LEICESTERSHIRE COUNTY SCHOOL

OF MUSIC

THE ERIC PINKETT ERA

An era unrivalled in musical education

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES

FROM

1953 – 1980

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM THE 1950’s

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1953

80 young musicians to play for the Germans

Julian Dealey, 13 year-old Leicestershire musician whose mark is already made in television has a date in Germany. And when he sails away to keep it in July, 80 other youngsters will sail with him…all of them from Leicestershire and, like Julian himself, all very competent instrumentalists. These boys and girls, most of them still at school, are members of an orchestra which the County Education Committee’s music adviser (Mr. Eric Pinkett) founded four years ago. It can now muster well over 100 players when occasion demands. Mr. Pinkett's aim when he began was a combination which, in spite of youth, would be at home with any type of music. With the children will go their seven teachers – Mr. Pinkett himself, who conducts the full orchestra; Mr. A. E. Neale, who takes the military band section when it plays alone; Mr. Philip Jenkins from Hinckley Grammar School; Mr. J. Smith (Hinckley Westfield Secondary Modern); Mr. B. G. Saunders (Market Bosworth Secondary Modern); Mr. M. Bale (Coalville Grammar); Mr. Vaughan Parker (Leicester) and Mr. T. Dwyer (Kibworth Grammar). Part of the orchestra is also a choir which Mr. Jenkins conducts. It has broadcast as the Leicestershire Schools Madrigal Choir. Leader of the orchestra is Peter Lewis from Melton Mowbray Grammar School. He is the chief violin soloist and again, like Julian Dealey, has been recognised by the BBC. He has not been on the air yet but they have given him an audition and have promised him a broadcast. Julian, who lives at Fleckney and goes to Kibworth Grammar School, plays the cornet like an expert and is ready to face any adult audience. Two who will make the German trip are at the Royal Academy now – Margaret Wright (violin) and Malcolm Fletcher (cello), both from Coalville Grammar School.

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1953

Busy month for schools on Coronation Festival

In a week’s time, when boys and girls of Leicestershire return to school, they will begin a month of bustling activity preparing for the Leicestershire Schools Coronation Festival to be staged at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester on May 21 and 22. It will be by far the most ambitious programme of music and pageantry ever attempted by county schoolchildren.

For four days the De Montfort Hall will be taken over by 1,200 children from 120 schools in the county - the first two days being given over to rehearsals. Fifty buses will be needed each day to take the boys and girls to and from the hall. One master has been given the task of providing teas in the hall for 1,500 scholars and staff on the days of the public performances.

It was considered much too costly to hire 600 costumes so the children are making them under the supervision of masters and mistresses. At the back of the stage, behind the choir of 500, there will be large shields depicting devices from coats of arms of noble families connected with Leicestershire. The exits at either side of the stage will be disguised by medieval arches.

Elaborate souvenir programmes are being designed, explaining episodes of the county’s history to be enacted with a foreword by Sir Robert Martin. The pageant will portray a span of 500 years from Elizabeth to Elizabeth linking with it important people and events in the history of Leicestershire. The pageant will open with a village fair in the days of the first Elizabeth. One episode will be the visit of James 1 to Ashby Castle and another the eve of defeat of King Charles at Naseby. Another setting is the village of Fenny Drayton (then called Drayton in the Clay) famous for George Fox, founder of the Quakers. Music played by the 80-strong County Schools Orchestra will come into its own with the visit of Handel to Gopsall Hall, near Shackerstone. Lord Cromwell, Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire is to attend the first performance.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JULY 1953

There’s music on its way abroad

Tra-la-la! And there was music in the air around Elbow Lane School, Leicester, when 70 young Leicester musicians boarded the two special Dover-bound buses on their first leg to Essen. There, the county musicians – 32 boys and 38 girls – will play before large German audiences. Already bookings of up to 2,000 have been made for the British visit to industrial West Germany.

Though a soloist at heart, the youngest and smallest member of the Leicester County Youth Orchestra was at home with the cheery band of girls and youths whose ages ranged from 12 to 22. He is 11 year old Terence Carter, 28, York Road, Loughborough and of Shelthorpe Junior School with the biggest instrument – the cello. Doubly happy was Terence for he had just passed his grammar school exams and a further hurdle towards his musical aim. He was the only soloist who played with the German orchestra when it was in Leicester.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JULY 1953

Essen praises county schools orchestra

The scene was the Saalbau – the De Montfort Hall of Essen, Germany – and the audience were cheering an orchestra of English boys and girls who had just presented a programme of classical music. Those cheers are echoing in Leicestershire in the hearts of proud parents and teachers for it was the Leicestershire school orchestra which, according to the German newspaper West-deutsche Allgemeine were applauded as much as their famous colleagues the London Philharmonic. It was not just that the people of Essen remembered the recent visit of their own schools orchestra to Leicestershire some months ago although the exchange was described as bringing together two nations of the same race after many troublesome years. "Their little cello and trumpet soloists and the round-faced singer immediately won the hearts of Esseners," said the newspaper. "The same applies to the choir which sang canons, folk songs and simple madrigals." Mr. Eric Pinkett was described as "not at all a crusty conductor but a very captivating and dynamic master of his baton." The orchestra is giving concerts at Duisberg, Dusseldorf and Cologne this week.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1954

Orchestra had to leave Ian behind

With his thoughts tonight in The Hague, 13 year-old Ian Robinson of Lutterworth is the most disappointed boy in Leicestershire. Ian is confined to home with chicken pox while his 78 fellow members of the County Youth Orchestra are in Holland – playing in The Hague little more than 24 hours since they left Leicester. Ian is a pupil of Lutterworth Grammar School. He is a versatile musician at present specialising in the clarinet. He contacted chicken pox over the week end and is at his home in Leicester Road, Lutterworth. Twelve year old Terry Carter of Loughborough (first cello) cast a veteran eye yesterday afternoon on 11 year old Brian Birks (fourth cello) – a fellow pupil of the Humphrey Perkins School, Barrow. Terry went to Germany with the orchestra last year while Brian, the baby of the party, has never been abroad before.

Carrying their own instruments, the youngsters left in two coaches for Harwich. A formidable programme faces them over the next two weeks; there are daily concerts, a broadcast from Hilversum and a return weekend visit to Essen. Their only free day will be on Tuesday week when they attend the opening of Parliament.

AARHUS STIFTSTIDENDE, AUGUST 1955

There was magic in The Magic Flute

The British opera youth gave Aarhus an experience in music. You would not have thought it possible. The Magic Flute by Mozart performed by schoolchildren 13-19 years of age. But the 100 girls and boys from Leicestershire did the impossible. They made magic with the famous magic opera by Mozart in a way that made it an experience, no, a fairy tale story to the Danes who last night – in spite of heat, thunder and showers – filled the seats of the Aarhus Hallen. Of course there were errors, defects and weaknesses but that all disappeared in the complete musical understanding, skill and love of the task. Yes, it really was Mozart. It was really so that the listeners did forget time, place and people and got caught up by the magic. The orchestra and the choir were the greatest experience. They knew their lessons, these young musicians. Strings who were in a pleasant majority made the instruments sing, hornists gave a completing abundance and colour. There were excellent soloists. The choir reached the standard of the orchestra and created a colouring which made one forget any weak solos and incomplete decorations. But also the soloists knew their parts very well. The Night Queen was small of size and voice but had an imposing technical skill. The Princess Pamina and the Prince Tamino bravely fought the dramatic problems and were above average in their singing. The Pontiff Sarastro was just seventeen but had dignity and was equal to the bass arias, so beautifully that you were listening fascinated. And the joyful bird catcher Papageno, who was the best one, I think, took everyone by storm. The conductor, who was the only adult, had all the actors in the palms of his hands. He has been working hard with his young friends – and they conquered, all of them. You anticipated the success at once when the orchestra started playing the Danish National Anthem, King Kristian, and God Save the Queen. Rarely has a foreign orchestra played the Danish National Anthem more beautifully and the three – hour performance confirmed the anticipations. The president of the opera club in town, Mr. Barnow, welcomed the English guests and gave before each Act a short and useful Danish translation. The conductor, Mr. E. Pinkett, finally thanked the audience for the very hearty applause by which they had expressed their delight in the performance.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JULY 1956

Music a magic carpet for these youngsters

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1960 TO 1964

STAVANGEREN ATTENBLAD, AUGUST 1960

A pleasure to listen to the English school orchestra

One must be surprised at what can be achieved, when listening to the Leicestershire County School of Music Orchestra. Here, young people from 13 - 18 years old sit and give a performance which causes almost overwhelming enthusiasm. The Leicester school orchestra has been introduced in "Aftenbladet" and certainly the introduction raised expectations. We know that they are interested school pupils, who have practised and attained a standard of musical ability, under excellent tuition, and also with the necessary support and direction of the government. But, when one listens to such a performance, as at the concert in Sandnes yesterday, then it is necessary to bear in mind that there is something more to it - something connected with culture and tradition in its broadest context. This is more than a mere hobby for amateur players. The orchestra has reached an impressive standard and has above all a charm and a sustained tone which has long ago passed the stage of technical dilletantism. Considering the features characteristic of amateurs, yesterday's performance was a complete realisation of our expectations as to the manner of playing. But what created the greatest enthusiasm was the musical substance of the orchestra's playing. The programme gave an excellent opportunity of ascertaining what the young musicians had in them, and the standard of their interpretation.

The programme had a scope and standard of difficulty comparable with that of a difficult concert programme. From the large selection in the tour programme we heard, first of all, the overture to "Oberon" by Weber. It was played in a sensational sustained and lively manner. Then followed the first movement of Grieg's piano concerto with a 15 year-old girl, a very able pianist, as soloist; then Beethoven's Romance in F major with a fine violin solo and then followed one work after another, each with some particularly striking quality. It seemed as if the more modern note was more suited to their disposition. The glorious Divertimento from Arnold and the "Suite for Wind" by Holst sounded quite marvellous, with a precision and phrasing that was gay and skilful. And then suddenly the scene changed and some members of the orchestra performed as a mixed choir and gave an exquisite programme. It was a pleasure to listen to the whole programme, and to observe the command of the music which was evident in everything performed, now and then with a rendering above what might be expected. The evening was an extraordinarily fine experience. Turnhallen (the Gymnastic Hall) was filled to capacity by an audience that was not afraid to show its enthusiasm.

STAVANGEREN, SEPTEMBER 1960

The Leicester Orchestra in the Cathedral

The Cathedral was so full yesterday that very many people had to be content with seats, from which they could not see much of the young English musicians, who together with their instruments filled the whole choir. Every seat was taken, the church was too small, and everybody was listening. It was really gratifying to hear young people who sang and played so well. As in Sandnes it was a versatile concert, the orchestra in full being followed by the strings, then the wind, and then a mixed choir with the piano as obligato accompaniment, and then a capella choir. Where one missed the fullness of tone, and where one could disagree with some points of interpretation, the young people with their warm musicality and their versatility compensated for a lack of professional qualities. Also, because they were young people, it was fitting that some of yesterday's programme should be, for a church concert, unconventional, with surprising rhythms and yet with the beat of the Norwegian nature in the first movement of Grieg's piano concerto. But surely it is right that a work of God's creation should be performed in a church! To pick out any one thing as prominent is not easy, for it was so enjoyable to listen to both the singing and the playing. If anything it must be Bach's concerto for violin, oboe and strings, which was performed with true musical feeling, and let us also mention the charming composition, "Elizabethan Serenade for Orchestra". It was also a pleasure to observe among the audience lots of young people, with admiration written on their faces - it was easy to understand why. May a visit such as this be the stimulus which is needed in this town and in this country. It is possible for music to become something completely different from what it is at present, even with us. There is no lack of musicality and talent. These young Britons show the way.

LEICESTER MERCURY, OCTOBER 1960

School musicians quite astonishing

George Weldon, associate conductor of the famous Halle orchestra, described last night’s performance by the County School of Music as "quite astonishing and quite an achievement".

He had just left the rostrum in the De Montfort Hall after conducting the County Youth Orchestra and choirs of three local grammar schools through a formidable programme of music and song. "It’s quite astonishing what they did," he told me. "They were not playing simple music and the choir and orchestra only came together for the first time last Saturday," he added. The orchestra played works of Weber, Mozart and Haydn but the item I liked most was Malcolm Arnold’s Divertimento. They certainly put everything they had into this piece, whereas Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor seemed to me to be a trifle above them. Guest oboist Evelyn Rothwell (who is the wife of Sir John Barbirolli) was excellent with her polished rendering of Haydn’s oboe concerto and equally good in her solo spot later in the evening. The combined choirs of Lutterworth, Hinckley and Coalville Grammar Schools entertained with a charming Irish choral ballad and a delightful suite of well known British songs. Chairman of the County Education Committee, Sir Robert Martin, addressed the large audience during the interval. He mentioned the way the orchestra had been inspired by and responded to its distinguished guests and described the visits it had made abroad to Germany three times, Norway twice and once each to Denmark and Holland. "Their visits have been a wonderful contribution to international goodwill," he added. M. L.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MARCH 1961

Harp ends three year holiday with strings

A harp which was presented to Leicestershire County School of Music by Sir Robert Martin three years ago was featured for the first time in a concert at Birstall last night. It was used in

the school's first concert in its new home, the Longslade Grammar School which overlooks the village. Main reasons for the long delay have been the need to have it renovated and the difficulties in finding both a suitable player and teacher. Last night it was played for the first time by Hinckley Grammar School girl AnneCollis. The deputy chairman of Leicestershire Education Committee Mr. Alan Hilton and several of the committee attended. A large audience welcomed guest conductor Mr. Douglas Cameron, the cellist and conductor. He is a professor of the Royal Academy of Music, a member of the London String Quartet and an original staff member of the National Youth Orchestra. A varied programme was beautifully executed with special mention of the string quartet, John Stein, Marion Turner, David Banton and Nigel Pinkett. Marion Turner also had a big ovation for her violin solo and Mr. Eric Pinkett, county music adviser, forecast a great future for her. Longslade School is now the home of the senior section of the School of Music, who meet from all over the county every Saturday during term to practise under Mr. Pinkett. They are spending part of the Easter break at Buxton where they are giving two concerts in the Pavilion.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1961

Superb finale to schools’ festival

So moved with emotion were many among the audience packing the De Montfort Hall for last night's final presentation of Leicestershire schools' festival of music, pageantry and mime that moments after the show had ended with 500 voices raised in a paean of praise, they remained rooted to their seats. The tremendous ovation that followed for the more than 1,000 young performers and the scores of county teachers who had made this mammoth production possible was climaxed by cheers led by Sir Robert Martin. So ended a show which, equally in its scope as in the flawlessness of its presentation, was at once unforgettable, enriching and rejuvenating.

A string of superlatives would scarcely suffice to convey the beauty of the music, costumes or colour of the organisational achievement of welding together the individual contributions of schools from far-off parts of the county into a harmonious whole. Superlatives would convey nothing at all of the youthful spontaneity of the spirit of ecstasy that threaded through the two-hours production. The artistry of the County School of Music, under the baton of their director, Mr. E. Pinkett, would in itself have sustained the evening's enjoyment but their playing merely afforded the background to a series of dramatic or musical sequences contributed by a score of schools in a programme that had contrasts as its theme - contrasts between the bobbing toes of a Scottish reel and sombre gyrations to the Danse Macabre, the abandon of an Irish folk dance and the more staid rejoicing of a Chinese celebration. Highlighting a programme which ran with the smoothness of a professional show from the first curtain were, perhaps, Rolleston Junior School's interpretation of a circus, Lutterworth Grammar School's mock wedding and the chorus of massed voices which provided a memorable production with a beatific finale.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JUNE 1961

Orchestra 'Downed Tools' and Sang!

Continuing its series of summer concerts, the County School of Music orchestra played to a delighted gathering at the Garendon School, Loughborough, on Saturday in a programme that demonstrated the competence of each section in turn, the orchestra again showed the astonishing musical heights it has attained under its director, Mr. Eric Pinkett (County Music Adviser).

Indicating that they are pre-eminently music makers, as distinct from merely instrumentalists, the young performers twice during the evening formed themselves into a choir - a feat of versatility, surely, which not even the Halle itself could hope to equal! Miss Marion Turner, as soloist in the first movement of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor, revealed a gifted mastery of the fingerboard but the highlight was probably the wind instruments' showing in Tschaikovsky's Capriccio Italien. It was the turn of the strings to demonstrate their skill and regard for exactness in A Simple Symphony by Benjamin Britten. The concert, which realised about £18, was sponsored by the Limehurst Natural History Society and was the County School of Music's way of helping to raise funds for the society's new bird island headquarters.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1962

A Worthy Memorial

It was a gracious idea that 85 young instrumentalists of Leicestershire County School of Music and a choir of 240 boys and girls from county grammar schools should give a concert to honour the memory of Sir Robert Martin, who, until a year before his death last June, was chairman of the County Council and of the County Education Committee for 36 successive years. But fine intentions do not succeed without good organisation, devotion, hard work, enthusiasm and a certain amount of luck. At Leicester De Montfort Hall last night all combined to present to a full audience a performance of music which was in every way worthy of the occasion, and of the man who, in the final phrase of an aptly chosen choral item, was "a very perfect, gentle knight."

The greatest piece of good fortune that overtook the organisers of the concert, I'm sure, was the decision of Sir Adrian Boult to accept an invitation to conduct. The very news of his acceptance must have been a boost to the morale of instrumentalists and singers. Under his careful and wise guidance the music they produced last night must have been of their very best. It was clear that his prime requirement from his impressive ensemble of young musicians was refinement of tone. Numerical strength was converted into acceptable tone over a dynamic range from a nicely balanced, whispered pianissimo to a full round forte. Noise had no place in his malleable tonal palette. Precision of attack came high on Sir Adrian's priority list and the performance of all items was well blessed by clear and positive entries and by admirable unanimity of thought and feeling in phrasing and on points of stress. Note values were well heeded and there was always evidence that the performers kept an attentive ear for what was happening in other musical departments. This was particularly true of the orchestra, whose members achieved a remarkably high standard both in their accompaniments to the choral works and in their ambitious instrumental programme. They were strong where most orchestras of the kind are weak - in the brass and woodwind departments. Clarinets, bassoons, oboes, flutes all proved they were competent to stand up to exposure and of the principals, the blonde oboe player (one of the predominant company of girl instrumentalists) was an outstanding contributor to a reed band that had something like professional poise about their work. The brass, which included seven trombones, packed a punch and thrived on Sibelius (Karelia Suite) and Beethoven’s last movement (5th Symphony) but euphony was their watchword and their tone was solid but pure. Trumpets triple-tongued articulately and horns were commendably smooth. The strings were well intoned and played intelligently and were the basis of some well contrived crescendos in which discipline and restraint were in evidence. Altogether a collection of young musicians whose coherence is all the more surprising in view of the fact that, geographically, they are distributed over the length and breadth of the county - poles apart. Details of the concert programme would not be complete without mention of Benjamin Britten's setting of the National Anthem. It amounts to an unorthodox re-harmonisation of the traditional tune for choir and orchestra. Quite new, very effective and one up to the County Music Department for being the first to have it performed in Leicester. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1963

"High standard of orchestral play in County" - Malcolm Arnold

"That was good, very good," boomed composer-conductor Malcolm Arnold. And nearly one hundred young county musicians relaxed for a minute as Mr. Arnold explained what he wanted for the next passage. He was taking a rehearsal for a concert performed by the senior orchestra of the County School of Music, which he is to conduct at De Montfort Hall on January 29. Included in the programme are two items of his own composition - Tam O'Shanter Overture and the Second Suite of English Dances. This concert is the third of its kind and the second in successive years. In 1960 the orchestra was conducted by George Weldon, associate conductor of the Halle Orchestra with Evelyn Rothwell (Lady Barbirolli) as the guest artist. Last year the baton was in the hands of Sir Adrian Boult for the Sir Robert Martin Memorial Concert. Such was the success of these two performances that Mr. Eric Pinkett, the county adviser for music, now hopes that similar concerts will become an annual event. Rehearsals took place last week at the Longslade Grammar School, Birstall, during a special holiday course. Mr. Pinkett was in charge of practice on Wednesday and Thursday morning until Mr. Arnold took over on Thursday afternoon and Friday. Mr. Arnold will not see the orchestra again until the day of the concert. Mr. Arnold was loud and generous in his praise of the county's young schoolboy and schoolgirl musicians. He was very surprised, he said to find that an orchestra of young people, still at school could play "to such a high standard." "There must be a tremendous amount of musical talent in this part of the country to produce an orchestra like this," he added. The rehearsals had also been successful. "They are doing marvellously," he enthused. Mr. Arnold went on to say that the kind of training pupils at the school were receiving was much more beneficial than concert-going. The programme for the concert, besides the two compositions of Mr. Arnold, includes Benjamin Britten's "A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra," the Grieg piano concerto, "Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks" by Richard Strauss and Et Incarnatus from Mozart's C minor Mass. Soloist for the Grieg concerto is Dennis Matthews, while ex-pupil of the school Jean Hammond takes the same role in Et Incarnatus. The programme was chosen jointly by Mr. Pinkett and Mr. Arnold. This is the first time that Northampton-born Mr. Arnold has conducted the Leicester County School of Music orchestra. Better known perhaps as a composer he will be remembered for his film music, particularly "The Bridge on the River Kwai". "I am looking forward, however," he said, "to conducting two of my own compositions." Mr. Pinkett then told me a little about the school he virtually founded in 1948. Children meet at a central point every Saturday morning for instrumental instruction and practice. Between them they make up a symphony orchestra of about 85, a military band and choir, individual lessons, group practices and chamber music rehearsals taking place the whole of the morning and children are extracted from the full orchestra to take part in whichever section requires them. Thereby acquiring varied experience much more rapidly. The school is split into three orchestras divided roughly into age groups, their exact composition decided mainly by ability. In the junior orchestra, therefore, there is always a small group of players on the "fringe" of the senior orchestra. Some of these have been brought in to add to the senior orchestra for the coming concert. Pupils are drawn from all the secondary schools in the county and are taught during the week out of school hours in area schools of music by Mr. Pinkett, his deputy, six full-time instrumental teachers who are specialists in their field and individual staff from schools who are qualified teachers. Entrance to the school therefore is based solely on playing ability. Further experience is gained each Easter when the senior orchestra goes to a holiday resort for a week’s practice and concerts. A similar course is held for the junior orchestra during the summer holiday. This Easter the orchestra goes to Scotland and later in the year pays a reciprocal visit to Germany. Mr. Pinkett stressed the hard work that is necessary for the children to reach the required standards. "It is particularly heartening to see these youngsters doing so much good, when all one seems to hear of their generation nowadays is detrimental". The aim of the school is to stimulate music-making throughout the country to raise the standard of orchestral playing in the schools and to exemplify to the schools what can be achieved in the sphere of music by young people if they are given the incentive and opportunity". By the sound of Mr. Arnold's remarks, they have certainly succeeded. - Pat Cursley

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1963

Orchestra responded to Composer

Leicester De Montfort Hall was filled last night for the Sir Robert Martin symphony concert given by 100 instrumentalists from the County School of Music and conducted by Malcolm Arnold, two of whose compositions were included in the programme. Judging from the quite remarkable standard of playing achieved by these talented school-age musicians there seems no doubt at all that this memorial concert is firmly set in the local music calendar. The inaugural concert was given last year under Sir Adrian Boult shortly after the death of Sir Robert Martin who was chairman of the County Council for many years. School leaving has forced inevitable changes in the composition of the orchestra in the meantime but such is the upsurge of talent invoked by the enthusiastic County Music organisation that Mr. Arnold had the services of excellent principals and in Marion Turner an outstanding young leader. Mr. Arnold the conductor visibly reflects Arnold the composer and his platform style turns readily to choreography when the rhythm is infectious. The children loved him and responded with alacrity in Britten’s Young Person’s Guide, gave an excellent showing in Strauss’s Till Eulenspiegel and romped through the conductor’s second set of English Dances with professional aplomb. Wonderful! They gave intelligent and well poised support to Denis Matthews who was the soloist in the Grieg piano concerto. Jean Hammond, a former member of the County School and now a soloist of growing reputation sang the Et Incarnatus Est from Mozart’s Mass in C minor with great warmth of feeling and fine phrasing. Her singing was graced by string playing of rich quality and by the notable performance of the wind trio, Joan Clamp(oboe), Lesley Brundell(flute) and John Price(bassoon). The concert opened with Arnold’s overture Tam O’Shanter. R. A. P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1963

Wigston Civic Concert for Hunger Fund

The visual side of orchestral playing is rigidly excluded, it is said, from the musical purist's approach to the art. But how much pleasure would have been lost at Wigston, last night, without the actual spectacle of young people making music. The occasion was a civic concert in aid of Wigston's Freedom from Hunger appeal given in the hall of Bushloe High School by the Symphony Orchestra of the Leicestershire County School of Music. From a ringside seat one could both see and sense the power of concentration and the seriousness of purpose from the tiniest violinist, little more than a bow's length high, to the manful application of a mature young cellist chewing quietly and continuously and whose strong fingering and resolute bowing bore the unmistakable sign of competence and assurance. Somehow, too, one shared in the weight of responsibility that goes with the heroic task of producing a cymbal crash at a precise moment in time and in the breathless tension that filled the silence before a sforzando tutti. The real pleasure contained in this feeling of sharing in performance was heightened by the quality of the playing which did musicianly service to the Brahms variations on a Haydn theme, which brought commendable clarity and alacrity to Strauss's Till Eulenspiegel and which was riotous in the wittily and richly scored four English dances by Malcolm Arnold. Rolf Wilson played the solo violin in the Rondo Capriccioso by Saint-Saens, which was interpreted with a delightful touch of virtuoso aplomb. The overture to Glinka's Russlan and Ludmilla opened the programme which included the attractively played Divertimento No. 11 by the wind septet. The conducting was shared by Mr. E. Pinkett (County Adviser), and Mr. D. R. Petit. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1963

Four young Leicestershire musicians and one from Rutland will be playing in the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain when it gives a concert in the presence of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother at the Royal Festival Hall, London, on April 25. They are Nigel Pinkett (18), of Barrow-on-Soar, cellist, Sylvia Walker (18), of Leicester and Rolf Wilson (16), of Birstall, both violinists, James Wortley (16) of Loughborough, trombonist, and David Takeno (16) of Oakham, who plays the violin. The Queen Mother, patron of the orchestra for the past 10 years, last heard it play in 1961. Sir Malcolm Sargent, president of this world-famous orchestra for exceptionally talented young British musicians, will conduct it in a programme which includes works by Elgar, Mozart, Rimsky-Korsakov and Dvorak. A week before the Royal Festival Hall concert the orchestra will assemble at a Tunbridge Wells school for their Easter term. Here they will work under the guidance of some of the world's leading musicians and teachers.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1963

Children’s pageant had sparkle

Months of preparation and hours of patience and hard work were rewarded last night by the tremendous success of Leicestershire Schools' Music Festival, a sparkling cavalcade of music and mime by youngsters from 130 schools in the county. "For'ard 1963" portrays cleverly the character of the Engishman in the different periods if his life. It is a dynamic pageant by hundreds of talented youngsters. For more than two hours, the De Montfort Hall stage was transformed into a kaleidoscope of blazing colour as the children swung through their paces with the ease and confidence of real professionals. During the past six months scores of staff and pupils have worked like Trojans in preparation for just two nights of glory -last night and tonight. Supported by the massed choirs of a hundred junior schools and expertly accompanied by the senior orchestra of the County School of Music, under Mr. Eric Pinkett - the man largely responsible for the organisation and arrangements of the whole show - the Youngsters tripped gaily through more than two hours or ambitious song and dance routines. Of the eight Portraits of the Englishman, I was particularly impressed by the thought and ingenuity that went into "The Englishman in Spring" (by Brockington School, Enderby) and "The Englishman at Christmas" (Mountfields Junior School, Loughborough). If anything, the show was just a little too drawn out. It tended to fade slightly towards the close and lacked a punchy conclusion. But the producers did extremely well to cast more than a thousand children, aged between nine and 18, into such a mammoth Pageant. M.L.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1964

Colour and warmth from young county violinist

The fine assured playing of the Max Bruch G minor violin concerto by Rolf Wilson was the highlight of an excellent concert given at the De Montfort Hall last night by the Leicestershire County Youth Orchestra and Choir conducted by Rudolph Schwarz. This was the third in the series of Sir Robert Martin symphony concerts and the link with his name was visibly strengthened by the presentation of a £ 400 set of three pedal timpani which were bought by the Friends of the County Youth Orchestra as a tribute to his memory. Rolf Wilson is the leader of the orchestra and a capacity audience gave him a wonderful ovation for his warm and penetrative performance of the Max Bruch. This is not surprising for this young player possesses not only a sure technique but the much rarer quality of communication. This he had when I first heard him over a year ago. He has made much progress since then and it was good to hear last night that the refining process of improvement as at no way been at the expense of his innate feeling for music or his instinct for transmitting the heart and the spirit of a score to an audience. To him, quite obviously, music is about something and this was amply demonstrated in the last movement which, though exacting, was never made to sound like a technical exercise. His attack was confident and vigorous and throughout he maintained a good sense of style and shape. His playing of the slow movement was eloquent and quite moving – rich in colour and in warmth and intensity of expression. His future seems bright, he has the knack of making people want to listen and I am sure that as he develops more and more people will want to listen to him. Rudolph Schwarz enhanced Rolf Wilson’s assured interpretation with sensitive and co-operative handling of the orchestra, whose members gave excellent support. The concert opened with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture which, with the conductor’s well judged tempi, built up excitingly in its sparkling climax and left the audience clearly amazed at the high level of performance attained by this young and exceedingly well rehearsed orchestra. Alan Ridout’s Three Pictures of Picasso (commissioned by the National Youth Orchestra) were a great success. Just the stuff, this, for youthful players – modern in the nicest sense, evocative, rhythmically exhilarating in the outer movements and overall exhibiting a highly developed sense of orchestral colour. The harsh pulsating first picture depicts Picasso’s revengeful Guernica and the beautifully scored second represents Child with a Dove. In the final picture The Tumblers the composer keeps the listener playfully on the wrong foot with alternating 7/8 and 8/8 time signatures before crystallising his thoughts in an ingenious interlude for percussion instruments. There after the excitement quickens and suddenly and with great verve, the show is over. The County Youth Orchestra handled the work’s complex rhythms and counts with aplomb and, by their eager response to Rudolph Schwarz’s direction, earned an ovation in which composer Alan Ridout was obviously pleased to share. The pleasing textures of Butterworth’s rhapsody A Shropshire Lad were well realised in a nicely balanced performance and the strings of the orchestra made a noble effort in Elgar’s Introduction and Allegro whose interpretive demands are high. Orchestra and choir joined forces for a delightful rendering of Vaughan Williams’s In Windsor Forest – the choir comprising singers from Ashby Boys and Ashby Girls Grammar Schools who combined also in Benjamin Britten’s Psalm 150 conducted this time by Miss E. C. Bungard (Ashby Girls music mistress). The work has a lightly scored accompaniment and is typical of the composer’s potency of style and economy of means. It was well done. So, too, Pergolesi’s Fac ut Ardeat (from the Stabat Mater) excellently sung by the Ashby Grammar School Girls Choir and efficiently directed once again by Miss Bungard. R. A. P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1964

Youth Orchestra is selected to represent England

Leicester County Youth Orchestra, who leave for a 14-day Northern Ireland tour today and tomorrow, have been chosen to represent England at the 25th anniversary of "Jeunesse Musicale" in Brussels in January. This was revealed yesterday by the County Music Adviser,

Mr. Eric Pinkett, on the eve of the departure of the first half of the orchestra for Northern Ireland. "We are giving a chamber concert on Tuesday in Belfast, so the chamber orchestra, who are a section of the full orchestra, are leaving a day early. "We are giving 25 concerts in Ireland, including one in St. Anne's Cathedral, Belfast on Sunday. On Monday week we are to play in the Ulster Hall and the chairman of the County Council, Alderman P. H. Lloyd, is flying over to hear us." Mr. Pinkett said that the 82-strong orchestra had intended to visit Northern Ireland next year but had asked their hosts to bring the tour forward because of the Brussels event in January. "It is a great honour for us to be chosen to represent England at Brussels," he said. "The Organisation who are running it, 'Musical Youth' are very strong on the Continent."

