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It’s both a pleasure and a privilege to be able to speak to you at the end of another year; one of relative normality, and one in which our regular routine was beginning to feel more embedded in the life of the school. It is remarkable to think that it is only seven months ago that our performance of The Snowman very nearly melted due to the pandemic! It was a great pleasure, for example, to see so many of our supporters at the many activities taking place this summer. Our leavers’ concert at Kings Place was an evening of wonderfully varied music that included repertoire by Dvořák, Saint-Saëns and Schubert, all played with tremendous skill and the engagement and verve to be expected of pupils at the very top of the school. We were also delighted to welcome the Benedetti Foundation for a day of workshops in partnership with the Surrey Music Hub. Finally, of course, there was our Summer Festival. For the first time, the Orchestral Picnic was entrusted entirely to the Junior Orchestra, culminating in a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with four soloists from our younger year groups, each of whom was also directing the orchestra. After a sensational run of showcase concerts, we welcomed Maxim Rysanov, who brought the festival to a rousing finale conducting and playing alongside the Senior Orchestra. It was an impressive ending to what has been a wonderful showcase for the skills of all of our pupils and accompanists. 2023 is going to be something of a bumper year for us. The school was opened in 1963 and, from September, we will be busy planning our anniversary celebrations, which are due to start in summer 2023. I can’t yet divulge all of the exciting things that we have planned but I can tell you that they will be well worth waiting for. There is a tribute to Margaret Norris later in this newsletter, but it would be remiss of me to omit mention of her and her powerful legacy at YMS. Margaret was the last remaining member of the team that opened the school in 1963 and a staunch supporter of our pupils until her very last days; as we look ahead
Newsletter Summer 2022
ISSUE
Ben Gudgeon Headmaster to an exciting future, we also reflect on the impact of those who have given so much of their lives to the school. September will bring the grand opening of YMSQ – our school in Qingdao, China. You will see, further on in the Newsletter, how beautifully located it is and how much thought has gone into making it as wellappointed as it can possibly be for the needs of its staff and pupils. We wish it, along with its Head, Mrs Ran Zheng, and its Deputy Head, Mr Mark Stringer, every success. It has been a good term and the sun seems to have shone on us right up to our final Morning Meeting and celebratory lunch. It now only remains for me to wish all of you – staff, pupils, parents and friends alike – a happy and restorative summer. If the world at large was as well-integrated and harmonious as the school of which I am proud to be the Head, then it would be a restful summer indeed.
Find us on Facebook @yehudimenuhinschool Subscribe to our YouTube channel by searching for The Yehudi Menuhin School We also update the news section of our website regularly, so please visit www.menuhinschool.co.uk/news to see what we are up to. Editor: Alan Humm, Head of English Contributions are written by pupils, alumni, teachers and other members of staff. CONTACT US The Yehudi Menuhin School Stoke d’Abernon, Cobham, Surrey KT11 MENUHIN019323QQ864739SCHOOL.CO.UK
Eva: University of Music & Performing Arts, Vienna Stefanija is taking a gap year to concentrate on her piano studies
Benedetta: Juilliard School, New York Rezi: Hochschule fur Musik und Tanz, Cologne Pendo: Royal College of Music, London Leon: St John’s College, Cambridge (to study Music)
Peter Leavers are moving on to the following places: Henry, Rezi, Pendo, Levi, Emma, Leon, Benedetta, Duru, Stefanija, Gökce and Eva Ghofrane
Duru: Hochschule fur Musik ‘Hanns Eisler’, Berlin Ghofrane: Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London Henry: Hochschule fur Musik ‘Hanns Eisler’ Berlin Jelena (left) : Royal College of Music, London
Those alumni who remember Amanda Hurton will be delighted to know that her son was playing clarinet in the wind finals. We can however,announce,that Peter was the winner of the “Solo performanceforCompetitionPrizeinspecialrecital”prizetheGrandVirtuosohisat the Royal Albert Hall in April 2022. Meanwhile, a number of pupils are in the middle of competitions: Sasha and Inès Maro are at the Ilona Feher Competition in Hungary, and Emma is through to the next round of the National Cello Competition in Amsterdam.
NEWSLETTER / SUMMER 2022 SCHOOL LIFE SCHOOL LIFE 2 STAFF/ ALUMNI 11 THOUGHTS ON MUSIC 15 DEVELOPMENT 17 FRIENDS 18 THE MENUHIN HALL 20 YMS QINGDAO 22 Competition Winners Leavers’ Destinations
ContentsFollowus!
If you are active on social media (or would like to be) please have a look at our various channels. Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for news, events and images but best of all is our YouTube channel, which we keep updated with awe-inspiring videos of our pupils playing Schubert, Poulenc, Vaughan Williams, Howells and more. Through this channel you can watch and listen to our pupils in the comfort of your own home whenever you like.
