| The following is an abbreviated extract from an article by Tony Cooper which appeared in the Eastern Daily Press of 14th October 2008, and is reproduced with permission. |
Margery Baker - Musical Director and Conductor
(and Founding member of the PVO)
Margery Baker gives much of her professional time to amateur organisations, with music education at the forefront of her work.
- Graduation
- During a three year course at the Royal Manchester College of Music (later merged with the Northern School of Music to become the Royal Northern College of Music) studying piano, singing, violin and, as she herself says, "learning to wave a baton", she also enjoyed the College’s excellent operatic tradition. "During my time there, fully-staged performances were given of Verdi’s Il Trovatore, Puccini’s Tosca, and Debussy’s Pelleas et Melisande.”
- Moving South to London and Kent
- When Margery graduated she left her northern roots behind and travelled south to attend London University while enrolling at the same time at the Royal Academy of Music, studying piano with Harold Craxton and Alan Richardson, while Madeleine Windsor took her for piano accompaniment.
- After qualifying as a teacher, her first post was at the Bury St. Edmunds Silver Jubilee Girls’ School, now the King Edward School. From there she moved into adult education. holding lecturing posts in London, Kent and Devon before becoming director of studies of a specialist music school in Maidstone. Modestly she adds, "Many of those pupils went on to distinguished careers and Lesley Bellfield, current leader of the BBC Welsh Concert Orchestra, was one of many.”
- While in Kent, she also worked at the Junior Guildhall School of Music in London, got involved with the Maidstone Youth Music Society and Orchestra, and ran “in-service” courses for the local education authority in her spare time. What spare time?
- East Anglia - community orchestras and the birth of the PVO
- This dual interest in music and education, eventually brought her back to East Anglia (and Norwich) in 1985 where, among other roles, she worked as a visiting lecturer at the University of East Anglia.
- It was earlier, in 1982, at a performance of Mozart’s Cosi fan Tutte conducted by Margery at Keswick College, that the seeds of the Pulham Orchestra were sown. For this was where our Founder, Dr. Patrick Rawlence, first met Margery and so the PVO was born - a community orchestra in composition and spirit where professional and amateur musicians meet to make music in a friendly and relaxing environment. The orchestra now tackles all kinds of music and next year is considering a tea dance concert, having inherited music from Lyon’s Corner House together with several Corner House menus!
- But the Pulham Orchestra is only one string to Margery's bow. She spent 13 enjoyable years as Musical Director of the Eye Bach Choir and has also been Musical Director of the Wymondham Youth Orchestra.
- On top of her busy schedule she still finds time to accompany the British soprano, Lindsay Gowers, a former member of the BBC Singers who has performed in venues across the UK, including Snape Maltings as part of the Aldeburgh Festival. She also tutors for the Talbot Lampson Summer School conducting course. She also struck up a partnership with Valerie Denny – a former colleague from Keswick Hall – performing a two-piano repertoire and working under the name of The Marval Duo for many years.
- What can we say..
- We are continually amazed by Margery's musical knowledge, her uncanny ability to get the best from us; incredible energy and organising ability allied to seemingly unending patience; and are just so grateful for all her hard work on our behalf. Brava !
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Of interest? |
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We are grateful to our Friends and Patrons for their
support.
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Commercial Patron: Mondi Packaging (GB) Ltd Contact details |
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Individual Patrons: Richard Bacon MP, Lord MacGregor of Pulham Market OBE, Sir Denys Roberts, Joy Wolton. |