LEICESTER MERCURY, OCTOBER 1964

Boost for the county's musical significance

The signs are that next year's Leicestershire schools music festival is going to give the County School of Music its biggest prestige boost ever. First performances of a new symphony and a festival prologue and epilogue - all specially written for the occasion - will contribute to an event of nationwide importance and a competition open to student composer throughout Britain will further enhance Leicestershire's growing musical significance and provide yet another new work for first performance during festival week. The festival will occupy six hectic and exciting days from May 9 to 14 and will revolve around the name and personality of the famous British composer Michael Tippett whose enthusiasm for the Leicestershire enterprise is boundless.

He has agreed to compose a prologue and epilogue and, as the festival's conductor-in-chief, he will direct the first performance of a symphony written specially for the County Youth Orchestra by his distinguished ex-pupil Alan Ridout, who is well- known for his series of BBC music talks.

Mr. Ridout heard the orchestra earlier this year at their De Montfort Hall concert when his "Three Pictures of Picasso" formed part of a programme conducted by Rudolf Schwarz. He was so impressed with their playing that he had no hesitation in agreeing to write a symphony specially for them. Exciting, too, is the prospect of a festival production of Mr. Ridout's recently written opera. Its title is "The Rescue" and its setting in a Paddington coffee bar bears testimony to its contemporary theme. The Leicester presentation will, in fact, be its fourth performance.

The idea of the 1965 festival is both courageous and imaginative and of particular value at a time when the need for the encouragement of active participation in music is considered to be of prime importance.

The festival supplants the memorable Pageants which, in past years crowned the county's school music and drama activities from time to time. As good as they were, the need was for something different. This was the view of Mr. Eric Pinkett, county music adviser and the main inspiration behind the venture. By the very magnitude of the festival’s programme it seems he has proved himself right in deciding it was time for new ideas for a bigger conception and a broader horizon. But he admits that luck has been running with him and that his first stroke of good fortune was Tippett's instant enthusiasm for the festival enterprise and his ready acceptance of the principal role. It so happens that the festival will gain still more in significance from the fact that it will take place in the year of Tippett's 60th birthday (he was born on January 2, 1905) and at a time when anniversary programmes will give particular emphasis to his name and to his music.

His double concerto for orchestra will be included among the works he will conduct during the festival. So, too, his delightful oratorio "A Child of our Time" which will be performed by a full complement of young Leicestershire musicians including vocal soloists, instrumentalists and a choir of 500. R.A.P.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1965

LEICESTER MERCURY, 1965

Youth Orchestra Impresses Michael Tippett

Michael Tippett travelled from his home in Corsham near Bath on Saturday to listen for the first time to the Leicestershire County Youth Orchestra - the orchestra he is to conduct during next May's Festival of Music. For members of the orchestra and the music staff it was a normal Saturday rehearsal at Longslade School, with the exception that there was an extension from the usual one o'clock finishing time to three o'clock. Mr. Tippett who arrived just after midday was thus able to make a good assessment of the playing standard and also to judge their response to his own conducting. His verdict: "They are very good but you know that already. " But for Mr. Tippett there apparently was an earlier moment of doubt about the wisdom of his decision to become associated with the orchestra. The whole school area was alive with the sounds of music- making when he arrived and it so happened that the first sound that Mr. Tippett heard came from the smallest and rawest recruits. He said nothing, but the expression on his face indicated his fear that this was the orchestra he had been invited to conduct. A member of the County music staff was quick to sense the situation and to restore Mr. Tippett's mental calm. "This way, Mr. Tippett", he said, directing the composer's footsteps away from the juniors’ amiable cacophony. "The senior orchestra's rehearsal hall is further on". And so Mr. Tippett's features resumed their remarkably youthful look. As he listened to the seniors polishing up a section from Britten’s "Sea Interludes" orchestral suite, he was smiling.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1965

Inspiration of first festival

Michael Tippett’s specially composed Epilogue brought the Leicestershire School’ s Festival of Music to a close at last night's choral and orchestral concert at the De Montfort Hall. "Non Nobis, Domine, non nobis. Sed nomini tuo da gloriam." The music, with its central theme by Byrd, represented a final act of thanksgiving. And how appropriate the sentiment for the 1965 Festival, the first of its kind, has been a wonderful and inspiring success. The choice of Tippett as the Festival's conductor and central figure proved to be extraordinarily well made. His popularity with members of the County School of Music was self evident. And it is equally true,

I think, that their affection for him was due not only to the guidance he provided in the technical business of playing and singing but also to the insight he gave them into the profounder side of music. The main work in last night's programme was his own oratorio "A Child of Our Time." It is a work which reveals both the composer's deep understanding of the human dilemma and his simplicity and directness of expression. He wrote the text as well as the music and the creation of the oratorio was motivated by the reprisals that followed the shooting of a Nazi official by a Young Jewish boy. The incident, however, is universalised and the child of our time, the "scapegoat", appears as Christ. "The simple-hearted shall I exult in the end." Thus Tippett paraphrases the Bible and reaffirms the eternal hopefulness of naive and humble faith, the essence of which he underlines by his introduction into his score of four Negro spirituals. It was touching to hear the work so excellently and so intently performed by the young singers and instrumentalists of the County School of Music. The soloists from the Royal College of Music were- Glenda Russell (soprano), Kathleen Pring (contralto), James Griffett (tenor) and Lionel Fawcett (bass). "Mars" and "Jupiter" from Holst's "Planets" suite and Shaun Dillon's prize winning divertimento for strings completed the programme the latter work being conducted by Mr. Eric Pinkett (County Music Adviser). R. A. P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1965

Musical miracle – Child players were inspired

Courageous and imaginative enterprises seem inevitably to get the success they deserve. And so it happened last night, that the opening concert of Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music at the De Montfort Hall, was an exhilarating triumph for all concerned in it and, in particular, for Michael Tippett whose inspiring direction and warm personality evoked playing from his young orchestra that, at times, had a touch of miraculousness about it. The programme was both ambitious and cleverly designed to display visually and aurally the two extremes of the gamut of musical education organised and run by the County School of Music. Massed choirs from nine county schools represented the beginnings of musical experience and they sang, confident and clear-voiced, and produced a proliferation of sounds from recorders, dulcimers, guitars, bells and an assortment of percussive instruments. They numbered in their hundreds and they made an impressive stage backcloth of white skirts, coloured ties and shining bright faces. The fine playing of the senior County Youth Symphony Orchestra demonstrated the quite amazing progress in individual skill and corporate response that are achieved in relatively few years.

The music they played, with the exception of Elgar's "Cockaigne" overture, was all written by composers who are still living and the same contemporary emphasis typifies the programmes of the whole festival week. A wise and fitting concept this for a generation which, more than any other, perhaps is very much concerned with its own age. Last night's concert began with Michael Tippett's specially written prologue - a short arrangement for choir and orchestra of the traditional tune "Soomer is i-coomen in" which impressively established a mood of youthful well-being and energy. An eagerly awaited first performance was that of Alan Ridout's second symphony in three movements, dedicated to his former teacher Michael Tippett as a 60th birthday tribute and written especially for the County Schools' Symphony Orchestra at the request of the indomitable Friends of the County School of Music. The symphony may well have been an expression of the view that serialism can be fun. It has a not inflexible 12-note system and, in its outer movements, displays a wealth of lively rhythmic and melodic ideas whose natural and uninhibited flow and bustling good humour belie their tight organisation. The last movement with its extended centrepiece for solo percussion, is a sort of concentrated Young Person's Guide designed to reveal the technical strength of all sections of the young county musicians.

The slow movement for strings only provides an excellent and finely proportioned contrast, its brooding and tense atmosphere being ingeniously and assuredly created and quite moving. Alan Ridout has an orchestral vocabulary that is very much his own and, apart from the exciting sounds he invents, it is typified by the unusually precise and clean- edged textures that are an important element of his attractive style. Tippett's direction was superb and the orchestra played with professional maturity and with the obvious pride of co-ownership. Tippett's own concerto for double string orchestra was splendidly performed with a quite amazing acceptance of its technical difficulties and with a beautiful realisation of the slow movement's elegantly discursive melodic line. Even more exacting were Britten's Four Sea Interludes from "Peter Grimes" in which the full orchestra rose to the very heights of their achievement. There must have been many people in the audience who occasionally pinched themselves (as I did) as a reminder that this assured, virtuoistic performance was by schoolchildren. Incredible! The primary choirs charmed the whole audience with their delightful singing and playing - sometimes with the help of their seniors in the orchestra and sometimes wholly self-supporting. Indeed, it might be said that their rumba with full orchestral support was tile show stealer! Mr. Tippett danced on his rostrum with obvious pleasure and, when it was all over, turned to the audience and said: "We'll have that again!" This was, indeed, typical of the exuberance and the eternal youthfulness of the man. The last words of praise must go to him for the energy and devotion with which he directed the programme and for the affection and the wholehearted response which he drew from every performer. The ovation he received was generous and enthusiastic and no one clapped more vigorously than the beaming army of primary school choristers. R.A.P.

THE GUARDIAN, MAY 1965

Leicestershire schools music festival

Assembled at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester, on Monday for the opening concert of the Leicestershire Schools Music Festival, the 400 or so singers and instrumentalists looked alarmingly young. What from a distance had seemed adventurous looked more like foolhardiness from close to. Even the entry of the conductor, Michael Tippett, did not quell all apprehensions, but the events of the rest of the evening finally condemned all fears as unjust and groundless.

In fact, this was one of the few concerts that can be classed as an experience. It was not an entirely musical experience, for no one could fail to be touched by the spectacle of one of this country's most important composers devoting so much care and energy to a concert by schoolchildren. But there was more to it than this. Tippett conducted the first performance of the Prologue he had written for the Festival and was rewarded by some very bright brass and percussion playing, although this did tend to divorce itself from the voices, partly because the composer had failed to integrate the texture and partly because the performance was not properly balanced. His Concerto for Double String Orchestra was rewarding, too. The strings of the Senior Orchestra of the Leicestershire School of Music do not possess the strength or brilliance of tone that the Concerto really needs, but the rhythms are the main thing and these were skilfully dealt with and as the composer rightly refused to relax the tempi the performance maintained its essential impetus and vitality. The counterpoint was not often obscured, the antiphonal effects came off and intonation was never so bad as to be disturbing. Perhaps the most surprising performance of all was that of Alan Ridout's Second Symphony, the other work commissioned for the occasion. It is not a great work, but it is a pleasing one with considerable rhythmic interest. Again, the orchestra was equal to this aspect of the music even in the most tricky metres, and the whole performance was admirable for its discipline, its lively colouring and its purposefulness. In comparison with this, Elgar's "Cockaigne" Overture and Britten's Four Sea Interludes seemed mere child's play.

THE GUARDIAN, MAY 1965

With a skilful and spirited performance of Michael Tippett's oratorio "A Child of our Time" the several hundred school children who have this week been rehearsing and studying with Tippett brought the first Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music to a satisfying conclusion at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester, on Friday. It was a performance which in spite of the inevitable deficiencies must have given the composer, who directed it, pleasure for there was no mistaking the commitment of these young singers. For them the conditions which permitted the enormities of the last war are history but they clearly appreciate Tippett's passionate protest against injustice and his consolatory optimism and faith in humanity's potential for goodness and decency. They sang with an intelligent liveliness which belied their youth and inexperience, dealing valiantly with the awkward accents and wicked cross-rhythms. By way of relaxation they intoned the measures of the Chorale-like spirituals with a warm religious fervour, remembering the composer's injunction to "swing" it a little. It was a performance which proclaimed Tippett's natural control of emotional tensions and a grasp of spiritual fundamentals which override questions of time and location. In short, a very creditable effort. The soloists, all of them students at the Royal College of Music, were Glenda Russell (soprano), Kathleen Pring (contralto), James Griffett (tenor) Lionel Fawcett (bass). Shaun Dillon's " Divertimento for string orchestra," which won him the first prize in the festival's composition section, was included in the programme, conducted by Eric Pinkett, director of the County School of Music. It is a commendable piece

of graceful writing.

THE GUARDIAN, MAY 1965

Eleven plus festival

Leicestershire Education Committee is holding next week a characteristically adventurous Festival of Music. There will be thirteen concerts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in all parts of the county, and on Monday and Friday there will be two important choral and orchestral concerts in the De Montfort Hall, Leicester. The events in the county Include three performances of short operas by Alan Ridout ("The Rescue ") and Arthur Benjamin ("Prima Donna"), recitals by the Northern Sinfonia Trio and the Camden Wind Quintet, and a programme of prize-winning compositions in a specially arranged competition. More than two thirds of the cost of these concerts (£1,500) has been returned in advance subscriptions and it is expected that ticket receipts will cover the rest including the two concerts in the De Montfort Hall which should be well filled on Monday and Friday. At the first of these Michael Tippett will conduct the first performance of his own Prologue and of Alan Ridout's Second Symphony (both of them written for the occasion) together with Elgar's "Cockaigne" Overture, Britten's Four Sea Interludes from "Peter Grimes," and Tippett's Double Concerto. On the Friday he will conduct another work he has written for the Festival - an Epilogue - Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante for four wind instruments, and his own "A Child of our Time."

Now, these programmes are to be performed not by any body of professionals, who would find them challenging enough, but by the boys and girls of the Symphony Orchestra of the County School of Music and its junior and senior choirs. None of this music has been composed especially for children - even those pieces written for the occasion show no sign of writing down.

Dedicated to his former teacher, Michael Tippett, Ridout's Second Symphony is noticeably Tippettian in style and so includes the consequent rhythmic complexities and contrapuntal texture. It does not call for individual virtuoso technique, but it does call for considerable corporate skill in sustaining a clear texture so that the interweaving melodic lines are audible on all levels (as in the slow movement for strings and percussion), for precision and a sense of the dramatic in the interpretation of the dynamics and for advanced rhythmic command to deal not only with the frequent syncopations and off-beat entries but also the many asymmetrical metres. Tippett’s Prologue ("Soomer is icumin in") and Epilogue ("Non nobis domine") are based on familiar settings of the words, but in neither case has he restrained his individuality in cross rhythms, tricky polyphony and tonality merely in order to spare his young singers.

However, to have trusted this music to instrumentalists and singers of school age is not as unwisely ambitious as it might seem. For 17 years now Leicestershire's Adviser for Music has been Eric Pinkett, and it is he who rescued school music in the county from a state of post-war inertia -and so developed it that the orchestra regularly plays abroad, gives full-scale symphony concerts in Leicester (with conductors like Schwarz and Boult), and has taken part in six previous (and less ambitious) Leicestershire Schools Festivals. The centre of activity is the County School of Music, a meeting for rehearsal every Saturday morning at the Longslade Grammar School on the outskirts of Leicester of the most promising musicians from the surrounding county schools. The orchestra, which naturally loses many of its members every year, is sustained by a junior orchestra and the supply of instrumentalists is kept up in the schools by a carefully planned teaching programme, the basis of which is the county's seven peripatetic instrumental tutors. It is a thorough, highly developed, and apparently effective arrangement that must be the envy of most other education authorities. Perhaps the most inspired example of Eric Pinkett's planning is that this year the senior orchestra took its annual Easter vacation course at Corsham, Wiltshire, where Michael Tippett lives. Here they stayed, with a "Tempo" camera team and other fascinated visitors, near the home of the composer who rehearsed them twice a day for a week. The teachers present were impressed by Tippett's way with the children, Tippett was impressed by their orchestra, and the children have benefited enormously by this close and prolonged contact with such an original musical mind. A symptomatic story was told to me by the secretary of the Festival, Jack Richards: At the end of the week members of the orchestra spontaneously made a collection between themselves, went to Bath, sought out a respectable tailor, inquired if he were Mr. Tippett's tailor (which he was) and bought him a waistcoat. No doubt he will be wearing it in Leicester next week. Gerald Larner

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1966

DAILY MAIL, MARCH 1966

Young artists to be proud of

Thanks to the vigorous training scheme that Leicestershire has pioneered since 1948, this educationally go-ahead county now has a Schools' Symphony Orchestra to be proud of. In fact, there are three orchestras - Junior, Intermediate and Senior - and a travelling staff of teachers under county music adviser Eric Pinkett, working a system of individual tuition, group practices and area rehearsals, with weekly main rehearsals and longer courses during school holidays. Results speak for themselves. The 100-strong senior orchestra which I heard last night has been good enough to go abroad for the past 13 years. It went to Berlin last summer, toured Belgium in January and will visit Germany again in June. Last night's conductor was no less a musician than the composer Michael Tippett who has taken a keen practical interest in the orchestra. His rare gift for lighting a vital musical spark in children showed all through a 20th- century programme that ranged from Walton and Elgar to Gershwin. Like many of its professional confreres the orchestra is rich in woodwind talent, has good brass and percussion, but a more modest standard in the strings. The young player’s strong sense of rhythm was enjoyably evident in Tippett's intricate Fantasia on a Theme of Handel and still more so in a remarkably assured performance of Lambert's The Rio Grande. A 300-voice choir from the county's grammar schools with Helen Attfield as contralto soloist did much to evoke the haunting nostalgic atmosphere of the Lambert. Two guests from London, Frank Wibaut, 21, and Anthony Mott, 16, were brilliant piano soloists in the Lambert and Tippett respectively. The strings, which had intonation troubles in the Enigma Variations, gave a vigorous account of the Tippett and positively revelled in the Blues of Gershwin's American in Paris. Now will other counties please

mark, learn and copy.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1966

Belgian tour by youth orchestra

In the early hours of Monday morning the 100 members of Leicestershire County Senior Youth Orchestra will set off on one of the most important foreign tours in its history. They have been invited by the Belgian organisation "Jeunesses Musicale" to give a series of six concerts in Belgium and their chief conductor will be Michael Tippett the composer, whose association with the orchestra and with the County School of Music began in the early part of last year, when he agreed to be the central figure of the Leicestershire Festival which was such a great success. This will be the first time that the orchestra has travelled abroad with so distinguished a musician. Among the concerts he will conduct will be that next Friday when he and his young instrumentalists will spend a day in the Brussels television centre to prepare for the scheduled evening's broadcast. The return journey will be on Sunday week. For Mr. Tippett, this will mark the beginning of vital final rehearsals with the famous German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra and chorus for the first performance of his cantata "The Vision of St. Augustine", which was commissioned by the B.B.C. and which the composer will conduct on January 19 in the Third Programme. His fantasia for piano and orchestra on a Handel theme will be one of the items on the Belgian programmes and the solo part will be played by 17-year-old Anthony Mott, of Middlesex, who studies with Louis Kentner and whose link with the County youth orchestra's trip is that he was born in Belgium. A young Chinese girl who will augment the orchestra, however, has no Belgian association but owes her place on the tour to the fact that the County orchestra has no harpist and that she is a competent performer and able to travel. Her name is Tay Boon Yen. Her home is in Singapore and she has been studying for three years at the Guildhall School of speech and drama. Members of the orchestra in the outlying parts of the county will have to be in their coaches as early as three o'clock on Monday morning to rendezvous at St. Margaret's bus station, Leicester, for the 4 a.m. departure of the full party for Dover. Their concerts will be in Mons, Bruges, Blankenberge and Brussels and their programme will include, in addition to the Tippett fantasia, Alan Ridout's second symphony (written especially for the senior orchestra), Elgar's Enigma variations, Walton's Portsmouth Point overture and Britten's "Four Sea Pictures." Mr. Eric Pinkett, the County music adviser, will be the second conductor.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1966

Belgian Acclaim for County Youth Orchestra

Leicestershire County Youth senior orchestra re turned from a week's tour of Belgium last night with memories of some of the largest and most enthusiastic audiences in their experience. The orchestra were guests of Belgium's Jeunesses Musicale Organisation and three of their six concerts were conducted by Michael Tippett, the composer. Saturday was the occasion of their greatest success. Two concerts in the Brussels Beaux Arts drew tremendous applause for the instrumentalists, the 17-year-old Belgian-born piano soloist Anthony Mott and Mr. Tippett. Mr.Eric Pinkett (County music adviser), who conducted the other three concerts, spoke of Mr. Tippett's wholehearted approval of the venture and of his being "very moved" at the orchestra's fine playing for him of Elgar's "Enigma" variations at the final concert, which was filmed for television.

Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra

LEICESTER MERCURY, MARCH 1966

Surprising maturity revealed by county youth orchestra

AACHENER NACHRICHTEN, JULY 1966

The Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra concert on Thursday evening in the new Kurhaus made a deep impression. These 100 school girls and boys from this English School of Music attain a level of performance which is surprising in times when we suffer from a dearth of qualified up-and-coming players. The large number of string players is particularly astonishing (they included 10 cellists and 4 double basses), as orchestras in Germany are particularly worried about obtaining string players. However, the situation in England, where in musical education the emphasis has always been more on performance, may well be a different and happier one. The performance naturally impressed us more than the large number of players. In this Symphony Orchestra from Leicestershire we have a musical group which has all the essential characteristics of a professional orchestra. Eric Pinkett, the Conductor, has trained his youthful players to a remarkable level, astonishingly so in fact. A number of things struck one; the subtly differentiated variations of dynamics, the sharply defined contrast between forte and pianissimo, the disciplined and firm synchronisation of bowing. Yet there was not only their perfect technique; one warmed to the magnificent obligato, the precise and elemental rhythm, the continually exciting full-blooded vitality making an unusual blend of simple direct music-making and sophistication. All these points of excellence, combined with the programme content, directed as it was towards controversial effects, produced an overall effect which was both convincing and intensely exciting. This was true of the rendering of the modern works admittedly chosen for their middle-of-the-road appeal. But it also went for the versions given of the romantic works of Weber and Brahms. They gave an interpretation of the contemporary Ridout 2nd Symphony which brought out the essentially urbane characteristics of this witty and inventive composition. And Kelly's Cuban Suite came over in a way that brought out its exotic 'folk' character and made a fiery and glittering end to the evening. One got much enjoyment from the Enigma Variations by the English composer Elgar, the distinguishing mark of whose style is the pleasing contrast it offers between its traditionally romantic-classical derivation and an already forward-looking originality. The young visitors from England paid tribute to the great German musical tradition whose path has not infrequently crossed that of English music to the benefit of either, by their performance of the Brahms Academic Festival Overture, with its skilfully incorporated student songs, and with the Weber Clarinet Concertino which was performed with a most attractive playfulness. Its solo part was brilliantly rendered with a subtle feeling for romantic nuance and a sense of classical proportion.

RHEINISCHE POST, JULY 1966

English Youth Symphony Orchestra

An English orchestra consisting of schoolboys and girls from Leicestershire

came across convincingly to the audience in the Konigsburg as a fully-fledged symphony orchestra, both in terms of quality and of the scale of instrumentation. It was the only Symphony Orchestra to take part in the Sixth International Youth Music Festival. It was conducted by Norman Del Mar, for five years conductor of the B.B.C. Scottish Orchestra. David Pugsley was the talented clarinet soloist in Weber's exacting Concertino. This fine orchestra, with 66 girls and 33 boys, including 40 wind players, filled the entire stage and followed their conductor with well-rehearsed discipline. They began with Brahms' Academic Festival Overture executed with brilliance and formal precision. In the Weber Concertino the orchestra showed their well-practiced skill both in accompaniment and in the tutti passages. Just what high standards are expected of the orchestra emerged in the tricky Second Symphony of Alan Ridout, dedicated to the composer Michael Tippett, who sometimes conducts the orchestra, for his 60th birthday, and first performed at Leicester in the De Montfort Hall. This work appeals through its rhythmic and harmonic individuality and its instrumentation. The strings were at no point overwhelmed even by some heavy brass passages and a few mighty drum rolls. The composer of the interesting Cuban Suite, Bryan Kelly, was himself present, and the excellent performance of his work won his full approval. The first two movements are more in Central European than in Latin American style; the scherzo of the second movement introduces a fugato; the third movement and the rhythmically "taut" finale are typically Spanish. Probably the most ambitious offering came last - Elgar's Enigma Variations. The composer (1857-1934) characterises in each of the variations different friends of his. They are described personally too in Elgar's own notes on the work. The melodic, harmonic and orchestral debt to Brahms is unmistakable. The difficult passages for brass, woodwind and strings were magnificently managed by the youthful orchestra. The audience - which could have been larger - paid homage to conductor, soloist and orchestra with enthusiastic applause.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1967

CROYDON ADVERTISER, MAY 1967

Sceptics Confounded

With a programme of five works, all scored for full orchestra, by contemporary British composers - this sort of programme can never have been given at Fairfield before! -Wednesday evening's exceedingly impressive concert by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra certainly lacked nothing in ambition. Indeed, despite the advance publicity that described the orchestra's achievements and their tours abroad, even the most optimistic, non-partisan Croydon concert-goer might justifiably have queried in anticipation: "Well, just how good are they?" His answer came in definite terms right from when the 100 or so players between the ages of about 14 and 18 launched into their virile realisation of the National Anthem. Of the five works, only two, Rawsthorne's second piano concerto and the ballet suite "Checkmate" by Sir Arthur Bliss, were likely to be known to the audience. Except for the Rawsthorne which - to judge by the orchestra's own superlative standards - found a few detailed deficiencies in the playing, the items threw out just that right kind of challenge to fire the enthusiasm of the young musicians. Starting the programme, Robin Orr's Symphony in One Movement made a most acceptable impression on a first hearing: this in itself speaks well of the performance. It is full of verve, with interesting and very imaginative use of the thematic material and cleverly-worked counterpoint and juxtaposition of motifs. Herein did the expertise of the brass and percussion - an excellent timpanist in particular - show itself immediately. In many ways, the orchestra were heard to their best advantage in the " Suite for the birthday of Prince Charles " (Suite in D) by Sir Michael Tippett. Since 1965 Sir Michael has taken an active interest in Leicestershire schools' music, and on Wednesday he was present to conduct his own work. Where the strings had previously been slightly overshadowed by the rest of the orchestra, they really shone in this suite, especially in those full-bow unison passages. This is a delectable set of pieces, which involves a not too subtle use of traditional tunes. The oboe solo in the "Berceuse" was handsomely wrought and elsewhere arose some deft and artistic playing from the first horn. Bryan Kelly's three-movement Sinfonia Concertante, one of the six new works commissioned for this year's Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music, appeared to rely very much upon rhythmic impetus rather than thematic growth for its impact. Thus did the firm tone and zestful attack of the orchestra suit the highly-strung and tightly-knit character of the score. In the Rawsthorne piano concerto, Norma Fisher provided a very assured account of the solo part. She interpreted the "piacevole" indication for the first movement with nicely flexed rhythm. The martellato octave sections throughout the concerto resounded unequivocally, even if the forte finger passages were not comparably steely. The intermezzo built up quite an effective atmosphere, the poco allegro portion moving with happy lightness. In the "Checkmate" suite, the instrumental balance sounded convincing even in the "Dance of the Four Knights". The whole effect was most evocative and the high pressure thrust of the music was exciting and vivid. Primary honours for this stimulating concert must go, of course, to the members of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. But, presumably, they could not have achieved their triumph without sterling training from their conductor Norman del Mar who, though he has been closely associated with the borough in the past (as one-time conductor of the Croydon Symphony Orchestra), was making his first appearance in Fairfield Hall. His ardent, clear-cut style brought out the maximum potential of the orchestra. Credit is unreservedly due, also, to the enlightened administration in Leicestershire.