The big competition for this year is the BBC Young Musician of the Year. normallysothepostponementCovidUnfortunately,enforcedaofauditiondates,whilstwewouldhavebeen able to announce success, we can only say at the moment that Clara progressed to the strings final and Duru progressed to the piano final. Both these finals were filmed and are due to be broadcast in the autumn.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @menuhinschool
The Maiastra Fundraising Concert for the Ukraine Appeal was held at The Menuhin Hall on 16 March. Svitlana, Vadym, Leon and I came together to give a performance to raise money to help the people of Ukraine and, in the process, raised £17,320.88. This has all been forwarded to the British Red Cross Ukraine Appeal. We would like to express our thanks to all of the people who supportedAkikous. Ono Principal Teacher of Violin Out and About Leon, Svitlana, Vadym and Akiko St Giles Cripplegate
The Science Museum
The C3s visited the Science Museum on one of their first trips out for a few years. They were impressed with the new Medicine Gallery, the Mathematics Gallery and the wonderful Space Exhibition. They watched a 3D film on the Hubble Space telescope and on its amazing discoveries. Bubble tea on the way back to the minibus was also a highlight! Let’s hope for many more trips in theJennyfuture!Dexter Science Teacher
This term we have given performances in a number of venues for the first time, thus reaching an audience who didn’t know what they had been missing! The first such concert was in Farnham for the Tilford Bach Society (thanks to Matthew Taylor); in June we gave three performances for the Summer Music in City Churches Festival, which introduced us to St Giles Cripplegate and St Bartholomew the Great, and at the end of the month the leavers split themselves between Chichester Music Festival and Beaminster Festival (in Dorset). In May we provided a short concert in St Barnabas Ranmore Common for the Investec Festival, and four pupils joined Elliott Perks’s quartet for a performance of Mendelssohn’s Octet at the Banstead Festival. Also in June we were pleased to help Governor Lord Norman Blackwell realise his dream of playing Schumann’s Piano Concerto with an orchestra. That was the first half of the concert; in the second half, Lord Blackwell changed to violin and performed Mendelssohn’s First Piano Trio with Richard Zhang and Caio Albuquerque. Cathy Whitnall Head of Musical Resources
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BRIGHTON Activities Day
LONDON Elsewhere, two other groups travelled to London to take part in two very different activities. The first, a group made up of several year groups, explored the Victoria and Albert Museum before visiting the Apollo Victoria Theatre to see a matinee performance of Wicked. Judging by the reviews, it was a particularly successful day. Meanwhile, a group of As spent an hour and a half in Tate Modern before walking down the Thames, past the mock-up of the Golden Hind, to sample the culinary delights of Borough Market. In the afternoon, they were able to get a panoramic view of the entire city by going up in the London Eye. Alan Humm Head of English
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As part of this year’s Activities Day, an intrepid group of Cs and Bs travelled to the bustling seaside town of Brighton for a day of adventure and culture. At Hove Lagoon, the fun started with the students being split into two teams and then challenged to either stay aboard a giant paddle board or to play water polo on kayaks. It was particularly entertaining to see their teachers take a dunking in the water! Once all were dry again, the sun came out and the troupe battled hungry seagulls whilst exploring the beach and Victorian pier. In the afternoon, smaller groups discovered the medieval lanes and Georgian palace known as The Pavillion as they competed in a scavenger hunt around the city. Tired feet were soon forgotten with an ice cream back at the beach before the bus trip back to school. Sarah Lee Teacher of Maths
Is Free Will Real Or Just An Illusion?
Colin Colin
Kant describes this account of freedom as “wretched subterfuge”, because, if there are no “genuine alternatives” available to make a choice from, humans cannot be held responsible for theirInactions.conclusion, the soft determinist view is the soundest. This is because humans are autonomous and can evaluate the consequences of all options. Therefore, despite being influenced by external events, people are still responsible for their choices, for they have the ability to assess and to make a conscious decision. Moreover, knowledge of the outcome of events does not prevent humans from making their choices out of will, and therefore free will, though limited, is real.
Kang on Free Will
Free will is the ability to act by one’s own choice, without constraint. There are two types: the liberty of indifference, a genuine freedom to act according to independent choices that are not causally determined by external factors; and the liberty of spontaneity, the freedom to act according to one’s nature, which can be shaped by external factors. There are three main views on free will: hard determinism, libertarianism and soft determinism. Soft determinism attempts to combine the other views and, although imperfect, is the soundest, arguing that free will in the form of liberty of spontaneity is real. Hard determinists argue that free will is an illusion, because every event in the universe has a cause, and all actions are determined by past events, which is the basis of science. The moral illusion of free will is a result of ignorance with regard to the cause of an action.
John Locke reflects this in his analogy of a man in a room with a locked door who chooses to stay; he senses an illusion of freedom as he is ignorant of his lack of options. Skinner’s Operant Conditioning shows that human behaviour can be manipulated by reinforcing a certain response, showing that free will is causally determined, people cannot be held accountable for their actions, as they are not responsible for them. This eliminates all justification for punishment of any crime. Against libertarians, one might argue that personality, being an observable result of external factors, limits free will. Libertarians respond by arguing that humans can override their personalities to satisfy their moral duty. Against soft determinism, the nature of liberty of spontaneity is criticised.
criticismview.toTherefore,causedwithcausestheagent.voluntarywhereastotypefreenessisrequiresofismattercapacityduethatpsychologicalworldevents,causedbehaviourrealthatlibertariansbepredictableinfluenced,andcancontrolled.However,arguefreewillisbecausehumanisnotfullybymechanicalalthoughtheinanimateismechanistic.Forinstance,analysismighttheoriseakleptomaniacstealsfromashoptogenetics,butheorshehasthetorefrainfromstealing,nohowlimited;therefore,freewillnotanillusion.Softdeterministsarguethatlibertyspontaneityisreal,andfreewillnecessity,asafreeactiononecausedbytheagent.Theofactionsdependsontheofcauses.Externalcausesleadinvoluntaryactionsofcompulsion,internalcausesleadtoactionsofdesirebytheOneistohaveactedfreelyifactionwastheresultofinternalandwasactedinaccordanceone’snature,despitebeingasanactofcompulsion.freewillisreal,butlimitedthatoflibertyofspontaneity.TherearecriticismsofeachAgainstharddeterminists,oneisthat,ifeveryeventis
Colin (A1) a double bassist with a love of philosophy, took part in the Immerse Education essay competition earlier this year. Amongst the record-breaking 6000+ applications, Colin’s essay was recognised as being of the highest calibre, and he has been offered a 20% scholarship for the Immerse Education summer residential course held at Oxford/ Cambridge as a result. Here is his essay in full.
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THE
QUEEN’S GREEN CANOPY
6 NEWSLETTER / SUMMER 2022
The Duke of Edinburgh Award
This year we chose The Peak District for our Gold Duke of Edinburgh expedition during the Easter holidays. There we encountered the worst conditions ever for a YMS group. The snow arrived on day one and we could see it travelling towards us, across the hills, from a distance. The temperature at night went down to minus five degrees and there was a frost in the mornings. Despite this, the boys remained really positive and were a great group to supervise. The assessors were very impressed with their team work, resilience and navigation; they barely went off track. Sarah and I would like to congratulate Mika, Nathan, Pendo, Ignacy, Jude and Alasdair for being such great company and for completing the expedition section of their award.Jenny Dexter Science Teacher LIFE
SCHOOL
The Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) is a unique tree-planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. With a focus on planting sustainably, the QGC are encouraging the planting of trees to create a legacy in honour of The Queen; one which will hopefully benefit future generations. As well as inviting the planting of new trees, The Queen’s Green Canopy will dedicate a network of 70 Ancient Woodlands across the United Kingdom and identify 70 Ancient Trees to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.Here is a picture of Ben Gudgeon, our Headmaster, and a group of our A students, with the tree that is now on our school site. We hope that it grows to be as impressive as those that have been here, now, for many years.
