University and the Conservatoire of Music

The joy of being at Birmingham was not only that I did my degree at the University but also had my Piano and Clarinet lessons at The Conservatoire - what a privilege. I forget who taught me Clarinet but my Piano teacher was Joseph Weingarten whose teacher’s teacher x9 was Beethoven! 

I really enjoyed my time at Birmingham, getting involved with all the various groups. I was involved in the Freshers’ Opera even before I started my first year (someone was ill) so I was in. I was blessed to have an amazing group of tutors: John Whenham, Ivor Keys (Head), John Joubert, Gregory Rose, Vic Hoyland and Jonty Harrison (in charge of B.E.A.S.T, the Birmingham Electracoustic Sound Theatre.)

I was, for a time, Chair of the Guild Opera Group, and played the part of The Soldier in Stravinsky’s ‘The Soldier’s Tale’ and was a member of Brumdance, the university dance company.

Having changed degree from pure Music to Music, Drama and Dance, I had so many dissertations to write and dances to choreograph as well as being a Pierrot, a crook, Renaissance Dancer, a nymph in ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’ and a maker of whalebone corsets! Oh, and I was also an Amazonian Rain God in the shape of a huge bird… fun with only 2 inches of gauze to see through.

The big push in my final year was my 12-minute production of the life of Scott Joplin called ‘A Real Slow Drag’ … very Brechtian but it got me a 2:1… woo hoo!! For degree day piccies please click HERE.) I also did some street theatre in my spare time!