DAILY MAIL, MAY 1967

Schools music swings into mambo rhythm

Leicestershire Schools' Festival: De Montfort Hall, Leicester

The second Leicestershire Schools' Festival of Music opened last night with a concert consisting entirely of first performances. Four of the five works had been specially commissioned and each was conducted by its composer. For the county's 100-strong Schools' Symphony Orchestra Bryan Kelly supplied a restless Waltonian Sinfonia Concertante and William Mathias an adroit, extrovert Sinfonietta. This, in particular, received a remarkably assured performance. Junior singers, recorder players and percussionists got their chance in Robin Stephenson’s The Listeners, and Brian Bonsor's The Pied Piper, which twice had them swinging into mambo rhythm. Finally and most ambitiously a legion of youngsters took part in Funeral Games for a Greek Warrior, a dance-spectacle imaginatively choreographed by James J. J. Clarke, with strong, colourful music by Alan Ridout which the symphony orchestra played with near professional aplomb.

LEICESTER MERCURY. APRIL 1967

Five new works for County Music Festival

The second Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music begins at the end of the month and will be more ambitious, even, than the highly successful first venture two years ago. As then the week's music activities - beginning with an inaugural service in Leicester Cathedral on April 30 - will be under the active patronage of Sir Michael Tippett whose stature as a composer and whose personal interest played so large a part in making the first festival nationally known.

LEICESTER MERCURY, DECEMBER 1967

Focus on County schools orchestra

B.B.C. television cameras will be at Longslade Grammar School, Birstall next Tuesday to do a feature about the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, whose four day Christmas rehearsal course began yesterday. Sir Michael Tippett will be taking rehearsals on Monday and Tuesday and the B.B.C. television filming team will be there to gather material for a forthcoming programme entitled Music International. The 100 members of the orchestra have become quite used to cameras and microphones by now, so Tuesday's recording is unlikely to create much excitement. It will be the third time that British television has been interested in them and within recent years all their overseas tours have included recordings for subsequent broadcasts.

The orchestra's disappointment in the cancellation (for reasons of economy) of a projected American visit has been alleviated if not wholly eclipsed by the prospect of a trip to Vienna to give important concerts in this the most famous and certainly most glamorous European music centre. The approach to the Leicestershire School of Music for the orchestra's services was made while the American trip was still on and the answer then, of course, had to be "Sorry". Prophetically the reply was: "If America falls through, then come to Vienna." The trip is likely to take place in the late summer. In July the orchestra will play in The Guildhall under the auspices of the organisation Youth and Music of which Sir Robert Mayor is the head. Their conductor will be Sir Michael Tippett. Their biannual concert in Leicester's De Montfort Hall will take place on April 3 and, more immediately, they will their give their first concert in Corby Festival Hall next Friday.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JULY 1967

Young musicians cut first record

A surprise visitor at yesterday's recording session at Leicester De Montfort Hall, where the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra made a twelve-inch commercial disc was the distinguished Norwegian conductor, Oivin Fjeldstad. The story of his presence there is quite romantic. The County School of Music had been trying for some time to get in touch with Mr. Fjeldstad, who is music director and chief conductor of the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra. Their purpose was to coax him to agree to conduct the schools orchestra during their two weeks visit to Denmark next September. Eventually, a telegram was received from Mr. Fjeldstad in which he displayed interest. It was addressed from Uppingham. Just over a year ago his actress daughter, Lisa, married Mr. Gordon Braddy, housemaster at Uppingham School. He was visiting them for the first time. "And so," he said, yesterday, "in order to listen to the Leicestershire orchestra I had to travel only 18 miles." He was given the opportunity also to direct them in a short work by the Danish composer Nielsen - "Masquerade". Apart from the fine quality of their playing, he was impressed by the fact that it had been possible to produce sufficient young musicians of so high a musical standard from so relatively small area to form a full size symphony orchestra of such excellence. He extended his hands in an encompassing gesture. "What if this were done throughout the country?" he asked. His initial reservations about conducting a schools orchestra had been dispelled, he said, and he was in the process of amending his plans in order to be able to conduct them at least once or twice during their visit to Denmark. Yesterday's recording session began at two o'clock after a morning of rehearsal and sound balancing. Television equipment added to the technical array confronting the young members of the orchestra and amid the flowers in the gardens facing the De Montfort Hall entrance, were lights, cameras and microphones where interviews were filmed and recorded for insertion into a half-hour documentary programme about the making of a disc. The feature will be for eventual network broadcast by Associated Rediffusion who, because of their enthusiasm for the occasion, decided to treble the viewing time they had originally planned for it. Three composers were present to conduct their own works, including Sir Michael Tippett whose suggestion it was that the orchestra's standard justified the making of a commercial record. The record will comprise Sir Michael's "Prince Charles" suite, William Mathias's Sinfonietta, Alan Ridout's Concertante Music and Divertimento by Malcolm Arnold which will be conducted by Eric Pinkett, music adviser for Leicestershire. The Ridout work was the result of a telephone call four weeks ago from Mr. Pinkett to the composer with a request for an orchestral piece to fill up ten minutes of recording time. "I had an idea before I put the phone down", said Mr. Ridout yesterday. "The work was composed within 24 hours - that included sleep - and there remained the job of preparing a full score. That's navvies' work and it took four days." The result of his labours and of the tough and exacting schedule undergone with cheerfulness and professional calm by the hard working young musicians of the orchestra will soon be available for all to hear.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JUNE 1967

County School Orchestra to make a record

The senior orchestra of Leicestershire County School of Music, on the advice of Sir Michael Tippett, is to make a commercial record. The recording session will take place at Leicester De Montfort Hall on July 5, when the conductors will be Sir Michael Tippett, William Mathias, Alan Ridout and Eric Pinkett, Music Adviser for Leicestershire. The record will be a natural sequel to the high standard of performance which the orchestra has attained and which was enthusiastically acclaimed by London music critics at the recent Schools Music Festival.

Two of the works played during the Festival will appear on the disc - Mathias's "Sinfonietta" (commissioned for the event) and Tippett's Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles. The third work will be "Divertimento" by Malcolm Arnold who has conducted the orchestra both in this country and abroad. The fourth work has all the excitement of a Stop Press rush. Ten minutes of playing time remained to be filled and after discarding the idea of isolating a movement from a larger work or padding out with a "pot- boiler", it was decided to find a composer who possessed the speed and the flair for dashing off a piece capable of displaying the special qualities of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. The result is Alan Ridout's "Concertante Music" written in less than two weeks and which will have the remarkable distinction of proceeding from conception, writing, copying, rehearsing to recording in exactly four weeks. Ridout says it is one of the most exciting compositions he has produced. He was responsible for the music to the successful ballet-mime "Funeral Games for a Greek Warrior" which received its first performance at the festival. His newest work has been commissioned by Dr. H. L. Haslegrave, Vice-Chancellor of Loughborough University. Both the recording session and the previous all-day rehearsal in the De Montfort Hall will be watched by television film cameras. Later, "The making of a disc" will be included in an Associated Rediffusion programme directed at young people.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1967

Schools festival reveals fund of musical talent

Last night's opening concert at the De Montfort Hall of the 1967 Leicestershire Schools' Festival of Music triumphantly proved that with courage, enterprise, tenacity and a little luck, it was possible to build upon and expand an exciting idea which found its first expression two years ago. In his introduction as patron, Sir Michael Tippett said the 1965 festival had shown what an almost inexhaustible fund of musical talent lies hidden among young people at school, waiting to be developed. "The exciting thing is that Leicestershire has developed that talent," he added.

The five specially commissioned new works which comprised last night's programme not only provided pleasing variety and balance (a little luck), but seemed each in its own way to contribute to the spirit of adventure which characterises the festival idea whose motivating force is the concerted achievement of the seemingly impossible. The concert had the distinction (and the authoritative touch) of having each work conducted by its composer. They were, in order of appearance: Bryan Kelly ("Sinfonia Concertante" for orchestra); William Mathias ("Sinfonietta" for orchestra); Robin Stephenson ("The Listeners" a setting for voices and percussion of Walter de la Mare's poem); Brian Bonsor ("The Pied Piper of Hamelin" for primary schools singers and instrumentalists); and Alan Ridout ("Funeral Games for a Greek Warrior" a ballet-mime with full orchestral accompaniment). The Ridout work was the largest in scale and occupied the whole of the second half of the concert. It comprises seven ritualistic sequences contained within opening and closing processionals of impressive dignity and solemnity. The scenario and choreography was by James J. J. Clarke, a teacher at Ferneley High School, Melton Mowbray, who showed himself to have an unquestionable talent for devising movement and action of a widely expressive range and whose freedom and vitality of line - even in the work's more uninhibited moments - never overstepped the dignified bounds of a self-imposed formal and classical discipline. Ridout's fine score was immediately successful in establishing atmosphere with its huge pillar-like opening chords and in the spaciousness of the music with which he accompanied the slow and stately filling of the stage with 150 costumed children, pupils of junior and high schools in the county. Among some really effective and evocative instrumental writing (like the volatile brass and percussion in the wrestling sequence) Ridout secured sincere beauty and gravity of utterance it the "second lament".

The choreography was interpreted with unfailing confidence by each member of the large company. But the secret of their enthusiasm, of course, was the inspiration of a choreographer who was able to supply the type of thing that young people would both be able to do well and would want to do well. The Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra who produced so polished a realisation of Ridout’s score gave further evidence of their excellence in the two orchestral works, where, with technical and musicianly assurance, they effectively presented the contrasting styles of Kelly and Mathias. The Kelly work employs the concertante style with considerable resource and as a piece of music of structural soundness and compactness and much to say. The first movement neatly prepares the ear for the veiled mood of the second and the percussive aggressiveness of the last movement with its ingeniously worked three-quaver motif, finds ultimate triumph in an explosive and youthfully optimistic finale. The composer himself draws attention to the strong dance element in Mathias's "Sinfonietta." This, too, has an exciting climax, the starting point being the trills and tremolandi that announce the last movement’s mighty summing up of ideas. Instrumental colouring is an individual characteristic of the work and particularly attractive was the slow movement's nebulous and diffuse colouring - stemming, it seemed from the peculiarly ambiguous tone-quality of the vibraphone which was part of a large percussive array. The supreme assurance of some 250 junior singers was reflected in their singing from memory the whole (with the exception of two short cuts) of Browning's "Pied Piper" in Brian Bonsor's delightful and witty setting accompanied by a piano, recorders and Orff Instruments (played by a group of young performers) and the symphony orchestra's percussion section. If Bonsor did not quite have the instrumental resources to eke out with complete satisfaction the lengthy story, he deserves credit for applying ingenuity so well. The exodus of the rats to Latin-American rhythm was a deft and swingy touch; so too the lugubrious Mayor-and-Corporation theme and the early exclamation from 250 voices- RATS! A much-needed piece, this, for the young folks' repertoire. Finally, I acknowledge the rare innocent beauty of "The Listeners" sung with clarity and charm by children from Coalville Broomleys Junior School. Robin Stephenson's setting, with its simple accompaniment combines in a remarkable way economy of means with moving effect. A short work, but the memory of it is lasting. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1967

Incredible performance by 100 Young Musicians

1967 Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music ended on a spectacular note at the De Montfort Hall last night with Norman Del Mar conducting the County Senior Symphony Orchestra in a quite electrifying account of Bliss’s Checkmate ballet suite. This was fine playing by any standard but from 100 Young musicians all still at school - incredible. The strings had praiseworthy intonation and flexibility and alacrity of phrase, and from all other departments there was technical assurance and excellence of ensemble. The Bliss work was the final item in a well balanced programme, decidedly modern in bias (quite rightly) and which included a splendid account of Rawsthorne’s second piano concerto with Norma Fisher as soloist. Rawsthorne's orchestral palette is lavish and so subtle in its exploitation of instrumental timbres that a pianist without a comparable sense of colour would seem as flat as stale beer. But Miss Fisher was conspicuously successful in producing variety of touch and tone and contributed to a wonderfully integrated performance. There are few conductors (as the Rawsthorne showed) with so sensitive a feel for rhythm and so keen an ear of orchestral sound as Mr. Del Mar. These qualities abounded in his moving interpretation of Robin Orr's Symphony in One Movement.

It is a work of considerable stature and whose strong and succinct argument demands and holds the attention throughout. Its final peroration, beginning with a lyric solo for the oboe is placid and quite beautiful. The orchestra seemed to share their conductor's affection for the work and their response was splendid. There was, indeed, no blemish that came between the listener and the music. Praise to the timpanist for his intelligent and musicianly handling of a key role in the symphony. In Brahm's St. Anthony Variations, Mr. Del Mar brought to bear on a traditional work some of the virtues which have gained him a reputation as an interpreter of moderns. His performance was always clear-textured, and his tempo in the fifth variation together with his delicate pointing of phrases did justice to Brahms's delightful interplay of cross rhythms.

Sir Michael Tippett, the Festival's patron, was loudly applauded for his conducting of his own popular "Suite for the birthday of Prince Charles" and no-one applauded him more vigorously than the members of the orchestra with whom he is a great favourite and something more besides. Sir Michael and Mr. Del Mar made a joint platform appearance at the close of the concert and were simultaneously presented by the orchestra with (respectively) a silver baton and a pair of silver cufflinks - both the products of Loughborough College of Art. Thus was a tribute made to two famous musicians who have added their inspiration and skill to the sterling work of the County School of Music staff in producing a memorable festival.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1967

Top Composer praises schools orchestra

Alan Rawsthorne the composer was full of praise for the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra whose playing at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon last night was enthusiastically received by a large audience. The programme with one exception was a repeat of that with which the 1967 Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music concluded last Friday and the conductors, once again, were Norman Del Mar and Sir Michael Tippett with Norma Fisher the soloist in Rawsthorne's Second Piano Concerto. Rawsthorne joined soloist and conductor on the platform to share the generous ovation for an excellent performance of his concerto. Later, he told me how impressed he had been with the standard of the orchestral playing. He had been both surprised and delighted with their realisation of his own work. "They showed remarkable subtlety in their playing", he said "particularly for such young musicians". Another composer to hear his music performed and to join Mr. Del Mar on the platform was Bryan Kelly, whose Sinfonia Concertante especially commissioned for the Schools Festival, was played in place of Brahms's "St. Anthony" variations and thus received its second performance. The Fairfield concert hall is part of Croydon's fine new cultural centre. Its acoustic is somewhat brittle and demands exacting performances. But the Leicestershire County Schools Symphony Orchestra were fully equal to the task and played throughout with sharpness and precision of attack and excellent balance.

R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1967

Student’s study of an orchestra

A 20-year old Birstall student has combined his old hobby of music with his present interest in photography to produce a pictorial study of the Leicester County School of Music. Bearded Paul Stokes, 18 Sandgate Avenue, Birstall has been compiling a photographic record of the schools' orchestra since Easter. Paul played clarinet with the orchestra for seven years but is now studying photography at Leicester College of Art. He says: "I knew many of the people in the orchestra and this made my project easier- they soon got used to me crawling around the stage taking photographs while they practiced." Paul's book, which he plans to present to the orchestra on Monday, is divided into six topics - instruments, rehearsals, conductors, on the road, back stage and concerts. To gather material, he accompanied the orchestra to a concert at Fairfield Hall, Croydon. Here, some of his work was exhibited along with some paintings by local artists. Among the famous faces that appear in Paul's book are Norman Del Mar, Alan Ridout and Sir Michael Tippett. The latter is at present writing a foreword for the book. Paul, formerly of Loughborough College School, has a year to go at the College of Art. Recently he passed the finals of his City and Guild photographic exam. Eventually he hopes to make a career of photo-journalism, but at present Paul is working on an ice-cream van earning money for more equipment.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1967

County Orchestra 'An Inspiration' to Danes

The Leicestershire Schools Senior Symphony Orchestra is establishing an excellent reputation in the Danish towns which it is currently visiting. Concerts given by the orchestra have been of such a high standard that, according to newspaper reports, audiences were "astonished" that young people aged between 15 and 18 could give such professional performances. One critic wrote:

"At certain times the performances were exceedingly beautiful." Another said: "The English orchestra is a result of teaching music in schools. We do not pursue this field of teaching to our full extent, but this Leicestershire orchestra should inspire us to do more." With conductor Mr. Eric Pinkett, the orchestra, comprising 65 girls and 36 boys, arrived by the liner Sir Winston Churchill at the port of Esbjerg on Friday. They spent the weekend in Danish homes and on Saturday an organised sightseeing tour, including a visit to the home of the world-famous fairy tale writer, Hans Andersen, was arranged. In the evening the orchestra gave its first performance in the town hall at Odense.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1967

Nothing psychedelic about these musicians

Members of the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra have every reason to be thoroughly pleased and proud of themselves today after the admirable way they acquitted themselves on television last night. In an early evening programme on ITV called Come Here Often viewers were given a fascinating glimpse of the county's young orchestra preparing to make a record in the De Montfort Hall, Leicester. The youngsters absolutely brimmed over with a contagious enthusiasm for their music, much of which has been specially written for them. What a change it was to see and hear teenagers talking about the satisfaction and fulfilment they get from music, to hear how hard they are prepared to work and practice to make their orchestra one of the most highly regarded youth groups in the country. These young people needed no stimulants like drugs and psychedelic trappings to help them enjoy their music, which to some will quite obviously become their lives. There was such a refreshing modesty and eagerness about these musicians who spoke frankly of their aspirations to Cliff Morgan, that it was a great pity the feature didn't last a good deal longer and that we didn't hear a lot more of their playing. Alan Ridout summed up the orchestra when he said how happy it was and how gay the youngsters made everything. It was a tribute to them that he also thought they took more readily to playing complex irregular rhythms than adults. Sir Michael Tippett, the composer and conductor, who has written for the Leicestershire orchestra did not stint his praise of our young people, either. He said they were making the record because they wanted to show everybody what it is possible to do with young people in one musical society. The young people had a tremendous instinct for music. The record, a long player, which the orchestra recorded last July, is due out in November and on the basis of the orchestra's performance - short though it was last night, it ought to sell exceedingly well in the circles at which it is aimed. Only one thing was blatantly wrong with the programme - it was its timing. One would hardly have thought that those most interested in it - parents, friends, teachers, etc. - would have been in a position to watch it at 5.25 p.m. It seemed to me it was of sufficient interest to be televised at a more popular time. Even though it was a youth orchestra it certainly wasn't kids' stuff. M.R.W.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1968

AUDIO AND RECORD REVIEW, MARCH 1968

We are hearing much just now about the low standard and bad conditions of music education in England, and I think it is true, especially in so far as financial support is concerned; yet hearing this record it is clear that despite all difficulties and official backslidings there are certainly bright spots in the result, and may be taken as evidence of heartening progress. This would hardly have been thinkable thirty, or even twenty, years ago. In fact, Leicestershire appointed its first Music Adviser in 1948, but since then developments have been swift and positive. There are three orchestras of the County School of Music - Junior, Intermediate and Senior. This of course is the Senior, comprising around 100 members between the ages of 14 and 18. I haven't heard them before, and I am considerably impressed. Other counties have their music activities too but Leicestershire has made a particularly thorough job of it. Of the works here recorded, Tippett's Suite was written for the birthday of Prince Charles in 1948; Malcolm Arnold's Divertimento was written for the National Youth Orchestra in 1959; William Mathias's Sinfonietta dates from late 1966 and Alan Ridout's Concertante Music was specially composed for this recording, to a commission from the Loughborough University of Technology, in July 1967. They make a well varied group, style and orchestral requirement aptly contrasted. Though all the music is technically resourceful, demanding resource from its players, nothing is wildly or wilfully complex in the abstruse sense. Sir Michael Tippett's Suite uses a number of traditional tunes, including Crimond and Early one morning and a French one in the Berceuse, for a work that is at once simple yet full of original and imaginative elements. Ridout's Concertante Music and Mathias's Sinfonietta are excellent vehicles for young orchestral players in their different ways, and so predictably is Arnold's Divertimento. The Ridout has some intriguing rhythmic juxtapositions, and the Mathias is said on the sleeve to make use of popular rhythms of our time, though I see but little direct evidence of that, or else the note writer does not mean by popular rhythms what I mean by it, and if the slow movement has the character of a 'blues’, then again the connection escapes me. But that says nothing against the music itself, which is, like the rest, attractive to listen to and I've no doubt interesting to play. The orchestral playing has in general the natural exuberance and technical caution characteristic of very young musicians. Brass, woodwind and percussion are especially enthusiastic, and if the strings sound rather less so, and slightly less assured, that is to be expected, especially in England. The recording is generally good, but I hardly know how to give a performance rating in the context. What is the relevant standard of reference? The crack national and international orchestras, or something vaguely described as 'youth' or 'schools'? The former is obviously absurd, but the latter may seem patronizing or indulgent. What is not in question is that this is a useful and enterprising issue for which all concerned-deserve praise, for content and execution as well as its basic idea.

BURNETT JAMES

GUILDHALL CONCERT, JULY 1968

Tippett's young players excel

If I had been writing about a professional, adult symphony orchestra, I should have been making minor quibbles about its performance. But I am writing about the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, creation of county music adviser Eric Pinkett. It is composed of Leicestershire schoolchildren between the ages of 14 and 18 who get together each Saturday morning during term time and also for an annual Easter course. Unlike the members of some other youth orchestras, they are ordinary schoolchildren and not full-time music students. And as such they are extremely good. It is enormously to the credit of a composer of world eminence like Sir Michael Tippett, who conducted the larger part of Saturday's concert, that he takes the time and trouble to rehearse and direct them. No other youth orchestra, surely, has the inspiration of being associated with a contemporary composer of like stature. Its Guildhall programme of well-chosen English music was better than I had any right to expect.

Concert by the young

The more hopeful visits one makes to Guildhall, the more distressing it is to realise afterwards that the hall's acoustic conditions and seating arrangements are hopeless for orchestral concerts. That time and time again they prove the dominant feature, and that the sooner the City Festival stops squandering some of its most promising events on them the better. However, last Saturday's concert was a much happier occasion than most. This was a Youth and Music concert given by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. All things considered, young string players are helped by acoustics like these, especially in the c.1900 repertory, which provides the best material for them. On Saturday it gave their playing body and warmth, turned enthusiasm into confidence and freshness into style. Delius's Brigg Fair, Vaughan Williams's Greensleeves and most of Elgar's Enigma Variations sounded very well indeed. In another hall I think I would have been disappointed by their playing after such dazzling reports from last year's Leicester Festival and remembering comparable orchestras such as the London S.S.O. and the Kent County Youth, whose performance of Walton's First Symphony still astonishes me. A surprising amount of makeshift bowing and fingering was going on in the strings and though some of the wind playing was very good indeed some also was much less so. Nor did Sir Michael Tippett's nervously indecisive conducting seem to help them and the highlight of the concert was the spirited performance of Walton's virtuoso showpiece, Partita, the one item conducted by their trainer, Eric Pinkett. G. W.

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1968

Film Date for County Schools Orchestra

Having been televised, broadcast on radio and put on gramophone record, there seems only one form of mass communication that the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra has missed.

But that will be rectified next week, writes the Leicester Mercury music critic, R.A.P., when the 100 members of the orchestra will take part in a film entitled "Music! " which is being made for the National Music Council. Tomorrow, the orchestra leave Leicestershire for Chippenham where their Easter course of intensive rehearsal will be directed by conductor Norman Del Mar. Sir Michael Tippett, patron of the enterprising Leicestershire School of Music, will take part in the filming, which will occupy the final two days of the eight day course. The ultimate in artistic achievement in "Music!" will be represented by the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra under its conductor Colin Davis who is acting as Musical Adviser for the film project. The B.B.C. orchestra's co- leader Trevor Williams will be one of two specialist tutors at Chippenham during the Easter course. The other is Ambrose Gaultlett, senior cello professor at the Royal Academy. "Music!" will also feature Leicestershire schools. Excerpts from the many and varied activities that are part of the County's musical growth were filmed last month at Birstall, Quorn, Thurmaston, Thurcaston, Coalville and Burton-on-the-Wolds. Nichola Gebolys, the gifted young pianist who has already played with the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra, will also be there to rehearse for forthcoming concerts in Leicester De Montfort Hall (May 1), Fairfield Hall, Croydon, and during the Vienna trip in the early Autumn.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1968

Youth and maturity in orchestra’s style

This orchestra, now deservedly famous, has the rare privilege of enjoying at one and the same time perennial youth and increasing maturity of style. The 100 young musicians who filled the stage of Leicester De Montfort Hall last night, for instance, were no longer wholly the same as those whose excellent playing has been permanently captured on a 12-inch record issued earlier this year. But departures at the top end of the age-range are annually compensated for by replenishments supplied via the County School of Music's two other symphony orchestras - the Junior and the Intermediate. The process is continual and it is worth mentioning because one item in last night’s programme reflects the rate of advancement that has been achieved in very recent years and the confidence that the orchestra attracts and enjoys. Walton's Partita was written expressly to show off the paces of one of the world's most virtuoistic orchestras - the Cleveland. It was first performed a decade ago at which time nobody - not even in Leicestershire - would have conceived of its being attempted by a schools orchestra. But played it was, last night, fearlessly and with evidence of a genuine instinct for Walton's characteristic rhythmic energy in the outer movements and with good solo work in the central Siciliana. In a different way and without the technical battles to remind us of sheer difficulty of execution, the Delius was as fully revealing of orchestral quality and more, of mature orchestral thinking. Under Eric Pinkett's direction, this was a highly successful performance in which the various sections of the orchestra used intelligence and excellent ensemble sense to fill out with fine balance and tone the composer's rich harmonic textures. There were some really sumptuous sounds to be heard. In an evening's music which set out to be entertaining the high comedy spot was lbert's Divertissement with its Keystone Cops finale. It was extremely well played by chamber orchestra with percussion and the 25 performers relished its sharp wit without loss of musicianly restraint. Eric Pinkett generously and wisely allowed the beautiful playing of Nichola Gebolys to inflect the course of the Franck Variations. She is a pianist of quite exceptional gifts among which (a rarity nowadays) is her capacity for making the instrument sing. She has a beguiling legato, an alert rhythmic sense and (as in the lento section) the ability to sustain lengthy expressive paragraphs. A word of praise here to the cellos for their sympathetic response. There is space only to mention the robust and vigorous orchestral playing that, in breezy contemporary American-idiom, opened and closed a concert that was sponsored by the Friends of the County School of Music with the aim of helping towards the cost of the orchestra’s Autumn trip to Vienna, Salzburg, Graz, Linz and Munich. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1968

Young county musicians in Royal Premiere

The full-length colour film "Music!" which will feature Leicestershire County School of Music is likely to have a Royal premiere in September. Leicestershire's contribution will be completed at Birstall on May 25 when the sound of the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra will be recorded for "dubbing" on to the film made during the orchestra's Easter course at Chippenham.

Earlier in the year, film and recordings were made of the musical life of six Leicestershire schools. "Music!" whose musical director is Colin Davis (conductor of the B.B.C. Symphony Orchestra) is planned as a prestige film which will be shown at international festivals.

The record made by the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra has had very favourable reviews since its issue earlier in the year, writes Leicester Mercury music critic R. A. P. and the standard of playing has won enthusiastic praise. There have been one or two mild criticisms of the disc's quality of sound and having been present in the De Montfort Hall during the recording I can confirm that the orchestra's characteristic vitality has not been perfectly captured. The young instrumentalists technical achievement, of course, speaks for itself but the aural effect of my particular copy improved enormously after I discovered that a stereophonic disc had been mistakenly put in a mono sleeve!

LEICESTER MERCURY, NOVEMBER 1968

How Leicestershire’s young musicians

put Austria’s teaching to shame

"If you had happened to meet them on the street you would never have believed that the

long-haired girls in their mini-skirts would even know how to hold a violin properly, let alone play

it nicely." But as it happened they did play well (so did the Beatle - headed boys) and musical Austria has never been quite the same since. My quote is from a Graz newspaper. It is one of many similarly influential newspapers in Austria which embarked on a self-critical look at the state of music there, following the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra's autumn tour. The Graz paper does little more than hint. "There is no need to worry about the development of young musicians – in England, anyway," it states. It does also admit, however, that Graz's school system is one in which music has "so little purposeful a place". But for uninhibited forthrightness, listen to the Express of Vienna. "Let us keep quiet about the legendary musical country of Austria," it declares while, at the same time, strenuously denying the myth that nothing great in the field of music is to be found in England apart from Purcell, Britten and the Covent Garden Opera. "Indeed, they have achieved what has not happened elsewhere in Europe and this is the foundation of a genuine amateur orchestra in which children are brought up in a common musical effort. If we think what a decreasingly small proportion of Austrian school children play an instrument, and how much smaller still this number would be if we exclude those who play the piano the outlook is dismal and when we think further that in the 'Capital of Music', Vienna, the same gentlemen who put about this high-flown description in all possible and impossible official outlets in the world have just decided to reduce the amount of music instruction in Austria to one hour per week, eyes fill with tears of despair. They should have gone to the concert of the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra and, perhaps, these children of our time, mini-skirted and beatle headed, would have taught them better". A Salzburg newspaper suggests the setting up of some musical education scheme which is lacking not only in Salzburg (which claims for itself the name of "musical city") but also in Vienna. "The appearance of English school children should remind those in responsible places about their duty to set up youth orchestras in this country not least because we were able to see how spontaneously the young and enthusiastic audience responded".

Three Linz newspapers are equally critical of the present state of things in Austria and demand action. The young Leicestershire musicians, according to one, descended "like a thunderbolt from the clear sky" to the consternation of those who always imagined that Austria was the "leader of the world in music". "You had to wish," it added, "that Austria's Minister of Education could have heard them. Perhaps then it would have dawned on him what a crime it is that in our country music lessons in the upper schools have been reduced." Another Linz paper was surprised that the Orchestra should be the product of the English who, generally, "do not play a very important role in the musical avant garde". Nevertheless, it recommended the Leicestershire achievement as being worthy of serious study by Austrian music teachers. "We were almost eaten up with envy" was the third Linz paper's unqualified approval of the Schools Symphony Orchestra. And like many others its writer had an eye for girls' mini skirts which, he (?) observed, "are getting ever shorter." But the implied approval of ascending hemlines in this phrase was not shared by the Wiener Zeitung. "To the girls we must say that their mini-skirts on the concert platform do not make a very good impression" it stated, reprovingly. And having read through a score or more notices and comments from the German and Austrian Press (in translations supplied via the County School of Music) I can say that this was the only piece of severe criticism that the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra attracted in a tour of nearly three weeks' duration. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, OCTOBER 1968

Norman Del Mar talks about young music makers

"Initially, I make no adjustment," Mr. Del Mar told me, "my approach is professional, I treat these young players as professionals and expect professional work from them." Then, with an expanding smile: "But, of course, it soon becomes evident that one is not getting it! But I think it eminently preferable to operate in this way than to expect little and try to work upwards."

