BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 Segovia Winner

The International Music School founded by Yehudi Menuhin
www.yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk — Registered Charity 312010 — Newsletter 58 — Summer 2014

William Dutton, winner of the Strings Category BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 — Kevin Loh at the Segovia Competition —
Copyright BBC Photo Credit Marcus Loh

— BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014 — Segovia Winner

Congratulations to William Dutton (19) winner of the String Congratulations to Kevin Loh (16) who won first prize
Category of the BBC Young Musician of the Year 2014. A former in the 14-16 age group of the 8th Andrés Segovia
BBC Radio 2 Chorister of the Year, William’s performance of International Guitar Competition for Young Guitarists
Bloch’s Nigun accompanied by Menachem Rozin (18) was stunning. held in Velbert, Germany from 18 to 21 June 2014.
In an interview with Aled Jones after winning the Chorister of the Kevin writes: “It is indeed an eye opener for me
Year in 2006, William said that an alternative career could be to watching the players as well as making many new
play the violin or to sell ice creams. The freezer in Harris House is friends. It was especially challenging as well, since
testimony to Will’s love of ice-cream. Fortunately, he has stuck with I had my GCSEs this term and had to return for yet
the violin and goes on to study with Pavel Vernikov in Lausanne. another exam.”

——Alumni Day – Sunday 8 June Hsing-Chwen Hsin, Ruth Phillips, Tasmin Little and Kenneth
Ming-Feng Hsin, Robert Gibbs, Fox (Bradshaw) — Photo
Around a hundred former students and staff gathered at the Richard Hillier, Elaine Hillier Credits Angela Stockbridge
School for our very first Alumni Reunion, many bringing their
families with them. They were also joined by present staff Many thanks to all who came - as well as to all those who
and current and former governors, including Zamira Menuhin sent their good wishes but were otherwise engaged. We shall
Benthall, Lord Menuhin’s daughter, making a total of around 170. certainly not wait for 50 years until we do it again!
Returning alumni spanned the entire 50 years of the School,
from Jonathan Rutherford who joined the School in 1963 when it ——The 50th Anniversary Alumni
opened in London to Chloe Stowers-Veitch who left in 2013. Concert Series
The afternoon began with tea and cake in and around the
Menuhin Hall, followed by a talk on the ways in which the School The Founder’s Day Concert with Melvyn Tan and Friends was
has changed over the last half century from Director of Music the sixth in our series of 50th Anniversary Celebrity Alumni
Malcolm Singer and an outline of the School’s plans for the Concerts.
future from Headmaster Dr Richard Hillier.
Alumni were then given a guided tour of the School (though Melvyn performed with alumni from across the generations;
most knew exactly where they wanted to go!) before a concert of Elisabeth Perry (violin 1972), Ning Kam (violin 1993), Simon
chamber music in the Hall by current pupils, then drinks and a Rowland-Jones (viola 1967), and Niall Brown (cello 1979). On 15
buffet supper on the lawns outside Music House. May the seventh concert in our series with Valeriy Sokolov and
The sun shone, the wine flowed and Jean Labourg and his Friends took an extraordinary turn when Valeriy was unable to
catering team did us proud. get his visa in time for the concert but we were delighted that
Many thanks to everyone who helped make it such a success – Vlad Maistorovici (violin 2004) and Agata Darashkaite (violin
not least Vanessa Casey, Sally Williams and Daisy Fannin in 2008) stepped in. We extend our grateful thanks to both.
the Development Department and especially Alumni Officer
Elaine Hillier who organised the day and has spent the last four Valeriy is determined to make up for his absence and has
years tirelessly tracking down those alumni with whom we had agreed to give a recital on Sunday 18 January 2015.
lost touch.
On 22 June Alina Ibragimova and Friends gave the last of
Hun Ouk Park, Tetsuumi Nagata, Agata Darashkaite, Melanie di Cristino — the Anniversary concerts. Alina (violin 2003), along with
Photo Credit Angela Stockbridge Benjamin Marquise Gilmore (violin 2005) and Bartholomew
LaFollette (cello 2003) began the concert with Mozart’s Six
Slow Movements with Three-Part Fugues (after Bach) for violin,
viola and cello K404a. Charles Owen (piano 1989) played Bach’s
Partita No 5 in G Major the concert ended with Brahm's Quartet
No 2 in A Major.

The School would like to thank all musicians who have taken
part in this series during the academic year 2013 – 2014.

Alumni day - general jollity — Photo Credit LucyAnn Curling Alina’s concert cake — Photo Credit Kevin Laitak

Menachem with Marlborough Concert Orchestra — Photo Credit Mark Kent

Musical Notes

Rosie Bennet — Photo Credit Vilem Zak Many congratulations to our Musical Patron Sir András
Schiff, awarded a Knighthood by Her Majesty the Queen
in the 2014 Birthday Honours. He was born in Budapest in
1953 and has been a British citizen since 2001.

