Days of future passed ...

"I'm doing teaching practice too! The lectures are mostly complete nonsense and I cut as many as I dare, but I find the school practice itself very pleasant. I'm at Salford Grammar .... four days a week doing music - it's done properly here with General Cert. at ordinary and advanced level. I have lots of 6th form work: I've only been thee a week but the lower 6th had a diet of Berg, Schoenberg, Webern and Bartók, and the lower school from form 1 up have had Bartók. It's surprising how much theory they do - the first two years have one period theory, one period history and one period singing each week, after which theory and history are optional. I find it very interesting to to work with a handful of 5th and 6th form - it gives more opportunity for getting to know individuals and their ways of working, though some of them are clots. The younger boys are great fun .... "
Peter Maxwell Davies in a letter to his school friend Eric Guest in 1957

Pliables notes: Salford Grammar ws a selective entry secondary/high school. 6th form was for 16 to 18 year olds. Form 1 was 11 year olds.

Quote from Max - the Life and Music of Peter Maxwell Davies by Mike Seabrook, ISBN 0575058838, out of print but available from Amazon resellers
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Image credit - Young America Music Schools
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