Press release: Chester music-lover wins Lady Hilary Groves Prize

National award goes to Lila Hallett for lifelong service to young people and others through music in Chester

PRESS RELEASE

Chester music-lover awarded national prize for lifelong service to community music

·      National prize awarded by Making Music to recognise outstanding contribution to music in the community

·      Awarded to Lila Hallett, for lifelong service to young people and others through music in Chester

·      Now in her 80s, Lila has been teaching music and supporting community music programmes in the local area since she was 17

·      Lady Hilary Groves was former vice-president of Making Music and ardent supporter of amateur music making in the UK

Making Music is delighted to announce Lila Hallett as the recipient of its Lady Hilary Groves Prize for 2016. Awarded to one individual in the UK each year, the Lady Hilary Groves Award is presented to a member nominated by their group for their outstanding contribution to music in the community.

Lila has always devoted her life to participating in and involving others in the field of music, particularly young people. Now in her 80s, Lila has been a piano teacher and accompanist since she was 17 as well as a music teacher in four Chester schools for 20 years and a lifelong accompanist to musicians for concerts and examinations, and pianist for ballet classes.

For 32 years she has worked as programme secretary for Chester Music Society. Over the years, she has organised numerous musical events for fund raising activities for charities such as The British Heart Foundation, Friends of the Phil and the Breast Care Unit at the hospital in Chester. 

Lila was instrumental in proposing the recent Young Musician of Chester competition and, as accompanist and supporter, in enabling the Chester Music Society Youth Choir to become established in the late 1980s. Numerous individuals and organisations in Chester owe much to Lila’s support, and the Lady Hilary Groves Prize recognises her enormous contribution to Chester’s amateur music scene over many decades.

John Gough, senior tutor in piano at Royal Northern College of Music said: “In my view music in Chester and its environs would have been much poorer without Lila’s considerable and unstinting input and foresight”

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For more information or to arrange an interview with Lila Hallett, please contact George Acock, PR Manager Making Music:  george@makingmusic.org.uk / 020 7939 6041      

Making Music, 8 Holyrood Street, London SE1 2EL

0207 939 6030

info@makingmusic.org.uk

www.makingmusic.org.uk

Making Music, The National Federation of Music Societies
A company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales no. 308632
Registered Charity in England and Wales no. 249219 and in Scotland no. SC038849

Notes to editors:

Making Music

Since 1935, Making Music has been the membership organisation for amateur music in the UK, bringing together musicians and music groups of all genres and abilities. We support, connect and champion everyone who makes, performs and presents music on a voluntary basis. The services we provide allow our members – ranging from symphony orchestras to samba bands – to cross the boring things off their ‘to-do’ lists and get on with making music.

As the voice of voluntary music among policy makers and stakeholders at a national and regional level, we aim to transform lives and enrich communities across the UK through music making.

www.makingmusic.org.uk

The Lady Hilary Groves Prize

Established in 1990 to commemorate conductor Sir Charles Groves’ 75th birthday, the national prize marks the contribution of Lady Hilary Groves to Making Music as both Vice-President and an ardent supporter of amateur music making in the UK. The prize, a certificate signed by Making Music’s patron the Duchess of Kent, is presented annually to an individual member of an affiliated organisation who has made an outstanding contribution to music in the community.

www.makingmusic.org.uk/our-work/awards/groves-prizes

 

 

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