Letter
Hilda Collens, Vincent Billington
Northern School Of Music (NSM)
1953

A long letter of planning and strategy. Hilda Collens wanted to go to Preston to see if the county council there would help Hubert Harry with getting concerts, as they paid for his education. She imagines that it should not be difficult except for the fact that he did not complete any national service in the army.

She suggests that he apply for Vincent Billington's position at the Royal Engineers, stating that "he can play any concerto which he likes and the conductor Major Young is an excellent musician and most particular Vincent gets leave for almost any concerts or broadcasts and is free from lunch-time nearly everyday."

She relays the new law that men outside of the UK and under the age of 35 can still be called up for army service if they have not yet served, "so the alternative seems to be to stay out of England permanently or to get into the army as a pianist."

She encourages him that he should be known throughout the world as he is "much too good to remain in Switzerland."

HH/1/54

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.