LEICESTER MERCURY, APRIL 1976

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 to attend Jubilee concert

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

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

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

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

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

Concert will be of historic significance

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

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

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

By Ralph Pugsley

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.