The word "professional" is one that the 100 members of Leicestershire Schools Symphony hear frequently during a rehearsal. He cajoles them with it and he taunts them with it. But he knows their limits. There comes a time when he has to say to himself: "Ah, that's as far as we can go." Invariably, however, the limit exceeds earlier expectancy. To insist on high standards is to raise standards. Mr. Del Mar has had much experience of conducting youth orchestras, but the Leicestershire Schools Symphony, he says is the finest of them. Could they still improve? Yes. Particularly if rehearsal discipline could be improved. "Sometimes I think I'm not strict enough with them. They are inclined to switch off when I am talking to them and then switch on again when I've finished. Then they play exactly the same as they did before I stopped to correct them."

"That is one point where they differ from professionals, but of course, it is something which goes with their age and can't altogether be eliminated. Nevertheless, I think we could do better. I really must be more strict." The Leicestershire Schools Symphony have earned a reputation for tackling exacting works. William Walton’s Partita was composed to display the prowess of one of the world's virtuoso orchestras - the Cleveland. It has been part of the Austria / Germany tour programmes and is the toughest thing the county's young musical ambassadors have attempted. Half of the professional Del Mar, one could see, would have inclined towards discretion. But the other half appreciated and valued the fact that youthful zest and fearlessness - and talent - can endow such a work with an aura that is both exciting and musically valid.

"The Partita," he said, "can if it goes well, produce a total effect which can be recognised and felt even if all the right notes aren’t there. It is that sort of work and the Leicestershire orchestra can bring it off." But works which were less technically demanding were often as hard to play for other reasons. Beethoven symphonies were challenging because they were so well known, and because the quality of musicianship required to do service to them was exceedingly high. But this was not an argument for ignoring them. ("We ought to do more classics".) Thus is revealed an approach to music which is as respectful as it is professional-an attitude which the young musicians who play under the Del Mar baton are urged to share. Even a "lollipop", as I heard, receives serious attention. "This may be only an encore," he declared to an orchestra silenced by staccato rap on the music desk, "but it happens to be the sort of thing which, if it is to be done at all, needs to be done terribly well." Norman Del Mar's enthusiasm is both considerable and infectious - a characteristic which makes his rehearsals stimulating and entertaining affairs. He expands fluently and exuberantly on all aspects of music at a tempo swifter than shorthand. Towards the end of the rehearsal interval during which we talked, a glance at his watch heralded another instance of his professionalism. "Only two more minutes," he warned me, "I mustn't keep them waiting".

Two minutes to learn that Mr. Del Mar has completed two volumes of his study of Richard Strauss and is now at work on the third and last. That he has plans for a book on orchestration - "not the usual kind of thing but something quite different". That he has a symphony "on the stocks" which he wouldn't "force" on anyone because his compositional style (late chromatic) may prove to be no longer viable.

That his work with the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra is exciting, worthwhile, rewarding and that he wished he had had the benefit of something similar in his early years.

I next met Norman Del Mar after the successful concert at Croydon. He had drawn playing from them that had vitality and a clean professional sound. Walton's Partita had been one of the items. Had it achieved its total effect? Not the sort of question to pose at an official reception. But glass in hand and acknowledging congratulations on the orchestra's behalf, he said he was tremendously looking forward to his tour with Leicestershire's young musicians. R. A. P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1968

Tough tour for county musicians

After a strenuous day involving a recording for television, rehearsals and an evening concert at Croydon, 100 members of Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra leave Dover tomorrow for a concert-giving tour of Austria and Germany that would test the stamina of hardened professionals. The orchestra’s first engagement after leaving Leicester this morning was at the B.B.C. television centre in London where they stayed for an hour to record music for the feature "How It Is." After lunch in London they left for an afternoon rehearsal at Fairfield Hall, Croydon in preparation for tonight’s concert there which will be conducted by Norman Del Mar. The concert over, they travel to Dover to spend the night in youth hostels and, after the sea crossing, they will stay overnight in Brussels before travelling overland via Frankfurt and Nuremburg to Linz where on Wednesday they will give concerts in the afternoon and evening. On the two succeeding days they will give concerts at Eisenstadt and Leoben respectively and on the following Saturday, a morning concert at Graz will be recorded by Graz Radio for future transmission. The orchestra will arrive in Vienna the same evening and after a free Sunday for sightseeing, they will give two concerts in the city - on Monday, September 30 and the following Tuesday. Their concert on Wednesday, October 2 will be given in Salzburg's Mozarteumsaal and they will complete their engagements in Munich where they will record for Bavarian Radio on the morning of Thursday, October 3 and give a concert in the evening. The Leicestershire Schools Orchestra will travel back to England via Frankfurt and Dunkirk. Most of them will return back to the county, of course, but a number of them will say goodbye in London to their colleagues and to the County School of Music and begin life as students at the various music colleges. Altogether, the orchestra will give nine concerts abroad, six of which will be conducted by Norman Del Mar and three by Eric Pinkett, the County's Music Adviser. R. A. P.

RECORDS AND RECORDING, MARCH 1968

Perhaps it’s unfortunate that the words 'Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra' in big bold

type dominate the cover of this record: too many browsers will smile indulgently - and pass on.

They don't need to; this record needs no indulgence. Though the scores are by no means easy to

play, these young people achieve a remarkably high standard of performance which compares

favourably with many professional orchestras. Predictably the woodwind are very good; less

predictably, the brass are first-rate with some thrilling playing from the horns. Only in the

stratosphere of string writing (as in Tippett's Carol and Finale) is there any suspicion of insecurity.

But this record offers something more than a preview of tomorrow's orchestral players; it brings forward four works by contemporary composers which are tuneful, exciting and musically rewarding. Though 'modern' in idiom they are pleasantly so, indeed this record might well be called 'Modernism without Tears'. The Intrada of Tippett's Suite irritates me because it keeps dragging in the first line of 'Crimond' for no very obvious reason, but never gives us the rest of the tune. Otherwise the Suite is delightful, gracious music. Berceuse is, appropriately, built round a charming old French air. Then a stately fanfare for winds introduces and rounds off a lively jig which admirably demonstrates the virtuosity of the strings. The fourth movement Carol is based on Angelus ad Virginum and the Finale mischievously combines a cornish dance with Early one Morning! Ridout's Concertante Music, specially written for this recording, is more astringent but generates a good deal of motor excitement. Though written in one movement it has a clearly defined A-B-A-coda structure, the middle section acting as a brief slow movement.

The other two works also have three movements, lively-slow-lively. Mathias adds a piano to his orchestra, not soloistically but as an orchestral instrument used to produce evocative tone colours. The slow movement has a strong spice of the Orient, not the genuine Orient but the Orient of Rimsky-Korsakov, Puccini and Strauss; so much so that I was irreverently reminded of Ketelbey's Persian Market! The finale is a sizzler. Arnold's Divertimento is, as one would expect, tremendous fun. It is also an exciting challenge to the youngsters' skill. The Nocturne takes a naughty side-swipe at Bartok at his most nocturnal while the hilarious finale is constructed, of all things, on a solemn ground bass. Pray silence, ladies and gentlemen, while we listen to Purcell spinning in his grave! The recording is excellent in both stereo and mono and all -four works deserve to become popular. On cheap label a prize not to be missed.

TV WORLD, FEBRUARY 1968

At a time when pop musicians steal most of the glory, the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra has built up a deservedly high reputation. One of the pioneers of youth orchestras, it has toured all over Europe, and last month made its first long-playing record. On Wednesday, it plays a new work by Herbert Chappell in Sounds Exciting. It's an unusual composition about musical instruments falling in love. The viola is the heroine of the piece. She finally marries the piano. And playing the viola will be 18-year-old Moira Watkinson. Said Moira: "There's always been a feeling of professionalism in the orchestra, although we are all still at school. We practice together every Saturday morning but that's nothing to the work we put in during the week.

I spend two hours a night playing the viola." Boy friends? "No, music is the most important thing in my life."

WATFORD OBSERVER, JANUARY 1968

Feeling like a tonic?

Other counties please copy….

IF you feel like being cheered up, go out and buy Pye Golden Guinea GGC 4103 mono, GSGC 14103 stereo. Lower your pick-up on to side one and listen to some orchestral playing of a quality which might be representative of any professional orchestra north of London. But this is not a professional orchestra. It's the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra which draws its players not from the whole nation but just a single county. They play four pieces, all by contemporary British composers. There is Sir Michael Tippett's Suite for the birthday of Prince Charles, Alan Ridout's Concertante Music, William Mathias’s Sinfonietta and the Divertimento by Malcolm Arnold. Conducting honours are divided between Tippett, Ridout, Mathias and the Leicestershire schools music director, Eric Pinkett. If this can be done in Leicestershire, it can be done in Hertfordshire or in any other county. There is no reason to suppose that Leicestershire has a monopoly of musical talent in its schoolchildren and this record suggests pretty clearly that there is a tremendous number of musically gifted children in this country whose ability is never even recognised. The quality of the Leicestershire orchestra is extremely good and one or two young musicians make it clear that music is going to be their career. Certainly the timpanist is a boy with outstanding ability.

LEICESTER MERCURY, OCTOBER 1968

Musicians' Fantastic Tour

The recent tour of Austria by the County School of Music was a "fantastic" success and enhanced the reputation of Britain. This was reported to the Leicestershire Education Committee by the director of education, Mr. S. C. Mason. He said it had been the orchestra's most strenuous tour yet and it had virtually played one-night stands. But the response had also been the warmest ever. Halls where they played had been full and there had been long ovations. The committee chairman, Alderman Peter Hill referred to the orchestra as "one of the jewels" in the authority's crown.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1969

Press Cutting: Spandauer Volksblatt 16/9/69

A far cry from the school orchestra

At the Anglo/German Youth Festival the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra were the guests last Saturday at the Philharmonie. Sir Michael Tippett, one of the most important figures in British music, conducted the orchestra which is as far removed from a school orchestra as a Philharmonic orchestra is from a palm court orchestra. In the programme we read....'at the moment about 800 children, about one tenth of all school children in the County, learn to play an instrument in school time'... imagine that happening here! The best of these young musicians then make up this schools orchestra and the idea that girls only play the cello has been despatched to the ranks of legend. Everywhere, in woodwind and brass, in percussion or - and here of course in the majority - the strings, they provide the core. The only condition, apart from their talent, is that they must be between 14 and 18 years of age. It is really astonishing - and they play with skill, spontaneity and verve, though they are particularly inspired, as you would expect, in the loud, vigorous passages. But Sir Michael Tippett is able to draw from them a colour a shape and a phrasing which at this age is almost magical. And it is a 'genuine' programme, not the normal one for a school orchestra. Hindemith's 'Metamorphoses on a theme by Weber', the rhapsodic, impressionistic 'Brigg Fair' by Frederick Delius, who is largely unknown here, 'Putnam's Camp' by Charles Ives, 'Quiet City' by Aaron Copland, Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue', with the composer-pianist Richard Rodney Bennett as soloist and Tippett's own 'Prologue, Interlude II and Epilogue' for choir and orchestra. For this the Berliner Konzertchor had made itself available and gave another good, testing performance.

Press Cutting: Berliner Zeitschrift 15/9/69

Schoolchildren

The famous, well-travelled Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra - an orchestra of schoolchildren under the direction of the internationally known composer Sir Michael Tippett - in the Philharmonie, played difficult pieces with such precision that we could only wonder at their technical boldness. Many second or third class orchestras of ours might envy the stark clarity of the brass as it was displayed in Hindemith's 'Metamorphoses' and Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue'.

The trumpeter alone was worth the visit. Great applause from the young people of Berlin.

Press Cutting: Kolner Kulturspiegel 20/9/69

Astonishment at young musicians…

The Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra Presents Itself

It is a great surprise to meet the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, who played last night in the Gymnasium Kreuzgasse, under the direction of the composer Sir Michael Tippett. The members of the orchestra are boys and girls playing all the instruments of the classical orchestra. They have been selected by expert teachers from the schools in Leicestershire and meet every week for exhaustive study of music. The most extraordinary thing of all is that these young people are in no sense training to become professional musicians: the orchestra is not a place of apprenticeship for future instrumentalists and its members are allowed to play only so long as they are still at school. It is then an orchestra of 14 to 18 year olds - but what maturity of interpretation, what brilliant technique, especially in the strings. It speaks for itself that they ventured to open the concert with Glinka's overture to 'Russlan and Ludmilla'. Technical limitations were occasionally perceptible and in particular Hindemith's 'Metamorphoses' seemed slightly beyond their powers but the performers nevertheless mastered with extraordinary majesty the intellectual world of this composer. A great deal of the brilliance of course was attributable to Tippett: but the whole performance showed that anything is possible musically

if a firm mind guides available talent along the right lines. Naturally the composer / pianist Richard Rodney Bennett too had great success in Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue'. After an extremely successful piece by Ives the concert closed with a still incomplete suite by Tippett, involving choir (in this performance the Kolner Chor 61). Several important canons, knitted together quite simply, make up this piece which is also scored for orchestra.

Press Cutting: Ruhr - Nachrichten 18/9/69

Inspiring English orchestra….

Verve and skill of young musicians greeted with

much applause from the audience

Berlin, Hannover, Gelsenkirchen and Cologne are the stops on this year's tour of Germany by England's most famous schools orchestra, The Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. Karl Riebe was the one who succeeded in bringing back to Gelsenkirchen, for its second visit, this orchestra which consists of some 100 young people between the ages of 14 and 18. What is achieved by these school children from Leicestershire seems unimaginable to those astonished German audiences who hear it. It is with shame that we learn that 10% of all school children in Leicestershire learn to play a musical instrument and that they do so in school time. These refreshing young boys and girls perform a quite unconventional programme with a verve which is so lacking in our own routine subsidised professional orchestras and it must be realised this is only the top of a broad based pyramid of musical education: the schools of Leicestershire alone support four such symphony orchestras. No wonder the gap between school music and real music, which has hitherto been so cruelly and sadly apparent, seems not to exist in England. The best composers and conductors in the country see it as their business to work with school orchestras. Thus it is that this orchestra is conducted on its tour by no less than Sir Michael Tippett, England's least compromising musical personality and the solo part in Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue' was played by Richard Rodney Bennett, one of the most prolific composers of the younger generation. The programme was well suited to the temperament of the youngsters. First there was Glinka's 'Russlan and Ludmilla' Overture played at a daredevil tempo. This was followed by an austere symphonic poem, heavily atmospheric, by the American Aaron Copland, his 'Quiet City'. Paul Hindemith's musical wit, as expressed in his 'Metamorphoses on a theme by Weber', seemed particularly suited to the mentality of Tippett and his young friends. The tightly packed ranks of the wind section were exciting and, visually most exciting of all, the girls beating cymbals and drums. After Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue', which of course was the most applauded item of all, came the musical high point. Charles Ives's really brilliant symphonic study 'Putnam's Camp', which incorporates various interwoven dance and march rhythms, is full of visionary and yet barbaric strength: written before 1910, this piece seems today to anticipate precisely the pluralistic techniques of Pop - Art. At the end we had Michael Tippett's 'Prologue, Interlude II and Epilogue'. Incorporated in a differentiated orchestral piece are choral quotations from Old English Music: in the juxtaposition of two levels of musical style Tippett here achieves an almost philosophical effect. The Jung Chor of Bochum and VHS Chor of Gelsenkirchen sang the choral parts of this piece with impressive confidence. Conductor and orchestra received tumultuous applause from the young people of Gelsenkirchen.

Press Cutting: Westfalische Botschaft 18/9/69

Tumultuous applause greets soloists and orchestra…

Brilliant Performance by Youth Orchestra from Leicestershire

For the second time the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra appeared in Gelsenkirchen as guest performers at the Casino Concert Series. More than 100 young musicians between 14 and 18 years played last Tuesday in the Hans Sachs Haus; close on 1,000 listeners on the platform and in the body of the hall gave tumultuous applause which was richly deserved by the orchestra, by its own soloists, by the pianist Richard Rodney Bennett (soloist in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue) and last but not least, by the conductor, composer Sir Michael Tippett. In this Schools Orchestra, emancipation and co-education are taken as a matter of course. In the front row of the first violins sit two young girls. Even the double bass is not too much for them. They perform expertly even in the percussion section. It seems that it is only in the predominantly male wind section that masculine strength has been deemed essential. If we wished to reduce the essence of this orchestra to a formula, we should have to speak of 'a stroke of genius in musical education'. This orchestra is Britain's best cultural export. The programme was constructed in an unconventional and refreshing way. Glinka's Overture to 'Russlan and Ludmilla', with its atmosphere of festive oriental fantasy, the magically elegaic 'Quiet City' by Copland and the symphonically demanding 'Metamorphoses' by Hindemith. After Gershwin's Rhapsody there was the polytonal and polymetric 'Putnam's Camp' by Charles Ives. Sir Michael Tippett's 'Prologue, Interlude II and Epilogue' formed the impressive conclusion. During the instrumental middle section of this the percussion work was admirable while the choral parts were sung with great majesty by the Jungen Chor of the town of Bochum and the choir of the Gelsenkirchen Volkschochschule (directed by Karl Riebe). The applause fitted the pleasing maturity of the orchestra and of the audience.

LEICESTER MERCURY, 1969

Playing Out Last 'Roundhouse'

Ten young instrumentalists, all members of Leicestershire Schools' Orchestra, will provide the music for the last edition of ITV's "Roundhouse" series at 6.35 on Sunday evening next.

The ensemble will comprise a wind quintet, four percussionists and solo trumpet, and will play at the beginning and the end of the programme. The producer of the series is Helen Standage, who worked with the County School of Music on their first television engagement and who, needing young musicians for the final "Roundhouse", remembered and dialled Birstall.

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1969

Our resources of musicality….

Music critic R. A. Pugsley reports on the 21^st anniversary of

Leicestershire County School of Music…

Next week will be a triumphant occasion in the remarkable history of Leicestershire County School of Music. For it so happens that the 1969 Leicestershire Schools' Festival, whose two main concerts take place at the De Montfort Hall, coincides with the 21st anniversary of the formation of the School of Music which now enjoys international fame. This enterprise has become one of the most famous and rewarding of all the activities of our County Council. "If Eric Pinkett had not been a superman, the whole affair could well have been bogged down in mediocrity." These words, written by Colonel P. H. Lloyd (County Council chairman) effectively diagnose the basic secret of the immense success of the County School of Music and explain the source of its enthusiasm and energy. They appear, appropriately enough, in the preface of a book "Time to Remember" published as an anniversary tribute to the School of Music; the historical narrative is the wok of Eric Pinkett. Contributors of "Interludes" include Sir Michael Tippett, the composer, whose willingness to associate himself actively with the Leicestershire experiment gave it a maturity and prestige which, under his influence, continues to grow. "It is exciting," he writes of the School of Music, "because it succeeds in releasing such hitherto untapped resources of musicality among our country's children; untapped because education authorities had in general never considered such activities as necessary or possible. If all the education authorities of the U.K. reached out to such achievements then there could be rejoicing indeed. At present, if you are an average musical child, in one area you are enriched, in another you are deprived."

Sir Michael will conduct the final concert of the 1969 Schools' Festival at the De Montfort Hall on Friday. It will include a work which he has written especially for the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra. The piano soloist in Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" and "Rio Grande," by Constant Lambert, will be Richard Rodney Bennett, who is one of the most gifted of Britain's young composers. Next Monday's concert will put on display a more comprehensive view of the activities of the County School of Music. There is, in addition to the senior orchestra, a full scale junior orchestra and an intermediate orchestra, each of which will have a share in the programme. There will be items also by an intermediate wind group and string orchestra, and by a madrigal group.

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1969

The chance meeting that began it all

Phenomena such as the County School of Music owe their existence to individuals rather than committees and in the book "Time to Remember" it is confirmed that Leicestershire's present fame in the field of music education was due to the coming together of two men. One is Eric Pinkett, the County's Music Adviser and author of the book and the other, Stewart C. Mason, the County's Director of Education, whose postscript opens with the sentence: "I have always felt that an educational system which ignored the arts was like a man without one of his limbs." Their first encounter was a chance affair. Early in 1946 Mr. Pinkett joined the staff of Melton Mowbray Grammar School as music master with games as a second string. A large and formidable orchestra a brass band and a large choir were quickly formed and, just over a year later, this activity attracted the attention of an "inscrutable" young schools inspector, who visited Melton. Three months later, as Mr. Pinkett recalls, that very same H.M.I. became the Director of Education for Leicestershire. In as short a time, "E. P." (as he is generally known) was appointed Music Adviser. So, in May 1948, began the Saturday morning rehearsal routine "which has continued without a pause for these 21 years". Enthusiasts who work fast also work unorthodoxedly and E. P." came in for criticism about his "uncivilised" behaviour. But he argues convincingly that he would not have collected so large an assemblage of instruments at the necessary speed if his method had incorporated time – consuming committee work and order forms. Bargains in junk shops and attics had to be snapped up on the spot. "I became a plague and a nightmare in the lives of the "Treasury Boys" he declares, "and was constantly reprimanded and watched, reported to committees and almost drummed out of the regiment - except, of course, that as yet I had not managed to find a drum . . ." His enthusiastic desire to get things going made him impatient, too, of caution in the matter of orchestra building. The solemn advice from one source was: rehearse for five years before you attempt to give concerts. His reply was that if he waited that long he would have no orchestra. "I had the unshakeable belief that what I was about to do could only be achieved by enthusiasm and enthusiasm would only be created by doing and performing." Today, on the coming-of-age of the County School of Music, Eric Pinkett is a living testimony to the theory that everything comes to him who doesn't wait. His narrative bubbles alone in a racy and extremely readable style which is all the more acceptable for the way in which he reflects the "fun and games" which go hand in hand with rehearsals and foreign tours - and the things that go wrong. There is a lovely story about an ambassador's party in Belgium upon whose generous hospitality the members of the 1966 Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra descended travel-weary and with empty stomachs. "Footmen appeared as from nowhere and, immediately, they were relieved of their charged glasses by our parched youngsters. It was difficult, that night, to get them to sleep and, "We found one young lady standing in a bowl of ice - cold water sadly reciting a tale of her father's indulgence in a nightly pint of beer." Time to Remember, then, is a book to recommend to all those who enjoy a true adventure story with a pervading pioneer spirit, written by an enthusiast who knows and reveals his techniques for surmounting obstacles. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JUNE 1969

County Schools Orchestra for Bath Festival

Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra will tomorrow become the first orchestra of its kind to play at the Bath Festival. Their patron, Sir Michael Tippett - one of the festival's three new directors - will conduct and the programme will include the first performance of his own "Interlude" which eventually will form part of a suite specially written for Leicestershire of which the prelude and epilogue are already in the orchestra's repertoire. Charles Ives's "Three Places In New England" will reflect Sir Michael's current interest in American music's father figure and his basic fondness for jazz accounts for his choice of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" and Constant Lambert's "Rio Grande." Sir Michael has said that his present approach to composition embraces what he calls a re-exploration of the blues. The young composer Richard Rodney Bennett will be the piano soloist in both these works. But when it comes to rehearsal time, he, Sir Michael, the orchestra and the Leicestershire Schools choir who will sing in Rio Grande, will yield to another manifestation of Americana. The concert takes place in Bath's Forum Cinema which on Saturday afternoons is given over irrevocably to bingo. So the Leicestershire contingent travel today to be ready for tomorrow morning's run-through. The Schools Orchestra will soon be represented on another LP record. A chamber group of young musicians is to repeat for one side of the disc a performance (shown on ITV recently) of "Dead in Tune" - a music fantasy for young viewers, with a text written and spoken by Robin Ray and music by Bert Chappell. The reverse side will appeal similarly to the young. Bert Chappell is again the composer and the words are by John Kershaw of Thames TV, who was concerned with the very first television programme in which the County School of Music was featured. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MARCH 1969

County Schools' Orchestra for Festival Hall

Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra will play at London's Festival Hall next Friday for the first time but not the last. The occasion is a concert "Youth Makes Music" which has been organised by the Schools' Music Association. The Leicestershire Schools Symphony will be the only full scale orchestra. They will play Hindemith's Metamorphoses on themes by Weber, Iain Hamilton's Scottish Dances and will also accompany the singing of the Old Hundredth. The concert is the first of a proposed annual series and will be attended by the Queen Mother, who, during two presentation ceremonies will meet Mr. Stewart Mason, Leicestershire's Director of Education and Mrs. Mason, and Mr. Eric Pinkett, County Music Adviser, who will conduct the orchestra. Eight members of the orchestra have been chosen by vote to be in attendance at one of the ceremonies.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1969

School’s coming of age set to music

Twenty one years of history were represented in sight and sound at Leicester De Montfort Hall last night, when the Leicestershire Schools Festival opened with a concert to celebrate the coming-of-age of the County School of Music.

SOME 150 YOUNG INSTRUMENTALISTS PACKED THE STAGE AND THE TIERED ORCHESTRA SEATS -AN IMPRESSIVE DISPLAY OF THE CURRENT PLAYING STRENGTHS OF THE JUNIOR AND INTERMEDIATE ORCHESTRAS.

But of course the full picture of musical achievement will not be complete until Friday night when Sir Michael Tippet (patron of the School of Music) will conduct the final Festival concert given by the Senior ensemble, known and renowned as the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. Almost all the items in last night's programme had links with the past. The Juniors first piece for instance was Folk Dance Rondo which launched the County School of Music upon its concert-giving career when its one and only orchestra consisted mainly of schoolchildren from Melton Mowbray. "Trombonerama", played by former members of the C.S.M. was testimony to the high percentage of excellent young trombonists that have emerged from Leicestershire during these last 21 years. A group of madrigals was sweetly interpreted by a choir of two dozen men and women, who met together after 20 years, to sing again under the direction of Philip Jenkins (now headmaster of Market Bosworth Grammar School) who was the C. S. M.'s first choral conductor. Of the three ex-members of the C.S.M. who appeared as soloists, the most celebrated is David Haslam (flute) whose virtuosity and wonderful tone control were displayed in the unaccompanied Density 21.5 by Edgar Varese and Syrinx by Debussy and in Matyas Seiber’s sparkling Burlesque with piano accompaniment. Part of the enjoyment of listening to the two orchestras lay in talent spotting: which of these young players would be likely to be county stars of the future? There were many gifted young individuals to b heard. But one admired, too, the high degree of corporate intelligence that each orchestra showed, and there was cause for much optimism in their extremely well disciplined string playing. I would say, indeed, that the further development of the County School of Music was guaranteed for years to come by the resolute bowing arms of the juniors if nothing else! They reflected fine teaching as well as their own confidence. Praise to their conductor Geoffrey Tomlinson and to James Haworth who directs the Intermediate orchestra. Birthdays mean cakes and presents and last night's anniversary was no exception. Twenty-one candles on a huge cake (it looked good enough to eat) were lit by the simple means of pressing a switch and, from the Friends of the County School of Music, there was their latest donation- a set of tubular bells. Finally, to the man who started it all-Eric Pinkett, the County's Music Adviser. From a lofty position above the stage he sat alone with a microphone and provided a commentary that was both nostalgic and forward looking. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1969

Wrote Music for Festival in 10 Days

Within ten days of an Oxfordshire composer hearing the plea for an overture for Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra to play at tonight's Festival of Music at the De Montfort Hall, he had written the music and it had received its first rehearsal. Mr. Jack Richards, the Festival secretary, said the Festival Committee were informed that a work specially commissioned for the evening from another composer would not be ready in time. Three weeks ago Mr. Bryan Kelly, of Oxford, arrived home from America, where he has been lecturing in music at the American University, Washington, and wrote to Mr. Richards to say he was back. Mr. Kelly, who wrote for the orchestra's last Festival in 1967, was immediately contacted and began writing the five minute long overture - Sancho Panza - which the orchestra, conducted by Sir Michael Tippett, will perform for the first time tonight. The soloists at tonight's festival will be Richard Rodney Bennett (piano) and Helen Attfield (contralto). At the De Montfort Hall on Monday the Junior and Intermediate orchestras of the County School of Music, with scholars from all over the county, gave their Festival of Music performance to an attendance of about 1,900. Former members of the School of Music came back for the evening to give performances. Four trombonists - namely Martin Slipp (Enderby), Roger Harvey (Wigston Fields), Stuart Wainwright (Belton) and John Turner (Hinckley) - gave a powerful selection of Trombonerama. Martin is at the Royal College of Music, Roger is at Oxford University and Stuart is music teacher at Ivanhoe High School, Ashby. Fifteen former members, who are either at the Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music or still members of the senior orchestra, gave a demonstration of how chamber music should be played. Solo artists were Jean Hammond, who sang from "The Magic Flute" and "Linda Di Chamounix" (accompanist Mrs. Margaret Silverwood); Marion Turner (violin), accompanist Andrew Smith, and David Hasiam (flute) who now lives at Newcastle and is associate conductor of the Northern Sinfonia. During the evening Mr. D. W. Mobbs of Wigston, chairman of the Friends of the School of Music, presented a set of chimes to the school.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1969

Arts festival’s memorable finale

Marion Turner re-visited her home town last night to give a worthy performance of the Brahms violin concerto in the final musical event of Loughborough Arts Festival. The concert was held in Loughborough College of Art and Design's Great Hall (an enclosure which yields small acoustical sympathy) and the orchestra was the Leicestershire Schools Symphony, of which Miss Turner was at one time leader. Norman Del Mar conducted. The concerto's classic-romantic blend demands a musicianly compromise from the soloist, and this Miss Turner supplied in a reading which had flexibility and warmth of expression within a framework of dignified proportions. Initially one was sometimes aware of the work's considerable technical difficulties (especially its wide, athletic leaps) but there was much to admire in her control of the first movement's many changes of temperament and in her excellent shaping of the Joachim cadenza which led perfectly into a beautiful closing tranquillo. Norman Del Mar secured confident response from the orchestra, whose rhythmic liveliness in the last movement was basically the effect of a sensible tempo in accordance with Brahms's non troppo vivace marking. There was some occasionally insecurity in the wind's role in the Adagio, but the solo violin was serene, with no hint of emotionalism. The Allegro Giocoso moved with a satisfying sense of inevitability to the final impetus of the Presto. The orchestra opened the concert with an impressive account of Glinka's Russlan and Ludmilla overture and following the interval, repeated two items from their recent festival programme - the Hindemith Metamorphoses on Weber themes and Iain Hamilton's Scottish Dances. A final tribute is owed to Loughborough College of Art and Design for the attractive programmes during the festival. R. A. P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1969

A bright and breezy Gala Occasion

Last night's final concert of the Leicestershire Schools' Festival at the De Montfort Hall was quite a gala occasion, with Lord and Lady Harewood, Miss Jennie Lee and Sir Robert Mayer in the audience and the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra in fine form. The one disappointment was that Sir Michael Tippett after extensively rehearsing the orchestra over past weeks was prevented by illness from conducting. His place was taken by Eric Pinkett, County Music Adviser, who has played so big a part in the formation and growth of the County School of Music. The programme, in a week of C.S.M. 21st birthday celebrations, was suitably bright and breezy, jazz-flavoured and culminating in a reconstitution of the Paul Whiteman band sound with composer Richard Rodney Bennett (piano) joining the orchestra in a smoothly groovy performance of Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. But nothing reflected the swagger and new found confidence of key-of-the-door-ness than Bryan Kelly's short overture "Sancho Panza"- a stop press affair written in just over a week for the Festival in answer to an emergency call. (A previous commission had failed to materialise). The composer himself conducted the first performance and effectively projected his work's rhythmic vitality, its strong melodic vein and its colourful and shrewdly calculated orchestration. "Sancho Panza" is easy on the ear yet the characterisation is so convincingly done that it bears no suspicion of banality. Iain Hamilton's "Scottish Dances" do not always avoid hints of the plebeian in its employment of familiar tunes, but there are many rewarding moments and the final Presto drew playing of admirable brio and panache from the orchestra. How well Constant Lambert’s "Rio Grande" survives. Eric Pinkett quickly established its romantic and exotic atmosphere with the sympathetic co-operation of the strings and brass of the orchestra and a choir of county schoolchildren. Richard Rodney Bennett's responsive and easy-rhythmed piano playing enhanced the music's warmth and softness of texture and Helen Attfield's dark-hued voice was perfect for the contralto solo.

