Hall of Fame We are proud to present the successes and achievements of former students who have benefited from the Music Service.
Kit Downes – Jazz Pianist High School: Ensembles: Musical life after school:
Norwich School (1994-2000) Norwich Students’ Orchestra - cello Norwich Students’ Jazz Orchestra from Royal Academy of Music to Kit Downes Trio, shortlisted for the 2010 Mercury Prize.
Kit Downes Trio Kit Downes (piano) with Calum Gourlay (bass) and James Maddren (drums) performing original music inspired by influences ranging from Bela Bartok to Keith Jarrett to Rufus Wainwright. “I was a member of both the Norwich Students’ Orchestra and the Norwich Students’ Jazz Orchestra for four years. In that time the Students’ Orchestra gave me the opportunity to perform the piano solo part of Rhapsody In Blue with the Orchestra - this is still the only time I have been able to perform a piano concerto! The NSJO also allowed me to perform with them at the Royal Albert Hall in my last year with them - and through that band I got to know George Crowley and Freddie Gavita (with both of whom I now regularly play). Being part of those two large ensembles gave me invaluable experience at a young age, I met people with whom I have forged lasting and meaningful musical relationships, and I learnt many of the skills that are vital to be a professional musician. Being in both groups was ultimately what motivated and enabled me to attend the Purcell School of Music, then the Royal Academy of Music and resulted in all my achievements to date, of which I am immensely grateful. It is incredibly important that opportunities like these are available to young musicians, without these I wouldn't be the musician I am today. It seems everyone is linked in some way to Norwich - jazz capital of the world (next to NYC maybe)…”
Caroline Abbott - Violinist High School: Ensembles:
Notre Dame (1966-71); City of Norwich (1971-3) Norwich Students’ Orchestra, leading in 1972/3 Norfolk County Youth Orchestra Avenue Road String Ensemble
Musical life after school: Halle Orchestra – violin Lancashire Youth Orchestra coaching since 1980 Halle Education work in schools, institutions, music centres Northern Sinfonia and Welsh National Opera Violin teaching at Manchester University “What the Music Service and Norfolk did for me: I must begin with Mr Abel the music teacher at Colman Road who was my initial inspiration. He taught us the recorder, which my mother always said was my best instrument; she couldn't stomach me scratching on the violin out of tune. Anne Hornby was the peri there - quite a find as she'd been a pupil of the great Karl Flesch and used to talk of going into her lessons after Ida Handel. I still remember my 1st orchestra rehearsal (Colman Rd had a great orchestra for a primary school) and playing Farandole at the tender age of 8. I think it was then that I realized that I'd never been so happy and wanted to wallow in an orchestral sound for the rest of my life. Notre Dame High School and Mr Morris who was fantastic, enthusiastic, encouraging, tireless, inspirational etc. and had a wonderful Welsh voice and accent. He did a great line in piano duets with anyone who could play well enough - not me! Fred Firth was equally inspirational in the Students' Orchestra on a Saturday morning which I adored and where we played a marvellous selection of repertoire and made new friends.”
