This article takes us through deaf musicians and bands of Mary Hare Grammar School, from the first band Lumpy Custard in 1975, right up to The Deafness, and professional classical flautist Ruth Montgomery.
This article was orginally written in "MHGS Trivia 1946-2006", and permission to publish this extract from pages 76-80, on this webpage was granted by co-authors Elaine Lavery, John A. Hay, and Gordon Hay. The webmaster thanks them for their generosity of spirit. |
Click on thumbnail for big photos.
Mary Hare is renowned for having music as part of the School curriculum. Music as a formal subject was introduced by Martin Williams and
Mr. William
G. Fawkes
in 1975 although in previous years, a few pupils were given private tuition on the piano by visiting teachers, or from the school staff, such as Francis Webb. Also, some pupils showed off their musical talents by playing guitars, and other instruments at the Talent Contests in the late 1960s. The introduction of music to the school was made possible through two factors - better individual hearing aids and adherence to the National Curriculum.
This chapter charts the music revolution at Arlington Manor by reprinting some extracts from magazines, such as
The Bluebird,
The Phoenix, and
Chatterbox.
A group of seniors had the idea they they should have a rock group and a disco club. Martin Williams, whose ideas it was, spoke with Mr. W.G. Fawkes, who was a very keen musican with a good working knowledge of other musical instruments.
`
Lumpy Custard´ the school's first pop group, was formed by Mr. Fawkes and consisted of Martin Williams, Robert Nolan, and Mark Shaw.
The recorder group was formed and brought large numbers of Junior girls to the lessons. There was also percussion. Whenever a form-class had to do the prayers and bible-readings in assemblies the class had to play percussion instruments.
A junior group called `DAD´ was formed around the same time as Lumpy Custard. The name `DAD´ came from the first initials of the band members, `D´ for Dick (Richard Cole was never called Dick, but this was for the purpose of naming the group), `A´ for Albert Thomson and `D´ for David Nelson. DAD, being the second and more junior group (at the time Robert Nolan and Martin William left Mary Hare in 1976) was mainly used for school assemblies; whereas Lumpy Custard was mainly used to play a few pop tunes at the school discos at the weekend with flashing lights and amplifiers in the Dulverton Hall.
There had been an increasing interest in music at school. The instrumentalists included descant, treble, tenor and bass recorder players, three flautists, a clarinettist, a trumpeter and several guitarists and pianists. There were weekly practice sessions, during and after school, thanks to the co-operation of Mr. Fawkes and Mr. Halliday.
Music practice could be heard all over the place; in classrooms, dormitories, the hall and also in the music room. Some concerts were held, mostly around Newbury. These were for parents of children in other schools, scout committees, and one for the occupational therapists in Newbury.
Eight musicians were invited to attend Lorin Maazel's 50th Birthday concert at the Royal Festival Hall on 6th March. After listening to a performance of Beethoven's music, the eight musicians were invited to a champagne reception in which they played `Happy Birthday´ to Lorin Maazel in the presence of HRH the Prince of Wales. It was televised on News review the following Sunday.
The musicians also appeared on television on Nationwide, Day by Day, Pebble Mill at One, where it was televised live.
A deaf rock group was started off with Ian Munday, Tony Ellison, Stuart Harrison, and then Ivor Williams joined. Ivor played the drum, Stuart the lead guitar, Tony the bass guitar, and Ian was the singer. They began with Elvis Presley's `Jailhouse Rock´ then turned to Status Quo's `Softer Ride´, and moved onto other songs. The big night came on Thursday 31st March 1981, when ISIT (band name formed from the initials of the boys in the band) perfomed in the annual Talent Contest, but unfortunately they did not win.
The School Band performed in a lot of concerts, in aid of the deaf. They tried to prove to the hearing that the deaf could compete in things - and to ther great satisfaction they fulfilled their ambitions by performing in the foyer of the Royal Festival Hall on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June 1983 in the BBC2 TV programme `Music for the Deaf´. Their familiar faces were often seen in the local paper Newbury Weekly News.
Mr. Fawkes took a party of musicians by school bus, via Bremen, Germany, to perform at an International Music Festival at Innsbruck, Austria. The school made a detour to the deaf school in Bremen at the invitation of Sigrid Martin a teacher of the deaf who had visited Mary Hare.