The transition leading to "The noisy streets are empty" was beautifully done with leader Andrea Sharp's expressive playing being the focal point of excellent string tone. Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphoses on Weber themes is a tough, robust affair and an effective contrast to the Lambert. It turns a searching light on all instrumental departments and the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra equipped themselves well. The concert opened and closed with Sir Michael Tippett's Prologue and Epilogue which were written for the orchestra and which, eventually, will form the outer movements of a projected suite of five. In the interval, Sir Robert Mayer was presented with a cufflink box (made at Loughborough College of Art) from the orchestra on the eve of his 90th birthday. He had done much for the Leicestershire venture and in his speech of thanks he said that Leicestershire's enterprise (now flattered by imitation in other parts of the country) was one reason for his optimism about the state of music in Britain. Sartorial note: How elegant the girls of the orchestra looked in their ankle-length evening dresses (again the creation of Loughborough College of Art). That Viennese music critic who criticised their mini skirts during the Austrian tour last autumn was right. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1969

LSSO to play in famous Berlin concert hall

Once again, the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra has been asked to play in one of the most famous concert halls in the world. Last autumn it was the Musikvereinsal, the home of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, during a tour which was widely acclaimed by the Austrian Press. This time the Philharmonie, the home of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, will be the end of a journey which starts at dawn at St. Margaret's Bus Station on Friday. At that time, the hundred seasoned travellers who make up the L.S.S.O. will be setting out on their annual concert tour of Europe, a tradition which dates from 1953. During their fortnight's travels they will also give public concerts in Cologne, Hanover and Gelsenkirchen. In charge of the tour is Mr. Eric Pinkett, the county music adviser, whose story of the County School of Music "Time to Remember" was published a short time ago. Accompanying the orchestra on its travels will be the Director of Education for Leicestershire, Mr. S. C. Mason and Mrs. Mason. As on numerous other occasions during the past four years Sir Michael Tippett, the patron of the Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music, will be working with the orchestra and conducting many of the performances, where the guest pianist will be Richard Rodney Bennett, generally regarded as the most promising composer of the younger generation. The orchestra, under the baton of Sir Michael and of Eric Pinkett, is to take part in an Anglo German Youth Festival and will give three concerts during its week's stay in Berlin, two in the Philharmonie and one in the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. In addition to these concerts and their attendant rehearsals a visit to East Berlin has been planned, and the orchestra has also been invited to attend the opera, the theatre, other orchestral concerts and a British Council reception. This ambitious and exciting tour is the culminating point of a most eventful year for the L.S.S.O., a year which has included an appearance on B.B.C. 2 in "Music Now", a recording for Radio 3 and performances at the Royal Festival Hall, the Leicestershire Schools Festival of Music and the Bath Festival.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1969

County schools orchestra delighted the Germans

The 100 members of Leicestershire Schools Orchestra arrived back in Leicester early today after a 14-day successful concert tour of West Germany leaving behind them delighted audiences and a wonderful story which, I think, is the best tribute to date of the county's pioneer work for musical education. "In England," they are saying, "children are given instruments to play but in Germany they are given tickets for Karajan concerts at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall. " The orchestra gave a total of six concerts, all but one conducted by Sir Michael Tippett, and including two which gave the young Leicestershire musicians the enviable distinction of being the first youth ensemble to play in the Berlin Philharmonic Hall. One of their pleasantest surprises was to receive a rehearsal visit from Sir John Barbirolli who was in Berlin to fulfil a series of conducting engagements with the Berlin Phil. He stayed to listen for a while, had a friendly word with Sir Michael Tippett and the orchestra and parted with the comment that he had been "most impressed" by their standard of playing. There was similar high praise, too, from Dr. Stresemann, the General Administrator of the Berlin Philharmonic, who thus echoed the enthusiastic acclaim of the audiences at all the concerts. The Berlin concerts were part of the first German-British Youth Festival which was actually inspired by the County Orchestra's 1965 visit to the capital - another example of the Leicestershire influence upon Germany's attitude to music education. Members of the orchestra attended concerts by other contributors to the Festival (who included the choir of Lyme Regis Grammar School) and still found time to do some sight- seeing. One of their funniest situations was at Check Point Charlie where, on their incursion into East Berlin, they were halted briefly by the incredulity of a border guard who couldn't believe that a party of children made up of several very small ones comprised a symphony orchestra. The final concert in Cologne was given with mixed feelings for this, for many of the older members of the orchestra, meant the end of their association with the County School of Music. When all was over, and by pre-arrangement, they surprised everyone (including about 100 members of the audience who still hadn't left) by playing, conductorless, Butterworth's "On the Banks of Green Willow". Even then they were ready to romp through "Sancho Panza," written for them by Bryan Kelly and this time directed by Eric Pinkett, who was Sir Michael's associate conductor. R. A. P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1969

The happy ending

Anyone who has taken a despairing look at the news of the week with pot-happy hippies, belligerent barricades, gloom over Vietnam, worries about health problems, even a flutter of bad temper in the normally benign Ryder Cup, may feel like throwing up their hands with a dejected cry of "What next." But we prefer to end the week on a happy note. And what ranks higher as the happiest story of the week than the one we printed yesterday about the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra back from an idyllic concert tour of West Germany. The orchestra gets a lot of publicity, which can upset those which don't, but there is no fear that being ever-boosted will over-stimulate the size of their young heads. Unlike their adults, nature has its own corrective for the youngsters in school orchestras; end of school life returns them to the ranks of the mortals. But having said that we must share in the general delight that the people of Germany expressed as young Leicestershire invaded with distinction even that most august of musical Valhallas, the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, haunt of von Karajan and a host of musical gods. Even the Russian guards at Checkpoint Charlie came to know that in Leicestershire the music comes with the school satchels. As the orchestra was departing for home, having earned a word of praise from Sir John Barbirolli, who was there too the People of Berlin were saying: "In England, children are given instruments to play; but in Germany they are given tickets for Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic". That, we think, is the nicest thing that has happened this week and puts even the return of the sunshine into second place.

THE GUARDIAN, JUNE 1969

Accent on youth at the Bath Festival: Sir Michael Tippett on Saturday evening conducted the

Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in modern British and American

music; and yesterday afternoon, Colin Davis, the other musician member of the Festival's

directorate, conducted the BBC Training Orchestra in a more sophisticated programme of

Mozart, Haydn, Ravel and Stravinsky. Tippett's programme might have been designed expressly to contradict everything that the Menuhin era at Bath has stood for. As at the opening concert a week earlier, the music of Charles Ives was prominent, shatteringly wild yet beautiful in "Putnam's Camp". This devotion to Ives provided a clear pointer to the new piece that Tippett himself had composed for the occasion, an Interlude to go with a Prologue and Epilogue written for the orchestra some four years ago when he first became associated with it. The canon " Great Tom is Cast " keeps coming in, Ives-like, bold with heavy brass piercing heavy

clouds of notes. Though I failed to detect the promised part for electric guitar, it was a riot

for everyone, not least for Sir Michael himself as conductor. He gives himself with such intensity in his music-making that these wonderfully responsive children almost unfailingly return the compliment. His is not the quick professionalism such as electrifies Britten's work at Aldeburgh. Where Britten moves mountains overnight, Tippett is slower. But Tippett, like Britten, can go true as an arrow to the emotional core of music quite alien from his own. So with Richard Rodney Bennett, another composer-interpreter, as a superb piano soloist Tippett directed a moving performance of Constant Lambert’s wickedly neglected Rio Grande.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1970

Cheltenham Festival –

The marathon concert at the Cheltenham Festival was given by the Leicestershire Schools'

Symphony Orchestra, which gave the first complete performance of Michael Tippett's

"The Shires Suite", written piecemeal for the orchestra during the past few years. The main substance of its five sections, alternately choral and orchestral, is a sequence of seven canons, mainly familiar, elaborated or decorated in various ways. They range from "Sumer is icumen in" to a canon written for Tippett's 60th birthday by Alexander Goehr and add up to an important work which is stamped with Tippett's personality from beginning to end. Especially characteristic are the first interlude, based on "The Silver Swan," played at different speeds by three orchestral groups, and the epilogue, a beautiful and extended setting of Byrd's "Non nobis, domine." It is a taxing but thoroughly practicable and enjoyable work, both in its orchestral writing, which under the composer's direction these young players brought off with great elan, and in the choral movements, excellently sung by the Schola Cantorum of Oxford.

EDUCATION, FEBRUARY 1970

Leicester youth shows the way

Youth orchestras nowadays often sound astonishingly professional and the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra is a case in point. Its activities sound like those of a professional orchestra - it goes on an annual European concert tours, plays for radio and TV, makes records and commissions contemporary English composers to write music for it, writes Frances Verrinder.

From very small beginnings in 1947, the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra has grown into one of the best and best-known English youth orchestras, very largely as a result of the devotion and hard work of Eric Pinkett, the County Music Adviser, together with the financial backing and enthusiastic support of the Leicestershire education authority. The Schools Symphony Orchestra consists of up to a hundred players aged between 14 and 18; there are also two other orchestras graded according to age - one for the over-elevens and one for the minus-elevens - as well as a military band, so that all in all about 400 children turn up to rehearse at the County School of Music every Saturday morning. Although the orchestra does play music from the classical and romantic periods, twentieth century British music figures largely in their repertoire. This trend has increased since Sir Michael Tippett became their patron in 1965.

One of his works, Suite for the Birthday of Prince Charles, was included on their first record, released in January 1968. This also included works by Alan Ridout, William Mathias, both of whom conducted and Malcolm Arnold - a formidable combination for any orchestra. Their second record, Dead in Tune, to be released on the Argo label in April, is quite a different proposition. It developed from the Rediffusion TV series of 1968 Sounds Exciting which explained the various sections of the orchestra. The last programme in the series was Dead in Tune written to demonstrate how the sections of the orchestra work and sound together with a libretto by Robin Ray, who also tells the story, and music by Herbert Chappell. It is extremely witty and contains some outrageous musical and verbal puns, for which one is initially quite unprepared. For example, 'the four families of the orchestra live in a block of flats by the sea - middle sea (c)'! It should make good teaching material- not only is it great fun pun spotting, but the record includes all the major aspects of musical theory and form as well as some good music, performed with exuberance and expertise by the LSSO. The other side, George and the Dragonfly, could also be used for teaching purposes, especially as it has different kinds of music including a Victor Sylvester-type dance tune and a splendid piece of traditional jazz. The music again is by Herbert Chappell, the libretto is by John Kershaw, a drama producer at Thames Television, and the story is spoken by Robin Ray, John Kershaw and Susan Stranks. Dead in Tune took up most of last Christmas holidays with rehearsals and recording. The Easter holidays will largely be occupied with rehearsals for the Cheltenham Festival, where the emphasis is on modern composers and contemporary music. For their two concerts, the orchestra has commissioned an overture from Herbert Chappell and another new piece by Richard Rodney Bennett. Sir Michael Tippett will conduct Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue and one of his own suites, which he is expanding to five movements. Sir Arthur Bliss will conduct his own piano concerto. And so all this can come about, the Leicestershire Education Authority has specially arranged for the orchestra to spend Easter in Oxford, half way between the London home of Sir Arthur and Chippenhan where Sir Michael lives.

GRAMOPHONE, JUNE 1970

Dead in Tune is an extremely slick piece, with a good story to hold children's attention. It is about four orchestral families (each orchestrally illustrated) who live in flats by the sea - Middle C, of course (which you immediately hear played); of the Canon (canon in orchestra) who was nearly strangled by a chord but who survives and officiates at the wedding of Viola to one of her bows - sorry, beaux. You will by now have gathered roughly the sort of thing it is. It is full of outrageous puns on musical words: but outrageous ones are the kind children enjoy, of course - provided they know the musical terms anyway. If you wonder whether to get the record for your family, that is the essential point to remember: that children who aren't fairly knowledgeable may enjoy the story but it won't teach them about the orchestra. This is no adverse criticism, since Dead in Tune came at the end of a television series that had dealt with all this sort of thing and was aimed at the secondary school age. Younger children will enjoy it, provided they have some musical background and, most valuable, a parent who is able to explain the connection between story and music. The narrator (and writer of the script), Robin Ray, is first-rate - would that all narrators were so natural and also engaging. The orchestra, the pick of members of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, is splendid and the whole thing is done with infectious enjoyment. Herbert Chappell's music is clever and bang on target, if not in itself of any particular originality. On the other side, George and the Dragonfly seems to me far less successful, as it did to some young listeners I tried it on - they alternated between mystification and a certain amount of laughter. The text is sometimes high-flown, sounding rather like Facade, at other times the reverse. And they really ought to have printed the riddle on the sleeve, since nobody could make anything of it unless he sees it - though repeated hearings do make it clear. With three speakers, stereo has been well used to place them firmly left, right and centre. But while it is perfectly clear what Dead in Time is aiming at, the target of this piece seems vague - if there is a target. T.H.

LEICESTER MERCURY, AUGUST 1970

Youth orchestra to start on its toughest programme

Young county musicians begin one of the toughest and most exciting enterprises in the history of the Leicestershire Schools' Orchestra this weekend. On Saturday they begin a two-day recording session in Decca's London studios where the rostrum will be shared by Sir Michael Tippett (the orchestra's patron), Sir Arthur Bliss, Andre Previn and Eric Pinkett, who is the County's Music Adviser. Five days later, they leave the country to give a series of concerts in Germany and they'll be back in Leicestershire in time to play in the De Montfort Hall on September 17. The music for the orchestra's third and latest record will be recorded on Saturday and the following Monday. Both the pride and the sense of humour of these young school musicians has been tickled by the fact that after the first day’s session they will be required to clean the decks in order that the studio will be available on the Sunday to another famous orchestra - the London Philharmonic. On Saturday Sir Arthur Bliss will record his Introduction and Allegro and Eric Pinkett the "Cuban Suite" composed by Bryan Kelly who has a close association with the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra. On Monday, Sir Michael Tippett will direct the orchestra in two movements from his "Shires Suite " (written especially for Leicestershire) and Andre Previn will direct his own Overture to a Comedy as well as the Minuet and Elegy from John Ireland's "Downland suite" and the Overture "Groucho" which is another work written for the Leicestershire Orchestra, the composer being Herbert Chappell, who wrote all the music for their second record "Dead in Tune" backed by "George and the Dragonfly". The new disc will be issued later in the year by Argo who also were responsible for the previous one and who are borrowing the Decca studios for the recording. The orchestra will be based in Munster during their visit to Germany where, during the Anglo German youth festival last year, they met and enjoyed the friendship of their young counterparts in the Munster youth chamber orchestra. This year's visit to Munster is a direct result of that meeting. Eric Pinkett will conduct the concerts and he will have as his soloist in Poulenc's organ concerto Carl Jurgen Kemmelmeyer who directs the Munster youth chamber orchestra and who has a very high reputation in Germany as an organist. The same organ concerto will be part of the De Montfort Hall concert when the soloist will be Nigel Allcoat, a former violinist with the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra and who, in his first year at the Royal School of Church Music (for which he won a major scholarship) has become organist of the Chapel Royal of St. John at the Tower and of Holy Trinity Church, Paddington. Eleanor Cooke, who attends Melton Upper School, will be the soloist in Dvorak's Romance for violin and orchestra and the remainder of the concert (promoted by the Friends of the County School of Music) will comprise items which will appear on the record.

LEICESTER MERCURY, FEBRUARY 1970

Andre Previn and county orchestra – a strong chance

The possibility that Andre Previn, the London Symphony Orchestra's famous conductor, will work with Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra seems strong - according to Mr. Previn himself in a TV interview. He was asked in Simon Dee's late-night programme about his attitude to the encouragement of music among young people. He replied that his rehearsals were open to students and that he was looking forward to working with the young musicians of Leicestershire.

No-one was more pleased to hear this than the County School of Music's information officer, Mr. Jack Richards. Leicestershire's contact with Previn, he said today, had been made through composer Herbert Chappell who was associated with the schools symphony orchestra in a television feature "Dead in Tune" screened two years ago, and who will be at the De Montfort Hall at the end of April to conduct the overture that he has written for the county's Junior Schools Festival. Chappell, a friend of Previn's, remarked some time ago that because of his dynamism and youthfulness, "Andre would be an ideal man" for Leicestershire. Previn, when approached said he was willing. There was nothing in writing, said Mr. Richards, and nothing further had been done about it. Not surprising in view of Previn's heavy commitments - including his recent American tour with the L.S.O. which has been described as their most successful ever. "So I was delighted," added Mr. Richards, "to hear from his answer to Simon Dee that the Leicestershire idea is at the forefront of his mind."

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1970

Back home again after recording session success

The 47 members of the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra are back in Leicester, tired but happy after two days of successful work in London recording studios. The end product is an L.P. of hitherto unrecorded material. The record is to be released early in May. All the music is by composer Herbert Chappell, who conducted the orchestra during the recording sessions. Side one, called Dead in Tune, has words by Robin Ray, son of Ted Ray. Dead in Tune is a musical whodunnit. It tells the story of a murder and uses the instruments of the orchestra for expression along with the words. On the second side is George and the Dragonfly, with words by John Kershaw, the poet and T.V. producer. The composition is a modern fairytale in music and poetry. This is the second L.P. that the orchestra has made. The first came out about 18 months ago and that, too, used new material. In this respect, the orchestra is making a name for itself in a big way. The county orchestra is among the select few in the county orchestra field who make recordings. Work on the L.P. began about six weeks ago and preparation culminated in a final two days work at Longslade School, Birstall just before the trip to London at the weekend. It was perhaps a good thing that rehearsals had been intense - the L. P. work had to be tied up by Sunday evening, which didn't leave much time. The members of the orchestra are aged 15 to 18 years. Two girls missed the recordings because of flu.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MARCH 1970

Sir Arthur to help schools orchestra

Sir Arthur Bliss is the latest in the impressive list of famous composers and conductors who have agreed to work with the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. The orchestra will be travelling to Oxford at the beginning of next month to rehearse with Sir Arthur and with their patron Sir Michael Tippett for the Cheltenham Festival. Sir Arthur will conduct his own Piano Concerto which, with the distinguished soloist Frank Wibaud at the keyboard, will have a performance at Loughborough University on May 1, prior to Cheltenham in July. Cheltenham will see the first performance of a new work written especially for the Schools Symphony Orchestra by Sir Michael Tippett, three sections of which have already been played. The work’s title will probably be The Shires Suite. Other engagements planned for the Orchestra this year include an appearance at the Peterborough Festival where it is to give the inaugural concert at the end of this month and at Long Eaton Festival on May 9. There will, too, be the customary Continental tour in September. A new 22-page booklet about the Orchestra has just been published which describes its aims, ambitions and achievements with a history of its formation and growth. The greater part of the booklet however is given over to extracts from Press reports both in this country and abroad - all of which, without exception, add up to a veritable hymn of praise. One, from Germany, puts its finger neatly on the whole purpose of the orchestra and the County School of Music which produces it. "If we wished to reduce the essence of this orchestra to a formula," it declares, "we should have to speak of a stroke of genius in musical educational". R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1970

Irresistible sparkle of Schools Orchestra's disc

I have just been playing the latest record made by the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra and it sounds to be a winner all the way. On one side of this sparkling L.P. is "Dead in Tune" and on the other "George and the Dragonfly" - two gay, witty and highly entertaining musical fantasies aimed at the young but equally diverting and intriguing to adult ears. In the popularity race I would wager they'll run to a photo-finish. The history of the record (the Leicestershire Orchestra's second- there is already talk of a third) goes back to the ITV children's series "Sounds exciting"' which was an educational dealing with orchestral instruments, keyboard instruments and the human voice. There came a need for a final programme to sum up in a single half-hour work the lessons put across. "Dead in Tune" was the answer with music by Herbert Chappell and story by Robin Ray (son of Ted) who was the reciter for the broadcast in February of 1968. Its notable success led inevitably to plans for a record and to the problem of finding something equally as good for the second side. This time, John Kershaw provided the story for Herbert Chapell to set to music with three reciters - Robin Ray, Susan Stranks and the author himself. Robin Ray describes "Dead in Tune" (he does the narration excellently) as a musical who-dunnit and, employing a wealth of puns he propels his characters amusingly and pacefully to a climax where one of the characters (they are all instruments) comes near to being asphyxiated with a "chord". John Kershaw joins in the fun with enthusiasm and plays around with his own themes and quotes from other composers in a way that will keep amateur (and professional) musical detectives quiet for hours. "George and the Dragonfly" is a delightful sort of pastoral with touches of real poetry in its imaginative script and with music to charm as well as to challenge. The stereo sound quality of the record is strikingly good and this, together with the effervescent spontaneity of reciters and the adept young musicians of the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra gives this disc a turntable sparkle that is quite irresistable.

It is issued by Argo and should sell like hot cakes. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1970

A disc that's extra special

The news from the record company Argo is that Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra's third disc is going to be something extra special. The orchestra did the recordings for their L.P. in London on Saturday and Monday last, and there have since been complimentary remarks from Frederick Woods, producer of the record, and Andre Previn - one of the conductors.

"Their playing is fantastically good," is a quote from Previn. He has promised to write a work for them and wishes to conduct them again. Previn and orchestra met for the first time for a rehearsal in the recording studios - the initial spadework having been done for his particular numbers by the County Music Adviser, Eric Pinkett, one of the four conductors who contributed to the disc. Previn and the young Leicestershire musicians "clicked" and there was great mutual enthusiasm and fine playing. Sir Michael Tippett listening in the control room to their performance of Ireland's "Elegy" commented: "I knew John Ireland and if he had lived to be in this studio today, he would have been greatly moved." There was quite a gathering of composers at the recording sessions. In addition to Previn and Tippett, Sir Arthur Bliss was there to direct his contribution to the disc, and also present to listen to their works being recorded were Brian Kelly and Herbert Chappell.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1970

Schools symphony orchestra at De Montfort Hall

This year's Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra concert in the De Montfort Hall took place last night after a year's busy concert-giving and record making. One understands that some music lovers do not frequent L.S.S.O. concerts because some works are unfamiliar. They should try the mixture. Last evening's concert, even with its bias towards living English composers, contained at least one work of outstanding lyricism, many joyous movements and a dazzling encore. Organ preservationists were there in force - one hopes for Poulenc's fine organ concerto, in which Nigel Allcoat (a former L.S.S.O. member) negotiated the brilliant passage-work, brought out the changeable moods and used the instrument's power and refinement admirably.

Inevitably, the programme included nearly all the material recently recorded for Argo and Herbert Chappell's overture opened the concert with wit and glitter, and Bryan Kelly's much - broadcast "Cuban Suite" brought it to a sunny and tuneful close. Another mainly extrovert work, Morton Gould's "Spirituals" spoke eloquently in its quieter moments and forcibly in "proclamation" and "jubilee." Gould's particular brand of the American open style suits the orchestra well but they also find the dissimilar but compatible moods of Sir Arthur Bliss’s "Introduction and Allegro" well within their emotional grasp - witness the moving opening few bars and a grand climax. Dvorak's Romance for Violin and Orchestra, the oldest work in the main programme, tested the orchestra’s ensemble playing but all ears must have been on the warm tone that Eleanor Cooke of Melton Upper School produced in the solo part. Its glow reminded one of the very best of the orchestra's soloists over the years. Ireland's "Elegy" also benefited, in a corporate way, from the whole string section's attention to sound.

Eric Pinkett conducted.

Press Cutting: Westfalische Nachrichten 16/9/70

English guests feel at home in the town on the Stever…

Evening concert a great success

"This day in Ludinghausen was one of the nicest days we've spent in years," some of the young musicians of the L.S.S.O. told Dr. Martens, cultural adviser for the Ludinghausen area. The first day of Ludinghausen's Festival Fortnight started with a brilliant musical opening. There was a concert in the morning and another which was very well attended in the Hall of the Gymnasium in the evening. Besides these festival concerts, friendships were formed between the young musicians and young people in Ludinghausen, contacts which will surely not be broken that quickly, since the guests have promised to come back to Ludinghausen. A great success, therefore, for guests and organisers. The idea of inviting the L.S.S.O. with its leader and conductor Eric Pinkett, which had been brought to the notice of the cultural adviser for the Ludinghausen area, was indeed a happy one. The whole day was planned down to the last detail, thanks to the excellent teamwork of those responsible for the Ludinghausen Festival Fortnight and the town's concert circle. For the middle classes of our Secondary schools there was a morning concert in the hall of the Gymnasium Canisianum which made the 540 in the audience sit up! What is especially worthy of note is that the musicians were the same age as our boys and girls. Dr. Martens had suggested that the boys and girls should invite one or two members of the orchestra to have supper with them in their homes. How quickly friendships were formed could be seen by the number of those who, having attended the morning concert, were determined not to forego the evening one and by the fact that after the evening performance there were a number of little groups who did not want to see "their" English boy or girl leave. For the English musicians it was a tiring and full day. Added to their two concerts (with a different programme for each) there was the invitation to a foreign family and a drive around the district. Miss Shand, an English teacher at the boys' Gymnasium, was with them for the whole day and went on the trip, too. The English visitors went to Schloss Nordkirchen and Burg Vischering in the afternoon with their hosts and Dr. Martens, who acted as guide, thus gaining an idea of the "Country of the moated castles" and of its history. The L.S.S.O. is remarkable in many ways. One is amazed at its size. A school orchestra of 100 players cannot be found anywhere in Germany. The area from which the young players come is not quite comparable with ours since the county (something between a Kreis and a Regierungsbezirk) of Leicester has about 400,000 inhabitants. About 10,000 pupils learn to play an instrument - this is an unimaginable number for us. The quality of the teaching was clearly shown in the two performances which took place in the Gymnasium. This orchestra was made up of the best players of their three orchestras. This year's tour was the orchestra's 21st and lasted about a week. For many members it will have been the last as they will be leaving the orchestra on leaving school. The enormous repertoire with which this so very youthful orchestra came to Germany(there were four completely different programmes) is truly amazing. It extends from Gabrieli to contemporary composers and from the chamber music ensemble (Two smaller groups, a wind quintet and a string quartet which had played on Sunday) to the full orchestra. Another thing that surprised our boys and girls was to see how many young ladies were sitting behind the music stands. About two thirds of the whole orchestra is made up of girls and how easily they mastered instruments which to our old fashioned way of thinking are considered to be typically masculine: the double bass, brass and percussion. Perhaps seeing the variety of instruments played so perfectly by their own fair sex will be an encouragement to our girls.

The evening concert had a record attendance. The Hall of the Gymnasium was a fitting setting for this feature of the Festival and with an audience of about 400 was practically full. The right atmosphere for players and audience was at once established. Although made up of pupils from 14 different schools the orchestra has grown together to form a whole in a way that is generally only possible among professional musicians. Their playing gives proof of tremendously hard work as Miss Shand also pointed out in one of the intervals. The audience having been enthralled by the enthusiasm of the young players' rendition of Russlan and Ludmilla by Glinka, were next lulled into a dreamy mood by the gentle melodies of Delius's La Calinda. The young soloist in Bruch's violin concerto (Robert Heard), a young man of 16, played with vigour and a technique a work to which world famous maestros aspire. After the interval came 3 contemporary pieces with sweeping rhythm. Bryan Kelly's Cuban Suite with its pithy brevity and marked character made great demands on the musicianship of the orchestra. Stephen Whittaker, the soloist in Gershwin's world famous Rhapsody in Blue, gave a magnificent performance. The mischievous piece La Boutique Fantasque (Rossini - Respighi) rounded off the programme. The applause was so enthusiastic that the English guests gave an encore - a little piece, Elegy for strings by one of their own contemporary composers, John Ireland. It was characteristic of the modesty of the young English players and a friendly personal gesture that the whole orchestra sang Non Nobis Domine. The Mayor, Herr Holtkamp, then thanked the orchestra in the name of all the listeners. We offer our good wishes to the orchestra for continued success on their tours. The musicians, each and all of them, gave proof of such proficiency (here let the woodwind as well as the soloists be specially mentioned) that one can be sure that they will make their way. The possibility of a second visit of the L.S.S.O. was spoken of by the conductor, Eric Pinkett and Dr. Martens. The cultural adviser of the area has agreed to examine this possibility with the town, the schools and the borough council.