categories, including Poetry and Essays. Here is a list of all of our winners and runners-up:
Poetry A winner: Lucrezia B winner: Samuel C winner: Sasha G C runner up: Joe C honourable mention: Mia Essays Winner: Suyla Runner up: Tom Art A winner: Mika C winner: Blanche A runner up: Suyla Photography A winner: Richard B winner: Samuel C winner: Milla A runner up: Kotone C runner up: Joe And here is Sasha’s poem: I am from metal strings From my first touch on the ivory keys To all ten fingers gliding across them I am from hearing the crackle of records spinning on a turntable I am from sound itself I am from the stage From opening my mouth for the first time To acting and singing in Tosca I am from seeing the theatre filled with people And hearing the orchestra playing loudly in the pit I am from a world filled with music I am from summer camp From sightreading music in the orchestra To creeping in the woods trying to catch snakes and frogs I am from waking up early in the mornings hearing the birds chirp
SCHOOL LIFE Brackenbury Prize
The Brackenbury Prize was set up to honour the memory of YMS’ first headmaster, Antony Brackenbury, and rewards creative endeavour at YMS beyond music. This year the prize was extended to include new
Photo by Richard Photo by Samuel Drawing by Mika
From seeing deer and elk next to streams and rivers I am from nature
I am from busy New York streets I am from hearing my dad practise the violin And from listening to my mom accompany him I am from playing trios and quartets with my brother and sisters From hearing my sister’s laugh and seeing their mouths form a smile From joking with my brother I am from my supportive family Who help me do what I love Music
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Photo by Milla
Christine Brown Head of Marketing Communicationsand Festival Success Maxim Rysanov Junior Orchestra performing Vivaldi’s Four Seasons Headmaster’s Picnic Orchestral Picnic Kings Place
Summer
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The Festival also made its way to Kings Place for one night, with a celebratory concert which showcased our graduating students playing repertoire by Dvořák, SaintSaëns and Schubert whilst giving them the opportunity to perform in a major London venue. Following the concert, all of our students had the chance to meet with representatives of the Turkish, Italian and Latvian Embassies and Arts Minister, Lord Parkinson.
It wouldn’t be summer without our Summer Festival and we were pleased to open The Menuhin Hall doors to thousands of people in July as we celebrated eight days of amazing music. Thank you to those of you who attended. 88 musicians, including all of our YMS pupils, performed across a range of events, including picnics, showcases and concerts, and we welcomed nearly 90 young musicians and teachers from the local communities to take part in a workshop in partnership with the Benedetti Foundation and Surrey Music Hub. (More on that on the opposite page.)
One of the Festival highlights was our much-loved Orchestral Picnic. Audience members enjoyed their picnic spreads within our grounds in Cobham before being treated to a performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and music by Mendelssohn, Debussy and Bottesini led by our Junior Orchestra. Our Headmaster, Ben, and his wife, Melissa, hosted his own picnic for YMS pupil Inès Maro –who performed as the soloist in Spring – and her parents, alongside longstanding supporters of the school.
The Festival closed with a triumphant sell-out concert by conductor and viola player Maxim Rysanov, who performed as a soloist and conducted our Senior Orchestra, which played Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro for Strings, Tabakova’s Cello Concerto and Arpeggione Sonata by Schubert. You can still watch all of the Summer Festival concerts on The Menuhin Hall website.
The feedback has been fantastic and underlines the importance of our work in the local community.
As part of our Summer Festival, we hosted a one-day workshop with the Benedetti Foundation and Surrey Music Hub, with additional funding from Mole Valley District Council.
Founded by our alumna Nicola Benedetti, the Foundation puts on transformative orchestral and musicianship workshops for young people, students, teachers and adults that showcase what music in education at its best can look and feel like. Surrey Music Hub is a network of music organisations and schools working together to bring more musical opportunities to young people in Surrey, both in schools and in the wider community.
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Led by a team of instrumentalists from the Benedetti Foundation, we worked with intermediate and advanced string players, who formed two orchestras, and teachers from all over the local area for a funpacked day of presentations, rehearsals, upper and lower strings sectionals and creative activities. Starting with warmups at 10.45am and finishing at 4pm, the day culminated in sharing sessions and performances from the orchestras in The Menuhin Hall for their family and friends. The intermediate orchestra played the Capriol Suite (2nd movement) by Pavane and the Warlock & Brook Green Suite (3rd movement) by Holst, and shared some improvisations they had been working on. The advanced orchestra performed Lyric for Strings by Walker, and the 4th movement of the St. Paul’s Suite by Holst.
Christine Brown Head of Marketing and Communications Workshop in partnership with the Benedetti Foundation and Surrey Music Hub ©MarkAllan
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Maxim Rysanov named first YMS Associate Artist
Maxim’s first visits to YMS in his new role showcased his versatility as an artist: he gave a masterclass to student violists and chamber groups on 18 June and returned to conduct and appear as soloist with the Senior Orchestra in the final concert of the school’s Summer Festival on 8 July.
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The school’s Director of Music, Ashley Wass, writes: “I have known and worked with Max for many years and am thrilled that he is entering into this partnership with YMS. He is a wonderful violist and an extraordinary musician, and the diversity of his career sets a great example to our students. I’ve no doubt that he will prove to be a huge source of inspiration to them, creating memories and experiences which will help to shape their musical lives.”
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Maxim Rysanov as our first Associate Artist. This newly created role will see this superb musician visiting the school several times a year and working with the pupils in a variety of guises, including masterclasses and as guest conductor.
Gerry Vermuelen is our new Assistant Bursar (Estates). Following a military career in the South African Defence Force (Royal Engineers), he worked in various areas of construction and engineering, owning his own engineering business prior to making the decision to emigrate to the UK in 2002. He has a broad background and wide experience within the Facilities Management industry, working initially as a skilled tradesman before making the
MEANWHILE, THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF STAFF HAVE CHANGED ROLES WITHIN THE SCHOOL:
MENUHIN SCHOOL.CO.UK 11 Gerry Vermuelen
BrownChristine Grace Gates has been the Academic Music Teacher with us for the last four years. Her new exciting post is to lead the music department at The Laurels School in Upper Norwood. Grace cannot wait to organise some school trips so she can come back with some of her new students to attend YMS lunchtime concerts.