Matthew Wright – Tuba High School: Ensembles:
Hellesdon High 1989-1993 Hewett School 1993-1995 Norfolk County Youth Orchestra Norwich Students’ Orchestra Wind Band Intermediate Wind Band Big Band
Musical life after school Matthew studied Composition at The University of Huddersfield, gaining a first class BMus and a Master’s with Distinction, having performances of his work at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, one of the world’s most respected festivals for new music. He then began teaching Composition and Musicology at the University, teaching brass and keyboards as a peripatetic teacher in Cheshire, and running DJ workshops in Halifax. After that Matthew attended the Young Composer’s meeting in Apeldoorn, Holland, which eventually led to studying with Louis Andriessen, a famous Dutch composer, at the Royal Conservatoire of the Netherlands in The Hague. Whilst in The Hague, Matt made contact with many Dutch ensembles dedicated to new music, and many of his commissions are now from Dutch and Belgian ensembles. He wrote a piece for the Norwich Students’ Orchestra in 1999. After gaining a second Master’s degree at the Conservatoire, Matt moved back to London in 2004, and worked as an apprentice animatuer for the Spitalfields Festival, and also taught on the MA course at Trinity College of Music. In 2005 he began a PhD at Goldsmiths College and took up a full-time lectureship at Canterbury Christ Church University, specialising mainly in the composition, history and the recording of pop music. He gained his PhD in 2009, is now a Senior Lecturer and Programme Director of the Creative Music Technology degree course at Canterbury Christ Church University. His music is regularly performed across Europe and increasingly in New York, and has been broadcast in Australia. He runs his own ensemble called ‘Splinter Cell’, his piano piece MONSTA is published by Boosey and Hawkes and 2010 saw the release of his first CD, Music at the Edge of Collapse, with the Dutch Ensemble Klang. “Life without music would be unthinkable! From an early age, David Bowman and Andy Grand made Hellesdon High an incredible place to be – they had a tremendous passion for all kinds of music, and that open-mindedness has definitely stayed with me – I don’t think what I’m doing is rooted in one particular style – I just soak up lots of different influences and David and Andy really taught me about the fun of composing and playing. The county ensembles were amazing – we had some fantastic players, a really good spirit and some good (sometimes very contemporary) repertoire. Tours to Brussels and Krakow were life changing. In fact, I have worked in those cities since then and they feel very familiar to me, thanks to those tours. At the Hewett School, I had some fantastic teachers – Ian Elder and Ian Lord especially, who really made music feel like a shared community experience. In all, the county music provision had four things in perfect balance: extremely talented and informed staff, who were willing to go the extra mile; extremely well organized administration; steady, secure financial support, and lastly, most importantly, open-mindedness, passion and imagination.”
Lewis Wright – Jazz Vibraphone High School: Ensembles:
Wymondham College (1999-2006) Norwich Students’ Jazz Orchestra
Musical life after school: Lewis studied at Trinity College of Music in London where he gained a 1st Class Honours Bachelor of Music Degree. He currently performs and writes for various projects based in the London area including the multi-award winning group Empirical. He also tours extensively with American Singer/Songwriter Melody Gardot. "Both
the NSTJO (Norwich Students Training Jazz Orchestra) and the NSJO were very important in my early musical development (and therefore everything I have done since). Under the guidance of Russell Unwin, Dean Masser and most notably David Amis, I began to learn what skills needed to be developed in order to play music with other people. As a band we had incredible opportunities, such as playing at the Royal Festival Hall and Royal Albert Hall and I met many people who I am still making music with (George Crowley, Kit Downes, Freddie Gavita). This ensemble brought me together with other people my age that were interested in the same things. It also turned my musical interest into a passion and I would hope that young people will continue to have opportunities similar to mine as a result of the Music Service. It is no coincidence to me that the London Scene has such a healthy Norwich contingent!”
Philip Gallaway – Violin High School: Ensembles:
Great Yarmouth Grammar School 1965-72 Great Yarmouth Combined Schools Orchestra 1966 Norwich Students’ Orchestra – leader 1971/2 Norfolk County Youth Orchestra 1969-1972
Musical life after school: Philip studied at the Royal Academy of Music, (1972–1976), where he became a founder member of the Coull Quartet. Since 1977 the Quartet has held the post of Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Warwick, and has performed worldwide. Philip also plays for the CBSO, Sinfonia ViVA and Orchestra da Camera, which he leads. Away from the classical scene he has played on the latest Gorillaz album, Plastic Beach, and recently toured and recorded with Peter Gabriel.
