Northern School of Music

The Northern School of Music (NSM) was a music college founded in Manchester by Hilda Hester Collens L.R.A.M., A.R.C.M., (24 September 1883 - 28 April 1956) a former piano student of Tobias Matthay from 1910 to 1914. Opening its doors on 22 September 1920, there were originally nine students.[1] Hilda Collens did not wish to use her own name for the school and sought permission from Matthay to use his name which he gave readily. The school became known as The Matthay School of Music, Manchester Branch.[2] Originally a private institution, the name was changed on 15 September 1943 when the school became a public institution, taking the name "The Northern School of Music"[3]..[4][5]

From 1920 to July 1934 the Matthay School of Music, Manchester Branch was accommodated in three separate premises at 195-7 then 79 then 260 Deansgate, a main Manchester thoroughfare. In August 1934, it moved to premises at 91, 93 and 95 Oxford Road, Manchester where it would later extend into 97 and 99 Oxford Road with an entrance in Sidney Street until 1972.[6] This building later became the site of the students' union of Manchester Polytechnic.

The Matthay School initially aimed to teach piano students aged 18 and over who wished to study for the external Teaching Diplomas in Music validated by the Royal Academy of Music and the Royal College of Music. Hilda Collens also wished to widen the scope of the school. [7] A training course for teachers (initial teacher training for music teachers in schools) was started in 1923. The work on this course was inspected in 1923 by Frank Roscoe, Secretary of the Royal Society of Teachers and "was recognised as efficient and accepted for the purpose of registration".[8]

• 1923 Full time Initial Music Teacher Training Course recognised by Royal Society of Teachers
• 1924 First Music Scholarship awarded to Irene Wilde to study at The Matthay School
• 1927 School library opened
• 1927 Commencement of Orchestral and Ensemble classes
• 1927 Scope of the Matthay School Choir extended
• 1927 Part-time tuition extended to adults, including performers, teachers and amateurs
• 1937 Establishment of Old Students' Association
• 1937 Trinity College London performers' diploma added to syllabus
• 1942 Full-time Drama and Dance Department established
• 1946 Two SATB choirs and Three orchestras
• 1949 Over 500 full-time students
• 1949 First presentation of Messiah (Handel) at Albert Hall, Manchester
• 1952 The Northern School presented its first opera The Bartered Bride (Bedrich Smetana) in the Lesser Free Trade Hall.
• 1952 The Ministry of Education (Burnham Committee) gives graduate status (GNSM) to students who fulfil the "special conditions laid down by" The Northern School of Music
• 1957 The GNSM diploma is upgraded by the Ministry of Education into an "internal self-sufficient diploma no longer requiring collateral validation in the form of an external LRAM or ARCM" thus enjoying parity with the graduate diplomas of other music colleges[9]

From 1922, school-age pupils as beginners and improvers were admitted to the Matthay School on a part-time basis. This grew into a flourishing Junior Department which ran on Saturday mornings. The Junior Department closed in July 1972. Teachers working in the Junior School (which met on Saturdays) worked initially without pay.[10]

For most of the early years of its existence it focused on training music teachers but gradually performance came to play an increasing role.[4][5]

In 1955, Hilda Collens, Principal and Ida Carroll, Secretary and Deputy Principal met the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education. The results established that the Northern School of Music was a college of national and not merely local status.[11] Approaches during this period were also made by the principal of the Royal Manchester College of Music, Frederic Cox, with a view to discussion of the eventual amalgamation of the two establishments. Hilda Collens feared that in any "amalgamation" the widely differing traditions of the Northern School would be submerged.[12]

• Hilda Hester Collens (1883-1956), Founder and Principal, 1920-1956 (her death);
• Ida Gertrude Carroll (1905-1995), Acting Principal from April 1956; Principal 1958-1972 (closure of The Northern School of Music)

These talks were to last many years and finally in 1972 led to the establishment of the Northern College of Music which became the Royal Northern College of Music[4][5]upon being awarded the Royal Charter in 1973.

• Eileen Derbyshire (Actress)
• Hubert Harry (1927-2010) (International pianist and composer)
• Vincent Billington (1931-2010) (UK concert pianist)
• Alfreda Hodgson FNSM GNSM (1940-1992) (Contralto)
• Dorothy Pilling FNSM LRAM (1910-1998) (Pianist and composer)
• Annie O. Warburton Mus. D. FNSM (Author and Teacher)
• Ida Carroll FNSM (1905-1995)(Pianist, Double bassist, composer)