Ashok Klouda, our Interim Professor of Cello, will be continuing to play in a variety of chamber music settings, including the Chineke! Chamber Ensemble. He is also one of the directors of the Highgate International Chamber Music Festival, which will have its 10th Anniversary this year, 5–11 Dec.
William Hallworth-Cook, our Technical Assistant in The Menuhin Hall. Will is returning to his studies at the prestigious Tonmeister course but will be returning to help out in the Hall sound booth from time to time.
Emily Howell, our Music Department Administrator. We wish Emily every best wish and thank her for her support providing maternity cover in the Music Department this year.
Svetlana Kosenko, who was employed as a Staff Pianist. Sveta is leaving us after eight years of service as a staff pianist and also as a member of the resident boarding team. We wish her all the best for her future endeavours and look forward to seeing her back at YMS soon.
Christine Brown is joining us as Head of Marketing and Communications. She has spent most of her career working in marketing and communications in the music and charity sectors. She started in international marketing and promotions at Decca Records and spent nearly ten years at the charity Help Musicians (formerly the Musicians Benevolent Fund), where her last role was Director of External Affairs. She studied music and was a Choral Scholar at Royal Holloway, University of London. During the pandemic, she was Communications Lead for a health and social care charity.
Dave Greenwood, our Timetable Officer, is retiring from paid employment to focus on family and voluntary activities, including continuing to steward in The Menuhin Hall and assisting the Friends events team.
Rosie McCance is our new Music Department Administrator. Nikki Davies has become Day Matron in Music House. Victoria Hiscock has moved from Day Matron to Assistant Houseparent of Music House. THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS OF STAFF ARE LEAVING OUR COMMUNITY THIS YEAR. WE WISH THEM ALL THE BEST IN THEIR FUTURE ENDEAVOURS: Michelle Feeley, our Events and Membership Administrator, is returning to the City of London Freemen’s School to do administration and work more closely with the children.
STAFF Staff news WE WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME THE FOLLOWING STAFF:
Dorian Gable, our Professor of Violin, will return to a flourishing performing career but will remain engaged with YMS as a visiting coach when opportunity permits.
educationskillsinaHemanagement.intotransitionEstatesdevelopedkeeninterestusingthesewithininitially at Berkhamsted School, Hertfordshire. A relocation to Surrey in 2017 saw him move into Maintenance and Engineering management in FE/HE education before returning to working within the Independent Schools sector.
Jacoba Vyse 1968–1977
“I first knew Margaret in the National Youth Orchestra in 1953 and then I had the pleasure of working closely with her when I became Head of the Menuhin School in 1975. There is no doubt that she was the pillar of the musical life at the school. Whereas Peter was musically inspirational, it was always Margaret that made everything happen. Together they made a formidable duo. In my early days as the Head, Margaret was my backbone as I tried to make sense of the most complex of timetables. In addition to her management skills, Margaret was an incredibly dedicated violin teacher, always “there” for her pupils right up to the end of her life. 60 years of teaching is no mean achievement and she leaves behind an enviable legacy. Over many
Elisabeth Perry 1963–1972 “I first met Margaret Norris in 1963 when she was completing her studies at the Royal College of Music and was appointed by Yehudi Menuhin to assist at his new school in London. I became her first student and began to flourish quickly under her special care. She possessed remarkable qualities of modesty, practicality, true dedication and tireless energy which served her well in the important role she would play in the musical life of the school in those early years. She had a unique relationship with Yehudi, and during his frequent visits she would be in his constant presence, translating his often complex wishes into a practical plan that we could grasp. I still own a treasured copy of Yehudi’s fingered and bowed Bach Sonatas and Partitas which were painstakingly copied for us by Margaret. Her teaching was unique and she was my complete support during my nine special years at school. Her constant nurturing, daily lessons and total dedication as a teacher in every possible way set me up not only for my four years at the Juilliard school but for the rest of my life.”
Margaret Norris
Peter Renshaw 1975–1984
“Margaret taught me from the age of eight for nine years. She was always supportive, kind and, most of all, calm, in what was an intense and often stressful time, especially for such a young child. I owe her a huge debt professionally. We always remained in touch – a friendship that lasted 54 years. She took a keen interest in everything that I did. Music was only ever touched on but dressmaking, knitting, my cats, cooking, travelling
Margaret with Jacoba Vyse and Yehudi Menuhin
We were saddened to learn of the death of Margaret Norris after a short illness. Margaret was born in Wrexham in 1939 and studied at the Royal College of Music, where she won the Tagore Gold Medal and Stoutzker Prize. She was appointed as Alberto Lysy’s assistant at The Yehudi Menuhin School in 1963, just as she left college. She became full time in March 1964 and she and her husband Peter were resident in the school for 23 years. She continued to teach there until 1991 and became, in that time, a huge and lasting influence. Here are a few tributes from former pupils and staff:
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Margaret Norris
16 May 1939–4 June 2022 and, more recently, photography – she wanted to know every detail! I shall miss her presence in my life as it feels as though she has, quite simply, always been there. She leaves a huge musical legacy, not only to those of us who were lucky enough to study with her at YMS but also to the vast number of pupils she has taught over the years since she left the school.”
Margaret and Peter teaching
Robert Gibbs 1974–1984 “Margaret was the first person to meet and welcome me when I started at The Yehudi Menuhin School . With her beaming smile, any trepidation I felt immediately evaporated. That immense warmth and calmness was always apparent and I don’t remember a time when she wasn’t encouraging and supportive during my ten years studying with her. The one time I remember the smile vanishing was when her car died when only five years old. Margaret had asked me to help choose a new car. Citroen at that time were the leaders in technology, so we went for their smallest model. Unfortunately, longevity wasn’t one of its strengths! When I went to the Royal College of Music, if I won a prize then Margaret had won it when she was there too. I
Malcolm Singer 1977–2017 “I met Margaret in the summer of 1977 when I got my first job as a teacher at the Menuhin School. She has been a glorious constant in my life ever since – a lady of grace, kindness and a quiet, gentle but firm wisdom. In my early days at the school, it was Margaret who was the school – at the centre of everything that happened in the musical life there. It was Margaret who made the place tick, sorting out the day-to-day timetables and making sure, in the most pragmatic and unfussy way, that every pupil got the best musical education possible. She also had her own pupils to teach, and family life to negotiate – life with Peter was never dull and there were two young sons to look after. Margaret tackled all these tasks brilliantly. I owe her so much for her guidance and reassurance as I began my time on the teaching staff. She seemed unflappable and always so helpful and wise. As a violin teacher, Margaret has guided generations of musicians both in her time at the school and in her private practice. We should not think just of the outstanding professional musicians that passed through her hands, but the many others who went on to careers outside music but who gained their love of music and music-making from Margaret’s very special teaching. Margaret was always interested in the whole person and was not simply concerned with musical prowess. She would be embarrassed by any thoughts of her legacy but she has left a great one: the extraordinarily gracious spirit that was Margaret touched us all and we became better people for it.”
