It was written in the stars (or more accurately, scratched in the family Bechstein grand piano when she was only 3 that ‘Pip’ would follow in her father’s musical footsteps. He was a professional accompanist and music was just part of family life when Philippa was growing up. Piano lessons started soon after the engraving incident and she was already playing woodwind in the form of the recorder family before arriving at secondary school where it was suggested a new instrument would be a good idea. She had wanted to play the oboe but that wasn’t available so plumped for ‘second best’ in the clarinet, and with the combination of good teachers and a rapidly developing love of the instrument, her playing took off.
As with so many good musicians, she extended her musical repertoire by singing in choirs and, even though she assures me she hasn’t done so for a goodly while, also played the tenor sax.
Philippa went on to Durham University to study languages but kept up her music throughout playing in orchestras and chamber music. She even took her clarinet with her to Germany when she was studying towards her degree and found that she was by far the youngest player in a ‘teachers’ orchestra’ , which could have been rather intimidating to a 20 year old.
It was at Durham that she met her husband, Michael, where they married and moved down to the South Coast for work and raised their family.
Philippa has always kept her playing and singing going and now that she has retired in this part of the world continues to keep busy making music. As well as playing in this orchestra she is a member of the Beauchamp Sinfonietta, and Worcester Philharmonic where she particularly enjoys the fabulous acoustic of their performance venue, Pershore Abbey. She regularly does depping work and continues to play in chamber groups. Philippa is really looking forward to our Playday in March next year with one of her favourite all time pieces, Rachmaninov’s 2nd symphony.
The music gene has passed on to the next generation and she has the pleasure of playing alongside her daughter, a violinist, in the Worcester orchestra and has high musical hopes for her grandchildren who are still young but show promise.
Philippa is one of life’s ‘doers’ and is constantly busy, whether she is looking after the grandchildren, helping Michael with his bees, gardening (they have an allotment too) or helping out with this orchestra. She fulfils many roles on the Committee and, probably most vital of all, makes sure the orchestra gets refreshments in the rehearsal breaks. Thank you, Philippa!