——Guitarists in Prague

Rosie Bennet (18) writes: Playing a concert in the hall at
Křivoklát, a castle west of Prague, was one of the most
surreal experiences I have been lucky enough to have whilst
at school, if not ever. By day we enjoyed concerts and master
classes played and taught by our heroes of the guitar world
and by night we talked and laughed with them over dinner
and drinks. Looking back it still feels like stepping into a
dream imagining the incredible intellectuals and incredible
players that we had as colleagues whilst surrounded by
50 km of pine forest. We were able to enjoy the playing and
company of Petrit Ceku, Aniello Desiderio, Thomas Fellow,
Paolo Paolini, Milan Zelenka and, our pioneer for the trip,
Pavel Steidl. I don’t think anything will ever feel as good as
the compliments that Daniel Penney (15) and I both received
for our performance from these amazing personalities.

——Marlborough Concert Orchestra

Menachem Rozin gave a sparkling recital of Grieg’s piano
concerto as the guest soloist of the Marlborough Concert
Orchestra. The School has a long history of providing
soloists to play with this orchestra and our pupils are always
very well received. A group of students made the two-hour
journey to Marlborough to support Menachem.

——Visiting Professors

This summer, we were delighted that Paul Ellison, double bass
professor from the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University,
Texas, returned for his annual visit. Students also enjoyed
the company of Atar Arad, viola professor from Indiana
University’s Jacobs School of Music. Professor Arad gave a
lecture recital of his twelve Caprices, each named after the
first name of a composer and inspired by a particular piece of
music written for the viola.

Sao and Cosima Soulez Larivière in the grotto —
Photo Credit Angela Stockbridge

——Music in the Crystal Grotto

As part of the School’s Outreach programme, YMS musicians
performed in the beautiful setting of the 18th-century ‘Crystal
Grotto’ of Painshill Park, the first time this very individual
setting had been used as a musical concert-space.

The sunlight glittered on the waters of the lake outside and the
musicians sparkled in an imaginative and varied programme,
which was repeated three times throughout the course of the
early evening. An unforgettable experience for all concerned.
Many thanks also to Painshill Park for allowing us to return with
other pupils for a summer picnic the following week.

——End of Year Concerts

A stunning orchestral concert brought to a fitting end the
celebration of our 50th anniversary year - at least as far as The
Menuhin Hall is concerned. The last twelve months have seen a
series of outstanding Alumni Celebrity Concerts and an equally
impressive programme of Showcase Concerts - fulfilling our
aim of having every concert presented by the School in the Hall
this year being performed by either current or past students.

Atar Arad — Photo Credit Simon Larter-Evans The six Summer Festival concerts over four days featured a
YMS guitarists spent a day experiencing the outstanding and solo performance from every one of our 75 students, followed
inspirational teaching of Paolo Pegoraro, professor of guitar by two orchestral ‘picnic’ concerts. The Headmaster and Mrs
at the Kunstuniversität Graz. Paolo attended several of the Hillier were delighted to host drinks receptions for parents and
YMS Summer Festival concerts and spent a whole day giving a Friends on each of the Summer Festival concert days with some
masterclass to the five YMS guitarists. parents from overseas making this their one visit to England
each year. 
Paolo Pegoraro with Rosie Bennet, Daniel Penney, Sergio Bucheli and
Kevin Loh — Photo Credit Simon Larter-Evans The School also gave a fund-raising concert in Hampstead and
an orchestral concert in the Thaxted Festival.

The leaving students performed one final time on 9 July in the

annual Wigmore

Hall concert, and

other students

gave a concert in

All Saints Church,

Oystermouth, as part

of the Gower Festival

on 11 July, three of

whom then travelled

out to Switzerland

to perform in the Enjoying a picnic concert with box office
Menuhin Festival staff Wendy Gabriel and Penny Wright —
at Gstaad. Photo Credit Angela Stockbridge