MENUHIN SCHOOL.CO.UK 13 years, both Margaret and Peter put their stamp on the school. They were very special, and it is sad to know that they are no longer with us.”
STAFF also met Maxine Franklin, a Jamaican pianist who lived in the room next door to Margaret in Queen Alexandra’s House, who said the most beautiful and memorable thing from her time at the Royal College of Music was hearing Margaret practising and then performing The Lark Ascending.”
Haim Choi has been appointed as a featured soloist for the Oxford Sinfonietta. She will be helping to perform Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola. She was also awarded the Tagore Gold Medal on graduating from the Royal College of Music.
14 NEWSLETTER / SUMMER 2022 ALUMNI Alumni News
Tianyou Ma won second prize at the 8th Sendai International Violin Competition in CongratulationsJapan. to Thea Maund (née Butterworth), who has given birth to twin girls.
Sergio Bucheli recently won rave reviews for his playing of the theorbo in the English Concert’s performance of Handel’s Xerxes in St Martin-in-theFields.
Kevin Loh appeared in the Harrogate Music Festival in July.
Esther Park won the Royal College of Music Violin Competition.
Tianyou Ma Kevin Loh
Nicola Benedetti was recently awarded with an honorary fellowship by The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and has also been appointed honorary president of Royal Conservatoire Scotland. Thanks to Tatiana Berman (née Kojevatova), who brought her film, Forte, to show to a captivated audience of staff and students.
David McCarroll has been appointed concertmaster for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.
Kathryn Stott has been appointed Guest Festival Curator of the Sheffield Chamber Music Festival in 2023.
Sào Just won Third Prize at the 5th Tokyo International Viola Competition, as well as two other prizes: one for the performance of a concerto for viola and orchestra and one for a newly commissioned work.
Rupert Christiansen Recommends: Le Baiser de la Fée In this regular feature, music critic Rupert Christiansen talks about the pieces of classical music that he loves. Stravinsky completed the score in a hurry, and later admitted that he should have made revisions. Nevertheless it has enormous charm as a quilt of piano pieces by Tchaikovsky orchestrated by Stravinsky and patched with linking passages that were his own invention. This was a mode of composition which Stravinsky had previously adopted for the ballet Pulcinella, where he drew on Pergolesi’s music, and it creates a marvellously seamless sense of dialogue between old and new. Rich in melody and glowing in colour, Le Baiser de la fée is a delicious confection, without the acerbic edge that still puts cautious listeners off The Rite of Spring or Agon. All it lacks is a thrilling climax, which is perhaps why the many choreographers attracted to the score – Ashton, Balanchine and Nijinska among many others – have so far failed to turn it into a successful piece of dance drama.
Link the word ballet to the name of Stravinsky and I imagine your mind will turn to the three great works that he wrote for Diaghilev before the First World War: The Firebird, Petrushka and The Rite of Spring, all of which now form an integral part of the standard repertory. Yet their popularity has unfairly overshadowed other ballet music that Stravinsky would compose over the next forty-odd years. What a catalogue it is: Apollo musagetes, Jeu de cartes, Orpheus, and Agon, choreographed by George Balanchine; Scènes de Ballet, choreographed by Frederick Ashton; the choral Les Noces and Renard, choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska. And there’s more too, all of it rhythmically dynamic and boldly orchestrated.Aspecialcase is Le Baiser de la fée, “The Fairy’s Kiss”. The longest ballet Stravinsky ever wrote (with a duration of three quarters of an hour, it’s about ten minutes longer than The Rite of Spring), it’s based on Hans Christian Andersen’s folk-tale The Snow Queen and the idea of a magic kiss that turns out to be a curse. The idea was Stravinsky’s own, but the commission for the score came from Ida Rubinstein, the fabulously wealthy Russian dancer and mime, for a company that she had formed in Paris. Rubinstein was Diaghilev’s deadly rival, and his rage at what he saw as Stravinsky’s betrayal brought the two men’s long friendship to a sad end. That the ballet proved an embarrassing flop at its première in 1928 gave Diaghilev grim satisfaction.
But it’s lovely music for the car, or as background to household activities. Call it easy listening, if you like, there’s no shame in that! May I warmly recommend the lovely recording (appropriately combined with Pulcinella) on the bargain Naxos label, conducted by Stravinsky’s amanuensis Robert Craft? Rupert Christiansen was opera and music critic and arts columnist for The Daily Telegraph from 1995 to 2021. He teaches at Keble College, Oxford and is the author of many books of cultural history.
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Kaori Nakamura and Jordan Porretta in Divertimento from Le Baiser de la Fée Rupert Christiansen
THOUGHTS ON MUSIC
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If I were to offer any advice to young musicians entering the profession I would say: stay curious! This is the best guide for learning, and will expand you as a musician in ways that will be stimulating and that will open up pathways where you can find work to sustain you. Yehudi himself maintained this quality right through his life, and was also interested in by new innovations (he even had an electric car in 1996!). Curiosity will lead you to make discoveries about the way you play your instrument and the way you make music, and that will make the most compelling listening for anyone hearing you.
Max Baillie is equally at home on both violin and viola and his musical life embraces a unique mix of classical, improvisation, contemporary and experimental music.
