Upbeat Spring 2013 - Royal College of Music

More documents

Recommendations

Info

14 Meeting the supporters... David Poultney An RCM Friend and Patron, Chelsea Pensioner David Poultney has a great love for music, a bullish energy for life and a strong belief in supporting causes close to his heart. In 2010, he and six other Chelsea Pensioners at the Royal Hospital released an album in order to raise money for the Chelsea Pensioners’ Appeal: “Men in Scarlet” sold more than 100,000 copies and helped fund the building of new accommodation for the retired soldiers. The members of the all-male choir were brought together by their love of singing, and David agrees that singing is in his blood, as he tells Upbeat… When did your love of music begin? I’ve always been interested in music and first started singing when I was just four years old. I’m Welsh, you see, singing is what we do! If you say to a Welshman: “Sing!”, he’ll sing. An Englishman would be too timid! You know, music is the most important thing in a Welshman’s life. There’s a saying: “To be born Welsh is to be born privileged. Not with a silver spoon in your mouth, but music in your heart and poetry in your soul.” Can you tell me about recording the album Men in Scarlet? It was a very hectic time. We’re old men and had to be out of here at half past seven in the morning, tearing off to some recording studio. But we got to sing with some great people – Dame Vera Lynn, Katherine Jenkins – they were both super. I’ve got some lovely photos of us all with them too. It was Warner Music who were behind the CD – they’d previously produced The Soldiers and most recently did Military Wives. Our CD got to number 14 in the charts and we even got a Gold Disc – my daughters were so excited about that. In fact my daughter Rosemary took it back with her to America where she lives. Do you have a favourite song on the disc? No, I’d sing anything! But I did get to sing “Danny Boy” as a solo. We were just waiting around in the studio and I saw a book open with the music. I just started singing and the producers said they’d like to put it on the record. You do a lot of work raising money for charities, why is that? I enjoy collecting for charities – last year I raised more than £5,000 for the Royal British Legion selling poppies at Charing Cross railway station. I also collect for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, the Army Benevolent Fund and the Institute of Cancer Research. I like keeping busy, and I enjoy going out and talking to people. And because I’m Welsh, I also enjoy supporting musical causes: I support the RCM’s Restore a Score – it has to be done – and I support the Welsh Singer of the Year competition. What do you enjoy about visiting the RCM? It’s part of my ritual. My friend John is 92, a real old boy, but he’s fit and has medals in all directions. We enjoy coming to the College together when we can. I enjoy hearing the Symphony Orchestra, Ian Adam Brendon Bernard Charles E Bradley Peter Cargin Lord Clanmorris Daphne Clarke Geoff Cox Emma Davis Mark Deli Michael Earrey Elizabeth Hale Martin Holloway Johanna Holmes Michael and Rita Laven Patricia Litke Peter Lobban Zarina Membery Alison Midwinter Sir Jeremy Morse KCMG Heather Murphy and that wonderful feeling as they come out on stage. I remember one concert where they had six harps, my favourite instrument. I also like brass instruments and seeing how much the students enjoy playing. I like looking at them and thinking: “they’re going to be famous one day!”. And I also like that they come from all over the world – from Japan to America. And you have an unusual connection with the RCM’s Britten Theatre? Yes, I left the army when I was 30 and went to work on ‘Civvy Street’. One of my jobs was working as the Office Manager for a firm of architects, one of whom was Sir Hugh Casson, who later designed the Britten Theatre. What’s life like as a pensioner at the Royal Hospital? I used to live in a very small room, 9ft by 9ft, with no windows. But now I’m in a newly built room with an en suite, there’s so much more space. Not that I’m always in my room – I stay busy! There are always lots of activities going on here and I’m also often out in my scarlet coat representing the hospital – particularly collecting for charities and meeting people – I’ve met Prince Charles, Margaret Thatcher, David Cameron… I think it’s so important to be busy. My advice is: start something you’re never going to finish – then you’ll always have something to do! RCM Friends and Patrons provide vital support to the RCM and its talented young musicians. Restore a Score is a fund set up to conserve the manuscripts, printed music and recordings held in the RCM Library. To find out about any of these schemes and other ways to support the RCM please visit www.rcm.ac.uk/supportus Welcome to new Friends and Supporters We are delighted to welcome the following people who have recently made their first donation to RCM Mr and Mrs HWB Page Alan Sainer Irene Sarsby Robert Sarsby Michael Shipley Jenny Tindale David White Pauline Williams