Press Cutting: Westfalische Nachrichten 16/9/70

From Gabrieli to Poulenc…

Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra in the

Church of the Apostles

A second concert by the L.S.S.O. in Munster, this time in the Church of the Apostles was greeted with much more enthusiasm than the one in the Theatre. The programme was full of variety, both in the choice of works and performers and was crowned by Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto in which the solo part was played by Karl - Jurgen Kemmelmeyer the leader of the Student chamber orchestra of Munster, which had invited the guests. A magnificent and impressive fanfare by Aaron Copland performed by the brass of the orchestra, in the choir, opened the very varied programme. Albinoni's Oboe Concerto Opus 23 resounded melodiously from the gallery and was played this time with greater assurance by Vanessa Hood. It was a pity that the musical effect of the wonderful Canzona for three groups of instruments was partially lost in the long narrow church. Ireland's Elegy once again gave the audience the opportunity of enjoying the tone of the large string orchestra. The romantic sweep of Dvorak's Romance was beautifully rendered and the romantic theme brought out with both great simplicity and spirit by Eleanor Cooke as also was the baroque feeling of love of life and love of music in Handel's aria 'Oh, Had I Jubel's Lyre' by the clear flexible soprano voice of Kathryn Marcer. These two works were followed by the Trevelyan Suite of the versatile Malcolm Arnold whose name is linked in so many ways with the music of English youth. This suite is full of amusing dissonances and unusual melodious effects. The works for Wind Ensemble were conducted with precision and verve by John Westcombe. Eric Pinkett conducted from the gallery Francis Poulenc's Concerto in G minor for Organ, Strings and Percussion. This work with which the concert ended, has only one movement divided into several parts. Very impressive were the contrasting colours in the dialogue between the organ and the strings. Powerful rhythm and great gestures alternated with the quiet passages. The audience was swept off its feet by the vigorous music making of the players.

THE SUNDAY TIMES, JULY 1970

The jolliest, most rousing not to say rowdy concert of the week was that of the I.eicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, which tackled brilliantly, though of course not impeccably, the complex score of Sir Arthur Bliss's Piano Concerto under the guidance of the Composer while Frank Wibaut revelled in the unabashed bravura and romantic cantilena of the keyboard writing. The rest of the concert was conducted by Sir Michael Tippett who, in one away and another, both here and in London has emerged as musical hero of the week. Having appeared on the previous evening in a "Meet the Composer" programme at the Queen Elizabeth Hall he was returning thence in the small hours when he was involved as a passenger in a serious road accident from which he emerged shaken but mercifully unharmed. Without a word he thereupon made his way to Cheltenham, took the three hour afternoon rehearsal, conducted a long concert (with an encore of Ives riotous "Circus Band") and did not even flinch from a "Composer in Person" appearance at 11 p.m. after the concert. Who else could have done it? Dame Ethel Smyth, perhaps. The Ives piece, together with his naively solemn Ninetieth Psalm (fervently sung by the Schola Cantorum of Oxford) and Gershwin's zippy "Rhapsody in Blue" (polished off with huge gusto by Wibaut), brought America vividly to our doorstep at last; and the concert ended with the first complete performance of the hero’s own "Shires Suite" written at intervals for these young performers, which makes varied and subtle play with canons composed by others (from Byrd to Goehr) and concludes with a moving version of Byrd's "Non Nobis Domine", contained within a glowing envelope of orchestral tone.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1971

GRAMOPHONE, APRIL 1971

When I heard the first record by this schools orchestra (Pye Golden Guinea CSGC14103, 3/68) I gave it an indulgent notice; but hearing it later, I did wonder if I hadn't done readers something of a disservice in leading them to believe that it was better than it in fact was, for it undoubtedly sounded like a schools orchestra- rather feeble violins and suchlike. I have no such qualms about this latest record, for I have tried parts on two listeners, neither of whom guessed that it was other than some adult orchestra, even if not one of the leading ones regularly recording. Admittedly a third was quickly suspicious, for he spotted a weak cello note - but he was a professional string player! This Leicestershire Schools Orchestra has the enthusiasm of Director of Education behind it, and also a far-seeing Music Adviser in Eric Pinkett who is himself a most capable conductor. Other such orchestras may be jealous at their latest feat in getting onto an Argo record (though it should be cheaper), but they have been clever. They 'captured' Sir Michael Tippett as their 'patron saint' early on; now they have added Sir Arthur Bliss and no less a famous conductor than Previn; and they have recorded works not otherwise available. The playing really is remarkable. Just occasionally the strings show their extreme youth in a difficult passage in octaves or a high entry for violins which should be strong but isn't, but otherwise I could find little to fault and so much to admire. Most of the music is "Contemporary Orchestral Works" only in that it belongs to this century, for apart from Herbert Chappell's overture they were all composed a good while ago. But that is no quibble, for the playing is the thing and that Bliss's work, in particular, is a fine piece that ought not to have been neglected; also that the playing is not only so technically expert but is so extraordinarily musical.

Bliss's Introduction and Allegro is a virtuoso piece composed for Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1926, but it is far more than that, as its opening, most expressively played, at once shows, and even in the Allegro, there are passages like that at fig. 24 (miniature score available from Boosey & Hawkes) where the sensitive playing touches the heart. As to the sheerly virtuoso bits, they get brilliant treatment from every section of the orchestra (with those very occasional, and slight, weaknesses I have mentioned). Ireland's Elegy makes no technical demands on the strings, which enables them to show how sensitively musical these young players are - a most affecting performance. Previn's overture, and Chappell's, are virtuoso pieces and not much more, though most skilfully done - but their titles imply nothing more and both are, of their kind, exhilarating. Bryan Kelly's Cuban Suite is uncommonly gifted for a student work, even if it is, as he writes, an unashamed attempt to write popular light music with immediate appeal - I bet those children enjoyed playing the 'naughty' tango, especially as relaxation from the demands of Bliss. Tippett's two excerpts from his The Shires Suite (originally written for this orchestra) take us again into the world of serious and beautiful music, with an excellent choir joining in "Non nobis domine" in the Epilogue and this makes a moving end to the record.

TREVOR HARVEY

HI-FI NEWS, APRIL 1971

Great Happenings in Leicestershire

How a fine schools orchestra came into the record business

Towards the end of 1969 I received a letter from a schools orchestra asking if I would like to hear a tape of a new piece of educational music that had recently been televised on Sounds Exciting. On the principle that it's best to listen to everything, but not expecting very much,

I said I would. When it arrived, it turned out to be a very original, very funny comedy-thriller with words by Robin Ray and music by Herbert Chappell, and apart from being weak with laughter I was very impressed from the musical point of view. The record came out in May 1970 under the title Dead in Tune and received highly enthusiastic notices (Argo ZDA 134).

The orchestra was the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1947 by Eric Pinkett, a man of quite incredible determination and drive who lets nothing stand in his way - not even producers! It must be now the finest youth orchestra in the country. Scarcely had the last notes of that first recording died away when Eric began to discuss the next one. His idea was to produce something that would supply music for school occasions such as speech days, assemblies, prayers and so on. This at once seemed an excellent idea and further talks followed these lines. For a while, that is. Suddenly things took a rather different course when Sir Arthur Bliss and Sir Michael Tippett agreed to conduct. At once the record became more important. And it became more important still during - of all things - one of the Simon Dee shows. The guest was Andre Previn who when asked what he would like to do while over here, replied that he'd most like to work with the LSSO. Eric Pinkett moved into action next morning and in a surprisingly short time I was discussing fees with Previn's agent. The next problem was Previn's exclusive contract with RCA. Not feeling very hopeful, I approached Miss Rosemary Schnutz who was very sympathetic and cabled her New York office. Time went by and I had begun to resign myself to a refusal when permission arrived - received, I may say, with enormous gratitude. This more-or-less finalised the repertoire. Previn would conduct his own Overture to a Comedy, commissioned by Leonard Bernstein for the opening of the Lincoln Centre, the Elegy from John Ireland's little-known but exquisite Downland Suite, and a new work by Herbert Chappell, commissioned by the orchestra. Sir Arthur would conduct his Introduction and Allegro in its first stereo recording and the first to be conducted by the composer. Sir Michael Tippett would take over for two movements of his Shires Suite, written especially for the orchestra and premiered by them at last year's Cheltenham Festival and performed again on the last night of the Proms. And finally Eric Pinkett would join the conductors to direct Bryan Kelly's Cuban Suite, another new work especially written for the orchestra. So, apart from the Bliss, all the works were premieres. Few of these pieces offer any concessions musically, and it says much for the orchestra that three such eminent musicians were willing to participate. But then the orchestra is unique. Indeed, the standards and scope of musical education in Leicestershire are unique. The county runs three full symphony orchestras, a chamber orchestra and a military band. It boasts a string quartet of eight-year-olds who have appeared on television - and not as a piquant curiosity either. The children in the senior orchestra - aged roughly 14-18 - give up Saturday mornings to rehearse, and during the summer go into purdah for a fortnight of their holidays for intensive work. Their enthusiasm is staggering when you first meet them. At the end of a full day's rehearsal, after tea, they will, for instance, voluntarily reconvene, appoint a conductor from the ranks and go on practicing for the whole evening. Or, possibly, the three members of the orchestra who form the Shadows of Thyme - their own folk group - will provide a concert. And lest it be thought that the folk interest is just a pastime, I should point out that the trio reached the semi- finals of a national talent competition at their first attempt. It's difficult to put across the atmosphere generated by this orchestra. The children are not specialist music students but ordinary pupils. Some, to be sure, will go to the RCM, RAM or elsewhere, but the vast majority will not. But four years' work on a back desk will leave something that other children must lack. And four years' such work will also offer continental tours, concerts, broadcasts and recordings. Musically, they can stand with the best. As Sir Arthur Bliss said to me at the end of this session, 'If I couldn't see they were children, I'd say it was a professional orchestra.' Andre Previn's repeated comment was 'Fantastic', and he has promised to write them a new work and conduct them again. Sir Michael's opinion is possibly biased as he is their patron, but it is significant that when he wrote the Shires Suite for them he made not the slightest concession to their age. It is a difficult and possibly even k major work. It is, I discovered, a fairly complex task to bring together a studio, an orchestra composed of children with such annoyances as lessons and homework to consider, and three major conductors. In the end we solved the problem by recording over the August Bank Holiday weekend and by feeding them on the spot. The supplies list reads like that of a small if quirky army - 600 sausage rolls, 600 pork pies, 600 pasties, 200 bags of assorted crisps, about sixty pounds of fruit and heaven knows what else. Needless to say, not a crumb was left! The orchestra arrived at the studio at 9.15 on the Friday evening and was promptly put through a full rehearsal by Eric Pinkett. This was invaluable for me as, though I had attended several rehearsals and concerts in various parts of the country, I still had not heard certain works, notably the Previn, and that score was a three-part Sellotaped photostat of uncertain clarity standing somewhat over two feet high! The session with Sir Arthur finished early thanks to magnificent playing and Sir Arthur’s usual superb efficiency. As Sir Arthur left the rostrum, Eric Pinkett began another rehearsal... Sunday afternoon was another rehearsal! When a somewhat dishevelled Andre Previn arrived on Monday morning direct from Scotland

ISLE OF MAN TIMES, APRIL 1971

The Good Friday Concert was a breathtaking revelation to me of a concerted dedication to beautiful music by this very young orchestra. It consisted of the overture Benvenuto Cellini by Berlioz, making us forget that we were not listening to a professional orchestra, followed by a breathtaking, unbelievably polished performance of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue". The young pianist Stephen Whittaker, who played this difficult exacting work did credit to Gershwin's most widely known composition in a way expected of a more mature exponent. The whole piece was so full of energy and vitality that what may be yet to be achieved by them later in advanced technique makes me able to compare their interpretation very favourably with more mature and professional orchestras. The second half was devoted to the Brahms "Requiem", a long difficult work requiring tremendous physical and musical energy. The orchestra and soloists and the Festival Chorus are all to be commended on attempting a work of such magnitude.

I found that Monday's concert was even more impressive. From beginning to end this fine orchestra captured and held the interest of the audience. They played the Vivaldi Gloria with great tenderness and in this again, being a very testing work, the chorus gave a very touching

and sympathetic performance. The Paganini Violin Concerto was again a superb example of what this young orchestra can do. The young violinist Russell Gilbert, himself an ex-member of the L.S.S.O. and now a student at the Royal Academy of Music, calls forth great praise for such

a high standard of playing in a work of great technical difficulty which only the accomplished musician dare attempt. He surmounted most of the many difficulties with great skill and I am strongly convinced we heard a future soloist in the making. The Manx Rhapsody was also very moving and beautifully played, arranged by Haydn Wood. The Shires Suite by Tippett (who was unfortunately unable to visit the Island due to indisposition) was quite a startling venture; certainly not "run of the mill", but as Tippett depicted the sound and life of the "Shires", I heard mill wheels, some for water, some for more grim purposes. The Hallelujah Chorus was played and sung in memory of the work done for music by the late Harry Pickard. A very fitting finale to the evening was Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio Italien" and although I may be slightly biased (being fond of the Russian composers) what a "Grand Finale". EILEEN McKOWN

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1971

LSSO show fine form on stereo recording

A new stereo record by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra presents them in fine form with lively and vital sound from Argo and the conducting shared by Sir Arthur Bliss, Sir Michael Tippett, Andre Previn and the County's Music Adviser Eric Pinkett. Although this is the third disc to be made by Leicestershire's young musicians, it is actually the second involving the full 100 strong orchestra. The witty and entertaining "Dead in Tune" and "George and the Dragonfly" was made with an ensemble of 45. The six items on the new disc present quite a range of styles from the closely-wrought brilliance of Bliss’s Introduction and Allegro to Bryan Kelly's light and easy-on-the-ear "Cuban Suite". Listeners will have their favourites but everyone is going to fall in love with the Elegy for strings from John Ireland's Downland Suite. Andre Previn chose it as one of his pieces with the LSSO and he conducts it beautifully. The playing is superb and the recording transmits excitingly the sensitive reaction of these young musicians to the tip of Previn's baton. Here, in fact, is a musical quiz you could try: play this track over and invite friends to identify the orchestra under Previn's command. The answers will be flattering, but I doubt if they'll be correct! Previn also conducts his own breezy Overture to a Comedy and the LSSO-commissioned "Panache" overture by Herbert Chappell. Sir Arthur Bliss gets excellent response in his virtuoso Introduction and Allegro, Sir Michael Tippett commendable clarity and atmosphere in the two concluding items from The Shires Suite (another LSSO commission) and Eric Pinkett directs an easy-flowing Cuban Suite. All in all, a disc to marvel at. R. A. P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, FEBRUARY 1971

Bliss composes new work for pageant by county school

SIR ARTHUR BLISS, Master of the Queen's Musick, has composed the opening song for a pageant to be staged by the County School of Music at Leicester's De Montfort Hall at the end of next month. The theme of the pageant is the last quarter of a century in Leicestershire. It also marks the retirement of Director of Education Mr. Stewart Mason, whose work during those 25 Years has included an active concern with the county's pioneering achievements in the field of musical education. Sir Arthur Bliss is the latest of many distinguished musicians who over the years have become associated with the County School of Music. The attraction once again was the fine playing of the senior of the schools’ three symphony orchestras. Having heard the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra he agreed to conduct them. He has become one of their most vocal admirers and described their concert at the 1970 Cheltenham Festival as the festival's best. Praise for the orchestra has also come from conductor Andre Previn, whose name, with that of Sir Arthur, Sir Michael Tippett (patron of the County School of Music) and Eric Pinkett (county music organiser) will appear on the label of the LSSO's third record, which is to be issued shortly. Mr. Previn has also promised to compose a piece of music for the orchestra. Their future bookings look impressive. They are to take part in music festivals in the Isle of Man, at Harrogate and at Brighton. There is, too, the likelihood of a fourth record with an internationally famous artist as soloist. One of their most important engagements will be concerned with two performances for the BBC of the opera "Der Jasager" by Kurt Weill and Berthold Brecht. The choice of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony to play the orchestral score was influenced by Alexander Goehr - another composer-conductor to be impressed by their high musical standard. The production of the opera will be significant because "Der Jasager" is something of a rarity. It was apparently last performed in this country in 1930 and its revival reflects a current wave of interest in Weill's music. The LSSO will contribute both to a BBC recording in April and an invitation concert performance at the De Montfort Hall a few days later. Another De Montfort Hall concert in September will be the orchestra's special tribute to Mr. Mason and will follow their prospective trip to Geneva. Plenty of activity, too, for other branches of the County School of Music. In addition to the three-day pageant at the end of March, The Intermediate Orchestra's schedule will include a concert at the Long Eaton Festival and a tour to Ludinghausen in the autumn. They will have their usual live-together-play-together course at a seaside resort in July and there will again be a shorter one closer to home for the Junior Orchestra. Plans include, also, many training sessions and concerts for the school's splinter groups, which include a military band, string quartets and wind ensembles.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JULY 1971

The LSSO – an orchestra with personality

This entertaining summer's evening concert at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester last night was part of the 139th BMA conference but also a public occasion at which enthusiasm ran high.

The orchestra deserved their acclaim. They are, indeed, something of a phenomenon; not merely on account of their high standard of performance but because (and in spite of quite sizeable personnel change each autumn when school leavers drop out) they have, over the years acquired a playing style and a personality which is attractive and distinctly and exclusively LSSO.

Thus they are able to contribute to their music something over and above the mere notes. This was evident in the Verdi overture and in the exciting final tarantella of the Tchaikovsky where, to admirable control, clarity and speed of execution was added an exuberance and verve which was as infectious as it was irrepressible. For Eric Pinkett there must have been something of the thrill of handling a high-performance sports car. He knows their potential intimately and has emerged himself as a conductor with some fine qualities. I liked the broad sweep and the dramatic power of the overture, his effective use of silence and his maintenance of positive rich tone at slow speeds. The opening Siesta movement of the Cuban Suite went particularly well and Prokofiev's potent instrumental timbres were excellently realised to add life and colour to Kije’s lively musical portrait. Good work, too, from the solo trumpet. The Gershwin received a large and generous treatment with Eric Pinkett and Stephen Whittaker in full accord. Whittaker (he is the orchestra's timpanist) produced large full piano tone and his assurance and sense of atmosphere set the scene impressively for the famous big tune. Russell Gilbert, the concerto soloist, a former leader of the orchestra, is clearly an extremely talented fourth-year student. The principal virtue of his reading of the Paganini was its seriousness of intent. He showed (especially in the first movement) that the work has decided musical attributes and is not merely just a means of living it up technically. His range of tone was considerable and he employed it intelligently and purposefully. R. A. P.

RECORDS AND RECORDING, APRIL 1971

This is a lively collection of good light music. By far the best work is the first one in the programme. Sir Arthur Bliss directs a cogent account of his spacious and deeply felt Introduction and Allegro: splendid stuff, full of life and character. Then we have Previn conducting three pieces. Firstly, his own pithy Overture to a Comedy - full of bounce and quite brilliantly scored. This is a most zestful affair. In complete contrast, Previn turns to Ireland's lovely Elegy from his poetic Downland Suite - English music to the core - full of quiet cloudscape and dreamy movement. Chappell's racy overture, well-named Panache, comes in for another fiery Previn interpretation. This is more commonplace stuff than Previn's own overture but it makes agreeable listening for the uncritical. Kelly's Cuban Suite, directed with flair by Eric Pinkett, is, again, less worthy than the Bliss or Previn pieces but it is colourful, even if the melodies are somewhat second-rate. Far better, of course, are the two lovely pieces from Tippett's engaging The Shires Suite - poetic, beautifully accomplished and thoroughly worthwhile. The whole programme is despatched with brilliant aplomb by the astonishingly able Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, who respond especially well to Previn's direction. The recording is finely detailed and has a nice spacious acoustic. GEOFFREY CRANKSHAW

YORKSHIRE POST, AUGUST 1971

Tippett conducts stunning band

Sir Michael Tippett, 66, is one of the world's most distinguished composers. But be can be regarded as among the world’s most retiring celebrities. He lives amid the agreeable countryside of Wiltshire. He works in his delightfully secluded home at Chippenham where his privacy is secured by an ex-directory telephone number. Last night he emerged from his seclusion to make a 16 minute appearance at the opening Concert of the Harrogate Festival to conduct the now famed Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra in a performance of his "Prince Charles Suite" which was commissioned by the BBC in honour of the Prince of Wales. Sir Michael explained: "I find this a stunning orchestra. I got to know it some six years ago and found it an astonishing band – utterly professional and one of the most stimulating orchestras with which I have been associated." Sir Michael, who is patron of the orchestra and has placed his personal imprint on it, said: "When I conducted the orchestra in Germany two years ago, the Berliners were so amazed they could hardly believe their ears. They accorded these youngsters of between 14 and 18 an acclaim they usually reserve for the very best performances by renowned established orchestras." He explained that he only conducts these keen Leicestershire young players in contemporary works. That was why the major part of last nights programme, consisting of works drawn from the classical repertoire, was in charge of Norman Del Mar.

"So I have arrived in Harrogate for a very brief appearance." It was a return to the West Riding for Norman Del Mar who was one of the last conductors of the ill-fated Yorkshire Symphony Orchestra. And for last night's soloist, the well-known pianist Moura Lympany, it was an occasion that engendered memories of the very early days of her career. It was in Harrogate’s Royal Hall that, at the age of 12, she made her debut, playing Mendelssohn's Concerto in g minor. Last night she was proud to be associated with the talented musicians of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1972

LEICESTER MERCURY, 1972

County schools orchestra to make first recording of

Composer’s work

Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, with their conductor, Eric Pinkett, are to have the distinction of making the first gramophone record of music by the 96-year-old British composer Havergal Brian. Rehearsals are already under way and the recording will be done at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester, next July. The chosen works are the 10th and 21st symphonies and the record issued by Unicorn records is, expected to be on sale by the following Autumn. Havergal Brian, born in Staffordshire and now living in Shoreham, Sussex, has become something of a legend in the musical world as a composer who is hardly ever performed but who nevertheless has worked quietly and contentedly over the years to amass an output that includes 32 symphonies (including the two hour long "Gothic") five operas, concertos for violin and cello and numerous choral works and songs. The fact that much of his music demands large forces is an economical reason for its rare appearances in concert halls and for the complete absence of recordings. However, he does have determined champions - among them Dr. Robert Simpson

(A member of the B.B.C.'s music staff) who was mainly responsible for some recent broadcasts of Brian's works, and Alan Watkins, Press Association's deputy news editor and a music enthusiast with early training as a timpanist and percussionist. The recording project really all started from the time when Alan Walker listened to the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra's existing discs. He was greatly impressed by the standard of playing and was struck by the thought that here was the solution to the economical problems of giving permanence to some of Brian’s music. He wrote to the composer outlining the idea and obtained permission to explore possibilities. Within a short time, Mr. Walker arranged a meeting between John Goldsmith (director of Unicorn records), Eric Pinkett and Dr. Simpson. The outcome was a wholehearted and enthusiastic decision to go ahead and the chosen works on Dr. Simpson's recommendation were the 10th and 21st symphonies both of about 30 minutes duration and for which orchestral parts for the 100 instrumentalists were available. Dr. Simpson, who is the foremost authority on Havergal Brian's music, has since spent a day at the County School of Music at Birstall where he talked to the Schools Orchestra about the composer and the two symphonies and listened to them being rehearsed by Eric Pinkett. He was delighted with their progress and reported favourably to Havergal Brian. There is already an important local link, incidentally, with Unicorn Records. The company has earned considerable repute for its re-issues and projected new issues of music conducted by the late Wilhelm Furtwangler. A dynamic force behind this venture is Paul Minchin, chairman of the international Wilhelm Furtwangler Society who lives in Evington Lane, Leicester.

SUNDAY EXPRESS, 1972

Havergal Brian, Britain's most prolific but possibly least-performed classical composer, is to have his music recorded for the fist time at the age of 95. Paradoxically the disc will be cut by our top youth orchestra, the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Brian, described by BBC music expert Dr. Robert Simpson as a composer of the stature of Elgar is one of music’s great enigmas. He has written 32 symphonies, more than three times as many as Beethoven, five operas, 114 songs, not to mention choral works. Yet until now none of them has been recorded. Says the composer from his seaside home at Shoreham, Sussex: "I am absolutely delighted that these young people are to record two of my symphonies. It shows how good they are. They are not easy works to play."

LEICESTER MERCURY, 1972

Bach Choir captures vital spirit of the ‘Nelson’

Leicester Bach Choir joined forces with the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra at the Cathedral yesterday afternoon to give a performance of Haydn's "Nelson" Mass which, with Peter White conducting successfully, captured the vital and buoyant spirit of this eternally youthful music. Parallel qualities are, of course, to be found in the composer's other masses, but the "Nelson" stands as an especially exuberant and optimistic manifestation of his famous declaration that, at the thought of God, his heart leapt for joy. The impact of the Kyrie was immediate: here under Peter White's clear cut, vigorous, energy-inducing beat the choir and orchestra impressed with the confidence and spontaneity of their response right from the opening bars. Rhythms were sprightly and unforced, and the inbred cheerfulness of Haydn's delightful counterpoint was convincingly evoked. Added to this was Elizabeth Cox's fine singing of the glorious solo soprano line. She brought to it that radiance of sound which it calls for and which as could be seen stemmed directly from her obvious pleasure in singing. There was no flagging of concentration from this compelling start and choir, orchestra and soloist combined under their conductor's direction to build an interpretation whose stylistic evenness and integrity were among its attributes. The balance of the movements (the extrovert and the more subdued) was well judged; so, too, the tempi. I liked the alacrity and the deft accentuations of the overlapping entries in the Quonian to Solus, the effective metamorphosis in the Benedictus with its significant trumpet calls and the beautiful sequence near the close in the Agnus Dei where the choir's soft chords are answered by fragmented wisps of phrases from the strings. Details these from a performance (one should also mention the agreeable sound of the Cathedral's new chamber organ) which owed a great deal to the youthful zest of the orchestra. Think of their rhythmic momentum of the Ex Reserrexit. Under their own conductor Eric Pinkett, the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra opened the programme with a smooth and graciously phrased account of Vaughan William's "Greensleeves" arrangement and solos from two members of their woodwind section - Heather Williams in Albinoni's D major Allegro for oboe and Ann Bennett in an assured reading of Weber's Concertino for clarinet. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JULY 1972

Record in the making

"SSSHH . . . Not quite so loud, cellos. Let's have a real pianissimo here."

This, judging from his expression in the picture alongside, seems to be the message that James Loughran (the Halle Orchestra's conductor) is putting across during the preparation for the recording with the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra of Havergal Brian's 10th Symphony at the De Montfort Hall. The disc they were making with Brian's 21st Symphony on the reverse side (conductor, Eric Pinkett) will be issued in the Autumn - one of several involving the county's senior orchestra who now add Loughran’s name to the imposing list of famous conductors who have worked with them.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1972

An exhilarating musical ‘Feast’ from the youngsters

Leicestershire’s "Year of the Choir" began auspiciously at the De Montfort Hall last night, with a performance of William Walton's "Belshazzar's Feast" that was, as it should be, exhilarating and spectacular. Laszlo Heltay conducted, Michael Rippon was the baritone soloist, the orchestra was the Leicestershire Schools Symphony and the County Chamber Choir was joined by the choirs of Guthlaxton School and Loughborough College School. There will be a repeat performance at the forthcoming Bath Festival in the presence of the composer and it seems safe to say that he will be impressed. The choice of "Belshazzar" was of course a tribute from Leicestershire to Walton in his 70th birthday year, but the confident and convincing involvement in the music of these almost exclusively school-going singers and instrumentalists was a striking testimony to the work's immediacy and relevance some 40 years after composition. Heltay's direction was clear-cut and commanding. The work's darkly prophetic opening was well caught and there was a real sense of excitement in such brilliantly-wrought passages as those in which the material gods are praised. Belshazzar is exhorted to immortality and the praises are sung for the triumph of God over the evils of Babylon. Most important was that the singing successfully reflected Walton's shrewdly achieved distinction between the sound and atmosphere of indulgent heathenism and righteous exultation. Michael Rippon's contribution was notable for its imaginative employment of fine vocal quality especially in his arresting delivery of the Babylonian inventory - its final phrase tellingly moulded and right on pitch. The concert began with Walton's latest work, "Capriccio Burlesco" for orchestra. Conductor Eric Pinkett produced a deft performance in which the work's beautifully translucent scoring was well projected. The strings were not so successful in Elgar's very demanding Introduction and Allegro, nor, despite some evocative playing and some expressive singing from Guthlaxton School Choir, did Vaughan Williams's lovely "Serenade to Music" (the words from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice") yield its full magic, although it came near. Heltay's balance was sometimes at fault, and the solo quartet, apart from soprano Kathryn Marcer, did not always quite catch the prevailing mood of performance. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1972

First visit to France

Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra left in the early hours of this morning for their first visit to France. Their concert tour will last for nine days and will include stops at Evreux,

Le Havre, Rouen and Dieppe. The name of Leicestershire, however, is not strange to the area.