A graduate of YMS and Berlin’s UdK, Max has performed at the Festival du Desert in the depths of the Malian Sahara, duetted with Bobby McFerrin in New York, and led Bjork’s string orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall.
guest-leading, play regularly at chamber music festivals, play on film and television soundtracks, on pop records and occasionally in solo concerts, and I run my own concert series in my hometown of St Leonard’s in East Sussex. I also have an experimental electronic duo called Sonnen, which is largely improvised and is a creative zone where I get to make up all the rules myself.
When I left YMS in 2001 I didn’t feel much connection to Menuhin’s legacy as I went to do a philosophy degree at Cambridge and set the violin aside for a while. But later, when I had re-connected with the violin, I was fortunate to find a mentor in Ivry Gitlis, who like Yehudi was a student of Enescu. My own projects revolve around the kind of crosspollination of styles explored in West Meets East, and I even worked with Ravi’s daughter Anoushka Shankar, recording on her album a few years ago.
I wonder whether Yehudi and Ravi imagined that this record would be part of a long legacy of cross-cultural recording collaborations, and that in 2022 it would so closely reflect our present-day interest in looking for links between different musics? Along with jazz and classical Indian music, Yehudi was fascinated by the folk traditions of Eastern Europe, and including the 3rd Enescu violin sonata alongside music with Ravi on that album was not only highly unusual but an invitation for the listener to hear the links between similar modes, and the intersection of form with improvisatory freedom. By the time I went to YMS at A Level I had already spent a few years playing in a jazz band. I even toured South Africa in 1996 when I was 15, playing in jazz clubs all across the country. One night we stayed at a homestay in Soweto township, just outside Johannesburg, and I remember arriving at a community leader’s house and waiting for my host to collect me and a couple of my bandmates. We were on a gentle hill overlooking the vast shantytown below, where bare electric light bulbs lit up the dusty pathways, and fires burned in steel barrels across the horizon. The St Matthew’s Passion played from his stereo, and I’ll never forget that unexpected convergence of place and culture. I felt so inspired in that moment; that I could be led to something so familiar on the other side of the globe and yet also hear it transformed: blending with the sound of dogs barking and crickets chirping and the unfamiliar atmosphere of a far-away place. My love of improvisation has always led me to explore and look for creative adventure. It’s also been a gateway to re-discovering music that I know and love. My group Lodestar Trio is a collaboration with two amazing Scandinavian folk musicians and we play Bach and other baroque music in the spirit of a folk-fiddle band. My other group is the quintet ZRI, based on the idea of the Viennese tavern Zum Roten Igel where Brahms and Schubert heard folk and Hungarian musicians play, and were influenced by that music. I do some
Everyone knows that it’s a challenge to make a career in music: we need to find a way to be fulfilled creatively and also to sustain ourselves financially at a time when the pressure is greater than it ever used to be. I’ve found that being versatile is a way to make meeting both these challenges easier. I’ve always preferred a freelance, selfled career over applying for a fixed position. It gives me flexibility and variation, which I like. But even if you stick to what we think of as classical music, this can include styles spanning four centuries from Gesualdo to Adès. So this already requires great flexibility and a huge range of intersecting sets of playing technique.
Max Baillie on Versatility
One day at morning meeting when I was a student at YMS the then Music Director, Malcolm Singer, played us a track from Yehudi Menuhin’s 1967 album with Ravi Shankar, West Meets East. I’d never heard it before and remember being entranced by the unison sound of Yehudi’s violin matching Ravi’s bending sitar notes, and the enigmatic violin cadenza that follows, all in anticipation of the explosive entry of the tabla drums.
THOUGHTS ON MUSIC 16 NEWSLETTER / SUMMER 2022
Max Baillie
We are delighted to announce that our autumn event for members of The Menuhin Circle will take place at the unique and iconic venue Coach House Pianos, New Kings Road, London on Tuesday, 29 November 2022. Guests will be treated to a tour of the showroom, which boasts a wide range of pianos (including from Abbey Road Studios!) and a short concert by some of our pupils followed by a drinks reception.
The sun shone on a beautiful Saturday in June, just in time to warmly welcome members of The 1963 Society and their guests to the Annual Party, held to thank those incredible donors who have told us that they intend to leave a gift to YMS in their will.
Alix de Mauny External Relations Director Menuhin savemembersCircle–pleasethedate!
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1963 Society Annual Party
We were delighted this term to be able to welcome many of our Friends and supporters to a range of events, both on the school site and in London. It is always so rewarding to hear how much it means to our supporters to be able to come and hear our pupils performing live again, and all the more so since it has been so very difficult for everyone for the past two years. We are deeply moved by the ongoing commitment of our donors, not least given the uncertain economic climate in which we
Welcomed in the inspiring Kentner Room in Music House, guests were given a glass of champagne before consuming a delicious brunch buffet. The Headmaster and Director of Music updated the guests on the activities of the school before introducing a surprise performance by one of the school’s newer students, Jala, who enthralled the room, playing the double bass and singing with the most incredible soulful voice while being accompanied by her father James Heywood, a talented musician in his own right, on piano – a captivating performance that thrilled and delighted the guests. The Society members rounded off their afternoon with tickets to a Lunchtime Showcase at The Menuhin Hall.
If you are thinking of leaving a gift in your will to YMS and want to leave a legacy that will make a difference, inspiring young musicians of the future, please contact Marion Chow for more information on 01932 584744 or email: marion.chow@menuhinschool.co.uk
continue to live, and we look forward to sharing our first Donor Impact Report in the autumn, to highlight the incredible difference that your gifts make to our pupils and the life of the school. As a charitable institution, we rely heavily on external support to be able to fulfil our mission to educate 21st Century musicians, and we are deeply grateful to each and every one of you for your continued generosity.
Development News
The Menuhin Circle welcomes supporters who commit to making an annual donation to our Annual Fund of between £1,000 and £5,000 for at least three years. For more information, please contact Marion Chow at marion.chow@menuhinschool.co.uk
Thank you in advance. Özgür Kaya
Calling all Friends!
We are thrilled to invite you to experience an exclusive performance and Q&A by a recent YMS alumnus, cellist Özgür Kaya. As many of you will recall, Özgür was a pupil at YMS from 2018 to 2021 and is currently studying at the Royal College of Music with another former pupil, Alexander Chausian. Özgür has an impressive list of accomplishments to his name, having won numerous prizes both as a solo artist and with his chamber ensemble, ‘Kiana Trio’. He is the principal cellist of the Ankara Youth Symphony Orchestra and Apollo Philharmonic Orchestra, which was founded by former YMS pupils and brings together some of the best young musicians in and around London. Further details of the event will be included in our Autumn/Winter Hall brochure, and online.