The School Band went on tour in USA, and performed at the Centennial Symposium of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, Washington DC, July 1990. The names are some band members were Jason Gowman (drums), Kevin Torbuk (bongos), Lisa Jones (clarinet), Stefan Koji, and Melanie Pitts.
+names
"Beat This!" from Chatterbox Magazine...
Thanks to the help of Ray Bulpit and the Thatcham and District Rotary Club, all costs were covered for the Mary Hare Band's three week tour of Eastern Australia. Over £1,000 was raised at a recent band concert alone and Australian Rotary Clubs have helped with accomodation, transport and concert dates.
The itinerary included dates in Sydney and Canberra (at a reception with the High Commissioner). Bob Warren and Elaine Cookson have also organised a visit to Forester High School, so the musicians can experience life in an Australian school first hand.
The main aims of the tour were to promote the advantages of and the need of music for deaf children; to establish links with Australian schools; and to act as ambassadors for the U.K. Every opportunity was taken to appear on TV and radio, and there was some media interest.
The repertoire was versatile and very wide ranging, and Mrs. Rocca arranged pieces for the ensemble of flutes (Ruth Montgomery, Michelle Hall, Yvette Eyo); Clarinets (Suzanne Clubley, Danielle Gill, Kirsty McMullan, Melanie Pitts); violin (Natalie Smith); keyboard (Natalie Hewish); trumpet (Jamie Wilson); bass guitar (Sam Pitts); and percussion (Bryan Moore, Justin Smith).
The staff who accompanied the group were Mrs Fenney, Miss May, Miss Roderick (now Mrs Rocca), Dr Rocca, Ms Gladwell, Mr Kelly (Clarinet teacher), and Miss Carter. Also accompanying was Mr Warren, a teacher from Australia, at Mary Hare for one year teaching geography. The band was called MAD (Dr. Rocca's idea!), and it stood for 'Musicians and Deaf'. I remember a few dart things off that trip. I put my hearing aids in my cup of tea by accident before going to bed. The next day I discovered them floating in the tea! I had to play that day without any hearing aids and it was a nightmare!
"On a High Note" from Chatterbox Magazine...
The junior and senior bands performed at the Area Music for Youth Festival, which was part of the National MFY (Music For Youth), during March 1995. Thirty students gave a moving performance of "Tears in Heaven", followed by a lively "Deepy Dippy", which the audience throughly appreciated. The high standard of the band was largely due to the committment of the music director, Mrs Rocca, and the large number of peripatetic staff teaching such a range of instruments.
"Reputed to be the Best" from Chatterbox Magazine...
The Mary Hare School music department is rapidly establishing a reputation as the foremost school for deaf musicians in Britain. Two recent pieces of news that have caused excitement are further top exam results and also a visit to The Royal Albert Hall to star in "Challenge Anneka". The school band was whisked out of school one Friday to take part in a concert, which is part of a challenge for Anneka Rice to be screened in September. The large contigent of Mary Hare musicians, together with Evelyn Glennie, were a major feature on the exciting bill, which celebrated deaf achievements in the Arts.
"International Debuts" from Chatterbox Magazine...
Joining disabled musicians from Denmark, Thailand, Spain, Austria, Japan, and the USA, Ruth Monthgomery (flute), and Bryony Booth (clarinet) will be jetting off to Moscow at the beginning of September for a week at the Moscow Conservatoire. The Classical Music Centre Ltd and Menatep Bank have established an international foundation with the aim of using art and culture to integrate disabled children into Russian Society.
Vladislav Tererina (international concert pianist) had travelled worldwide but did not encounter other deaf musicians. At the recommendation of Evelyn Glennie he heard about the Mary Hare pupils, and selected Ruth and Bryony for this exciting opportunity.
After a week of master classes and rehersals, in a concert at the Grand Hall of the Conservatoire, Ruth will perform the obligato of "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Bach with an orchestra and a 100 male voice choir. Ruth with Bryony will also play the "Air" from Handel's "Water Music" in a Russian Quintet. Montserrat Caballe and other international artistes will attend and take part.
"No Stage Fright" The Band at the Anvil, from Chatterbox Magazine...
On Thursday 4th June 1998, the Mary Hare School Band went to the "Anvil" in Basingstoke to perform in a concert put on by the King Singers and Evelyn Glennie, which was part of their "Street Songs" tour around Britain.