In recent years many scholars from county schools have crossed the channel to brush up on their spoken French as the result of a close educational link. The conducting at the orchestra's concerts will be shared between Eric Pinkett, Leicestershire's music advisor, and Laszlo Heltay, music director of Sussex University. The programmes will include solo items to feature Eleanor Cooke of Melton (the Mendelssohn violin concerto), Susan Phipps of Wigston (flute concerto by Chaminade) and Ann Bennett of Kirby Muxloe (Weber's Concertino for clarinet and orchestra).

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1973

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1973

Isle of Man follows county’s example

Part of the pleasure of today's trip to the Isle of Man by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra lies in the knowledge that since their last visit two years ago the Leicestershire lead has been followed and that there now exists a Manx youth orchestra. Members of the Leicestershire party, in fact, will be able to hear the new orchestra during their visit to the island.

The L.S.S.O. travelled to the Isle of Man at the invitation of Lady Mary Stallard, wife of Sir Peter Stallard, Lieutenant Governor of the Island, and during their stay they will give three concerts, the principal one being on Easter Sunday when Havelock Nelson will conduct a performance of Haydn's "Creation". The orchestra will be joined by the Manx Festival Chorus and the Ulster Singers. The proceeds of all the concerts will be given to the Manx Youth Orchestra. The L.S.S.O. will return on Easter Monday in time to complete rehearsals for an important engagement at Leicester's De Montfort Hall - the presentation of Verdi’s Requiem on April 30.

LEICESTER MERCURY, DECEMBER 1973

The celebrated British pianist Peter Frankl will be rehearsing with Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra during their three day Christmas course beginning on January 2. The conductor will be the eminent young Israeli Dan Vogel, associate conductor of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra and especially well known on the continent for his work in opera.

The course thus continues the celebrity pattern established so successfully last year when the soloist was the Korean violinist Kyung-Wha Chung and the conductor the Hungarian Uri Segal. The main work for study and rehearsal will be Beethoven's 3rd piano concerto which, together with Sullivan's overture Di Ballo and Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony will comprise the programme for the end-of-course concert at Roundhill School, Thurmaston where the course takes place.

LEICESTER MERCURY, DECEMBER 1973

Distinction for LSSO

It is quite an accolade to get into the Best Records of the Year, a list published annually by E.M.G. in its monthly letter, so there is a look of the cat licking the cream on the faces of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. Their record is of Brian's Symphonies Nos. 10 and 21 and is one of the 60 selected out of thousands produced during the year 1973. In case you may never have heard of the composer Brian the Briton, you need feel no shame for he has been woefully neglected and this is the first recording of any music by one of this country's most remarkable composers. Havergal Brian died last year at the fine old age of 96. He wrote 32 symphonies and five operas. The review of the record says: "Brian's music is among the most original to have been written in this century and it is doubly exciting and satisfying to hear the verve with which this remarkable youth orchestra attacks the formidable task set by these two difficult but very rewarding scores." Symphony No. 21 was composed when Brian was 87 and was one of 22 symphonies he wrote after the age of 80. Late flowering if you like! And pleasant to record that in this triumph of youth and age, Leicestershire has played a significant part.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1973

Stars get the best out of schools orchestra

The internationally famous young Korean-born violinist Kung-Wha Chung was the soloist and Uri Segal the conductor in an invitation concert at Loughborough last night with the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. The event was significant not merely because of the eminence of the two visiting musicians (Segal's reputation is rising rapidly and soon he is to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic), but because the circumstances of their visit to Leicestershire have pointed a new direction in which the Schools Orchestra can widen its educational experience and, at the same time, provide an invaluable service to the professional concert world.

The initiative began with Miss Chung who, having decided to take Bartok’s second violin concerto into her repertoire, asked about the possibility of rehearsing it extensively with an orchestra. She likes, in preparing concertos, to become as closely aquainted with the orchestral part as with the solo part -especially so in the case of Bartok 2 with its tightly integrated construction. Her London agent, having heard the L.S.S.O., approached Eric Pinkett (county music adviser and the orchestra's regular conductor) and received an enthusiastic yes. Rehearsals were fixed for the first three days of the New Year with a concert to finish.

Thus last night the audience at the great Hall of Radmoor in Loughborough College of Art and Design heard Miss Chung's first public performance of Bartok 2 which, incidentally, Uri Segal conducted for the first time. After her first rehearsal session with the orchestra, Miss Chung was clearly delighted with their playing. "Uri, they play marvellously," she said to Segal, "and they work really hard." The remarkable thing was that the orchestra had learned their part of the concerto in just a fortnight, and thoroughly enough to ensure that rehearsals with their distinguished guests could concentrate on balance and interpretation rather than on correcting basic errors. The experience was such a success from the orchestra's point of view that every attempt will be made to repeat it with visits from other young and celebrated musicians. Miss Chung herself hopes to be back for a similar working session at Birstall one day.

Her last night's reading of the Bartok showed a sensitive and imaginative regard for its fine qualities, especially so in her subtle handling of its quicksilver changes of mood and its finely poised contrasts between rhythmic toughness and wistful lyricism. Segal’s handling of the orchestra enhanced the solo line with carefully judged weighting and balancing of the work's precisely wrought textures. In their response, the orchestra achieved a standard of playing that was truly amazing for its maturity and professionalism. Under Segal, too, they gave vital performances of the Roman Carnival overture by Berlioz and Kodaly's richly colourful "Peacock" variations. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1973

Important dates ahead for young musicians

Young musicians from the Leicester area have a busy and distinguished schedule ahead of them in the coming months. Next month the 110 members of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra go to London to record an Omnibus television programme with conductor Andre Previn entitled "The Other L.S.O." In July they go to the Festival Estival de Paris - a French equal of the London Proms - as the invited orchestra in the main concert hall there. Afterwards they go to Autun to play in the Europa Cantant Five. This is a very distinctive honour for the youngsters as it is the first time that a schools' orchestra has been invited to the event. It is held every three years and 3,000 choristers from all over the Continent take part. The orchestra then performs at the Festival Hall in September. "We have been told that we are the best schools' orchestra in Europe," said Mr. Eric Pinkett, county music adviser. "I'm very proud. "

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1973

Fascinating – but this disc has a touch of tragedy

The latest record to be made by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra is certainly their most important and it is also, I think, their best. It has just been issued by Unicorn and it is a landmark because it makes available on a commercial disc for the very first time the music of Havergal Brian who died last year at the age of 96. One is conscious, indeed, of the element of tragedy in the fact that Brian, who composed music for so long without encouragement or recognition, never lived to hear this pioneer disc made by musicians young enough to be his great-great-grandchildren. The chosen works are the 10th Symphony (1954) and the 21st (1963), the conducting being shared by James Loughran and Eric Pinkett, respectively, and I can think of no higher compliment to the L.S.S.O. than to say that, listening to their playing, one accepts it on the same standard as that of a professional orchestra. And what of the music? I can only say that I am amazed that these symphonies have not been heard before and grateful to the efforts of Dr. Robert Simpson whose tireless advocacy of Brian helped to make the record possible.

The Composer's style as shown in these two works is highly individual and always fascinating. Things tend to happen suddenly and with swift sharp contrasts in a Havergal Brian score like the storm which whips up with impressive fury in the single spanned 10th Symphony and then as quickly subsides. One notices, too, the progress of the music through brief and seemingly unrelated sound shapes - snippets, even, and juxtaposing full-blooded orchestral colours with the thin textures of one or two solo instruments. Yet even on first listening I found the onward progress of the music never in doubt. With real ingenuity Brian sees to it that the ear is sufficiently stocked with relevant information to apprehend new twists and turns - new shocks and digressions - in the forward journey. Listening for the third and fourth time one begins to glimpse the deeper meaning of the notes - especially in the magnificence of the 10th symphony - and marvel at the optimism which, at the age of 87, Brian poured into the four-movement 21st Symphony which expostulates so buoyantly in its grandly conceived final movement.

I recommend this disc to those who seek an original musical mind working through self-assured unorthodox procedures and skilful and intriguing handling of the orchestra to express a worthwhile philosophy. The lucid conducting of Loughran and Pinkett helps in reaping this pleasure.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1973

The significant and encouraging feature of last night's silver jubilee concert at Loughborough by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra was the high standard of string playing, especially in the Elegy and Waltz from Tchaikovsky's Serenade, finely conducted by Eric Pinkett. Wind players get results relatively quickly; the development of string players, however, is a longer process. But the County School of Music's string nursery is clearly beginning to pay off.

The senior orchestra is benefitting from players who have been caught young and graduating upwards via the junior and intermediate ensembles, arrive with valuable experience behind them. On last night's evidence in the University's Edward Herbert building one can confidently report the existence of a Birstall string tradition with a recognisably individualistic style. Smetana's overture to The Bartered Bride was an exuberant beginning, the pace fast and staggered entries putting sectional competence and confidence on open display. The orchestra's expressive power was manifest in a meritable performance of Dvorak's tone poem, The Noon Witch, whose final lamentatory episode bore a true sense of atmosphere. And I must return to the Tchaikovsky string music to recount the depth of feeling Eric Pinkett drew from the Elegy, some of whose writing, as he showed is surprisingly modern in its psychological thinking.

The concert’s soloist was Marlene Fleet (now living in Leicestershire) who joined the orchestra in Cesar Franck's Symphonic Variations. Her reading, I thought, expressed beautifully and elegantly the music's romantic charm and I particularly admired the lyrical cantabile which graced its opening theme. The piu lento section was subtly and delicately accentuated and the final allegro had the lightness and sprightliness of rhythm that it needs. An impressive debut from this pianist in her new home county but the orchestral playing here could have been a little more positive. The programme, which ended with Wolf-Ferrari's Jewels of the Madonna suite, included Incantation and Dance, which is one of those pieces for wind band which the Americans do so well. The composer, Chance, uses six percussion in this work whose opportunities for exhilarating sounds were well exploited. Clifford Hutt was its conductor.

R A P

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1973

Verdi's Requiem performed with fine maturity

The Leicestershire County School of Music began its existence in May a quarter of a century ago and so now enters its silver jubilee year. Congratulatory messages have been received from the school’s patron, Sir Michael Tippett and from such distinguished names as Sir Arthur Bliss, Andre Previn, Richard Rodney Bennett, Malcolm Arnold and Kyung-Wha Chung.

Their good wishes were reproduced in facsimile in the programme for last night's De Montfort Hall concert when, to mark the jubilee occasion, a massed schools choir and the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra joined with professional soloists in a performance of Verdi's Requiem under Laszlo Heltay's direction. And what a fine, stimulating performance it was with a quite astonishingly mature realisation of Verdi's wonderful orchestral score. There were occasional awkward moments in exposed and taxing passages (such as at the opening of the Offertorio) but they were few, they were understandable and they served indeed to demonstrate the powers of recovery that these musicians possess - their refusal to be inhibited by difficulties.

Heltay clearly had abounding confidence in his young singers and players. One sensed that his careful shaping of the work went strictly according to a well laid plan and that his notably good control of dynamics reflected keen and sympathetic vocal and instrumental response.

The opening was beautifully managed. Its nuances subtly and accurately moulded and the balance of the Kyrie typical of the clean, vivid sound that Heltay achieved even in the thickest of textures. The Dies Irae, which can sound merely loud and turgid across in brilliant sharp-edged colours. The key to the Sanctus's' very beautiful and moving realisation was again Heltay's imaginative blending of voices and instruments. The soloists were Pitricia Garnham (soprano), Helen Attfield (contralto, a former member of the County School of Music), Paul Taylor (tenor) and Michael Rippon (bass). R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1973

County schools orchestra amazed pros

A week after being the subject of a 55 minute BBC television feature with Andre Previn, Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra proved their worth yesterday with a memorable concert at the Royal Festival Hall, London, with John Ogden as soloist. The concert was a principal event in the silver jubilee year of the County School of Music and the conducting was shared by Laszlo Heltay and Eric Pinkett, the orchestra's regular conductor, who was responsible 25 years ago for the creation of Leicestershire's remarkable and famous musical enterprise. The LSSO has achieved so much with records and recording and with concert giving in this country and abroad that one wonders what further attainments lie open to them. I can only suggest that their combination of youthful vitality and technical excellence would be extremely popular with a BBC Prom audience. The orchestra would be equal to the occasion.

There were many professional musicians in yesterday's audience who were amazed at the playing standard especially in view of the fact that the LSSO is a genuine schools orchestra whose average age stays permanently around about 16. The programme was well chosen to demonstrate their departmental strengths and particularly the ability of each member to think orchestrally

and to be aware of what is going on around him (or her). This latter virtue was evident in the performance of Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances which, as well as the Paganini Rhapsody, were played to mark the centenary of the composer's birth. The dances form a work of considerable length and complexity but, as we heard, provide great rewards to the listener with an ear for beauty of orchestral colouring and texture. Eric Pinkett, who had opened the concert with a sparkling account of Glinka's Russlan and Ludmilla overture, directed the Symphonic Dancers with rhythmic flexibility and yet skilfully sustaining the flow of the discursive central movement. His players cooperated intelligently and with mature musical sympathy. The string sound towards the close of the opening dance was typical or the fine quality that the LSSO produces and one admired the nerve and the thrilling articulation of brass and woodwind in the Finale where Rachmaninov works the fragmented Dies Irae to such powerful effect. Orchestral sensibility was notable in the well judged accompaniment to the Paganini Rhapsody's solo part which John Ogden played beautifully with reciprocal regard for its setting and yielding such delights as a magical transition from the delightful 17^th variation to the popular 18^th.

Heltay conducting with romantic grace yet with a precise sense of balance, followed with a superb reading of Kodaly's marvellous "Peacock" Variations. Heltay, a Hungarian, was himself a pupil of Kodaly so the authentic feel of this performance was not surprising. The playing throughout was outstanding and one felt that the whole orchestra were equipped not merely to convey the brilliant and extrovert facets of the music, but also (as in the 11th, 12th and 13th variations) the sombre political message (still relevant) of the folk song that inspired the work.

R.A.P.

THE OBSERVER, SEPTEMBER 1973

Previn and the other LSO

Tonight on BBC's 'Omnibus' programme you can see Andre Previn conducting the LSO. Not the London Symphony Orchestra, but the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra. What was it like being conducted by Previn, I asked Andrew Klee, 18-year-old violinist, who joined the junior orchestra of the Leicestershire County School of Music eight years ago. 'It was first-class,' he replied. 'He was so professional. He stood on the rostrum, announced the programme, turned round and we were off.' The school was founded 25 years ago this year, hence tonight's celebratory programme. It is an unusual school - the children attend only on Saturday mornings. The rest of the time they do ordinary lessons at their own schools. But on Saturdays the school's five orchestras meet to rehearse and practise. And at holiday times, the young musicians go off on courses or on tours abroad. Eric Pinkett, County Music Adviser for Leicestershire, founded the school. It was the first of its kind in the country. 'All the young musicians in the county get together and the great thing is the challenge they meet,' he says. 'They play pretty well, so wherever they play they are rather feted.' But there are responsibilities, as well as glamour in belonging to an orchestra.

'The orchestra has to be bound by discipline, particularly self-discipline.' Children usually learn to play an instrument at their own school and then join the junior orchestra if they are good enough. The final accolade is to become a member of the senior orchestra - the LSO. Corinne Bradly is another member of the senior orchestra who plays under Andre Previn in tonight's 'Omnibus' programme. She plays percussion. This is unusual for a girl - she says it is difficult for a woman to get a job playing percussion with a professional orchestra. She began the flute at school and was still playing in the junior orchestra at the school, 'but when I moved up into the intermediate orchestra there were absolutely loads of flautists there.' 'So,' she went on, 'I decided I'd like to have a go at something else. A friend of mine was playing percussion on his own, so I asked if I could join him.' What she likes about percussion is 'sitting up there on a high stool, and sometimes you feel you've got control over the whole orchestra.' Corinne and Andrew have left school now and so can no longer be members of 'the other LSO'. They regret it, but see the necessity for new players coming up. 'You've got to keep the ball rolling,' says Andrew.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1974

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1974

LSSO puts four more works on record

The Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra will be in Brighton tomorrow to make two recordings simultaneously. The BBC and CBS Records will each have a control room to tape performances of Havergal Brian's setting of the 23rd Psalm and his 22nd Symphony and also of Berlioz's "Resurrexit" and his "Death of Orpheus". All this music is being recorded for the first time - the BBC's tape for eventual Radio 3 broadcast and CBS's for processing into a disc which it is expected will be issued in the autumn. The conductor for all four works is Laszlo Heltay and the choir is the Brighton Festival Chorus, which Heltay directs. The LSSO was first in the field in making an LP of Havergal Brian's music with their brisk-selling disc of the 10th and 21st Symphonies, conducted respectively by the Halle's James Loughran and the orchestra's permanent director, Eric Pinkett who is Leicestershire's music adviser and founder of the County School of Music. Once again, the BBC's Robert Simpson (stalwart champion of Brian's music) is concerned with production and he is responsible too for performances of the two Berlioz rarities. Brian died, it will remembered, without ever hearing the very first record of his music and it is interesting that following the LSSO’s disc there is a projected one or other of the composer's symphonies by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. The LSSO will remain in Brighton after their two-day recording session to rehearse the Tchaikovsky violin concerto with the highly regarded young Russian player Philip Hirshhorn. This, again, is another instance of Leicestershire's youthful orchestra serving a valuable role as sort of "pacemaker" for young virtuosi learning new works. Previously they have worked with pianist Peter Frankel and violinist Kyung-Wha Chung. "Do you by any chance happen to be rehearsing Tchaik's fiddle concerto?" came the question from Hirshhorn's London agent. Eric Pinkett's reply was "Yes" - the LSSO happen to be playing it with Campoli as soloist at Loughborough on May 2nd.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1974

New Parks girls shine in front of a full house

Last night’s well attended "Dance Mosaic" at Leicester Haymarket Theatre proved to be (as was predictable) a highly successful by-product of the merger of city and county. The orchestra was the Leicestershire Schools Symphony (conductor Eric Pinkett) and on stage were the girls of New Parks School's dance group. First praise must go to Mary Hockney, dance teacher At New Parks, who was responsible for all the choreography. I admire the stylistic versatility that was revealed in the five ballets she devised - from the saucy gaiety of "La Vie Parisienne" (Ibert's Divertissement) to the classic grace of her dance interpretation of Saint Saens' Rondo Capriccioso. The excellent violinist in the Saint-Saens was the orchestra's leader, Graham Pyatt, and the musical idea of solo and accompaniment was reflected by a dance soloist (beautiful movement and line from Lynne Taylor) supported by an elegant pas de six. The inter-relationships were subtly pointed and the result was a ballet of notable quality. It was especially evident in the big dance numbers that these New Parks girls, from the very youngest upwards, are trained in self-confidence and self-projection. No trace of timidity, here, in the face of a full house. In the Ibert and in her impressive choreographing of Rimsky- Korsakov's colourfully exotic Capriccio Espagnol, Mary Hockney showed skill and resource in combining dancers of varying levels of technical attainment without ever suggesting compromise or contrivance. The street urchins in the French ballet did their thing with as much gusto and panache as the can-can girls. And when the scene changed to Spain there was the same fluent mixing of the experienced with the less experienced. I particularly liked the choreography for the slow, stately measure just after the opening of the Rimsky- Korsakov work, and admired it for an economy of movement and means which, nevertheless, sustained a fine sense of subdued excitement. Sullivan's Di Ballo overture was the source of a dance rich in witty, romantic incident, and Leroy Anderson's "Fiddle Faddle" was a popular instrumental novelty featuring four glamorous and virtuoso girl fiddlers on stage level. Pit playing of rhythmic drive and assurance was typical of nearly all the orchestra's work. The exception was Beethoven's "Emperor" piano concerto, Philip Fowke being the soloist. With the piano on stage, the balance with the orchestra was never acceptable and there were moments in the slow movement where there was a separation in timing, too. The Finale had a dance accompaniment with some attractive touches and with the rondo idea neatly echoed visually. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JUNE 1974

Mature performance with a youthful sparkle

No allowance whatsoever needed to be made for the youthfulness of the members of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra whose concert in the Leicester Proms at De Montfort Hall last night would have been worthy of many a professional orchestra of adults.

The programme was a high-spirited one, ideal for a summer evening, under the baton of Maurice Handford. Sullivan’s overture 'Di Ballo' at the start was splendidly springy and showed immediately the orchestra's sensitive response to the very clear direction of the conductor, emerging as a sparkling prelude to the wit of the following item, the Divertissement by Ibert. This bit of nonsense requires a band of chamber proportions only, each member of which, however, needs to be something of a virtuoso. It hardly seemed possible that schoolchildren could bring it off but this performance was a triumph for all concerned, there being apparently no difficulty in it at all so that one felt the fun was enjoyed equally by players and audience. The evening’s symphony was Mendelssohn's Italian. Here, the bouncing opening movement and the Saltarello at the end fared better than the two inner movements where there were one or two instances of faulty string intonation and wind ensemble. These were but minor flaws in a reading which generally had all the sunshine the composer intended and in which tension was never allowed to slacken. In Rachmaninoff's Paganini Rhapsody the soloist was Moura Lympany for whom the fiendishly difficult piano part held no terrors. Not that the accompaniment is easy, but by this time it was no surprise that the orchestra were fully equal to its demands. Maurice Handford kept a firm grip on the overall design of what is in fact a huge set of variations which can all too easily sound a somewhat fragmented affair. This was not the case last night as each short section appeared the logical outcome of its predecessor., There was a fine crackle in the many bravura passages, balance between soloist and orchestra being excellent throughout and the serenity of the famous 18^th variation was most beautifully caught. We were back in Italy for the final item, the Capriccio Italien of Tchaikovsky, which received a brilliant performance, essential indeed if we are to forget the emptiness of much of this music. Predictably and justly, it brought the house down. Maurice Handford, in saying how he had enjoyed working with "these precociously talented youngsters" asked us if we wanted more. We did, and were rewarded with a repeat performance of the last few pages of the Tchaikovsky. I.G.S.

LEICESTER MERCURY, AUGUST 1974

Orchestra give radio concert

In a 45-minute stereo concert on BBC-3 tomorrow morning, Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra (leader Graham Pyatt) give the first broadcast performance of Havergal Brian's 23rd Psalm. The programme entitled "Berlioz and Brian" will be conducted by Laszlo Heltay who has worked frequently with the LSSO who, for this broadcast, will be joined by the Brighton Festival Chorus. Berlioz will be represented by his Resurrexit and "O seul bien qui me reste" ("La Mort d'Orphee") and the other Brian work is his 22nd Symphonia Brevis.

LEICESTER MERCURY, SEPTEMBER 1974

Dazzling virtuosity of schools orchestra

For the last time under its present constitution the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra played at De Montfort Hall yesterday evening in a concert of showpieces, four familiar and one new to most of us, sponsored by St. Stephen's United, Reformed Church. This programme would have taxed the resources of many a professional orchestra, but it can be said at once that Eric Pinkett, founder in 1948 and conductor last night, had at his disposal a band capable of dazzling virtuosity in all its sections. Rossini's overture The Silken Ladder provided a cheerful opening and was succeeded by the Cornet Concerto of Denis Wright in which the soloist was Nicholas Thompson, who incredibly is still a teenager. Nicholas Thompson positively revelled in the challenges with which he was presented. His performance received a richly deserved ovation. The full might of the orchestra was unleashed next in Don Juan by Richard Strauss. Eric Pinkett rightly allowed the music to rush headlong until the restraint of the final pages. There was no holding back on account of the orchestra's youthfulness; indeed, I can seldom remember the notorious prom theme towards the end sounding quite so confident and this was but one example of many which could be listed in a reading full of excitement and zest. In some respects Sir Michael Tippett's Concerto for Double String Orchestra was the severest test of the evening. As far as the orchestra was concerned there was, not surprisingly, a certain amount of scrappiness in the fearfully involved opening pages. Kodaly's Dances of Galanta brought the concert to a brilliant and exciting close. I.C.S.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1975

ARTEFACT, APRIL 1975

Of course, I know the famous Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra of old. In fact, I have in my hand a remarkable recording they made including a work of mine that I wrote for Stokowski and his virtuoso orchestra in Philadelphia. I have often played this record to musicians and asked them which professional English orchestra they thought had recorded it. None got it right. They would not believe that it was a youth orchestra. And the thanks for keeping this orchestra, which continually changes, up to such a pitch of discipline and confidence are due to their inspiring trainer and conductor, Eric Pinkett.

SIR ARTHUR BLISS

LEICESTER MERCURY, JUNE 1975

Young musicians give performance a pleasing sense of spontaneity

Leicester’s Prom Week at the De Montfort Hall opened 1ast night with Eric Pinkett conducting the remarkably talented Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra with Lady Evelyn Barbirolli and Martin Milner as soloists. The programme was an interesting one and worked well in practice. It began and ended with the full orchestra (Tchaikovsky’s Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture and Elgar’s Enigma Variations) and in between there was a reduction to chamber sized ensembles for the Max Bruch G minor violin concerto and the C minor double concerto for oboe and violin by Bach. It is no secret that Martin Milner (co-leader of the Halle) admired the LSSO for their flexibility and awareness of response in accompanying his fine playing of the solo part. And this, indeed, was what could be heard; one felt these young players to be responsive and sympathetic listeners with the ability to adjust to musical situations as they arose.

Eric Pinkett's conducting clearly took this quality into consideration and so, especially in the slow movement the performance took on a pleasing sense of spontaneity and, too, did justice to the attractiveness of Bruch's scoring. Milner’s warmth of sound in the adagio was never indulgent and he, the conductor and the orchestra found a beauty of expression that was restrained and tasteful. In spite of its minor mode, the Bach double concerto is a gracious and amenable work. There was good rapport between the two soloists (Evelyn Barbirolli's breath control well in command of the oboe’s tortuously long paragraphs) and the small string ensemble were lively and adept in the outer allegro movements and managed the pizzicato accompaniment of the central adagio with pliancy and grace. It was interesting to hear the full orchestra’s response to another view of the Tchaikovsky overture - the last being under Myung-Whun Chung at Loughborough. In the larger De Montfort Hall, Eric Pinkett saw the work in spacious, romantic terms with blazingly fierce but well controlled sound for the battle scenes. His unhurried preparation for the first voicing of the love music was well judged, effective and typical of his panoramic approach. The orchestra's string playing is now at a particularly high level, well matching the quality of the wind department which, in common with all young orchestras, showed quicker initial development. Elgar’s instrumentation allowed all sections to display their qualities in a particularly colourful and characterful projection of the diverse but lovable personalities who are immortalised in the Enigma variations. It is a work that demands affection as much as virtuosity and Eric Pinkett’s direction drew this needed sense of close involvement from his young players as well as giving the music shape and a satisfying time-scale. The applause recognised the worth of the performance and a witty sparkling account of Khatchaturian's "Gopak" was the encore. - Ralph Pugsley

LEICESTER MERCURY, OCTOBER 1975

New Parks girls go dancing to the stars

The triumph of a Leicester teacher and her girl pupils was shown to the nation last night. The battle to establish ballet as an 'O' level subject in an area where "it was more likely to get belly laughs than bouquets" made a touching and heart warming documentary on ATV.

Called 'Girl in a Broken Mirror' it showed how girls of New Parks School, Leicester – 11 plus failures - responded to the care, imagination and challenge of ballet. The school has now really been put on the map as far as ballet goes thanks to dance teacher Miss Mary Hockney. Because Miss Hockney introduced ballet into the school many of her star pupils are now being given the chance of hitting the big time, whereas they could easily have drifted into just another routine job. The programme was mainly centred on 16- year-old Karen Hutton of 80 Pindar Road, Leicester. It showed her delight at being accepted by the Rambert School of Ballet and playing the leading part in the Lady of Shalott, performed for the first time in Europe at the Haymarket Theatre in May. The school's ballet pupils were filmed during their long rehearsals of the play set to music by Sir Arthur Bliss, played by the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra.

The programme must have made parents feel that whatever school their daughter attends - and no matter her academic ability -she still has a chance of getting to the top. When interviewed Karen said: "When people watch me dancing, they don't know what my background is, what kind of home I come from. When I'm dancing, I'm learning beautiful things. When I come out, it

makes a difference. I could never go into a factory. I'd rather be the world's most professional layabout. I couldn't imagine sitting at a machine all day. I don't think I'm above doing it, I am the same class as everyone on the estate. Ballet to me is the most worthwhile thing I have ever done. Nothing else has any meaning at all." And to further their national status the school's ballet students will be appearing on the Magpie children's programme tomorrow night. Karen, together with Rosemarie Taylor, Isla Bates, Alison Clay and Lynette Tout, will show viewers "some of the technical moves." The Leicester Mercury gave a full report or the film crew's activities last January when the £20,000 film was started.

LEICESTER MERCURY, DECEMBER 1975

Christmas morning carols

Those angelic voices you will hear singing carols on television as you unwrap your presents on Christmas morning will belong to 400 local school children and the orchestral backing will be provided by another 100 boys and girls from Leicestershire. The carols will come from St. James the Greater Church of London Road, Leicester where at the beginning of December the 500 young music-makers, under the direction of Mr. Eric Pinkett, the county education department's senior principal music adviser, will gather to record the 45-minute programme for the BBC broadcast on Christmas Day morning. Four hours of rehearsals and five hours of filming will go into the programme and the choir will be made up of the choirs of 14 county and city schools. The orchestra will be the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra. "Most of the carols will

be traditional ones," says Mr. Pinkett, "with three modern tunes specially written for the programme".

