IAN HILTON: An Appreciation
Ian Hilton died peacefully in the early hours of Saturday 18 August. As many readers will know, Ian had been suffering from dementia for a number of years. I first met Ian in the mid-1970s (pre-NWEMF), when he joined one of the recorder classes in the newly-inaugurated music department of the College of Adult Education, Manchester, where I was Staff Tutor in Music. We were certainly blessed with some amazingly able recorder players, among whom Ian was obviously conspicuous. The talent and enthusiasm of these recorder players, linked to their broader interest in ‘early music’ – some of them, though not Ian, also owned other Renaissance wind instruments – led to my establishment of what we called a ‘Renaissance Workshop’. While I started this off, it was during this time that Peter Syrus moved to Manchester to teach at RNCM, and he was the natural person to take over the running of this lively, enthusiastic group to which Ian belonged.
Their existence, and enthusiasm, was a crucial factor which led to the subsequent formation of NWEMF, at the College, in November 1977. While I do not have the relevant information to hand, I believe that Ian was a founder-member of NWEMF; if not he became a member very early on. Ian, very simply, was one of the nicest, gentlest, and most gentlemanly people whom I have ever met. He was an active and dedicated supporter of NWEMF, its workshops and, not least, its Summer School. It was in 1991 that he and Janet met at Summer School; romance quickly blossomed, and they were married in February 1993. Both Ian and Janet continued to support the Summer School; while, among workshops which they both attended, they have been an invaluable asset at events which I have run in Hoole Community Centre, Chester – where, for me, Ian’s playing of tenor recorder was always reliable and thoroughly musical.
And nobody will forget Ian’s beatific smile!
We will all miss him very much. May he rest in peace.
Roger Wilkes
Published in September 2012 Newsletter