Robert Masters Robert Masters with Erich Gruenberg — Photo Credit Malcolm Singer

Malcolm Singer writes: Robert Masters, violinist, founding staff school in any official capacity, was in constant contact with
member and second Director of Music at The Yehudi Menuhin me giving me wise counsil and great support. I was able to
School (1969–81) died at the age of 97 in Sydney, Australia on engineer his last meeting with Yehudi – a very special day at
22 April 2014. It is a poignant coincidence that Robert should the School a few months before Yehudi’s sudden death.
have died on Yehudi’s birth-date; the two men’s careers were
so intertwined for so many years, that it is somehow fitting that Once Robert and Noel had finally moved to Australia
they should be linked for evermore in this way. permanently, Robert became an ardent ‘silver surfer’. He
kept in touch with many past pupils around the world by
Robert’s career was already extremely distinguished before he e-mail, and became a particularly fatherly figure to our many
started working so closely with Menuhin. He was born in Ilford, alumni who live and work in Australia. Robert would send
Essex on 16 March 1917, and by the age of 16 he was already regular news of these past students and long critiques of
playing the Bach Double Concerto in concert at the Royal their performances in Australia. In addition, he would want to
Academy of Music with Sir Henry Wood conducting and Bohdan be kept up-to-date with all the latest news from the School.
Hubicki as the other violin soloist. Bohdan Hubicki’s wife Peggy He had been very sad that he could not travel to England
was to become a teacher at the Menuhin School and later a in 2006 for the opening of The Menuhin Hall, but later his
Governor of the School. doctor relaxed his travel restrictions and in the summer of
2011 he and Noel came to England to attend the Summer
In 1939, while studying at Dartington Hall, Robert formed the Festival concerts. Although he was physically rather frail, his
Robert Masters Piano Quartet, and this ensemble continued mind was as alert as ever, and he and Noel were absolutely
to perform right up until 1963. In 1947 Robert was appointed delighted to hear such glorious music-making from our
Professor of Violin at the Royal Academy of Music. current generation of pupils.

It seems that it was Robert (with enthusiastic support from The last word on Robert should come from Yehudi, who
Menuhin’s record company EMI) who persuaded Yehudi to wrote of Robert:
direct an ensemble of exceptional musicians. This was the
Robert Masters Chamber Orchestra which was formed in ‘Not only was he an excellent violinist, but
the late 1950s and which soon became the Bath Festival as a man and a musician he was sensitive,
Orchestra and later still the Menuhin Festival Orchestra. discreet, reliable and of sure judgement.
This ensemble consisted of all the best players in London, There is no other person with whom I have
including Rodney Friend, Jack Rothstein and even at one time shared as many ideas on the violin, on
the 16-year old Jacqueline du Pré. Robert’s wife Noel was interpretation, and on music in general.’
the Orchestral Manager. In his autobiography, Yehudi freely
admits that ‘the credit for my improving [as a conductor] Robert is survived by his wife Noel, who now intends, aged
belongs to my orchestra and primarily to Robert Masters’. 90 years, to return to live in England. All being well, she will
attend a concert in memory of Robert in The Menuhin Hall on
Robert used to tell of how in the early days of concerts 22 April 2015.
with Menuhin, between rehearsals and concerts, Yehudi
would discuss the idea of starting a specialist music school
in England. There was much discussion about how the
curriculum might function and how the musical education
should be structured. It is hardly surprising that when the
School finally opened in September 1963, Robert should
become one of its first violin teachers and that, on the death
of Marcel Gazelle in 1969, he should take over as Director of
Music.

Indeed, when I joined the School in 1977 as a young
composition teacher, Robert was at the helm. He was a calm,
unflappable presence, and appeared (to me at least, in my
lowly role) to have a very steady hand on the tiller. Of course,
it was a much smaller school in those days with some 36-40
pupils, and with Peter Renshaw as a lively and intellectually
stimulating Headmaster, and Peter and Margaret Norris
helping Robert guide the musical life of the place, it seemed to
me like a golden period of the School’s history.

When Robert retired from the School, he began another project
with Yehudi. The International Violin Competition started in
1983 with Robert as its first Director and with Noel as the
wonderfully able administrator.

On a personal note, I only got to know Robert really well at a
much later date, when I became Director of Music in 1998. On
my appointment, Robert, who was no longer connected to the

And the rest After lunch we went to see Concorde. It was an amazing
experience. It was the third plane I’d ever been on! We had
——Brooklands Museum our photographs taken in the first-class seats.

Eddie Mead (11) writes: At ten o’clock we arrived at ‘Handling’ section next and a volunteer called Peter
Brooklands Museum. Already I was feeling excited just showed us some things from World War Two, such as
seeing the aeroplanes. We got out of the minibus and a gas masks, a food ration tin and a hand grenade. We got
volunteer called John started showing us around. We visited to touch them and take photos. We had a fascinating and
one of the oldest planes ever built. Unfortunately, when this interesting time.
plane was built, it couldn’t fly (still can’t now!).
Then we moved inside the old aircraft hangar. We went on Last of all we went to the bus museum and saw some
board the Wellington Bomber (half of one!) and it was the of the oldest buses as well as the more modern London
first plane I’d ever been on! After that we went to look at a buses. We went on board a very wobbly horse and carriage
Harrier jet and we got to sit in the pilot’s seat which was very bus, but without real horses (we didn’t move, apart from
small, surrounded by loads of controls. It was the second side to side!). We had a great time and a conductor gave us
plane I’d been on! In the hangar there is a model of what a old-fashioned tickets.
bouncing bomb did and how it did it.
We sat outside to eat our picnic for lunch. We were very It was a fab day and ended very well!
hungry because we had also spent some time in the science
Discovery Room, walked on the Brooklands racetrack and ——Courtyard Garden
been taken into an old air raid shelter. 
LucyAnn Curling writes: Pictured here is our very dear
Pictured are: Kyota Kakiuchi, Sebastian Banwell, Mika Petrovic, gardener Peter Smith planting spring bulbs on 7 October
Tom Yang ,Tonwyn Li, Eddie Mead and Alfred Leishman — 2012. He was a very modest, unassuming man who kept the
Photo Credit Janet Poppe flowerbeds in the school grounds looking beautiful. Peter
died in April last year and Rosie Bennet suggested we have
a ‘gardening day’ to remember him. At about the same time
my Tutor Group thought of planting shrubs and researched
the kind of plants they’d like. It seemed to take a long time
between the planning and the planting, but at the beginning
of the Summer Term 2014 the garden was dug over and
then the planting began.

