John Weeks
Born in Bath, Somerset, July 15th, 1934. Educated at Bathwick Primary School, where my father was Headmaster, and City of Bath Boys’ School – now renamed Beechen Cliff School. The music master, Allan Bennett, was the man who inspired me to take up a musical career, along with the organist of St Mary’s church, Bathwick, where I was a choirboy from 1943-50.
In 1952 I went to the Royal College of Music where my tutors were Ralph Clarke (BBCSO) for clarinet, Eric Gritton & Hubert Dawkes, piano/piano accompaniment and Dr William Lloyd Webber, theory and composition. My College studies were interrupted by National Service as a clarinettist in the Band of the Irish Guards from 1953-56. I was allowed to resume my College course in 1955, graduating with my ARCM in 1957.
I was fortunate to pick up work as a clarinettist with the Jose Limon American Dance Company for their European tour, September-December 1957. Back in London I free-lanced for 3 years, depping as pianist with the Ballet Rambert and doing theatre work, including the London premiere of West Side Story. I was also involved with the legendary Hoffnung concerts.
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After my marriage to June Gowen in 1960 I moved to Wiltshire, where I was assistant Director of Music at Dauntsey’s School, West Lavington, near Devizes, where I taught clarinet, piano & organ, plus numerous other musical duties. During the ten years I was there I took the opportunity to gain an external B.Mus of London University – where my examiners were Herbert Howells, Eric Thiman and Prof Anthony Lewis (RAM). I also gained my ARCO, FRCO and an LRAM in Piano Accompaniment. I begin to compose, winning second prize in the Schnitger Prize Organ Competition in Zwolle, Holland (1964) with my Variations and Passacaglia.
In 1970 I was appointed as a lecturer in the Academic Studies Department of the RSAMD (as it then was) in Glasgow, where I stayed until my retirement in 1995. Whilst there I composed many works for students and student ensembles, which can be viewed at the Scottish Music Centre. After retiring I was involved in overseas mission trips from the Victory Christian centre in Govan (several to Belgium, France and Belarus). In particular, I was invited by a Baptist Missionary pastor whom I had previously known for many years in Glasgow, to go and help with the music in a dozen or more small Baptist churches in the south of Italy -in Puglia, Basilicata and (latterly) Reggio Calabria. I have left my mark there, as many of my arrangements have been published in Italian hymn books!
For many years I had sung with the Glasgow Kedron Singers. In 2010 I took over as conductor, managing to keep the small choir going until its 60th anniversary in 2015, when – because of declining numbers we decided to disband.
Our eldest daughter, Ruth, lives in Kinross and teaches at the Carnegie Primary School in Dunfermline. Our younger daughter, Sally Ann, is a professional violinist (ex-RSAMD & RAM). She played with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra until she married an Australian violinist in 1999. They have lived in Brisbane for many years, where she is a member of the prestigious Camerata of St John’s, Brisbane.