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Save the date:13 October 2022
As well as being incredible musicians, many of our pupils are wonderful artists and all of our pupils enjoy a visit to our art room. As the number of pupils has grown over the years, so the use of the art room has expanded until it is quite literally bursting at the seams! Whilst an art room will always be a riot of colour and a hive of activity, some updating is required to better improve the space.
Difficulties of cleaning this space in its current form were also recently highlighted during the pandemic. In particular, we would like to install an extra sink with additional drying areas/racks, make the kiln space safer, provide closed fronted storage and improve display spaces. We intend to hold onto the beautiful tables, however, with their characterful paint splashes from generations of previous students. The plan is to make our art classroom a space we are proud to show off to parents and guests and do justice to the beautiful work of our pupils. We would like to refit the space to be a more modern, streamlined area with improved maintainability, light-reflecting surfaces, concealed storage and additional sink space. We are really grateful to the Friends of YMS who have generously agreed to grant £9,400 towards this project. We have also received additional donations from individual donors. If you would like to contribute to this worthwhile project, any donation is very welcome. Please make cheques payable to The Yehudi Menuhin School or, if you would prefer to pay by bank transfer, please email Marion Chow at marion.chow@ menuhinschool.co.uk for the school bank details.
Art Room Refurbishment
FRIENDS
Ben, Ashley and their team as they strove to return school life to normality after all the disruptions caused by the pandemic. The year finished, appropriately enough for a music school, on a very high note indeed: the Summer Festival was simply sensational, with all the students going through their paces, culminating in an impressive Leavers’ Concert at Kings Place (a fine auditorium next to King’s Cross station) and a finale orchestral concert in The Menuhin Hall when the School Orchestra – inspired by the conducting and playing of world-renowned viola player Maxim Rysanov – played with thrilling beauty and energy. The pupils responded very positively to playing in front of live audiences again but it was disappointing to see there were still large gaps in the audience, especially given the artistry on display and the excellent programming. It is understandable that after we have lived through the Covid experience many people have become anxious about going back into the crowds at concerts. But I do urge you all to support our pupils by coming to the new season’s concerts whenever you Andcan. although our total number of Friends has held up
MenuhintheFriendsFriendsnowwellremarkablyinallthecircumstances,itisclearweneedmoreandnewtohelpfillcapacityofTheHall.Soplease tell your own friends about the school and the concerts, and bring them along with you. And could you possibly volunteer to help us by manning a stand and handing out leaflets about the Friends at events taking place in The Menuhin Hall or, indeed, other local venues? If you are interested in giving this helping hand, please get in touch with Marion Chow at friends@menuhinschool.co.uk
From the Chairman of the Friends Dear Friends I hope you are enjoying this lovely Isummer.amwriting this letter just after the 21/22 academic year at The
particularlyThepupilsaalookashasMenuhinYehudiSchoolendedandwegreatlyforwardtonewyearandnewintakeofinSeptember.yearjustendedwaschallengingfor
And now some news about the financial support the Friends have recently given to the pupils. At our last Friends
Committee Meeting we agreed to make a grant of £9,400 towards the Arts Refurbishment Project (see details below). The Art Room plays a big part in the life of our students both in terms of their studies and also for sheer enjoyment – but it badly needs an upgrade. And, secondly, as you may know, when each pupil leaves the school he or she is presented with a leather-bound music score of their choice as a memento of their time with us. This year, and for the future, the cost of providing these scores – £600 a year – will be met by a grant from the Friends, and the scores will be marked with a bookplate acknowledging the Friends’ donation, thereby, we hope, cementing not only a continuing relationship between the alumni and the school, but also between each student whose skills we have seen develop over the years as they have performed in front of us, their friends and audience.
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With best wishes, Sir John Baker Chairman of the Friends of The Yehudi Menuhin School
John Baker
Friends Administration From 1 August 2022, all Friends administration, renewals and enquiries will be looked after by The Menuhin Hall Box Office team. You can still email friends@menuhinschool.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01932 559400.
THE MENUHIN HALL
(lunch PRIORITY12.15pm–12.45pm).BOOKING: Menuhin Circle opens 15 August Best Friends opens 15 August Friends opens 22 August General booking opens 30 August Please keep an eye on our website for the latest updates and any changes to these plans. Book online at: THE MENUHIN HALL.CO.UK Box Office: 01932 559400 Gary Hoffman and Wu Qian
The term started with us hosting two concerts of the Investec International Music Festival, where both the Modigliani Quartet and Gary Hoffman with Wu Qian gripped audiences with
This The Menuhin Ashely Wass and pupils How to book As before, we are encouraging all patrons to book online if possible. If you need help with your booking, please do not hesitate to call the Box Office. are Monday to Friday 10am–3pm
togetheraudiencesfriendsfoyerrushingperformerstothetogreetandfamily,sittinginapacked hall, and everyone mingling around a busy bar waiting for hand-crafted servings of strawberries and cream. It is hard to believe that a year ago we were still running around with tape measures calculating distances between the expected locations of concertgoers’ noses and sticking QR codes to trees and benches for those brave enough to attempt ordering a cup of tea. We can now say with confidence that the atmosphere of a thriving concert venue has returned to The Menuhin Hall; each time the house lights dim, the air becomes charged with the excitement of live music and the anticipation of what is to come.
programmesandperformancesimpassionedexpressivecentredaroundtheworldofVaughanWilliams,whose150th anniversary we celebrate this year. In June, the award-winning Farnham Youth Choir returned to premiere Herstory, a set of works for the three choirs that comprise the FYC and written by their 2021–22 composer in residence. The Hall buzzed with the joyous sound of young people singing their hearts out. It is not often that we hear singing in our auditorium and every time it is a reminder of the warmth and stunning acoustics of this venue. This year’s gloriously eclectic Summer Festival was blessed by beautiful weather from start to finish as people came to The Hall to enjoy the concerts and themed Showcases.