Otoha Tabata (14) and Natasha Petrovic (15) planted the
shrubs and Rosie transplanted Peter’s roses. All the bulbs
which Peter had planted were saved and on the morning
of 7 May the whole school came to the courtyard and took
turns to plant two each.

The shrubs have all flowered once and look happy in their
new home. We’ll have to wait until next Spring to see
whether the bulbs like it too!

Peter Smith planting in the courtyard — Photo Credit LucyAnn Curling

Viviane Plekhotkine measuring up for The Salters' Challenge — ——And Congratulations!!
Photo Credit Jenny Dexter
Rosie Bennet, Qian Hui Ho (18), Sharon Wong (18) and Philip
——The Salters' Challenge Nelson (18) have gained their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s award
this year. Their invitations to receive their awards at St James’s
Jenny Dexter writes: In April the C2s spent a day at UCL Palace in the City of Westminster are on their way to them.
experiencing working in a huge chemistry lab and taking part To celebrate at YMS we hiked to the top of the North Downs
in 'The Salters’ Challenge', which involved discovering who hills for a picnic during lunch break! These four students
was the murderer in an investigation using chromatography have been such an inspirational group. They have managed to
and the solubility of salts. The group worked very well as a fit into their busy schedule the time to plan and execute two
team and uncovered the evidence that led them to accuse the four-day expeditions in the Lake District and to volunteer at
correct person. In the afternoon they watched an interesting local Charity Shops where they all had such glowing character
and fun chemistry demonstration by the infamous Dr Andrea references. I have enjoyed every minute whilst helping them
Sellar whom they had watched in ‘The Story of Science’ at to achieve this goal and hope that all future groups will be as
school. The day ended with some delicious ice cream made much fun to spend time with.
using liquid nitrogen.
Gold Duke of Edinburgh Group — Photo Credit Jenny Dexter
——Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme
——Running Wild
Jenny Dexter writes: On 10 May the newest Duke of Edinburgh
Award group took to the North Downs. They were well Dawn Larter-Evans, wife of Housemaster Simon, has been
prepared and had organised both their route and menu in the instrumental in organizing two running events for pupils this
weeks running up to the expedition. The weekend was forecast term. More than 1,100 people entered the Marlow 5 road
to be one of the wettest and windiest weekends this year but race on 11 May. A 5-mile flat race it is well regarded in the
we were blessed with sun and very little rain. However, the running calendar as one of the fastest courses in the season.
waterproof trousers and tops were on, then off, then on, then Breanainn O Mathuna (16) and Daniel Penney (15) both
off...a theme of the weekend. I was very impressed with the competed in the junior men category. Breanainn finished 5th in
pupils’ navigating skills and team morale was excellent. We are 35.00, Daniel 7th in 36.26. Dawn and Simon also ran.
all looking forward to their qualifying expedition in September. Later in the term, Natasha Petrovic, Sharon Wong, Lucia Polo
Pictured are Natasha Petrovic (15), Katie Morgan (14), Songha Moreno (19), Rosie Bennet and Kingsley Lin (13), together with
Choi (14), Otoha Tabata (14), Qing Qing Ponek (14) and Joseph staff members Jessica Buchanan-Barrow and Dawn Larter-
Pritchard (14). Evans, ran in the Race for Life in Richmond Old Deer Park on
15 June to raise money for Cancer Research. Kingsley finished
the race in the top ten out of more than 2,000 runners and the
team raised £80 for this worthwhile cause.

Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Group — Natasha, Rosie, Kingsley, Sharon and Lucia pose before the race
Photo Credit Jenny Dexter on a stormy Sunday — Photo Credit Simon Larter-Evans

Summer Headmaster’s Ponek, Joseph Pritchard, Brackenbury Awards for
Term Commendations (for gaining Louisa Staples, Otoha Tabata creative writing, composition
Awards ten merits in academic (Travel Writing); Songha Choi, and art were also awarded
subjects) were awarded to Louisa Staples (Science); to Leyla Cemiloglu, Daniel
Sebastian Banwell, Kyota Natasha Petrovic, Qing Qing Penney, Marcus Gaved,
Kakiuchi, Alfie Leishman, Ponek (History); Katie Morgan Dilara Sahin, Sao Soulez
Eddie Mead, Alexandra (German). Larivière, Jean-François
Keeley, Mika Petrovic, Tom Carrière, William Dutton,
Yang, Tonwyn Li (D group); Effort Prizes (book tokens Phoebe Goddard, Katie
Evie Calver, Hugo Haag, Coco for effort made throughout Morgan, Natasha Petrovic,
Tomita, Will Duerden, Kingsley the year) were presented to Viviane Plekhotkine, Kingsley
Lin, Viviane Plekhotkine, Kyota Kakiuchi, Eddie Mead Lin, Sarah Padday, Qing
Dilara Sahin, Maxim Calver, (D group); Katie Morgan, Qing Ponek, Cosima Soulez
Katie Morgan, Natasha Natasha Petrovic (C group); Larivière, Louisa Staples and
Petrovic, Louisa Staples, Aida Lahlou, Joon Hurh (B Shizuko Tatsuno.
Otoha Tabata (C group); Sergio group); Qian Hui Ho, Philip
Bucheli, Joon Hurh, Esther Nelson (A group). A new Music Essay Prize,
Park, Aida Lahlou, Katherine suggested by assistant violin
Yoon (B group). A special ‘effort’ award teacher Oscar Perks, was
was also made to Phoebe introduced this term and
Distinction Certificates (for Goddard. awards were made to David
a single piece of outstanding Horvat, Philip Nelson, William
work) were presented to Evie In addition, certificates Dutton, Anas Romdhani,
Calver, Hugo Haag, Coco for the Junior Maths Sebastian Banwell and
Tomita, Will Duerden, Kingsley Challenge organised by Alexandra Keeley.
Lin, Viviane Plekhotkine, the UK Mathematics Trust
Dilara Sahin, Maxim Calver, were presented to Dilara
Songha Choi, Katie Morgan, Sahin (silver) and Evie Calver
Natasha Petrovic, Qing Qing (bronze).

Student Farewells

Thea Butterworth Sohyun Park Cansin Kara Menachem Rozin
Royal College of Music, Royal College of Music, Hochschule für Musik und Guildhall School of Music
joint first-study double bass piano (Andrew Zolinsky) Theater, Munich, cello and Drama, piano (Joan Havill)
(Caroline Emery) and harp (Wen-Sinn Yang)
(Daphne Boden) Tamaki Sugimoto Ben Tarlton
Guildhall School of Music Sarah Padday Guildhall School
William Dutton and Drama, cello (Pierre Royal Northern College of of Music and Drama, cello
Haut École de Musique, Doumenge) Music, cello (Hannah Roberts) (Louise Hopkins)
Lausanne, violin
(Pavel Vernikov) Rosie Bennet Leo Plashinov-Johnson Sharon Wong
Royal Conservatoire, The studying privately, viola has applied to university to
Phoebe Goddard Hague, guitar (Zoran Dukić) (Andriy Vytovich) study biological sciences
Royal College of Music,
violin (Radu Blidar) Haim Choi Anas Romdhani
Royal College of Music, Guildhall School of Music and
violin (Itzhak Rashkovsky) Drama, violin (Simon Fischer)

Outreach and ——Fundraising
Development News
This year has seen our 50th Anniversary Appeal really
A chorus of nearly two hundred, comprising students, staff, take off and thanks to the generosity of all our Friends and
friends (and Friends!) and very many amateur singers who supporters we are about to break the £2m mark! Plans are
had never visited the School before assembled in The Menuhin now underway to take the music studios project on to the next
Hall to rehearse and perform Fauré’s Requiem. Superb stage as well as providing funds for student bursaries. We
accompaniment was provided by the School’s orchestra, are indebted to all the Friends, individuals, companies, trusts
augmented by two horn players from the Guildhall School of and foundations who have made this achievement possible
Music and Drama – to whom many thanks. and we thank especially those who so generously left a gift in
their will to the School. It is always a sad fact that we cannot
The evening concert began with performances from thank these individuals personally and yet their generosity
two YMS pupils, Aleks Mladenova (16), who played has been so instrumental in getting us to this point.
Schumann’s Kinderszenen, and Damir Durmanovic (15), who
gave us Debussy’s Children’s Corner. Soloists in the Requiem The future also looks bright for our appeal with a number
were pupil Nicole Petrus-Barracks (16) and Headmaster Dr of pledges of support which will be realised next year and in
Richard Hillier, with Louisa Staples (13) as the solo violin. the future as we continue to introduce the work of the School
and our marvellous students to the wider community. This
The performance was dedicated to the memory of Robert year we have enjoyed taking small groups of students to
Masters, Director of Music at the School from 1969 to 1981, give intimate concerts in private homes, giving individuals a
who died at the age of 97 (see obituary on page 5). It was a very chance not only to hear wonderful music but also to spend
happy and successful day and a fitting way to celebrate a great time getting to know our young people and what motivates
musical life. them.

