Merlin Channon : 55-62 Head of Music  |
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Chris Snuggs: "In a way, I feel overawed still, after all these years, so insignificant in achievement when compared to this man. What a colossus of music at Woolverstone! His encouragement of talent, those great productions, his putting together of orchestras of such quality for a small school, and when we needed a boost, getting in such good professionalstop enhance the orchestra that we could listen to and admire. I remember in particular several first-class violinists and then a wonderful oboeist for "Amahl & the Night Visitors".
Merlin was creative to his fingertips, but also determinedly practical - a "get-it-done" person - brilliant at getting orchestras, actors, producers and the powers to be to put it all together. And of course, he had a great image - rubbing shoulders with Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears in particular. He had great support from Leslie Johnstone, Patrick Hutton and others.
For us lower school kids he was pretty heroic - not in the same way as Bill Coutts or Mickey Baranyai of course, but in an equally devoted sort of way. And yet I seem to remember him being a good communicator even with unimportant little oiks in year 1, interested in our musical progress, always encouraging - even though he was always very busy! Never heard him play the cornet enough, but when we did it was exciting.
Musical experiences at Wolverstone remain unforgettable for me - more than that, sublime, exciting, participative, creative, magical. He was not called Merlin for nothing. We thought he was irreplaceable when he left, but then along came Barry Salmon!!"
Chris Fuller: "Practical as well as creative, Merlin was the one who brought girls to Woolverstone so that we wouldn't have to dress up as girls in all his productions. For most of us, that was a double blessing!"