“As an 11 year old, I couldn’t wait to learn the violin, and while at the GYGS I was fortunate to benefit from free lessons provided by the peripatetic music service. My introduction to orchestral playing came soon after, with the Great Yarmouth Combined Schools Orchestra. Joining the Norwich Studentsʼ Orchestra at the age of 14 was incredibly exciting, and I remember eagerly looking forward to the Saturday morning rehearsals. The orchestra was affectionately known as ʻFredʼsʼ, after our much-loved and inspirational conductor, Fred Firth. We tackled ambitious repertoire, made many friends, and went on some memorable trips to Germany. The Norfolk Youth Orchestraʼs residential courses were also great fun, and for someone who lived ʻout in the sticksʼ these were a wonderful opportunity to get together with other string players in ad-hoc string quartet sessions. The string coaches on the courses were highly experienced professionals with many stories to tell. Alexander Kirk, Norman Peace, Harry Thornton and Barry Wright all made a big impression on me, as did the talented violinist Paul Clarke, who was an inspiring teacher. A career in music presents many challenges, but it is very satisfying to earn a living doing something you love. Thereʼs a great feeling of camaraderie amongst musicians, which for me was just one of the many attractions. Iʼve never regretted my decision to join the music profession; however, I have to admit there is some truth in the old joke: Q. How does a string quartet player become a millionaire?
A. By starting off as a billionaire!�
David Powell - Tuba High School: Ensembles:
Thorpe Grammar School 1967-74 Norfolk County Youth Orchestra Norwich Students’ Orchestra Examiner for the Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music and Trinity College of Music
Musical life after school: David has played as an extra for sizeable periods with the London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, ENO, Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Birmingham Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Theater des Westens (Berlin), London Sinfonietta (10 years) and Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt). Also CBSO, NOW, BBCSO, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Theatre Wales, London Musici (for Rambert Dance Company), Almeida Opera, Philip Jones Brass Ensemble, London Brass, Wallace Collection, Endymion, National Theatre, Shakespeare’s Globe, Royal Shakespeare Company. In the field of jazz, David was a founder member of Loose Tubes, and also worked with bands led by Mike Westbrook, John Dankworth, Billy Cobham, Barry Guy, and the Dedication Orchestra. He has played on albums by Eric Clapton, Heaven 17, Madness, Marc Almond, Van Morrison, Sigur Rós, Teddy Thomson, Chris de Burgh, Kanye West; and most recently on two albums for Peter Gabriel. “There were wind bands in both the City and the County which acted as training for the main orchestras. Both the Wymondham courses and "Fred's" (Norwich Students’ Orchestra, conducted by the inimitable Fred Firth) on Saturday mornings were eagerly anticipated and provided us all with a great social as well as musical education (or "enrichment" as current educational jargon would have it). We tackled some demanding repertoire:- for example Sibelius 2 (I just performed that the other day and for such an old warhorse, it is a very taxing piece for the brass), Tchaikovsky 4, Mahler 1, Pictures from an Exhibition, and numerous others. The trips to the twin city of Koblenz were my first time abroad and remain vividly in my memory. My mother was in regular correspondence with one of the young musicians from Koblenz who had stayed at our house, and gifts and photos were exchanged every Christmas. I must pay tribute to my first teacher, Mr Charles King who gave me every encouragement possible, and who I have kept in touch with. Also a great musician and coach; Jack Gibson. In my last concert with the Norwich Students’ Orchestra, I played the Vaughan Williams Tuba Concerto and Jack conducted. Along with a very high standard of performance at school, I had an amazing range of opportunities for performance. This was recently brought home to me while taking some students through Orchestral Excerpts at a London conservatoire. Most of them, evidently, had hardly ever played in an orchestra.”