LEICESTER MERCURY, FEBRUARY 1975

New disc provides key to unlock a musical language

Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra, first in the field to put Havergal Brian's music on record, have produced another disc devoted to the music of this prolific and, up to now, neglected composer. Brian died in the Autumn of 1972 - a month or so before the original LP was issued. That record was judged to be one of the best classical issues of its year. The new one has qualities which are likely to make it equally valued. Its sound is good, the playing again a remarkable achievement by this young orchestra doing service with the shared conducting of Eric Pinkett and Laszlo Heltay to music of marked originality and fascination. May I suggest, too, that the new record provides an accessible "key", so to speak, to a personal musical language that can at times be difficult to unlock. Play over Brian's 5th English Suite (Rustic Scenes) a few times and you have a rewarding and entertaining guide to his compositional style. The suite occupies the second side of the record with Pinkett conducting the LSSO and producing an excellent interpretation of music which, as Brian says, evokes memories of landscapes and country towns 60 or 70 years before it was composed in 1953. It is descriptive music which, however, goes much deeper than mere sound painting: the feeling of the opening Trotting to Market being far more profound than its title suggests. Reverie is a beautifully thought out elegy for strings, The Restless Stream a really extraordinary piece of writing for woodwind and percussion, and the final Village Revels a marvellously conceived impression of rural well being. Against a familiar background, Brian's characteristic "brush- strokes" are vividly comprehendable and yield new delights on each playing. His fondness for compression and juxtaposition of dissimilar ideas and textures are there in the Reveille to which the village awakes and in the tiny pastoral glimpse (solo oboe against strings pedal) that flashes by as the revelling mounts in excitement.

Compression is the essence of the Composer’s shortest symphony - No. 22

(Symphonia Brevis) which opens the record’s other side with Heltay conducting.

The time scale is brief but the symphonic scope (huge, granite blocks of sound impress the ear)

is amazingly grand. The other work involving tenor soloist and Brighton Festival Chorus, as well as the LSSO is the early setting (1901) of Psalm 23, an attractive work as Heltay demonstrates in his sympathetic direction.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JULY 1975

Destination France for schools orchestra

Next Wednesday, July 23, is an appropriate departure date for Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra who on the morning of that day, will set out from Birstall for their 23rd overseas tour. The destination this time is France - first to give three concerts at the Sceaux Festival in Paris and then on to Autun, where the orchestra will take part in the French National Choral Festival.

They will be joined in France by the celebrated pianist Myung-Whun Chung who will give two performances of Beethoven's 4th concerto and who will also conduct the orchestra at one concert and composer Brian Kelly in the second Paris concert will direct his New Orleans Suite which he wrote as ballet music for Leicester's New Parks Dance Group and which was first heard at the Haymarket Theatre, Leicester, last May. The first concert of the tour, however. will take place in London on Wednesday evening at St. Pancras Assembly Rooms when the conductor will be Maurice Handford. This event will be in the memory of the London journalist Caroline Nicholson who died about 18 months ago. It will, in fact, inaugurate a new trust in her name and the L.S.S.O. was the chosen orchestra because of Miss Nicholson's long admiration of it and Leicestershire's education plan in general. Faure's "Elegy" is one of the concert’s items and the solo cellist will be Timothy Mason, elder son of Mr. Stewart Mason (former Director of Education for Leicestershire) and Mrs. Mason. The orchestra will cross the channel on Thursday. The first of the three Paris concerts will feature Eleanor Cooke of Melton Mowbray as soloist in the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto with Eric Pinkett (the orchestra's founder and regular conductor) on the rostrum. He will accompany Myung-Whun Chung in Paris and in Autun Cathedral and when pianist turns conductor in a Paris concert will hand over the baton for performances of Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet fantasy overture and Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony. The National Choral Festival at Autun is sponsored by the European Federation of Young Choirs who every three years stage the international Europa Cantat which it is hoped will be held in Leicestershire next year. The Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra will provide the instrumental support in three big Festival events centred upon the Cathedra1. Laszlo Heltay (who has worked frequently with the L.S.S.O.) will conduct a mainly choral concert on August 1. Then, on succeeding nights, there will be performances of Brahm's Requiem with Pierre Cao conducting and Mozart's Coronation Mass under the Swiss conductor Willi Gohl. The orchestra leave France for home on August 4.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1975

Dramatic power and beauty that’s simply staggering

I have grown to expect great things from the ballet group of New Parks Girls' School and from the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra but I was staggered nevertheless by the dramatic power, the beauty and the professionalism of last night's European premiere at the Haymarket Theatre of Sir Arthur Bliss's ballet, The Lady of Shalott. It was the principal item in a "Dance Mosaic" presentation which also included first performances of ballets especially written for the New Parks girls. Bliss has written a fine and compelling score for the famous Tennyson poem, sensitive to the events of the story and with music of tenseness and excitement to project the arrival of Sir Lancelot, for instance and for the traumatic moment when the mirror cracks "from side to side". (It did not seriously affect the impact of this point in the ballet that, with first-night obstinacy, the stage mirror resisted attack!). Mary Hockney's choreography, in turn, was intelligently alert to the diverse variety of moods and fancies in which the score abounds and combines with the music in evoking quite wonderfully the mystery, the joy, the youthfulness, the romance and the ultimate tragedy of the poem. How imaginatively the mirror image was exploited between the aloof solitary Lady and the onlookers. But not only has she created here a ballet of excellent quality, she has done so for a group of schoolgirls with a wide range in age and dance attainment and has trained them to perform before a theatre audience with all the poise, assurance, concentration and discipline of a mature company. The programme does not name the soloists so I can only praise by title the graceful and suitably remote characterisation of the Lady of Shalott, the captivating Page (one of Sir Arthur Bliss's extra roles), the good-time girl, and the excellently-sustained personification of the Curse, a convincing Lancelot and good support from a male contingent from Wreake Valley College. Eric Pinkett, conducting, paced the music really well and the playing of the LSSO was first class. In the first half, Douglas Young's The Listeners and Bryan Kelly's New Orleans Suite supplied an ideal contrast and served to demonstrate the versatility of Mary Hockney's choreographic ideas and of her girls dance skills. The first, based on a Walter de la Mare poem, is fascinatingly scored in contemporary style for instruments and voices and Miss Hockney responds with clever use in modern idiom of a full company of dancers incorporating solo counterpoint and some tellingly simple mass effects. The Kelly piece was staggeringly presented in cabaret style - band on stage and the girls and boys playing up sleazily and hip-swayingly to Latin-American rhythms, the blues, ragtime and a witty final burlesque preceded by a tenderly and charmingly done Spiritual. These were the specially written ballets: in addition there were Gymnopedies (two neatly-set dances, one a solo, to Satie's music) and Saint Saens's Danse Macabre in which, strangely, there was no hint of the gruesome apart from the lighting. The costumes (particularly for the Bliss Ballet) were very, very good - credit to Mrs. J. Hammond in charge of wardrobe. M. J. Laxton designed the effective set for the main work and the readers were Simon and Penny Taylor. Ralph Pugsley

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1975

Chance talk leads to unique double event

A chance conversation yesterday means that two of the most famous pianists of the younger generation will be taking part in tomorrow night's concert at Loughborough University when the orchestra will be the Leicestershire Schools Symphony. But only one will be actually playing. Myung-Whun Chung, a member of the celebrated Korean family of musicians, will achieve a personal ambition by appearing as a conductor for the first time in public outside his own country. The original plan was that he would direct the LSSO in Tchaikovsky's fantasy overture Romeo and Juliet and in Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony and then, after the interval, be the soloist in Beethoven's Emperor piano concerto. He mentioned the concert and his conducting debut to Radu Lupu, who jumped into international prominence by winning the 1969 Leeds piano competition. Lupu immediately replied: "Why not conduct the Beethoven is well? I'll play the solo part". Myung-Whun Chung was willing and Eric Pinkett, the orchestra's regular conductor, readily agreed to step down to make this unique double celebrity event possible. The concert will be held in the Edward Herbert building. A couple of years ago, it was Myung-Whun's sister, the violinist Kyung-Wha Chung, who benefited from co-operation from the County School of Music. At that time she was taking the second Bartok concerto into her repertoire and had the advantage of intensive rehearsals with the LSSO.

LEICESTER MERCURY, MAY 1975

Unique event draws a big audience

The news that two internationally celebrated young pianists would be involved in a performance of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto drew a capacity audience to the Edward Herbert Building at Loughborough University last night. The soloist was Radu Lupu (giving his services free), the conductor Myung-Whun Chung who was making his public debut as a conductor outside Korea, and the orchestra, the Leicestershire Schools Symphony. The performance was as closely integrated as one would expect from the co-operation of two, friends with close musical sympathies. The solo part was beautifully played and mindful of the fact that, despite its title, much of the Emperor's dynamic level lies below mezzo-forte. A chamber-size ensemble helped the intimate approach which, though not lacking strength for the first movement's expansive gestures, matched the lovely scoring of the Adagio with delicacy of exchange between keyboard and orchestra and in the Rondo gracefully exploited the piquant harmonic flavouring of the music's adventuresome key-travelling. The direction was excellent and the orchestral response alert and sympathetic. Further evidence to suggest that Myung-Whun Chung will be in demand as a conductor as well as a pianist was his gripping performance of Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture "Romeo and Juliet." He held the attention from the first note to the last and his skilled and disciplined handling of climaxes and his pacing of the work contained all the qualities of a story well told. The LSSO played marvellously for him and made possible, too, a bright, sunny and rhythmically alive account of Mendelssohn's Italian Symphony under Mr. Chung's precise and clearly-intentioned beat. The final item was Khatchaturian's colourful and popular "Masquerade", well directed by the LSSO's founder and permanent conductor, Eric Pinkett. Ralph Pugsley

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1976

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1976

Auspicious start for diocesan jubilee

Inaugural concert of the jubilee of the Diocese of Leicester was given by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra and the Leicester Bach Choir, conducted by Norman Del Mar at De Montfort Hall last night. The Diocesan celebrations certainly got off to in auspicious start, with high standards maintained throughout the evening. Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, was present to hear a programme both varied and inspired. It started with a performance of Bryan Kelley's anthem Oh,Clap Your Hands, sung by the Leicester Bach Choir conducted by Peter White. Elgar’s Cockaigne overture gave the orchestra the opportunity to show how well they can cope with tricky ensemble and allowed us once more to hear the superb brass as well as some marvellous string sonorities. This was even better in Poulenc's concerto in G for organ, strings and timpani in which the soloist was Peter White. Last night's performance was marked by some very effective registration in addition to the excellent string playing. Elizabeth Cox (soprano), David Jarmy (tenor) and Michael Hardy (baritone) were the soloists with the Leicester Bach Choir in Schubert's Mass in C major, which opened the second half. An electric performance of Beethoven’s symphony number eight ended the evening. The Bishop of Leicester, Dr. Ronald R. Williams said today: "The striking things about the concert was the widespread of support and the wide variety of people who were there from all parts of the city and county."

Peter Crump

LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1976

Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, will be at the De Montfort Hall on April 13 for an inaugural concert to mark the occasion of the Jubilee of the Diocese of Leicester. Norman Del Mar will conduct the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, who will be joined by the Leicester Bach Choir for a performance of Schubert’s Stabat Mater. The concert will include Elgar's Cockaigne Overture, Beethoven's Eighth Symphony and Poulenc's Organ Concerto in which the soloist will be Peter White, organist and Master of the Music at Leicester Cathedral. The three soloists in the Schubert, all members of the Bach Choir, will be Elizabeth Cox (soprano), David Jarmy (tenor) and Michael Hardy (baritone).

LEICESTER MERCURY, AUGUST 1976

Youngsters turn musical ideals into a reality

The very make-up of the 200-strong chorus at last night's Leicester De Montfort Hall performance of Sir Michael Tippett's "A child of our time" was in a sense a fulfillment both of the compassionate nature of the oratorio and of the ideals of Europa Cantat. For here, side by side, were members of German choirs and of the Israel kibbutz choir to join in the singing of music whose composition was triggered off by a young Jewish refugee's killing of a German diplomat (it happened in 1938) and by the Nazi programme of revenge which followed.

Willi Gohl conducted, the soloists were Salle le Sage, Elizabeth Connell, Anthony Rolfe Johnson and Paul Hudson and the orchestra (emphasising the general youthfulness of the forces employed) was the Leicestershire Schools Symphony. The stage seemed to be set for something uncommonly moving and memorable yet (it might have been the result of expectancy running too high) I felt in this performance that the height of inspiration had not quite been attained. Willi Gohl drew some very fine singing from the choir with excellent control of dynamics and an unfailing cleanness and openness to the sound. The oppressed and terror choruses had good dramatic intensity and his vital sense of pulse pointed the natural rhythmic affinity between the spirituals and the composer's style. The dovetailing was skilfully smooth. But not quite so convincing sometimes was the establishing of atmosphere changes between one number and the next - particularly so in towards the end of the oratorio's second part where there was a slight sag in intensity. Admittedly, the general high standard of the orchestral playing was offset by some tentativeness here. Paul Hudson's narration was deeply committed and indeed, all four soloists produced performances that were in full sympathy with the spirit of the music. The programme begin with Handel's Coronation anthem "Let thy hand" with Avner Itai drawing spirited singing and playing from his chorus and from the LSSO, whose brass players subsequently contributed to an impressive account of Hindemith’s tough textured Apparebut Repentina Dies, Willi Trader directing. His mixed chorus showed confidence in maintaining linear strength and firm ensemble, and there was solid playing and praiseworthy tone from the brass choir. Ralph Pugsley

LEICESTER MERCURY, AUGUST 1976

Festival Tune sets audience humming

It had turned 11 o'clock on Saturday night when some three thousand people left Leicester De Montfort Hall still singing, humming or whistling Handel's Harmonious Blacksmith which has been chosen as the signature tune, so to speak, of Europa Cantat 6. Thus fittingly ended the inaugural concert of the triennial festival of the European Federation of young Choirs -an event unique to this city and indeed to Britain and whose emphasis is on the satisfaction and pleasure of singing together. Europa Cantat is now an international occasion of considerable significance and importance and, in his welcoming speech, the Duke of Gloucester (president of Cantat 6) neatly drew a parallel with the Olympics in the sense that it had this year drawn together in Leicester over 60 choirs prepared and trained to the highest musical standards. The comparison was taken up by Francois Bourel, president of E.F.Y.C., in his reply (he, too, drawing the distinction that here the emphasis was on co-operation rather than competitiveness) who wryly pointed to Europa Cantat's total absence of politics. The orchestra at the inaugural concert was the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony whose reputation on the Continent inspired the invitation from the E.F.Y.C. to hold Cantat 6 in this county. The two conductors were Sir Michael Tippett (patron of Cantat 6 and for many years patron of the County School or Music) and Eric Pinkett, the orchestra's permanent director and creator of the L.S.S.O. and indeed, the mainspring of Leicestershire's pioneering work in the field of music education. Sir Michael’s seemingly eternal youthfulness, evidenced in his looks and elegance on the rostrum, was reflected ill the vital and buoyant rhythms he produced (once the L.S.S.O. had recovered from some initial indecision) in the outer movements. The Adagio was feelingly done and there was commendable textural clarity in the final Allegro. In the beautiful Serenade to Music by Vaughan Williams, (the solo violin and contralto having a bonus boost from a live P A mike), Eric Pinkett's realisation had warmth and his pacing was appropriately broad and generous. The choir was Lutterworth Grammar School's and the soloists (the bass not wholly adequate) were Vida Schepens, Sally Heard, Gareth Roberts and William Dudley Snape. R.A.P.

LEICESTER MERCURY, AUGUST 1976

Verdict: This is the best yet

The interim report on Europa Cantat 6 with four full days still to go is heartening. The verdict

of many young singers with experience of past festivals is that the Leicestershire event is the best yet. They have praise for the organisation, for the enthusiasm they have found in city and county and they have a special feeling of admiration and appreciation for the facilities which the local administrative body has provided. Andrew Fairbairn, Leicestershire's Director of Education and Chairman of the Cantat 6 National Committee, said that the catering and recreation centre at Granby Halls was proving to he an enormous success. It is to this centre that the young visitors flock for relaxation after the daily study sessions and concerts are over. The atmosphere there has the gaiety and uninhibitedness of a vast international night club with dancing and impromptu singing until the small hours. Ticket sales for the main De Montfort Hall concerts have already reaped in £2,500 in hard cash, said Mr. Fairbairn - thus whittling down the local debt for the cost of the festival to £5,000 from the original total of £80,000. The performance of Handel's Messiah last Sunday was a sell-out with queues trying to get in and there are no seats left for the final concert - the performance of Mahler's Symphony of a Thousand next Sunday. Ralph Pugsley

LEICESTER MERCURY, FEBRUARY 1976

Sensitive solo by pianist

The ‘Empingham’ concert in aid of the Peter Fry Rescue Trust was given at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Eric Pinkett last night. The soloist in Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major was Philip Fowke and the rapport between soloist, conductor and orchestra was not only the fruit of long and close association, but reflected real artistry. Technical difficulties, of the sort found in all Beethoven's Concertos, were triumphantly overcome. The opening tutti did have a few awkward moments though the violin scales were cleanly executed. Philip Fowke’s playing was sensitive without being subservient. As for the rest the wind was always outstanding and the cellos showed real warmth in Verdi’s Overture to the Sicilian Vespers and the Valse from Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, though the violins perhaps did not realise their full expressive potential until the last item, Dvorak's Symphony No. 7 in D minor. On behalf of the Peter Fry trust, Mr. John Fry presented a certificate of merit to Mr. Eric Pinkett in recognition of his services. The Empingham rescue boat was on view outside the De Montfort Hall. Peter Crump

LEICESTER MERCURY, JUNE 1976

The Ave Atque Vale (Hail and farewell) concert at Leicester De Montfort Hall on the 30th of this month will be one of historic significance. It will be the occasion on which Eric Pinkett will, for the last time, conduct the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, the senior of the three full-scale orchestras which are based at Birstall as part of the County School of Music, of which he was virtually the founder. The leader of the L.S.S.O. on this occasion will be Peter Lewis, now a member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra, who first led the county schools orchestra (there was then only one) when it was formed in 1948. The six soloists are all ex- members of the County School of Music and all are professional musicians working basically in London. Joan Clamp (oboe) is a member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and James Watson (trumpet), John Price (bassoon) and Nigel Pinkett (cello) are with the Royal Philharmonic. Rolf Wilson (violin), former leader of the BBC Welsh Symphony Orchestra, is a freelance and so too is David Pugsley (clarinet and recorders) who was a member of David Munrow's Early Music Consort of London. James Watson will play the Horowitz trumpet concerto, David Pugsley a Vivaldi concerto for sopranino recorder and strings.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JUNE 1976

Young musicians stunning in swan song concert

Last night's concert by the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra saw its founder

and conductor Eric Pinkett make his public farewell after 28 years as the county’s principal music adviser. It was a fitting tribute that the present orchestra should be joined by former members, now eminent musicians, as soloists. Throughout a full programme one was made constantly aware of the achievement; the orchestra representing the diversity and volume of musical activity in our schools - the soloists the remarkable quality it nurtures. After an exhilarating account of the orchestra’s party-piece, the Russlan and Ludmilla Overture, came a series of outstanding individual contributions. David Pugsley's nimble but beautifully controlled and phrased recorder playing - in Vivaldi's Goldfinch concerto; James Watson's breathtaking pyrotechnics in the Horowitz trumpet concerto; and an exceptionally fine first movement of the Bralims Violin Concerto from Rolf Wilson. Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante received a sympathetic performance with Rolf Wilson, Nigel Pinkett (cello), Joan Clamp (oboe) and John Price (bassoon) combining well as the soloists. But this was Eric Pinkett's night. Unflamboyant, unfussy but always firmly in control, he is a players conductor, drawing from them more than they seem to offer. At the end of the concert he produced a compelling, if idiosyncratic reading of Elgar's Enigma Variations, always one of the best things in the orchestra's repertoire, and his players responded with a stunning performance. We were left in no doubt that the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra is the brightest jewel in county music, and that this was largely due to one man. The audience gave him a standing ovation and it seemed entirely appropriate that the encore should be Nimrod, Elgar's noble and affectionate portrait of a close but somewhat enigmatic friend. David Johnson

LOUGHBOROUGH ECHO, JULY 1976

Mr. Eric Pinkett praised at County Education Committee

Tributes were paid at last week's meeting of Leicestershire Education Committee to the fine work of Mr. Eric Pinkett, of Barrow-upon-Soar, who has now retired as county music adviser.

Councillor Basil Andrews referred in glowing terms to Mr. Pinkett's establishment of the County School of Music and his build up of the County Schools' Symphony Orchestra until they now had a worldwide reputation. His efforts had increased the love of music in the county and had enhanced Leicestershire's position throughout Europe and beyond. Councillor Andrews's suggestion that steps be taken to commemorate Mr. Pinkett's name was warmly received by the committee.

LEICESTER MERCURY, DECEMBER 1976

EP, the wandering minstrel signs off

ERIC PINKETT, once the lone, self-styled "wandering minstrel of the county" and now assured of a prominent and permanent place among the world's pioneers of music education has retired as Leicestershire's first music adviser. It is a job he has done ceaselessly and enormously well for 28 years. "Progress by misadventure" in his own colourful summing up of his distinguished career - and allusion to the odd quirks of fate which often helped to choose his path forward right from the very beginnings at Melton when, he recalls, it was his reputation as a games player which really brought him to Leicestershire in the first place. His energy, stamina and resourcefulness are by now legendary. There are not many people who know of his work as conductor of the now famous Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra who are also aware of his ability as an artist ("My painting had a bit of influence on my appointment here as music adviser") or the success he had as a dog breeder and international judge. I can remember the time when, many years ago, he told me that he was better known on the Continent as a judge of terriers than he was as a musician. No one - not even "E.P." - would suggest that today. Eric Pinkett's interest and enthusiasm for music education began in a Nottinghamshire school before the war. By the time he was called up he had established a schools orchestra there good enough to win for three years in succession the top award at an annual competition held at the old Queen's Hall in London. The Royal Air Force's original intention was that Eric Pinkett should teach Radio Location; but as it happened he soon gravitated to Cranwell and, hence- forward, spent most of his six years as an airman conducting bands, including the R.A.F.'s main one. He did not realise it at the time, but the experience was invaluable for his future in music education in that it enabled him so to expand his knowledge of instruments that he re-entered civilian life as the perfect one-man peripatetic teacher of the complete orchestral line up of strings, woodwind and brass plus percussion. Back in his Nottinghamshire school he successfully applied for the job of music master at Melton Mowbray Grammar School, impressed with his games record and for two years did as much sport as music. In November 1947 he received a visit from the newly-appointed Director of Education for Leicestershire, Stewart Mason, an art connoisseur as well as an educationalist. Pinkett canvasses on the walls made an impact and E.P. (the initials soon became the virtually exclusive mode of identification) still maintains that those paintings smoothed the way to the County Offices in Grey Friars where, in April 1948, he presented himself as Adviser for Music. Because there was no precedent for the job, there was no advice to the adviser on how to set about it. So, having found himself a table, a chair and some office space, he quickly formulated the corner-cutting enterprising, risk-taking and frequently audacious methods that have characterised his work-style ever since. In the early days he was a man in a hurry, impatient for results and quite unwilling to fetter his ankles with red tape. He became the bane of the "treasury boys" because of short-circuiting of the usual channels. Musical instruments, desperately needed, could then often be obtained cheaply at the right place, at the right time and with ready money. E.P. snapped up bargains with his own money but the official feathers flew when he presented the receipts and requests for reimbursement. Some headmasters, too, were beginning to resent the effect of this musical gadfly on their orthodox calm and there was a time when it seemed that his "only friends were the children." Yet, on an historic May Saturday morning in 1948 at an Elbow Lane School rehearsal room in Leicester, there began a weekly routine that has continued unbroken ever since. Today the headquarters of the County School of Music with its large staff of peripatetic instrumental teachers is at Birstall where three symphony orchestras meet on Saturdays - the Junior, the Intermediate and the L.S.S.O. The C.S.M.'s high standards are accepted now, but in those early pioneering days E.P. had only his faith to keep him going. He was once advised to rehearse for five years before giving a concert and he ignored it. The children's interest he knew, would have evaporated without the stimulus of playing in public. Yet he was well aware of the sort of noise they made and staged their first outings in village halls, well away from large centres. The theory was that audiences here would be tolerant enough or inexpert enough not to complain. As the playing improved, so E.P. edged his way towards more densely populated areas and eventually to the county's principal concert hall - the De Montfort Hall in Leicester. The L.S.S.O. has since played in many major concert halls in this country and on the Continent and the list of eminent musicians who have been associated with it grows longer each year. Most distinguished of all is Sir Michael Tippett, who confirmed his admiration of the work of Eric Pinkett and the County School of Music by agreeing to be its patron. The orchestra has made many records and achieved the distinction of being first in the field with recordings of the music of Havergal Brian. E.P. is always the first to give credit to his staff at the County School of Music whose teaching has produced many young players of a high enough quality to obtain places in most of the leading British orchestras. He acknowledges, too, the part played by Stewart Mason in helping to launch the L.S.S.O. on its series of foreign tours. But when all is said and done, the Leicestershire adventure owes all to the dream which Eric Pinkett cherished through his difficult and taxing early days as music adviser. Eric Pinkett, O.B.E. (the honour came in 1972) will not cut completely adrift from the stimulus of working with children. His orchestra from now on will be that which he himself recently formed - the New Leicester Orchestra, its members comprising players from city and county and a handful, even, from Rutland. So, in a final sentence and after recording my own admiration of his significant achievements, I wish him well and hope for his long continued pleasure with paintbrush and baton.

MAJOR PRESS ARTICLES FROM 1979 AND 1980

LEICESTER MERCURY, 1979

Memory of county’s Mr. Music will live on

The memory of Leicestershire's "Mr. Music" will linger on for many years to come, thanks to the generosity of a city businessman. Mr. Eric Pinkett OBE, who for 28 years was the county's principal music adviser, died earlier this year aged 68, but not before he had taken the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra to international acclaim. Businessman Mr. Frank May commissioned artist Bryan Organ to paint a portrait to mark Mr. Pinkett's retirement just over two years ago. Mr. May dedicated the portrait to his father Mr. Sam May, an arts lover, who was also a well known electronics expert at Metalastik Ltd, Leicester where he treated unique electronic vibration analysing equipment under the chairmanship of Dr. Mac Goldsmith. Mr. May handed the portrait over to the Leicestershire arts collection in a ceremony at County Hall yesterday. "I hope this will perpetuate Eric Pinkett's memory for many years to come", he said as he presented the portrait to chairman of the education arts committee, Mr. Nathan Harris. The portrait will hang for a year at County Hall before being shown at Leicestershire schools and Mr. Harris said: "We will be able to hang this picture knowing that it has been paid for. That is a splendid thing".

LEICESTER MERCURY, FEBRUARY 1979

Former schools music chief dies at 68

The man who established Leicestershire schools' international music reputation has died aged 68. Mr. Eric Pinkett, OBE, nursed a lifelong love of music. Born in Nottinghamshire he went on to study violin at London's Royal Academy of Music and later taught music and games at Melton Mowbray Grammar School. Two years later, in 1948, he became Leicestershire's first music adviser. Working from the old County Office in Grey Friars, Mr. Pinkett immediately set about forming an orchestra. In the early days he snapped up instruments at bargain prices with his own money. He worked unstintingly to earn international acclaim for the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra. He lived at Bridge Street, Barrow-on Soar and leaves a wife, Winifred, two children and five grandchildren

LEICESTER MERCURY, FEBRUARY 1979

The man who wanted every child to love music

Leading musical personalities have paid tribute to Mr. Eric Pinkett, the man who earned the title Leicestershire's Mr. Music, who died aged 68, as reported in the Leicester Mercury on Saturdav. Mr. Nathan Harris, chairman of Leicestershire County Council's education arts committee said of the man who built up the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra: "I came to realise that he was a man of tremendous stature who had almost entirely by his own achievement made Leicestershire the foremost education authority in the world of music." Mr. Pinkett’s passion and enthusiasm for music quickly brought the orchestra to a quality that encouraged such seasoned conductors as Malcolm Arnold, Sir Arthur Bliss and Sir Michael Tippett to direct the youngsters. Mr. Pinkett, who retired just over two years ago, once described his distinguished career as "progress by misadventure." Leicestershire's Director of Education, Mr. Andrew Fairbairn said: "Leicestershire owes its pre-eminence in musical education to his imagination in developing the County School of Music. "His idea was that every child should eventually come to love music as a result of playing. He gradually built up a stock of instruments and they came into schools in considerable numbers for the first time. President of the Leicestershire Schools Orchestra Mr. Mac Goldsmith said: "He was an outstanding man who made the orchestra such a great success." Mr. Pinkett received an Honorary Master of Arts degree at Loughborough University in July 1972. Four months later he was summoned to Buckingham Palace to receive the Order of the British Empire. Born in Nottinghamshire, Mr. Pinkett studied the violin at London's Royal Academy of Music and later taught music and games at Melton Mowbray Grammar School. He became Leicestershire's first music adviser in 1948 and immediately started to form the orchestra. A fine cricketer, accomplished artist and the author of a book about the County School of Music, he lived at Bridge Street, Barrow-on-Soar and leaves a wife, Winifred, two children and five grandchildren.

LEICESTER MERCURY, JANUARY 1980

A musical bequest to be proud of

Watching the young members of the Leicestershire Schools' Symphony Orchestra in De Montfort Hall last night prompted the thought that few would have played under its founder Eric Pinkett, whose memory it celebrated. But clearly the Organisation he bequeathed is still alive and kicking. Under guest conductor Norman Del Mar, they performed a taxing programme with their customary aplomb. An exhilarating account of Mahler's first symphony was a "tour de force". Great demands are made on the players, especially the brass with its eight horns, yet they emerged with flying colours. Particularly effective was the evocation of dawn with its cuckoo calls and the grotesque funeral match based on Frere Jacques with its ironic, schmalzy interludes in the third movement was beautifully judged. Some of today's students will be tomorrow's stars; James Watson, one of the orchestra's most illustrious sons, returning with a faultless Performance of Haydn's Trumpet Concerto, is living proof that the highest levels can be reached.

Starting the evening was an exciting Romeo and Juliet, despite occasional signs of insecurity. Here and in Mahler's first movement, the tempo seemed wayward - even rushed - giving the music little time to breathe. Yet this was an occasion which confirmed the LSSO's place among the finest of the World's youth orchestras. Eric Pinkett would have been proud of them all.

DAVID JOHNSON