such as the piano and violin in terms of interpretative possibilities, and that it should be accepted as a concert instrument in the world of classical music. Bill founded the classical guitar department at Trinity College of Music and taught at the Royal Academy of Music and the Guildhall School. He
Helen Scott 1944–2014
(Violin / Piano / Viola 1965) Helen Scott was a violinist, who also played the viola and piano to the same standard. After graduating from Guildhall School, she joined the North Holland Philharmonic Orchestra as a viola player, mastering the Dutch language to add to her fluent French and German. Helen stayed with the orchestra until she reached the compulsory retirement age when she took other opportunities to keep playing, as well as further developing her interest in Lieder and continuing her passion for plants and gardening. I first met Helen at the induction meeting in the theatre at the beginning of our studies at Guildhall. She always showed an interest not just in my endeavours but also those of my children and later, grandchildren. Playing music together was a special joy. We led very different professional lives but our friendship lasted until her unexpected death, after a short illness, in March 2014. I am sure that her friends from Guildhall share with me memories of a loyal friend, happy times spent together and a person whose working life expressed her great love of music. Geraldine Leighton née King (Cello 1965)
Colin Thomson 1945–2015
Colin taught Music at Slough Boys’ Grammar School before moving to the Tynemouth area, where he continued to teach music for the rest of his career. Colin was also an examiner for the Guildhall Exams Service. He was elected as the Incorporated Society of Musicians’ Regional Councillor for the North in 1999 and again in 2002, serving the maximum six years. Guildhall classmate Sue Crisp née Bullough wrote: “In October 2007, we had a ‘39 years on’ reunion, held at the New Cavendish Club, Great Cumberland Place. It was an extremely successful lunch party. Those of us who were there still talk about it with great pleasure and are so grateful to Colin for arranging it all.”
NOTICES Imogen Bain 1959–2014
(Acting 1981) Pamela Cundell 1920–2015
(Speech & Drama) Otto Grunfeld 1925–2015 Edward Paley 1949–2014
(Tuba 1971) Vivienne Price 1931–2014
Former Junior Guildhall professor Joyce Sargent née Lewis d. 2015 (Piano 1953) James Stewart 1941–2014 Ross Thompson 1957–2014
(Piano 1968)
(Cello 1978)
Colin Thomson studied on the Graduate course at Guildhall School before taking a PGCE at the Institute of Education.
Lady Mary Verney 1925–2015
Former fortepiano professor
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A DAY IN THE LI FE
Michela Brennan As Stage Manager on the Walking With Dinosaurs Arena Spectacular, Michela Brennan (SMTT 2006) is tasked with handling lighting, sound, automation, performers, scripts and schedules. Throw some acrobatic baby dinosaurs and an animatronic T Rex into the mix and you have a serious handful. Here, Michela talks us through a typical day on the current tour to North America, New Zealand and Australia
O
ur time on tour is never less than hectic. Walking With Dinosaurs is a theatrical production in an arena setting, led by one actor playing the role of Huxley the Paleontologist, and supported by a cast of 20 life size dinosaurs – from tiny babies that ‘hatch’ each night on stage, to raptors puppeteered by suit performers, right up to the star of the show: T Rex (operated by puppeteers located in the auditorium). The tour has 65 personnel and 22 trucks moving from city to city in the US before being shipped to New Zealand and Australia. On this particular Saturday I catch the runner van at 7.30am to get to the show for my call time at 8.30. The ‘creature team’ has been in since 8am – due to the nature of the show they need three hours to check every single nut, bolt and piece of electronics on the dinosaurs before the first performance at 11am. The Stage Management team starts 30 minutes into checks so we can decide what to do if a dinosaur can’t go onstage. This has not happened so far – touch wood – but you always have to be prepared. I start my day with a walk around on stage and get some face-to-face time with as many people as possible, which I often continue over breakfast. Then I ‘open the house’. Since it’s an arena show we have anywhere between 8,000 and 12,000 people attending, so we need to allow plenty of time for the audience to filter through the building. I leave the first performance to the deputy stage manager while I write up the schedule for the following week and run through it with the heads of department. I then call the second show of the day, a task that involves cueing the lighting, sound, automation and dinosaurs, following the script and dealing with any problems as they come up. Because we’re dealing with animatronics we need to be able to think on our feet, and we have a ‘bible’ of contingency plans in case something goes wrong. In most productions the actors would just improvise, but the scale of this show means we’re able to add something new if needed. The dinosaurs do add an extra layer of challenge but I like working with them – they don’t talk back! After dinner we perform the third show of the day, and the stage management team rotates again. It’s important to do this when you have three shows in one day or you get confused about what you have and haven’t done. I generally finish around 10pm and write up the show report for the producers. It’s a very intense experience on tour but I wouldn’t have it any other way – I love being on the road. Walking With Dinosaurs is a unique show and they look for people who are comfortable with touring and with the heavy workload. As part of my degree I got to understand and appreciate every department in technical theatre, and in my career so far I’ve found that employers really value that breadth of experience. Guildhall set me up for this job.
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Forthcoming events 2015 Monday 27 April, 7.30pm Milton Court Concert Hall
Friday 15 May, 7.30pm Milton Court Concert Hall
Faculty Artist Series: Mahan Esfahani
Faculty Artist Series: Levon Chilingirian & Friends
Friday 1 – Sunday 3 May Milton Court Studio Theatre
Why does the Queen die? by Iain Burnside
Hans Werner Henze: Phaedra and Ein Landarzt
Sunday 17 May, 7pm Milton Court Concert Hall
Timothy Redmond conductor Ashley Dean director
Alumni Recital Series: Lucy Parham & Simon Russell Beale
Monday 29 June, 7.30pm Wigmore Hall
Tuesday 5 May, 7pm Milton Court Concert Hall
Rêverie: The life and loves of Claude Debussy
Faculty Artist Series: Piano Extravaganza
Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 May Milton Court Theatre
Wednesday 13 May, 7pm Barbican Hall
Burnt by the Sun by Nikita Mikhalkov & Rustam Ibragimbekov
The Gold Medal
Monday 8, Wednesday 10, Friday 12, Monday 15 June, 7pm Silk Street Theatre
adapted by Peter Flannery Joseph Blatchley director
Guildhall Wigmore Recital Prize: Winner’s Recital Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula piano
Tuesday 7 – Wednesday 15 July Silk Street Theatre
Guys and Dolls Martin Connor director Bill Deamer choreographer
The Guildhall School is provided by the City of London Corporation.
For 40 full information and booking, visit gsmd.ac.uk/events