ISSUE #75 Newsletter The International Music School founded by Yehudi Menuhin Spring 2020 Registered Charity 312010 have also been as a composer - real bonus. There have been plenty of Adéu particularly commissions for the challenges to face together, and some Yehudi Menuhin International Violin mistakes to learn from too, and the This term we say goodbye to Dr Òscar Competition involving our pupils - and challenges have not disappeared this Colomina i Bosch as Director of Music as a conductor. His conducting of term as we respond to the continuing and wish him well as he takes up the YMS Junior Orchestra produced Covid-19 virus situation. his new post as Dean of Music at the some magical performances and the Escuela Superior de Música Reina flowering of the Senior Orchestra Covid-19 Sofía in Madrid. Òscar has made wide- under his baton recently has been a ranging and long lasting contributions highlight of Òscar’s time as Director Firstly I wish all the School community to the life of the School throughout of Music. He has coached and well and a speedy recovery if you get his time here from when he started championed chamber music and has the virus. We have been educating in 2006 as a General Music teacher. expanded a challenging repertoire. the pupils about the importance of His contributions then were mainly in handwashing, not touching your face, academic music, particularly in teaching Òscar’s friendship and integrity will be keeping social distance and keeping harmony and aural lessons, and in the missed but Madrid is not far away, and properly isolated if required. We have pastoral side as a House Tutor in Harris we hope that the opportunity for new set up remote learning through email House. A sense of humour is clearly links and cultural exchange will soften and Microsoft Teams so we can keep vital to thriving at YMS, and Òscar’s the blow of his departure. academic and music lessons going inventive and witty contributions to across the internet during term time the Christmas party sketches, both in Farewell as much as possible, when the School person and on film, demonstrate he has is closed. a vivid one! I have said goodbye before but now it is time to say farewell as Interim Head. YMS is a wonderful and unique The study of Bach chorales has long It has been a particular pleasure to institution, and pupils and staff past and been a foundation of the study of have had the opportunity to work with present have made all made their mark. harmony, and Òscar brought this to life Òscar in this role, and to share this last I am delighted to pass on the leadership as Director of Music by introducing term here with my friend and colleague. to Ben Gudgeon and Ashley Wass, and a cappella singing of a Bach chorale at Of course it has been an unexpected feel confident that the heart of The each Morning Meeting. This, together interlude for me, and being among so Yehudi Menuhin School is in good shape with our traditional silence, has many friends, and being given such and will be in very capable hands. quickly become part of the fabric of wholehearted support from everyone the School. His musical contributions from pupils to governors, has been a Richard Tanner WWW.MENUHINSCHOOL.CO.UK 1 SCHOOL LIFE SCHOOL LIFE SCHOOL LIFE 2 Competitions Out and about Caterina won First Prize in the Viviane won a Gold Award at the 3rd Though the term was abruptly cut ALUMNI 8 Jan Vychytil International Cello China-UK International Music Festival. short, the beginning of term was busy Competition in Prague. Alumna Anna Cashell was one of the with pupils visiting various venues, STAFF 9 performers and she played a duet both local and further afield, for Daniil won the Grand Prize at the on violin with a traditional Chinese concerts and events. MENUHIN HALL 10 8th International Caspian Artist stringed instrument, a Guzheng. Competition. Gorka played a recital for the Horsley DEVELOPMENT 12 Well done to everyone! U3A Music Appreciation group, organised Lara won the Audience Engagement by longtime Friend Peter Collett, and a FRIENDS 13 Award at the International Anna Kull group of pupils returned to Phyllis Court Cello Competition. in Henley to perform for their members. Richard performed recitals in a few Follow us! different places this term. He played first in Huntingdon, followed by a recital If you are active on social media (or across the road from YMS at Little would like to be) please have a look at our Slyfield. He then flew to Holland for a various channels. Young Pianists’ Foundation masterclass Please follow us on Twitter, Facebook and with Angela Hewitt and performed a Instagram for news, events and images, sold-out recital in Schiedam Westvest but best of all is our YouTube channel where alumna Katie Morgan was in which we keep updated with awe-inspiring videos