Clifton Cook leads his swan song

Press, 24 October 1984, Page 1

Clifton Cook leads his swan song

The name of Clifton Cook is almost synonymous with school music in Christchurch.

When Mr Cook takes the baton for tomorrow evening’s concert by St Andrew’s College and Rangi Ruru School it will be for his last big concert. He will complete 40 years of music teaching in schools at the end of the first term next year when he retires as music master at St Andrew’s College. He has taught at the college for 17 years and before that for 23 years at Christchurch Boys’ High School.

Although it was not his intention when he began as a part-time teacher at Boys’ High in 1945, Mr Cook has become a specialist in teaching singers. Among his pupils at present pursuing careers as opera singers are Anson Austin and Richard Greager. Another former pupil, Christopher Doig, has recently returned from Europe and the Vienna State Opera to become the Christchurch Arts Centre

promotions manager. Mr Cook made a special study of singing because of his own interest in singing — both is parents were singers — and because “so many good voices are not heard for a variety of reasons.” Mr Cook believes there is a singer in everybody but acknowledges that some people have a problem with the pitch of their voice. He looks for a special tone and personality to make a good singer, and for an enjoyment of the music.

“It is impossible for someone to sing well if they do not enjoy it,” he said. As well as teaching individual singing pupils, Mr Cook has taught instrumental music. Among his pupils following careers in music overseas he lists Thomas Rankin, soon to become a professor of music at ‘a Bangkok university, and Terry Beavin, a violinist who won a scholarship to study in London. Looking back over 40 years of teaching, composing, conducting, and concerts, Mr Cook says he has

enjoyed it all. His aim has been to encourage his pupils to participate in music. “The boys have humoured me marvellously in this,” he said.

One of the pleasures for Mr Cook of teaching at schools has been to teach pupils for all their school years. At St Andrew’s this has meant taking pupils from the age of four to 17 or 18.

Although he has concentrated on schools’ music, Mr Cook has conducted several, community choirs and was organist and choirmaster for several parishes before going to St Andrew’s. The music of his concerts has changed in 40 years, mainly because Mr Cook likes to include in each concert some music of the pupils’ own period.

The choice for tomorrow evening’s concert at the Christchurch Town Hall is David Bowie’s “Life on Mars,” a tune capable of being quite exciting, he says.

The programme will also include songs from oratorio and musicals.