Supporting the future of music... Music has the power to transform lives. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, generations of gifted students from around the world have been guided and inspired at the Royal College of Music. We would like to thank in particular those who have made donations of £1,000 or more in the last twelve months – gifts are listed in descending order. Supporters of named scholarships, prizes and Junior Fellowships Estate of Dr Neville Wathen ABRSM Leverhulme Trust Soirée d’Or Scholarships Estate of Ian Evans Lombe Estate of Roselyn Ann Clifton Parker The Richard Carne Charitable Trust Laurie Barry and the John Barrry Scholarship for Film Composition Estate of Dr John Birch FRCM H R Taylor Trust HF Awards John Lewis Partnership Scholarships The Tsukanov Family Richard and Rosemary Millar The Worshipful Company of Musicians Hester Laverne Award Charles Napper Award Lydia Napper Award The Michael Bishop Foundation The Reed Foundation Croucher Hong Kong Charitable Trust The Hon Ros Kelly Opperby Stokowski Collection Trust The Lee Abbey Award Celia and Andrew Curran Scholarship Stephen Catto Memorial Scholarship The Worshipful Company of Drapers The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers The Estate of Mr Charles Knoll Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust Ian Stoutzker OBE CBE FRCM Ian and Meriel Tegner * The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation UK Gilbert and Eileen Edgar Junior Fellowship Phoebe Benham Junior Fellowship The Mills Williams Foundation The Derek Butler Trust Andrew and Karen Sunnucks Monica and Guy Black Scholarship The Charles Peel Charitable Trust The Ackroyd Trust The Richard Toeman/Weinberger Opera Scholarship The Wyseliot Charitable Trust The Wall Trust The Stanley Picker Scholarship Professor Lord Winston Lark Insurance Scholarship Steinway & Sons The Rayne Trust The Boltini Trust Scholarships Jonathon Bond Richard and Debbie Ward David Laing Foundation Scholarship Independent Opera Artist Scholarship South Square Trust Sir Peter and Lady Walters Edward Brooks FRCM Sir Gordon Palmer Scholarship Douglas Downie Mark Loveday Scholarship Noswad Charity Else and Leonard Cross Charitable Trust Midori Nishiura Kirby Laing Foundation The Sylvia Paterson Award The Bliss Trust Supporters of RCM Sparks J Paul Getty Jr Charitable Trust John Lyon’s Charity David Ross Foundation The Ernest Cook Trust EMI Music Sound Foundation John Lewis Partnership The Stanley Foundation Dr Susan Sinclair and Rodolphe Olard Anonymous The Oldhurst Trust HPS Trust Members of the RCM Chairman’s Circle Philip Carne HonRCM and Christine Carne * Michael and Ruth West * Dr Leonard Polonsky and Dr Georgette Bennett * Sir Vernon Ellis FRCM and Lady Ellis Jane Barker * Sir Roger and Lady Carr HonRCM * Guy Dawson and Sam Horscroft Emma Rose and Quentin Williams * Linda and Tony Hill James and Clare Kirkman * John and Catherine Armitage * Gisela Gledhill * Dr Mark Levesley and Christina Hoeseason * Alethea Siow and Jeremy Furniss * Members of the RCM Director’s Circle Richard and Sue Price Victoria Sharp Charles and Kaaren Hale Peter and Dimity Spiller Sir Peter and Lady Middleton FRCM Judy and Terence Mowschenson Terry Hitchcock Sir Sydney and Lady Lipworth Vivien McLean Metherell family John Nickson and Simon Rew* Louisa Treger Patrons’ Circle Russell Race* Rhoddy Voremberg John Cheng Costas Kaplanis John Ward Ellen Moloney Betty Sutherland Mrs Victoria Moore-Gillon FRCS Sir Anthony Cleaver FRCM and Lady Cleaver Dimity and Kerry Rubie Tania Chislett Halina and John Bennett David Poultney David and Sue Lewis Monica Moezinia Mr and Mrs Charles Robinson Ruth Rothbarth Other generous donors Jane Kessler The Farthings Trust The Henry Wood Trust Sir Siegmund Warburg’s Voluntary Settlement The Robert Fleming Hannay Memorial Charity John Topham Karen Cook Miss Kathleen Beryl Sleigh Charitable Trust RLM Finsbury The Seary Charitable Trust St Marylebone Educational Foundation Roland Rudd Interros The Sharp Foundation Centrica plc The Rothermere Foundation Geoffrey Richards HonRCM Ann Driver Trust Serena Fenwick Mark Wood Paul Wayne Gregory Dorchester Collection Bill Bolsover Fiona Wilson Webster and Davidson Mortification for the Blind Nevill Holt Opera Sir David Cooksey The Derek Hill Foundation Professor Colin Lawson FRCM Philip Jackson Janis Susskind HonRCM Peter Granger Blair Wilson Award Clifford and Maggie Abrahams Bell Percussion Kathleen Trust Michael Steen OBE HonRCM Mrs Terry Collins-Tveter Miel de Botton Helena Morrissey Nicola Jones Knights of the Round Table Nonna Materkova Sir David Lees Kilfinan Trust Inn or Out Richard Davey Friends of the National Libraries Roja Dove Limited * also support a named award For more information about supporting the RCM, please visit www.rcm.ac.uk/supportus Alternatively, contact Irisa Frankle, Development Assistant on 020 7591 4861 or irisa.frankle@rcm.ac.uk 15
Page 1: The Magazine for the Royal College
Page 4 and 5: 4 In the news... Soirée d’Or 201
Page 6 and 7: 6 In the news... Welcoming Professo
Page 8 and 9: 8 In the news... Kids take over the
Page 10 and 11: 10 Farewell to Peter After 22 years
Page 12 and 13: 12 Simulating and stimulating perfo
Page 16 and 17: 16 Student notes Composition congra
Page 18 and 19: 18 Staff notes Guitar professor Car
Page 20 and 21: 20 Alumni notes Anna Rice Composer
Page 22: 22 Obituaries Sir Philip Ledger FRC

Upbeat Spring 2013 - Royal College of Music

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?