white_rose_newsletter_42-1 - Masonic Province of Yorkshire, West ...

DRUMMING UP BIGSUPPORT AS JAMESSETS OUT ON TOURJOSEPH and His Amazing TechnicolorDream Coat will be touring the country’stheatres this next 12 months with youngdrummer James Newton as a member of itsorchestra.Since he was eight, when his father died,23-year-old James has been helpedfinancially by the Royal Masonic Trust forGirls and Boys (RMTGB) and has justgraduated with a first class BA honoursdegree from The Liverpool Institute forPerforming Arts (LIPA). During theceremony there, James was congratulatedby founder of LIPA and Lead Patron, formerBeatle Paul McCartney.From an early age, James had alwaysshown a huge interest in music, taking onroles in school productions, both on stageand behind the scenes and his specialinterest in the drums started with a couple ofsticks and an upturned washing up bowl!His father was a member of the Lodge ofHope No 302 in Bradford but died after along battle with cancer in 1994 and sincethen the RMTBG has supported both Jamesand his older sister Elizabeth whilst theywere at Bradford Grammar and BradfordGirls’ Grammar Schools respectively.By his mid teens James was on a missionto do something in the performing arts andwhile studying for his GCSEs he managedto get part time work back stage at theBradford Alhambra, learning theatre skills ashe went along.After he finished his A levels, thisexperience stood him in good stead whenhe gained a place on a one year diploma inSound Technology at LIPA. This wasfollowed by the three-year degree coursefrom which he has just graduated.During his spare time at Liverpool, Jamescommuted to Leeds where he drummed atthe famous City Varieties Theatre duringpanto season, as well as returning to workat the Bradford Alhambra.For the last four years, during the summerholidays, he has also helped run summerschools at LIPA encouraging children,particularly those from a disadvantagedbackground, to enjoy musical workshops.Mum Sue, who still lives in Bradford, couldnot be more proud: “We were all very excitedabout James’s graduation. To our surprisehe was also awarded two prizes for hisdrumming and his contribution to LIPA,” shesays.“I am just so proud of all he has achieved.He has worked extremely hard over the lastfew years to get to this stage and I cannotthank the RMTGB enough for all its help.They relieved a huge financial pressure at atime when we were all hit by the huge loss ofStuart - they lost their father and I lost myhusband.”Sue, 56, now works part time as a nurserynurse at her daughter’s old school. Like anyparent she is thrilled James has landed a jobso quickly and could hardly believe it was fora year with the touring company of ‘Joseph’.36