——Chinese Delegation Outside of the Appeal we are delighted that our supporters
have continued to contribute towards bursaries for our
McLaren boss Ron Dennis hosted at his home the Chinese current students at the School, for our Outreach Programme,
trade delegation who were in London on an official visit to support student aid enabling students to participate in
accompanying the Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. During the masterclasses and musical activity outside of the School
evening five students of the School Tom Yang, Tonwyn Li, Katie and to buy important pieces of equipment such as new
Morgan, Jeff Wu and Sohyun Park performed a short selection bows. Our football team now sport a brand new strip and our
of chamber music which was enjoyed by all present. annual Wigmore Hall concert was fully sponsored along with
our Mansion House fundraising event. All of these valued
contributions mean better facilities and opportunities for
some of the world’s very best young musicians. Thank you.

Soloists Dr Richard Hillier, Nicole Petrus Barracks, Louisa Staples and conductor Malcolm Singer — Photo Credit Angela Stockbridge

Staff News Maria Trkulja will be taking over as Housemistress of Music
House, having previously been a resident member of staff at
We are delighted to announce the birth of Zamira Kucharsky who Sherborne Preparatory School. She has just completed her
arrived safely on Monday 7 July at 9pm weighing in at 4.2kg MA in Musicology at Bristol University. Maria’s fiancé Foster
(9lb 5oz). Congratulations to the proud parents Boris and Valeria Williams, who also taught at Sherborne Preparatory School and
on the arrival of their baby daughter. then at an Academy in Weston-super-Mare, will be teaching
Maths and helping with the sports programme. Nuria Lopez-
After seven years as Bursar Angela Isaac moves to pastures new. Costa and Ayla Turacli will also be joining us to teach Spanish
We thank her for all that she has done for the School and wish and Turkish respectively.
her luck for the future.
And finally, Chis Owen will be joining us as Assistant School
Two longstanding members of the pastoral staff retired this Nurse. She is a very experienced school nurse, having previously
summer. Judi Brueton, Assistant Nurse/Matron for the last ten worked at the Royal Ballet School at White Lodge and most
years, provided excellent support especially to resident Nurses recently at The Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith.
and Matrons with whom she worked so closely. LucyAnn Curling,
Housemother since January 2007, brought with her an unrivalled We look forward to welcoming all our new staff to the YMS
knowledge of the pastoral side of specialist music and dance family.
schools, having previously been involved in boarding at Purcell,
Elmhurst and Tring Park, as well as having children who both Alumni News
attended music schools. We thank her warmly for the enormous
contribution she has made to the pastoral life of the School Here are a few of Colin Carr’s (1974) engagements for this
during her time here. We wish a happy retirement to both Judi autumn. 1 October for a recital at Stony Brook Staller Center, 11
and LucyAnn. October at the Wigmore Hall, then over the pond to play at the
New York Chamber Music Society at the Lincoln Center from 22
On the musical side we say goodbye to Anna Menzies, Assistant to 26 October. In November he will perform the Elgar Concerto
Cello Teacher, Akiko Chiba, Accompanist, and Jessica Buchanan- in Poznan, Poland. We are delighted that Colin’s son Frankie
Barrow, our Partnership and Outside Events Officer. Anna has joins the School in September in the A group.
taught at the School for the last five years and been a very able
and much valued support for our principal cello teachers. We are Tasmin Little’s (1983) recent
very grateful for all that she has done for our cellists during that recording with Edward Gardner of
time and wish her all the best as she leaves to concentrate on her the Walton violin concerto made
busy performing career. Akiko joined us in April 2012 and we have it to No 1 in the charts and was
very much appreciated her exquisite playing and her warm and voted Gramophone Magazine’s
supportive presence on the concert platform. She is also leaving Recording of the Month, as well as
us to pursue her professional career and she takes with her our BBC Music Magazine Recording of
very warmest wishes. Jessica has been with us for the last two the Month.
years and we are very grateful for the efficiency with which she
has run our outreach programme and done all the background Mary Wu (1983) gave a duo recital with Colin Carr on 7 July in
administration for our outside concerts and tours. She is about Hong Kong.
to enter the world of arts management, long an ambition of hers,
and we wish her every success in her new career. Dr Olivier Fluchaire (1992) accepted a full-time teaching
position at Manhattanville College in New York.
And finally, we bid farewell to Jessica Perkin who joined us last
February to cover Sarah Lee’s maternity leave and teach Maths Cheryl Frances-Hoad (1998) has recorded her second CD of
and Physics. We were very grateful indeed that she agreed to vocal and choral music entitled You promised me everything. It is
remain until the end of the summer term and helped us through published by Champs Hill Records.
until a permanent replacement could be found. We have very
much enjoyed having her on the staff and hope that she will keep Her new work Quark Dances is choreographed and performed
in touch. by Rambert Dance Company touring the UK this autumn. Cheryl
has also composed a new anthem for the Help Musician’s UK
We look forward to welcoming the following new staff in St. Cecilia Festival sung at Westminster Cathedral by the
September. combined choirs of Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey
and St. Paul’s Cathedral on 19 November.
Simon Browning joins as our Interim Bursar. Simon has been
Financial Director of a number of major companies and for the Leonard Elschenbroich (1999) enjoyed his debut with the
last six years has been Director of Finance at The Children’s Trust Washington National Orchestra with Christoph Eschenbach
in Tadworth. playing the Brahms Double Violin Concerto with Nicola
Benedetti. At the Proms he performed the Bridge Oration
Joining the music staff as full-time accompanist will be Svitlana Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic conducted by Thomas
Kosenko, who is known to many of the pupils from her previous Søndergård and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with Nicola
visits to the School. Nathan Williamson, also well known to Benedetti and Alexei Grynyuk at the Cheltenham Festival. He
everyone, will be returning as an additional accompanist, working goes on to record works by Mark Simpson for the BBC and
on a part-time basis to help us in our busiest periods. Another he has a re-invitation from Andrew Litton to perform with
familiar face, former student Steffan Morris will be taking over the Tampere Philharmonic (Kabalevsky Cello Concerto No 2)
the role of Assistant Cello Teacher, whilst Nicola Darke takes and returns to the Vienna Chamber Orchestra (Haydn Cello
over as Partnership and Outside Events Officer. Concerto in D).

