An invitation for anyone to compete for the Northern School of Music's scholarships. These bursaries were vital in providing the means for many students over the decades to access musical training.

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

A programme for the Manchester Cathedral Arts Festival with a mention of the Northern School of Music's staging of Christopher Fry's "The First Born".

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

The Northern School of Music on the way to Salford again for an orchestral concert. Lots of alumni remember conductor Maurice Handford and his ability to verbally rip you a new one.

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

A practice concert by the Northern School of Music students. These were used to practice examination pieces in public, or simply to gain public performance experience for the students.
A contemporary local composer has even been chosen, Alan Rawsthorne, who was still knocking about at the time having been trained in composition at the Royal Manchester College of Music down the road.

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

A heads up about concerts forthcoming from the Northern School of Music in 1965. It's looking to be a packed year. 2 operas, drama, orchestra, recital, choral works, all sorts awaited audiences in 1965.

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

Introducing The Northern Consort! The mashup of students from Manchester's music training schools including the Royal Manchester College of Music and the Northern School of Music.
The programme is split between 16th century composers and then 20th century composers including local lad Thomas Pitfield.

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

Choral and orchestral concert programme with some student soloists of the Northern School of Music.
Does anyone remember the venue, Houldsworth Hall?

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

I think this is the second time the Northern School of Music drama school has programmed Christopher Fry. Fry was still very much alive at this point, extending the habit of programming contemporary creators into their performances from the music side to the drama side.

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

A summer concert! Including Geoffrey Bush, a contemporary composer. The Northern School of Music seemed pretty keen on programming contemporary music, not just very dead composers.

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

Bach has been scrubbed. Did Bach and Graham fall out? Did they make up? The drama.

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

Something about this programme looks like it was printed with library date stamps...

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

What is it about George Bernard Shaw and the Northern School of Music drama school? Like, I get it, he did some pretty interesting work, but really really assess his personal beliefs and maybe rethink the platform he's given? Just a thought.

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

Another joint choral and orchestral concert by the Northern School of Music. Did someone have a thing for Bruckner?

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

Slightly crumpled heads-up from the Northern School of Music.

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

Faust is being performed by the Northern School of Music. According to the Guardian, whilst it has been popular “it has not been heard in Manchester, professionally, for some time.”

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

That is a lot of music at the NSM's Junior school concert. With local and local-ish composers in there.

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

Drama and music students team up to give this Northern School of Music concert.

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

The Manchester premiére of Tippett's A Child of Our Time was given by the Northern School of Music in 1964. First performed in 1964 it was based on stories of a WW2 refugee Herschel Grynszpan who assassinated Ernst vom Rath, and composed at the start of WW2 just before Tippett was imprisoned for conscientious objection.
Despite it being a relatively young piece, "the contemporary scene changes so kaleidoscopically that premature senility overtakes many a work comparatively young in years. There is no doubt about its sincerity, its roots in humanistic sincerity.” The performance was “a restrained one,” and “there was no attempt to undermine the numerous pungencies of expression. The chorus sang with admirable tone and style, though some of the subtleties of Tippett’s orchestral texture proved elusive.” A mixed review then?

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

The Northern School of Music gives a heads up that it's giving the Manchester première of Michael Tippet's A Child of Our Time. Another oratorio to add to the school's repertoire.

The 1964 Easter concert of the Northern School of Music is packed. A real mix of instruments and voice with a variety of log-established and more recent composers.

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

The 1964 Easter concert of the Northern School of Music is packed. A real mix of instruments and voice with a variety of log-established and more recent composers.

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

The Northern School of Music orchestra makes another trip to Salford for a concert.

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

The first concert of the Northern Trio, made up of alumni of the Northern School of Music. A Guardian review notes that ”they were so bold as to begin their programme with the Archduke Trio, which is not only a great trio but also one of the supreme treasures in the whole range of chamber music.” It wasn’t perfectly done “but it was musically a perceptive performance, and technically secure apart from the occasional moment of dubious string intonation.” Remarked that “a new musical venture is always exciting, and a fresh ‘voice’ in Northern chamber music is extremely welcome.”

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

A heads-up of concerts at the Northern School of Music, including the new Northern Trio. John Wilson, Paul Buxton and Ian Rudge, all students of the Northern School of Music, embarked on their own group.

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

The Dream of Gerontius is a pretty huge work by Elgar, and a big deal for the students performing.
The Guardian review notes that it was "given with a small amount of assistance by experienced hands was extraordinarily successful.” The execution by students was “never less than adequate and was at times quite movingly suave and appealing, more it was all scaled intelligently to the rather congested physical conditions, and never became overpowering.” The students had a certain naiveté of approach “a freshness of outlook untarnished by the stain or routine or the blasé professional manner. The dead hand of the British oratorio tradition seemed far away from these youthful shoulders.”

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