Our opening times
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Amid the dances, caprices and musical potpourri, there was a note of bittersweetness for those who stood on our stage for the last time as a student at The Menuhin School. We wish all of them the very best for the future. For the Opening Concert, Director of Music Ashley Wass joined our pupils for an extraordinary performance of Shostakovich’s Piano Trio Op 67. Along with the soloists in the first half, this concert set a high bar for the rest of the week. A bar that, of course, was met at each and every event. The great British weather did not let us down on the Saturday as we opened the grounds for our popular Orchestral Picnic Concert. Basking in glorious sunshine, concertgoers spread their rugs on the lawn and tucked into delicious picnics – taking care to avoid the rash-
This summer marked the oneyear anniversary of The Hall’s reopening for public concerts for the first time since the pandemic began –and what a year it has been! Once again we can watch
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Autumn/Winter 2022/3 inducing caterpillars that have, in a commendable effort to support our concerts, rather unexpectedly taken the liberty of nesting in our trees. Maxim Rysanov’s Finale Concert brought the Festival to a close, followed by the presentation of scores to our leavers as our audience gathered for one more round of Pimms and Prosecco in the sunlit grounds. Looking ahead, we already have another Festival planned for winter – with rumours of the return of the Snowman, the Nutcracker, and Maxim Rysanov, as well as a concert celebrating the 90th birthday of the amazing Ruth Nye, Professor of Piano.
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Sprinkled among the Pupil Showcases will be events featuring the glamorous Piccadilly Dance Orchestra, returning to The Hall once again, a visit to Paris with leading Irish soprano Ailish Tynan, and unforgettable concerts featuring our pupils on stage with the Brodsky Quartet and world-class harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani. After a face mask-covered winter and a spring during which much has changed in the world, The Hall continues to remain a haven for creativity and talent, a space where we celebrate excellence in music and humanity and will continue to do so throughout our upcoming seasons. We look forward to welcoming you back.
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Tamas Reti Manager, The Menuhin Hall Sep 7.00pm Castalian Quartet Oct 7.30pm You’re The Top! Michael Law’s Piccadilly Dance Orchestra Oct 7.30pm Showcase Oct 7.30pm Özgür Kaya with Miho Kawashima Concert and Q&A Oct 7.30pm Showcase Nov 7.30pm Virtual Open Rehearsal #1 Nov 7.30pm Maiastra: The Karski Quartet with David Waterman Nov 7.30pm Showcase Nov 7.30pm Meeting of Minds: Ailish Tynan and Jocelyn Freeman 11–14 Dec Winter Festival Jan 7.30pm Showcase Jan 7.30pm Virtual Open Rehearsal #2 31 Jan 7.30pm Brodsky Quartet with Pupils of YMS 5 Feb New Year, New Instrument: Family Day with Keelan Carew 9 Feb 7.30pm Showcase 23 Feb 7.30pm Mahan Esfahani with Pupils of YMS
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When is The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao (YMSQ) due to open? Will it be open only to Chinese pupils or pupils from other nationalities? How many pupils will attend the school? YMSQ will open this September. Initially it is focusing its recruitment on young musicians in China but, over the next couple of years, it will seek to attract students from East and then South East Asia. The aim is to recruit some 320 students by 2024, which is phase one of the strategic plan. Beyond that, there is scope for a capacity of 850 specialist musicians if further facilities are built. The phase one complex will be both stunning and resourced with the finest facilities and materials one could hope for. The 850-seat auditorium in the Performing & Creative Arts Centre will be completed in 2023 but
The new Yehudi Menuhin School in Qingdao, China opens this September. The location, the beautiful city of Qingdao on the coast of Shandong Province in the North East of the country, is well located between Beijing and Shanghai and well-positioned to attract the type of students that we wish to have at the school. Furthermore, Qingdao is a major centre for the arts and culture in China and the project enjoys the support of the Chinese Government, which is investing in the cultural infrastructure of the region. The school itself is remarkable in terms of its architectural design and comprehensive facilities; the renowned Toyota Yasuhisa was engaged to devise its acoustics. Here is a brief Q and A that you can also find on our website.
Introducing
The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao
22 NEWSLETTER / SUMMER 2022 YMS QINGDAO
Ashley Wass is Director of Music at both institutions and Ms Ran Zheng and Mark Stringer, Principal and Vice Principal respectively, work closely with Ben Gudgeon and Ashley. Mark, who has full responsibility for music at YMSQ, also briefs David Buckley, Shelley Twitchin and the Governors of YMS about developments as necessary. Along with Ashley, YMS teachers will also visit Qingdao to deliver 1:1 coaching, masterclasses and performance classes as well as participating in concerts. Are the music teachers all Chinese or also International? It has not been easy to recruit overseas staff because of the travel restrictions and quarantine requirements but teachers from the UK, France, Italy, Austria and the US make up around 40 per cent of staff. Will YMSQ offer financial support to pupils who are not able to pay full fees? The school will offer scholarships to exceptional students who need financial assistance. Will there be formal exchanges for pupils or teachers between YMSQ and YMS?
YMSQ looks forward to welcoming visiting staff and students from Cobham to Qingdao and there are so many exciting possibilities in terms of future exchanges and collaboration. Whilst travel to China is not easy at the moment, we can also explore and exploit technology to bring our two very special musical communities together.
Whilst the majority of students recruited in Year 1 will be string and keyboard players, the school has already offered places to woodwind and brass players and, ultimately, it will embrace all instrumental and vocal disciplines and establish its own orchestra. Chamber Music will be a key priority in line with YMS. What academic curriculum will YMSQ teach – Chinese or International?
the school already has a 300-seater multifunctional Hall, The Yehudi Menuhin Hall, plus other large spaces for rehearsals and concerts. There’s a stunning Sky Recital Room with views across the peninsular where the school is located in a natural wetland park. What instruments will be taught?
The school’s philosophy and ethos is based on that of Yehudi Menuhin and YMS, Cobham but programmes are tailored for Chinese students. Students will follow the Chinese academic curriculum until the end of Year 9 but then will either take A levels of IB qualifications. How will the ethos of YMS in Cobham be translated into the context of a Chinese school? Who is on the leadership team of YMSQ? Along with the emphasis on high calibre coaching in performance skills and chamber music, the school will share a commitment to the importance of musicianship skills with a unique programme which is fully integrated with the practical teaching.
There are very close links between the senior teams at Cobham and Qingdao at every level.
MENUHIN SCHOOL.CO.UK 23 YMS QINGDAO
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