Simone Lamsma (2000) made her debut with the Cleveland and feedback. As this event proved so popular we are currently
Orchestra under Vladimir Jurowski, and with the Chicago planning another free Friends-only event for next year. We hope
Symphony Orchestra under Jaap van Zweden playing the Britten this can turn into a regular feature and if you have any suggestions
Violin Concerto with both orchestras. for future events, we would love to hear them. Please contact Sally
Williams on the contact details below for more information.
Violist Dimitri Murrath (2001) has been awarded an Avery Fisher
Career Grant. Established 40 years ago in 1974 by the late Avery ——AGM 2014
Fisher, the programme continues to provide recognition to
outstanding US instrumentalists and chamber ensembles. This year’s AGM will be held at 6.30pm on Friday 28 November
2014. Papers will be sent out in October and enclosed will be a
Violinist and composer Vlad Maistorovici (2004) was the booking form for tickets and a pre-AGM light supper. A Showcase
featured composer of this year’s Sibiu/Hermannstadt concert will also be held at 7.30pm so those of you who wish to
International Festival. As part of the residency he directed the make an evening of it can book tickets for the concert too.
festival contemporary ensemble in a selection of his chamber
works, gave an all-Schubert recital and performed the horn trios ——Friends Bridge Tea
by Brahms and Ligeti with Martin Owen and Dario Bonuccelli.
After the success of the first Bridge Tea in March we are now
Michael Petrov (2009) won the Guildhall School of Music and looking forward to our next Bridge Tea on Friday 10 October. If
Drama’s Gold Medal award at the Barbican with his performance you would like to book a table please contact Sally Williams on
of Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No 1. the contact details below.

Other Menuhin School alumni who have won this prestigious ——Best Friend and Concert
award are Tasmin Little (1986), Kathy Gowers (1992) and David sponsorship opportunities
Cohen (2002). It was also very gratifying to see past pupil and
one of Michael’s contemporaries Ricky Gore (2009) leading the We recently launched a new membership – Best Friend. In
Guildhall Symphony Orchestra. addition to the benefits already currently received by Friends,
Best Friends will also receive for just £100 per year:
Rodrigo Moro Martin (2010) has won the RCM’sTagore Gold
Medal. We think it is the first time a bassist has won this • Two complimentary tickets to a Summer Festival concert
prestigious award, instituted by King George V. The award will be and an invitation to the pre-concert reception as part of the
presented in May 2015 by HRH Prince Charles. Summer Festival