Josie Abbott - Cello High School: Ensembles:
Notre Dame (1969-74) City of Norwich (1974-76) Avenue String Orchestra Norwich Students’ Orchestra Norfolk County Youth Orchestra
Musical life after school:
BBC Concert Orchestra 1980 - 1990 BBC Philharmonic Orchestra 1991 - 1995 BBC Concert Orchestra 1995 - present date
“I owe a huge amount to the Music Service and its staff - in fact I'm sure I would not have ended up in the music profession if I had not been given the opportunities at that stage of my life. I gained a wealth of experience from lessons, orchestras, chamber music, residential courses, trips abroad and numerous performance opportunities. The commitment and enthusiasm of the staff was tremendously inspiring. Mostly I learned how important music is to everyone's life, in whatever capacity, and how it can raise the all-round level of education. I feel it is a vital part of children's education and it has played a huge part in the decision-making of my own child's schooling.”
Freddie Gavita – Jazz Trumpet High School: Ensembles:
Norwich School 1996-2004 Junior Wind Band Norwich Students’ Jazz Orchestra
Musical life after school: Freddie studied at the Royal Academy of Music and has gone on to become a professional jazz trumpeter. He has played regularly with the late Sir John Dankworth, Ronnie Scott's Big Band, and the London Jazz Orchestra. He was winner of the 2008 British Jazz Award for Rising Star. “I was lucky enough to study trumpet under David Amis through the County Music Service. He was my first and only teacher whilst living in Norwich and without doubt is 100% responsible for where I am today as a professional trumpet player. He instilled a passion for all kinds of music in me and countless other musicians. He introduced me to the junior wind band which helped me learn to play with other people for the first time, and the Norwich Students’ Jazz Orchestra. With them I met great musicians who were the same age as me and interested in the same things. We played repertoire that I still play today, and that experience is invaluable. We were given ample performing opportunities which stood us in good stead for the profession, and played in venues such as the Barbican, the Royal Albert Hall and The Playhouse Norwich. I can't stress enough how important the Music Service is to me and the other musicians who I still play with and met in the NSJO.”
Linda Speck - Violin High School: Ensembles:
Blyth School Norwich Students’ Orchestra Norfolk County Youth Orchestra
Musical life after school: Linda studied at the Royal College of Music for five years and since then she has been a member of Scottish Opera, Philharmonia Orchestra (22 years) then as a freelance player with the English National Opera and the BBC Concert Orchestra. “I am one of nine children and my parents could not have afforded private violin lessons, so had it not been for the Norfolk Music Service offering peripatetic tuition I would not have been able to spend the last 42 years in a professional musical career. My first teacher was Miss Anne Hornby at Avenue Junior School and Miss Sally Tudge taught me to Grade 8 standard at the Blyth School.”
Graham Bradshaw – Cello High School: Ensembles:
City of Norwich 1963-70 Royal Academy of Music 1970-75 Norwich Students’ Orchestra Norfolk County Youth Orchestra
Musical life after school Graham joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1978, moved up through the ranks and is now Co-Principal. He also plays in two String Quartets, the 'Helikon' and the 'Aylwin'. “I played in the Norwich Students’ Orchestra, which met on Saturday mornings, and the Norfolk Youth Orchestra, with its holiday residential courses at Wymondham College. These were intense musical experiences where I really got to know repertoire, which has helped me throughout my career; also in the CNS symphony orchestra, which in those days gave regular full symphony concerts, one of which was held annually at St Andrew's Hall (one particularly memorable for me was when Rohan de Saram, then 'up and coming', now an international soloist, came and played the Elgar cello concerto). These were invaluable musical experiences - if you've never been seated in the middle of all that sound and been part of it you can't imagine how exciting it is - but also great social opportunities to mix with other musicians from all over the County. The lessons in team work in just the cello section of maybe ten people and then in the greater team of eighty or so are crucial life experiences were just as valuable as the more obvious team work of the football pitch. I actually had lessons privately, but both teachers I had (Charles Finch and later Ivan Cane) were employed by the music department, and their commitment individually, and also to the local orchestras, was formative in my musical development. I feel very privileged to be doing something I really enjoy, and would probably never have got there without the early experiences in Norwich.”
