Schools Prom Personalities
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Larry Westland, Director and Producer, is well-known for his work in youth music, notably as Director of the National festival of Music for Youth, which he founded in 1971 with the backing of The Association of Music Industries. In 13 years, the Festival has grown into the most comprehensive youth music festival in Europe. The Festival embraces all forms of instrumental music and this year some 20,000 young musicians took part. He has produced the Schools Prom since it was launched in 1975 and was last year appointed Director of this now famous concert series. He has also been appointed Executive Director of Music for Youth, a charity which has been formed by The Association of Music' Industries, Commercial Union Assurance, The Rank Orga~isation and The Times Educational Supplement. He is General Administrator of the British Youth Band Championships which he founded in 1978 in conjunction with the British Youth Band AssoCiation. He is also Director of the Sainsbury's Festival of Choirs held at the Royal Albert Hall in conjunction with the National Association of Choirs. He has presented numerous concerts by British youth orchestras and his other activities include the presentation of charity concerts, the British Music Fair and the National Guitar Month.
Larry Westland
Atarah Ben- Tovim
Atarah Ben-Tovim, MBE, Presenter, was a child prodigy - by the time she was seventeen she had played in public almost the entire repertoire for the flute. She held the position of Principal Flautist with a number of orchestras including the Royal Liverpool Philhannonic Orchestra, this position made her both one of the youngest and one of the first female principals in any major orchestra. Atarah has been very active in the field of musical education, concentrating particularly on the musical welfare of the young. Her musical experience, or show, Atarah's Band has worked live to more than two million children and she has produced a number of publications. In 1980 Atarah was awarded the MBE for her services to children's music, the first time anyone has been so honoured for work in this field.
Antony
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Hopkins, CBE, Guest Conductor and Presenter, has been associated with the Schools Prom from the first and has conducted the finale at everyone. He has lectured and conducted in many countries and his Talking About Music programm~ on Radio 3 is now in its 30th year. His book Understanding Music won the Yorkshire Post award as the best music book of the vear. and has now been issued in paperback. His book o~ the Beethoven symphonies has also been reprinted recently as a paperback while other publications include SOlllld5 of Music, a book about the orchestra, and his highly entertaining autobiography Beating Time. His re-cem book of scandalous poems about musicians. .\l1I5i(amusings, is guaranteed to make you laugh. Another work of his, John & the Magic .\llIsic .\lall. makes a perfect introduction to the orchestra for young children: Antony Hopkins wrote the words and music. conducts it and narrates it. Is this a record? Yes. it is - on C nicorn RHS 360! In 1980 he was a\Yarded a Doctorate by the University of Stirling and made a Fello\y of Camb~idge College; he says it makes him feel quite respectable at last! 27