of our pupils playing Schubert, the audience. The programme included Poulenc, Vaughan Williams, Howells and Chopin Piano Sonata No 2 Op 35 and more. Through this channel you can watch Brahms Balladen Op10. Community and listen to our pupils in the comfort of Engagement your own home whenever you like. During half term, Akiko Ono took some Follow us on Twitter and pupils to perform the first movement In January, we were pleased to Instagram @menuhinschool of the Mendelssohn Octet at Middle welcome back local students from Temple Hall for Grange Park Opera’s Cobham Free School, the Howard Find us on Facebook Grand Winter Dinner. One audience of Effingham, Gordon’s School and @yehudimenuhinschool member commented that our pupils’ Reigate College to continue work Subscribe to our YouTube performance was the highlight of the on their compositions. They had channel by searching for entire evening. the opportunity to hear their pieces The Yehudi Menuhin School performed by our pupils, and to We also update the news section of receive feedback on their work. our website regularly, so please visit www.menuhinschool.co.uk/news The final week of term was meant, as to see what we are up to. always, to bring a series of concerts in local primary schools by our CONTACT US younger pupils, who always hugely enjoy these performances but these The Yehudi Menuhin School Stoke d’Abernon, Cobham, Surrey unfortunately could not take place. KT11 3QQ We hope to be able to reschedule 01932 864739 this series of concerts when schools open again. www.menuhinschool.co.uk 2 NEWSLETTER /SPRING 2020 WWW.MENUHINSCHOOL.CO.UK 3 SCHOOL LIFE SCHOOL LIFE The Benedetti Sessions From Auschwitz to Surrey: the story of a fabled violin ©Andy Gotts In January, our quartet of Coco, Weekends for most phenomenal group Darwin, Viviane and Caterina were instrumental of tutors. Each and thrilled to have the opportunity to string teachers; every one of these support alumna Nicola Benedetti at Primary musicians are not the Southbank Centre in her new Classroom only extraordinary initiative, the Benedetti Sessions. Teachers instrumentalists and Professional teachers, but are also The sessions are a series of orchestra- Development the most wonderful, based weekend workshops across Workshops for non- uplifting, joyous yet the country which aim to address specialist primary serious individuals. We the needs of young musicians and classroom teachers, can’t wait to get started.” of teachers. Our quartet featured in and Primary Schools Workshop the Elgar Introduction and Allegro Sessions introducing pupils to the Our pupils hugely enjoyed the during the Advanced String Orchestra fundamentals of music. workshops. Viviane said, “Taking part workshop in London. in the Benedetti Sessions was such Nicola said, “There are no limits to an eye-opening experience. We got to Each of the sessions follow the same our learning possibilities through witness how music can bring people format and cater for all playing music. We just have to be curious together and we feel so lucky to have abilities, with courses for Beginner and open-minded enough to notice been a part of it. We were thrilled to String Orchestra (pre-grade 1 to grade that this language is as rich as life perform the Elgar Introduction and 3); Intermediate String Orchestra itself, and this is what we aspire to Allegro at the Queen Elizabeth Hall A violin previously played by a young Displaced Persons’ camps at Belsen Following the restoration, the (grades 4-6); and Advanced String expose young people to through with all these amazing children.” woman in Auschwitz is being given a on 27 July 1945. instrument was donated in perpetuity Orchestra (grade 7+). the Benedetti Sessions. In order new life by our pupils. to YMS, where it is now played by to provide the highest possible Upon her death shortly after her Kingsley and Ezo. Both pupils have There are also General Musicianship standard of teaching, inspiration After fleeing the Bolsheviks with her return home, the violin passed to played the violin at various events, mornings for beginners; String and guidance throughout the family in 1917, Rosa Levinsky, a young Levinsky’s brother, a successful including a performance by Ezo at Teachers Professional Development weekends, we have engaged the violinist with the Berlin Philharmonic, musician, who in turn left it to his Central Synagogue London on 26 was arrested by the Nazis on daughter Natalie Cumming. Cumming January to mark the 75th anniversary Kristelnacht in 1938 and eventually told her family’s story and that of the of the liberation of Auschwitz. You can ended up in Auschwitz. Like other instrument in her book The Fiddle, see Kingsley playing the violin online musicians imprisoned in the camps, and in 2018, the violin was restored in on The Strad.