Simon Munday - Trumpet High School:
Sheringham High
Musical life after school: Simon studied at the Royal College of Music. He then became visiting Trumpet Professor at Royal Holloway University and gave a masterclass at Birmingham Conservatoire. Orchestral Experience: Royal Opera/Ballet Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Israel Opera Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Chamber Music: English Chamber Orchestra, Welsh Chamber Orchestra, Manchester Camerata, Israel Camerata, Locrian Chamber Ensemble, London Brass, Halle Brass, Alberti Brass Quintet Early Music: English Baroque Soloists, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Academy of Ancient Music, English Consort, Gabrieli Consort, Ex Cathedra, St James Baroque Players, New London Consort, Les Arts Florissants, Oslo Baroque, Bergen Baroque, Helsinki Baroque, Musical Compass, La Serenisima. Commercial work includes: Peter Gabriel ‘Scratch my Back’ European Tour, BBC Radio 3 live broadcast of Brandenburg concerto no 2, Top of the Pops, TFI Friday. Recorded albums with Orlando, Steps and Shane Cullinan West End Shows: Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Evita, Billy Elliot, Lord of the Rings, Joseph, Wicked, La Cage Aux Folles, Sister Act, Love Never Dies, West Side Story (UK Tour), Jerry Springer (UK Tour), The King and I (UK Tour). “I studied trumpet at high school with music service teacher Robert Scott and at City College with Dave Amis. I was a Salvationist and mainly played in brass bands. I also played in the Norfolk Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Howard Rooke. I'm proud to be a Norfolk boy and feel the County gave me a great start in my musical career.”
Sam Ellis – Violinist High School: Ensembles:
Old Buckenham High School: 1995-2000 Notre Dame High School: 2000-2002 Norwich Students' Orchestra Norfolk County Youth Orchestra
Musical life after school: After a first degree at Bangor, Sam took a visiting scholarship at Cambridge before returning to Bangor to teach music and history at the University. A Research Council scholarship allowed him to undertake doctoral research on twentieth-century British music, during which time he spoke at international conferences in Oxford and Toronto, and spent two years on the Council of the Royal Musical Association. He became a University Fellow in 2009. “I was a stalwart second violinist in Norwich Students' Orchestra for much of the 1990s, under the baton of Sarah Coleman. Through that ensemble, I was exposed to an extraordinary breadth of repertoire, and was fortunate to have the opportunity to explore and understand music of many periods and styles from within such a talented string section. I was surrounded by players of prodigious talent, and as a result I was constantly stretched and stimulated. It was with the Students' Orchestra that I first played in a major concert hall (the Royal Festival Hall) and had my first significant trip abroad (to Austria in 1999). It is certainly the case that the school curriculum is not geared to the needs of the budding music historian. Because of this, I received much of my training at the hands of the Norfolk Music Education Service: but what training! The staff were not satisfied to simply provide performance opportunities and practical development - they were also always keen to talk about the music we were playing, to deconstruct it and improve our understanding of it. When I left Norfolk to continue my studies at the University of Wales, I was amazed by the musical vocabulary I had unwittingly acquired. Without the intellectual grounding I received as a schoolboy in Norfolk, I am certain that I would not have had the confidence to pursue a career in academia. For this, I am continually grateful.”
