According to John Robert-Blunn's history of the school, "it was a difficult opera to realise and it seemed that the school had overreached itself." However, one student's memory of it was of being the High Priest and it was a great experience. It was produced by Sumner Austin, famous baritone for Sadlers Wells. He would come up on Thursday all the way to the evening, he was about 76 or 77. He would ask the students, in rehearsals, to sing anything, a story, in recitative and they would have to carry on the story. It made them sing very clearly and concentrate hard!

Ref: GWilliams

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

Christmas music! A jolly concert of season's greetings from 1966, performed by the Northern School of Music in the Houldsworth Hall on Deansgate.

Ref: GWilliams

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 impact that this performance had on one of the students was so profound that when she saw it nearly 50 years later at the RNCM, it took her straight back to the school performance at the Lesser Free Trade Hall, like a sense memory.

Ref: GWilliams

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

This performance was so large that one of the alumni remember that you could sing as loud as you wanted but you wouldn't be able to hear yourself at all!

Ref: GWilliams

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

More lovely programme notes from the Northern School of Music describing the music performed at their orchestral concert.

Ref: GWilliams

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 surprise feature of Rae Woodland, a leading soprano of the time! Well connected and influential, this would have been a performance to delight, and shows the resourcefulness of the school.

Ref: GWilliams

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 pretty wide range of music programmed from the Northern School of Music, with composers spanning nearly 250 years!

Ref: GWilliams

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

Despite the similarity in names, I have been assured that the soloist in this programme is not the beloved fictional child occupying the daydream Hundred Acre Wood.

We can imagine differently, though.

Ref: GWilliams

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 full orchestra! Do you recognise any students or alumni? Often staff and former students would play in the orchestra and chorus to make up the numbers when needed. For a production this big, they used the main hall at the Free Trade Hall.
They seemed to be making their way through all of Elgar's big works!

Ref: GWilliams

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 University of Salford, likely their Maxwell Hall, was one of the venues that the Northern School of Music used. Having no audience-friendly space on their premises, the school used different venues across the area.

Ref: GWilliams

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 packed Easter concert at the Houldsworth Hall by the Northern School of Music. Must have been quite the evening!

Ref: GWilliams

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

3 pieces from Vaughan Williams performed by the Northern School of Music. Does anyone remember attending or performing this or any others of the school?

Ref: GWilliams

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

It's Dorothy Pilling! The author of the wonderful programme notes is the same voice who writes the fascinating editorials in the Northern School of Music magazine.

Ref: GWilliams

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 lovely programme with gorgeous programme notes from the Northern School of Music.

Ref: GWilliams

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

Writing interesting programme notes is something of an art. The Northern School of Music wrote some beautiful ones! Some gorgeous descriptions of the orchestral works from 1965.

Ref: GWilliams

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! A performance that many of alumni remember. Double bassist, Gladys Williams remembers it being really exciting, "if a bit cramped, I was almost sitting on the timpani, it was all a bit squashed."

Ref: GWilliams

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 a packed programme! Madrigals, solos, songs, sonatas and more!

Ref: GWilliams

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 was made up of students, staff and alumni when they needed places filling in.

Ref: GWilliams

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's Speech and Drama Department! When the school closed to become part of the Royal Northern College of Music, this department became part of what is now the Manchester Metropolitan School of Theatre. They even rented the costumes from the Royal Shakespeare Company!

Ref: GWilliams

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's production of Dream of Gerontius, by Elgar. It's a huge work for orchestra and choir, based on a poem by John Henry Newman. It tells the story of a dying man's last prayer and journey to Purgatory. Gladys Williams, double bassist at the school, remembers it with the "big angels" and the "amazing crescendo" which was so powerful that she had to look at the audience to make sure they hadn't got up.

Ref: GWilliams

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

Some pretty high flyers would come to conduct the awards ceremonies of the Northern School of Music, including Gerald McDonald from the BBC! Does anyone remember any of these students or the ceremonies? We'd love to hear from you!

Ref: GWilliams

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

There are a lot of names getting awards from the Northern School of Music here! Not bad for a school that started off with just 9 students, 1 piano and a sofa!

Ref: GWilliams

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