Tributes & Celebrations

Tributes

With short intermissions studying music in London (working for Young's brewery) and kidnapping a concrete cow in Milton Keynes, Martin lived his life around Sunderland, playing viola (with occasional forays into percussion and random roadie-ing) in projects ranging from playing solo in Berlioz' Harold in Italy to helping assemble the massive triple orchestra needed for the Vaughan Williams concerto grosso. He was a fabulous encouragement to anyone struggling musically, passionate in striving for excellence, an endless source of truly awful jokes, a great lover of 20th-century English music such as that of Lennox Berkeley, much-missed father of 4, and invigorator of numerous orchestral rehearsals across the north east of England with his enormous laugh.

Despite a long struggle with cancer (tackled with strategies including takeaway curry in hospital), he somehow found time to amass　a huge amount　of chamber and orchestral sheet music, and wanted it　all to find a good home with fellow musicians. (He was also a prolific war-gamer, and disbursing his model collection involved heated discussion over a missing set of elephants...) Members of Martin's various orchestras have therefore donated for each piece taken, with the final crate going to Kampala Music School in Uganda on the first anniversary of his death. Martin's family nominated Help Musicians as their chosen charity for the money raised, and hope that the memory of this wonderful man who loved music so much will inspire others to enjoy it too.

(Note to viola players - remember, it's only in tune if all the pegs are lined up...)

You can donate in memory of Martin here. All proceeds will go towards supporting musicians in need of our help.

Celebrations

We are so grateful to Malcolm and Kate who donated to Help Musicians UK to celebrate their wedding. Kate sings soprano, plays early recorders of all sorts, and is just getting back into church organ; Malcolm plays cello and sings baritone when it's safe to do so. Their first wedding hymn was "Let all the world in every corner sing".

They are also celebrating the life of their good friend and best man Martin Wilkinson, who they laid to rest last week after over 20 years of stomach cancer. He died listening to the Brandenburgs with Kate, and was laid to rest to the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante and Vaughan Wiliams' Flos Campi.

You can donate in celebration of Kate and Malcolm’s wedding. Every penny of your donation will go towards helping musicians across the country.