John Senter - ’Cello High School: Ensembles:
City of Norwich School 1964 - 1971 Norwich Students’ Orchestra Norfolk County Youth Orchestra
Musical life after school: John studied at Royal Academy of Music, where he studied with Derek Simpson, and while there became a founder member of the Arditti Quartet, specializing in contemporary music. On leaving the Academy he joined the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London, where he stayed just over two years, before taking up his present position of Principal Cello in the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, which he have held for the last 33 years. During this time he has also played with many other orchestras including the London Mozart Players, Oslo Philharmonic, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony and Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. “I began the cello at the age of 13 with Charles Finch, but soon afterwards went to Ivan Cane, who gave me a good grounding in basic cello technique, as well as much encouragement with my musical studies. From about 1967 onwards I played in the CNS school orchestra, the Norwich Students’ Orchestra with Fred Firth conducting, and the Norfolk County Youth Orchestra. These gave me the chance to play a lot of the standard orchestral repertoire for the first time, as well as getting great help from both Ivan Cane and Barry Wright in sectional rehearsals. This experience stood me in good stead to fulfil my ambition to be a professional orchestral musician. Through Trevor Harvey (who sometimes conducted the Norfolk County Youth Orchestra) I was also invited to join the British Youth Symphony Orchestra, which led to me playing the Dvorak Cello Concerto with this orchestra in the Fairfield Hall - none of which would have happened without the support and experience I had received in Norfolk. I feel incredibly indebted to the Norfolk Music Service, without whom my life would have certainly have taken a different, and probably less fulfilling, course.”
Appendix List of Academic Venues Birmingham Conservatoire Canterbury Christ Church University Goldsmiths College Manchester University Purcell School of Music Royal Academy of Music
Royal College of Music Royal Holloway University The University of Huddersfield Trinity College of Music
Simon Munday Matthew Wright Matthew Wright Caroline Abbott Kit Downes Kit Downes Philip Gallaway Freddie Gavita David Powell Simon Munday David Powell Linda Speck Simon Munday Matthew Wright David Powell Lewis Wright Matthew Wright
List of Ensembles/Orchestras: Alberti Brass Quintet Almeida Opera Arditti Quartet BBC Concert Orchestra BBC National Orchestra of Wales BBC Philharmonic Orchestra BBC Symphony Orchestra Birmingham Royal Ballet Bournemouth Symphony Chamber Orchestra of Europe City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Coull Quartet Czech National Symphony Orchestra English Chamber Orchestra English National Ballet English National Opera Ensemble Modern (Frankfurt) Halle Orchestra Israel Camerata Israel Opera Orchestra Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra Locrian Chamber Ensemble London Brass London Brass London Mozart Players London Musici London Philharmonic Orchestra
Simon Munday David Powell John Senter Josie Abbott Linda Speck David Powell John Senter Josie Abbott Graham Bradshaw David Powel John Senter David Powell John Senter David Powell Philip Gallaway David Powell Philip Gallaway Simon Munday Simon Munday David Powell David Powell Linda Speck David Powell Caroline Abbott Simon Munday Simon Munday David Powell Simon Munday David Powell Simon Munday David Powell John Senter David Powell David Powell
London Sinfonietta London Symphony Orchestra Manchester Camerata Music Theatre Wales National Symphony Orchestra Northern Sinfonia Norwegian Radio Orchestra Orchestra da Camera Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Oslo Philharmonic Philharmonia Orchestra Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Scottish Opera, Sinfonia ViVA Welsh Chamber Orchestra Welsh National Opera Artists / bands recorded with or toured with: • Barry Guy • Bill le Sage • Billy Cobham • Chris de Burgh • Clark Tracey • Eric Clapton • Geoff Simkins • Gorillaz • Heaven 17 • Jack Parnell • Jim Hart • John Dankworth
David Powell David Powell Simon Munday David Powell Simon Munday Caroline Abbott Simon Munday Philip Gallaway David Powell John Senter David Powell John Senter Linda Speck Simon Munday David Powell John Senter David Powell John Senter Linda Speck Philip Gallaway Simon Munday Caroline Abbott
• • • • • • • • • • • •
Julian Siegel Kanye West Laurence Cottle Loose Tubes Madness Marc Almond Mark Lockheart Melody Gardot Mike Westbrook Nigel Hitchcock Peter Gabriel Peter Gabriel
• • •
Sigur Rós Stan Sulzmann Teddy Thomson
• •
The Dedication Orchestra Van Morrison