Irene Enzlin (2011) won the First Prize and a special prize in the • Priority booking for 4 tickets during booking period for
7th International S. Vainiunas Competition for Chamber Music in concerts and events in The Menuhin Hall
Vilnius, Lithuania.
• Priority invitations to pre-concert drinks receptions
Iva Nedeva (2012) performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
with the National Estonian Orchestra and the Rimsky-Korsakov • Exclusive Best Friend Pin Badge
Youth Orchestra in the David Oistrakh International Music
Festival as well as the Bach Double Concerto with Nikita We are also offering Friends the opportunity to sponsor a
Borisoglebsky and the Estonian Chamber Orchestra. The season Showcase concert. This will give you the chance to host a post-
continued to be busy with other projects including a recital in the concert reception attended by up to 20 of your guests, as well
Split Music Festival in Croatia as well as a recital in Schloss Miel, as the pupils who perform that evening. One concert a term will
Germany for the Yehudi Menuhin Live Music Now Foundation. be available for sponsorship at a cost of £850 which will include
refreshments and four complimentary tickets to the concert, with
In May, Luisa Reichelt (2012) and her duo partner Johann Jacob another 16 tickets available for purchase.
Nissen won third prize at the International Michael Tröster
Competition for guitar duo in Schweinfurt. If you would like to become a Best Friend or are interested in
sponsoring a Showcase concert please contact Sally Williams on
Dorian Todorov (2012) will be conducting the Guildhall orchestra 01932 584791 or [email protected].
at Guildhall’s Music Hall on 14 November. The programme is
Glinka’s overture to Ruslan and Ludmila, Rachmaninov’s Second ——Hall Hire
Piano Concerto with pianist Nicolae Mihaila and Tchaikovsky’s
Fourth Symphony. The Menuhin Hall, along with the usual series of concerts,
recordings and lectures, has hosted an 80th birthday, a 60th
Jamal Aliyev (2013) won the RCM Violoncello Competition 2014. birthday and 25th Wedding anniversary celebrations amongst
other private occasions.
Friends & Hall News
The Hall may be hired for any kind of celebration or memorial
——A Day in the Life of The Yehudi occasion at any time of year depending on availability. We have
Menuhin School menus to suit all budgets and tastes and we can recommend
florists, entertainers and give you all the help you may require to
On 1 May we hosted an exclusive Friends-only talk in The make your celebration really special. For certain occasions it is
Menuhin Hall which gave the audience an insight into how the also possible to request a performance from pupils of The Yehudi
School actually works. With over 170 Friends attending the event Menuhin School. The pupils benefit from performances such as
and 60 choosing to book a pre-talk light lunch the event was these as the income goes directly into our student aid fund to
very successful and we have received many positive comments enable them to study on courses abroad and assists in funding
their fees at the School itself.

Please go to our website www.yehudimenuhinschool.co.uk for
more details or call the Hall Manager Ambrosine Desoutter on
01932 584408 to discuss your requirements.

From the YMS
Headmaster Christmas Card 2014

We spent so long anticipating and planning our fiftieth We have chosen the beautiful original etching shown here as
anniversary year that it now seems inconceivable that it is all our YMS Christmas Card for December 2014. The picture was
over. But what a year it has been! generously donated to the School by the artist Elena Rozin,
mother of pianist Menachem, who left the School this July and
Few who were privileged enough to be there will forget the is now studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
launch of our Anniversary Appeal at the Mansion House in
London last October. Equally unforgettable was the series We think the card will be very attractive and would like to make
of Alumni Celebrity Concerts held in The Menuhin Hall, it available for purchase by all Friends – and friends –
with performers from every decade of the School’s history of the School. The greeting inside the card will read ‘With best
giving so generously of their time and astonishing musicality. wishes for Christmas and the New Year’. It will also include the
Many thanks to all of you who supported those concerts so following text (the original French version of the carol ‘Angels
enthusiastically and ensured that we had a full house almost from the realms of glory’):
every time.
Les anges dans nos campagnes
Another very special occasion, as you will see from the report Ont entonné l’hymne des cieux,
in this newsletter, was the Alumni Reunion held in June. Again Et l’écho de nos montagnes
former students (and staff) from 1963 to 2013 were keen to Redit ce chant mélodieux
come back to renew old acquaintances, see all the changes Gloria in excelsis Deo
which have occurred over the last half-century, and, just as
importantly, meet and hear some of the young people who The cards will be priced at £5.00 for a pack of ten (including
have succeeded them: another most memorable day. envelopes), with all profits going to the School’s Anniversary
Appeal.
And the celebrations are not yet over! This year marks
the fiftieth anniversary of our move from London to Stoke If you would like to order any cards, please complete the
d’Abernon and in 2016 we shall be celebrating the centenary of enclosed order form and return to Development Department,
the birth of our founder Lord Menuhin himself. Do make sure The Yehudi Menuhin School, Stoke d’Abernon, Cobham, Surrey,
that you come and join us. Elaine and I very much look forward KT11 3QQ or contact [email protected]
to seeing you. or 01932 584791.

Buy a Brick Campaign All orders must be
received by 13 October
As part of the design of our new music studios, individual brick 2014 and can either
pavers can be purchased for £50 each and engraved with a be collected from the
personal message of your choice.  These bricks will then form School or be posted to
part of the external courtyard, an attractive space used for you in early November
informal performances. (at an additional cost
of £1 per pack).
For more information and to request an order form please
contact [email protected] or 01932 We hope very much
584797 that you will like the
card and want to
Buy a brick today and leave your mark for future generations of support our Appeal
talented young musicians to enjoy. by sending it to your
friends and family this
Christmas.

Buy a brick — Photo Credit Richard Lewisohn If you would prefer to receive your newsletter
by email please drop us a line at

[email protected]
and we will update your preferences.