| Peter T. Cork |
(1926-2012) |
teacher, composer, author, walker, friend ... |
The Will and The Way - some background notes
Peter Cork was Director of Music first at Clapham County School and then at Walsingham School, which succeeded it, from 1969 to 1977. The pupils were all girls and young ladies and the absence of boys made it difficult to stage musicals or operettas. With the support of Mrs Viner, the Headmistress, Peter wrote his first Musical Story, "The Bells of Craxminster" in 1971 to be performed during the summer term of 1972. This was followed by "The White Bird" in 1974 and "Half-Way Up The Mountain" in 1976.
Each Musical Story, or Operetta became more sophisticated and ambitious that the preceeding one. By the time "Half-Way Up The Mountain" opened, the piano accompaniement had gone and the School Orchestra were playing in the Pit!
|
|
"The Will and The Way" was completed in August 1977, much the same time that Peter left full-time teaching. Many of the musical numbers were ready for a final concert at Walsingham School and you can listen to the girls of Walsingham School singing them on several pages of this website but with just piano accompaniement for the purposes of that concert.
The new musical had parts for both male and female performers that made it more of a proper operetta. It was to be a further two years before Peter was able to direct a premiere performance given by the Avalon Light Operatic Society of Streatham in Stanley Halls, South Norwood.
A further performance was given two years later, in 1981, by Redbridge Youth Opera at Caterham High School, Ilford, Essex.
|
