Musicians sharing their talents

A fine old Bluthner piano stands in Anne’s lounge. It came from Foulds and Sons piano shop, which was actually her family’s business, started by her great-grandfather, with shops in Nottingham and Derby. 

That indicates Anne’s musical heritage. Her mother was a very fine pianist, appearing on Radio 3 playing duets with her sister in the 1940’s and 50’s. Anne’s father was a keen drummer in a jazz band, until a war injury to his leg suffered in France shortly after D-Day brought his playing to an end. The piano shops, incidentally, moved down the generations and ended up owned by a cousin till sold recently. 

Anne started the piano aged 7, and it remains her first instrument really. She added the violin at age 13, using a violin stored in the loft. After finishing school, urged on by her brother, Anne did a BMus degree at Sheffield University. Her final dissertation was on Mahler’s middle symphonies, 5,6 and 7, so it was a treat to play number 5 at the WSO concert earlier this year. 

A PGCE at Birmingham University followed, and then Anne began a music teaching career, first at a secondary comprehensive school in Loughborough, then a 6thform college in Birmingham, before moving to Shropshire following her marriage, where she took a slightly new direction by running the music department in a boys’ preparatory school. Her final position was 25 years with Warwickshire County Music Service, where her varied work included teaching in Rugby, whole class instrumental lessons (perhaps a daunting idea for some people) and small group work. Anne was much drawn to the Suzuki violin method, which involves learning by listening and repetition with a focus on technique. Another important part of her work was organising and conducting orchestras for children after school. Many players in this area have benefitted from these orchestras, including one Andrew O’Reilly, today’s soloist! Anne completed her time with Warwickshire Music, as the service became known, in a managerial role. 

Anne has played 1st and 2nd in the WSO since 1994. She loves the opportunity it gives to play larger scale works, especially late romantic/early 20th century music. There have been many highlight concerts, too many to name. 

Anne met Nick, her husband, in Birmingham. He worked out how to catch her attention: their first date was to a prom which included Elgar’s 2nd Symphony. Nick was a dentist till retirement, but always enjoyed playing jazz guitar. With various bands, he performs around the local area and plays voluntarily in the chapel at Warwick Hospital. Anne and Nick have two children, Catherine and Philip. 

Anne is a trustee of the WSO and is the ticket secretary. She liaises with the different concert venues, keeps an eye on internet ticket sales, and sorts tickets for those wanting them direct. You may well see Nick on the ticket desk on concert days, greeting the audience and selling on-the-day tickets, and helping with refreshments.  Anne has also helped to organise the orchestra’s annual dinner in the past. 

Since retiring, Anne has continued playing, and added some voluntary activities, including English language teaching, and visiting elderly people living on their own. There is a lot of tennis, and holidays with the wider family, up to 18 at once. (Who does the cooking, one wonders.) A new project is visiting famous concert halls in Europe, most recently the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and the Berlin Philharmonic. 

Armed with a good 18th century French violin (not the one from the loft!), an English symphony in the programme, and a former pupil as soloist, today’s concert is just right for Anne, and she hopes the audience too.

As described to H. James Hunt