After lunch, we all packed into the minibus and two cars and travelled to the "Anvil" in good time to rehearse on the stage before the concert started at half past seven. The hall was enormous. My eyes travelled around the hall searching for the top which seemed miles away. Many of us, including me, had never been to the "Anvil" before and so we had no idea that the hall might be this elegant. After a satisfying rehearsal and a chance to get a feel for the hall with the lights and the colossal height of it, we went for a walk aound the shops. Back in the dressing room with mirrors over the walls (unfortunately with no light bulbs surrounding them, much to our disappointment!) we got changed into our posh concert gear, which was strictly black and white (boy did we look smart!). We all chatted casually, keeping ourselves under control for our debut on the "Anvil stage". Most of us actually watched the first half of the concert.
We saw the King Singers and Evelyn Glennie play a variety of pieces, some together and some individually. My personal opinion was that the style of music played to us was very striking. In the hall the music circulated around making a remarkable experience to be involved in.
After the interval, we performed our pieces straight away: "Englishman in New York" by Sting, and "A Gaelic Blessing" by Rutter. Both pieces went really well and we were playing in front of 1500 people, so the sensation of that was truly phenomenal.
Some members of the staff of Mary Hare were in the audience so it was a real achievement knowing that we were showing people who did know us well, exactly what we could do, and that was, to play really well in front of lots of people.
Band members were Ruth Monthgomery (flute), Julia Spencer (flute), Matthew Steeple (saxaphone), Bryony Booth (clarinet), Krystal Wilson (clarinet), Sarah Gallaher (clarinet), Alicia Burzynska (clarinet), Beth Sewell (cello), Nicola Deverson (voice), Steven McMahon (drums), and Paul Bannister (piano).
"A Musical Day Out" from Chatterbox Magazine via Ruth Montgomery...
In the summer term, Ruth Montgomery, Bryony Booth, Danny Lane and I went to the Royal Academy of Music to record some pieces in a professional studio. Danny was extremely nervous but eventually felt privileged when he was playing on a Steinway. Out of all the pieces he played, I enjoyed Mozart's ninth sonata; its jaunty tune was rather catchy. Ruth eventually played her flute accompanied by Danny which went thoroughly well.
The 50th Anniversary Celebration of Arlington Manor was held on Saturday 26th June 1999, organised by the Mary Hare Grammar School and the Old Pupils Association. The music performance by Mary Hare pupils took place in Dulverton Hall and it was a great success. They were Bryony Booth (clarinet), Ruth Montgomery (flute), and Danny Lane (piano). There was a disco in the evening, where the School Band played.
In January, Mary Hare School's Senior Band helped to raise funds and awareness for the charity "Sign" by perforing at the "Feathers and Fizz" Ball at Henley-on-Thames to celebrate the charity's 18th birthday. The band played two sets of five pieces each during the evening. Band members were Harry Allen, Inderjit Johal, Justine Durno, Sannah Gulamsni, Fiona Biggs, Louise Saunders, Hattie Bowden, Kirsty Day, Rebecca Withey, Sam Calder, and Frankie Roberts.
In June, the Mary Hare School Band was invited to perform at a Celebrity Golf Event at Beaconsfield Golf Club in aid of the charity "Sign". The band, led by the Director of Music Christine Rocca, opened with a version of "The Year 3000" (by Busted), followed by Frankie Roberts singing a sultry "All That Jazz". Georgia Dalton perfomed her first solo, singing "Beautiful", which left at least two ladies in the audience with tears in their eyes.
In the same month, Mr. Gale travelled to the Russian Embassy in London to attend a reception and concert to mark the British launch of the Charity "Music of Life", which seeks to give musical opportunities to young people. The former Mary Hare pupil, Ruth Montgomery, represented the school and performed a movement from the Mozart Flute Concerto with great presence and grace. She was applauded loud and long by an appreciative audience that included the Ambassador and the renowned opera singer, Maria Guleghina, who also performed.
The BBC TV's production
See Hear! broadcast the profile of up-and-coming flautist, Ruth Montgomery, in two parts. This was followed by Ruth performing in St Peterburg and Moscow, Russia, with interviews on trials and tribulations of becoming a musician of high calibre. Mrs Rocca, the music teacher at MHGS, was also featured.
Article © 2006 Elaine Lavery, John A. Hay, and Gordon Hay
Website design © 2008 Kreb Dragonrider
+names