LETTER OF THE MONTH
TAKING INSPIRATION FROM MUSIC TEACHERS OF THE PAST
Every year the staff at Manchester High School for Girls (MHSG), like most schools, dedicate time to staff professional development. Each member of staff meets with their ‘line manager’, providing an opportunity to reflect on what is going well and what has been challenging – culminating in a bit of target setting. Inevitably, a degree of cynicism accompanies the process, but taken in the right spirit, one can be left, for a few days at least, with an improved sense of purpose. It's my eighth year here and I am sitting in my office considering the new offerings I might bring to the musical table. Do I really want to commit to improving the department's GCSE results again? Or perhaps I could organise a Ukulele Olympiad? We certainly appear to have enough of them. Musing, I glance at my dusty copy of Annie O. Warburton's Harmony (2nd Edition), and I ask myself, what targets would Annie ‘O’ have set herself?
Dr Annie O. (Osborne) Warburton, or Annie ‘O’, as she was affectionately known in musical circles, was appointed music teacher at MHSG in 1925, aged 23 – and, in the words of the headmistress at the time, was considered ‘quite a catch’. Things didn't get off to the best start: on her first day, Annie, then 23, was mistaken by the head for a pupil and told off for not wearing a school hat! But she quickly began to make an impact. In her first year, she organised for the delivery of a new grand piano and all girls were taken to Hallé Orchestra concerts. And in 1927, she published a fascinating article in The Music Teacher [a predecessor of MT] on the correct organisation of a school concert. In her introduction, she writes:
‘The problem of the school concert is one that faces many readers of The Music Teacher at this time of year. Perhaps after it is over many teachers wonder whether it has been worth the effort and how much good it has been to audience and performers’ (The Music Teacher: December, 1927)
In 1929, Annie ‘O’ was promoted to conductor of the 24-strong school orchestra, leaving her position as double bassist to a colleague. Repertoire that year included Beethoven's Fifth, Holst's ‘St Paul's Suite’ and one of Annie's own compositions. In the same year, Annie was awarded a BMus degree by Dublin University and rehearsals took place at MHSG for the recording of ‘Nymphs and Shepherds’ accompanied by the Hallé, conducted by Sir Hamilton Harty. In addition to her teaching commitments, between 1925 and 1946, Annie published no less than 16 books on music and music education, several of which are still in print. In 1935 she resigned her full-time position, but not before she donated the Warburton Trophy to the school, an award for musicianship that is still presented today, with many recipients having gone on to forge illustrious musical careers.
In her 21 years at the school (she continued to teach part-time) Annie ‘O’, latterly Dr Annie O Warburton, shaped a fantastic musical tradition that still continues to thrive today. Not only this – but her many publications had an enormous impact on music teaching nationally.
Annie ‘O’ was not required to go through a professional development review, but I do wonder what targets she might have set herself if she had? Would she approve of the sounds of the samba band emanating through the walls of today's department? Judging by the wry smiles on the faces of the staff orchestra (above), I suspect she would. This year's target – brush up my harmony!
Aiden Bradley, director of music at Manchester High School for Girls
POSTCARD FROM STIRLING BRIDGE FESTIVAL
Ruthie Millgard, artistic director of San Diego Children's Choir, reflects on her ensembles’ recent trip to Scotland
The San Diego Children's Choir is a not-for-profit organisation based in California, US. We offer choral music education as a week-night extra-curricular opportunity to over 450 students on an annual basis, and our advanced choirs participate in summer tours every year (we've been to New Orleans, Louisiana; Quebec, Montreal; and New York City to perform in world-famous Carnegie Hall). In the summer, a group of 20 from our advanced ensembles (students ranged in age from 11 to 18) made the trip to Scotland, to participate in the 2018 Stirling Bridge International Arts Festival.
Summer choral festivals occur in the thousands across the world every year, and with varying degrees of success. Some festivals schedule too few opportunities for ensembles to hear each other perform. Some festivals programme too few or too many group numbers. Some festivals schedule no socialising opportunities between ensembles. Some festivals are located such that there is little historical or sight-seeing interest in the surrounding area. Not only did the Stirling Bridge International Arts Festival meticulously arrange our schedule so we had the perfect balance of the above-mentioned items, but they worked with us daily to achieve an even more perfect balance with graciousness and enthusiasm. The scenery wasn't bad either! Each venue was stunning, ranging from large, modern concert halls to ancient castles and churches.
My students were engaged by the great variety of sight-seeing activities, which were sprinkled appropriately among our performance opportunities. Festival couriers allowed myself and chaperones to enjoy the experience as much as our students without having to fuss with logistics. Highlights ranged from a visit to an art museum, to a charming viewing of a sheepdog in action, to an amazing guided tour through a graveyard by a delightfully ornery actor, to an opportunity for the Harry Potter fans among us (almost everyone!) to see a few special places.
Experiencing a culture and community apart from our own led my young American citizens to the essential lesson of acknowledging their citizenship in the world beyond our borders, and of the value of expanding horizons.
San Diego Children's Choir member Georgina Summers, 14, shares her thoughts
The trip our choir took to Scotland was so much more than simply performing in a festival, we met so many people, saw so many sights and had so many amazing experiences. The trip allowed us to learn about a new culture and country, one many of us had never been to before. The experience also helped us to become more independent being without our parents and to grow closer to the other choristers in our group by spending more time with them and depending upon them.
My favourite performances were in the beautiful Scottish churches and cathedrals where the songs bounced back beautifully and resonated around the room. In these spaces, my choir performed pieces in Latin and other songs in different languages, in which all the harmonies were displayed perfectly. I also loved performing with the other choirs from all over the world – we worked together to perform the songs that we had all learned, including native Scottish songs. The experiences I had on this trip taught me a lot about new cultures and people that I will remember forever.
If you are interested in participating in next year's festival, which takes place 6 to 11 July please visit stirlingbridgefestival.com or contact Blair Parham, festival director via blair@stirlingbridgefestival.com
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