Product Description
Peter Mountain: Scraping a Living: Synopsis Violinist Peter Mountain, born in Yorkshire in 1923 gives an account of a musician’s career in Britain during the 20th century, with fascinating insights concerning a wide range of musical personalities encountered, and memories of the spirit of the times.
About the Author
Peter Mountain was born in Shipley, West Yorkshire in 1923 into a family of musicians. He was taught music by both parents and won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music when he was sixteen. He studied the violin with Rowsby Woof and played under the baton of Sir Henry Wood, arriving in London the day after the beginning of the German Blitz. During the latter part of hostilities and post-war he played in the Staff Band of the Royal Marines, and was among the first British troops to enter Paris. He also led a Symphony Orchestra sent to accompany Mountbatten on his re-entry into Singapore after the end of the Japanese war. During this tour of duty he played the Tschaikovsky Violin Concerto in Bangkok to an audience that included the King of Siam. He later went on to study with the eminent Russian pedagogue Sascha Lasserson. He was a member of the Boyd Neel String Orchestra and the original Philharmonia Orchestra. From 1955 to 1966 he was leader of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Later posts include Concertmaster of the BBC Training Orchestra, Head of Strings at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and guest leaderships of many orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia. He has played concertos with many orchestras and led his own string quartet and other chamber ensembles, including a long-term sonata ensemble with his wife, the pianist Angela Dale. He has worked widely as an examiner and adjudicator; and as a coach for many Youth Orchestras, including the National Youth Orchestra and the Scottish National Youth Orchestra. He has served on the Board of the Scottish Arts Council, and was also Chairman of the Scottish Society of Composers. He has been awarded Fellowships by the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, and an honorary Doctorate of Literature by Bradford University in recognition of his work in musical education.
