From CTSYM to The Purcell School in Bushey: a brief history

The Early Years ...

1961 - Rosemary Rapaport and Irene Forster first discuss the idea of a special school to tutor young and talented musicians. 

1962 January 18th - The Central Tutorial School for Young Musicians opens in temporary premises at the Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, with four pupils.

1963 June - The School's first public concert at the Conway Hall.
September - The School, now with ten pupils, rising to twenty-five in the course of the year, moves to Morley College.

1965 March - Concert at Morley College includes premiere performance of Three Chinese Lyrics by Oliver Knussen, then a pupil at the School.

1969 - School moves to Heath House in Hampstead.

1972 - The Central Tutorial School for Young Musicians is re-named and becomes The Purcell School.

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1973 - Concert at the Wigmore Hall to celebrate the re-naming of the School.  The soloist in Vivaldi's Sonata for 'Cello and Strings is Robert Cohen, at that time a pupil in the School.

Hampstead to Harrow ...

1975 - The School (now nearly one hundred strong) moves to Oakhurst, Harrow-on-the-Hill.  Ravensholt added the year after.

1980 - Purcell School Alumnus Nicholas Daniel becomes BBC Young Musician of the Year.

1985 March - HRH The Prince of Wales agrees to be the School's Patron.

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1986 - The School becomes fully specialist after a long period operating a two-tier system.

1987 March - 25th anniversary of the School celebrated with a concert at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

A new home in Bushey ...

1997 September - The School moves to Bushey and takes over the buildings of the Royal Caledonian School.

1998 January - The Purcell School in Bushey is formally opened by HRH The Prince of Wales.

2003 February - The Purcell School is awarded the UNESCO Mozart Gold Medal for services to Music Education.

2007 May - The School's President, Sir Simon Rattle, opens the New Music Centre - the School's first, purpose-built music building.

2010 May - Lara Melda becomes the second Purcell winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition.

2012 January 18th - The Purcell School is 50 years old.
March 19th - Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration Concert in the Royal Festival Hall.