Accompanying - how it started

As time went on, it became more obvious that I was better at (and enjoyed more) accompanying than playing solo Piano! I really enjoyed the ‘buzz’ of playing along with a soloist, especially a pupil, and help them through the piece with style if they got nervous. If someone, anyone, can finish a solo in public and feel good and happy, even proud, with what they did, then they will want to do more… a bit like a flume… bad experience? = not again; brilliant? = up the stairs for a 2nd go. The parents seemed to like what I did… to see the Testimonials please click HERE.

I started accompanying for music exams while still at Beauchamp College and played for the final-year vocalists at Birmingham. In London during my teacher training year, I played Piano for the London Schools Choir Competition at The Royal Festival Hall - what an experience! Once Director of Music at The Downs from 1989, one of my principal jobs was to play for school assemblies, accompany the Choirs and ensembles and prepare all the soloists for their music exams. At the weekend I accompanied Malvern Suzuki String School and played for some of their pupils at The Malvern Festival.

Also, I mustn’t forget the Russian orphans and Richard Stilgoe’s ‘Brilliant the Dinosaur’ on Blue Peter and in Symphony Hall. When I was Stroud, I was accompanist for the Stroud Light Music Choir and also The Thames Head Singers, for whom I composed some work, especially music for the Great War commemorations. I also accompanied Mozart’s Requiem as part of the Abbey 900 celebrations in Cirencester, conducted by Jeremy Jackman.

When I was working in Bristol, I was invited to lead the evening of Christmas Carols for the Merchant Venturers - full of families and a super time playing all the favourite carols. To go the page Playing in Church, please click HERE.