B To the Beethoven Halle, Wembley and back with Rydens School Band. Chapter 1

Chapter 1 Rydens reputation in Theatre
My best piano teacher was Mrs A.E. Draper with whom I passed Grades 2,
3, 4, and 5 she also played accompaniment for my trombone Grades 2, 3
and 4. As well as helping me prepare for my Grade 5 trombone. Mrs
Draper had two funny sayings in order for her pupils to remember the
order of the sharps and flats. For the sharps it was, "Father
Christmas, goes down an escalator backwards F, C, G, D, A, E &;amp;
B and for the flats it was, "BEA do good cheap fares" B, E, A, D, G, C,
&;amp; F. Although she said the second statement was no longer
likely to be true, as she no longer considered the fares to be cheap
and because British European Airways had changed its name to British
Airways.
I started learning piano at eight years old and trombone at ten years
old. When I was in an examination another piano teacher told my mum
that 90% of the piano pupils from the piano teacher I was with failed.
After this I changed teacher to Mrs Draper, who was cheaper and gave a
30-minute lesson instead of a 20 minute one. I started trombone at Bell
Farm School with Mr Haywood. I played a piece of music on the piano at
my Middle School as they were having a bring your hobbies to school
class. I also passed my musician's badge in the Cub Scouts. I have
passed grades 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 at trombone. For my Grade 5 trombone I
achieved a distinction. As well as this I have grade 5 theory.
My best trombone teacher was Victor Guilder who has played at many
Royal Tournaments, at Wembley and was 1st trombonist for the Staines
Salvation Army when they were at their best in the 1980's. His teacher
was Don Lusher who was Musician of the Year in his prime.
I saw five Rydens School Productions before I was old enough to go to
Rydens School, the first of which was "Anne of Green Gables". All the
family was amazed at the high standard of the play. My mother even went
to see the play twice. In Anne of Green Gables, Miranda Roberts played
Anne Shirley, Stephen Roomes played Matthew Cubbert and Nick Davies
played Gilbert Blythe. The other Rydens plays I saw before I was old
enough to go to Rydens were "The Sound of Music", "Fiddler on the
Roof", Annie" and "Blitz". It is rumoured that the leading male and
female of "Fiddler on the Roof" went out together while the production
was on. However it is believed that they broke up soon after the
production closed. The girl who played Annie in "Annie" left Rydens in
1986 and went to a drama school instead. I saw the "Blitz" with my
Middle School but the previous four plays I saw with my family.
Also before I joined Rydens School some of its former pupils had even
made the jump from school play to professional threatre and even
Television. Philip Foster was in "Aladdin", "Seven Brides for Seven
Brothers" and "The Gondolier" at such places as The Theatre Royal in
Nottingham, The Old Vic, as well as Glasgow, York, Colchester and he
even did a season in Canada. Edward Highmore was in the very successful
BBC Television series "Howard's Way" in which he played in a main
supporting role as Leo Howard. He was also seen in four episodes of Dr
Who". Julia Howson played opposite Matthew Kelly and Su Pollard in a
tour of "Babes in Arms". She also played Liesl in a national tour of
"The Sound of Music" and as well as this she has been in "The Rocky
Horror Show".
At least three of the members of the 1970's Punk Rock Group Sham 69
came from Rydens School as did Surrey and England International
Cricketer Monte Lynch and a member of the Pop Dance Group D:ream is
also an ex-Rydens pupil. Sham 69's biggest hit was called "Hersham
Boys". In Sham 69 were Jimmy Pursey (lead vocals), Dare Parsons
(guitar) and Mark Cain (drums).