A sweet note from Hilda Collens to Allen Harry (Hubert Harry's brother) about Hubert winning the 2nd prize at the Geneva Festival that year for his piano performance.

Ref: HH/1/34

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

A lovely encouraging letter from Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) to Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) here she inspires him to not dwell on not winning first prize (at the Geneva Festival).

She suggests that he should ask one of the judges, Cortot (Alfred Dennis Cortot, pianist, conductor), how he could have improved his performance. She is thrilled at all of his performances and reminds him to "keep clear of petty jealousies and strife or they will inevitably affect your character and then your music."

Ref: HH/1/33

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

"Always make music, so many people now a days just play notes."

Gorgeous sentiment bu Hilda Collens.

Ref: HH/1/32

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

I absolutely love the curls in Hilda Collens' handwriting. I think the "notices" she mentions are press cuttings about his 2nd Prize place at the Geneva Music Festival that year. Unfortunately those haven't made it to the archive :(

Ref: HH/1/31

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hilda Collens sends many hearty congratulations to Hubert Harry on an unknown event (possibly a Geneva Festival performance?) and regrets that she could not get the broadcast of it.

Ref: HH/1/30

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

A telegram! Love a good telegram.

Ref: HH/1/29

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hilda's missed Hubert Harry's radio broadcast but is chuffed he's passed the first part of what we assume is the Geneva Festival requirements?
Some lovely personal updates and as always, Hilda makes sure Hubert is updated on all things Northern School of Music back in Manchester.

Ref: HH/1/28

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Happy New Year! Hilda Collens is chuffed Hubert Harry, former pupil of the Northern School of Music, is attending the Geneva Festival again and that she would love to come to an orchestral concert.

Ref: HH/1/27

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hilda Collens commiserates Hubert Harry's unsuccessful performance at the Geneva Competition and alludes to it being unfair. She is pleased that the conservatoire has given a scholarship and hopes he will be getting lessons from someone new. She updates him on the Northern School of Music's progress and that they have been visited by the Ministry of Education for an inspection.

(Spoiler: the chap who inspected them from MoE was so impressed with the school that he acted as personal support, even giving talks at their Summer Courses in education).

Ref: HH/1/26

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) has lots to be exited about here! Her former pupil Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) has a performance with an orchestra in Switzerland as well as at the Geneva Festival. With lots of advice and support, she wishes him the very best of luck.

Ref; HH/1/25

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Back from her jolly jaunt to Switzerland to visit her former pupil, Hilda Collens advises Hubert Harry to rethink the Bach piece that he has included in a "syllabus" as "you may feel it quite differently now." She hopes he enjoys his lessons with Baumgartner.

Ref: HH/1/24

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

With a jolly jaunt in mind, Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) wishes to come and visit Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) in Switzerland to see what her former pupil is up to.

Ref: HH/1/23

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Anxious about Hubert Harry's imminent recital, Hilda Collens wishes him good luck. She is excited for Hubert as he met Mrs. [Satina] Rachmaninoff and wishes to know more.

Ref: HH/1/22

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hubert Harry is apparently staying another year in Switzerland (spoiler alert - he ends up staying there permanently) and Hilda Collens urges him to write to he local authorities in Britain to ensure that he doesn't get called up for conscription.
Looks like the persistent encouragement worked and that he has finally signed up to perform in the Geneva Competition!

Ref: HH/1/21

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) asks whether Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) is planning to stay another year in Switzerland now that his music studies there are finished.
She asks yet again if he is entering the Geneva competition.

Ref: HH/1/20

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hilda Collens is disappointed that Hubert Harry did not enter the Geneva Festival, and that if he has won it would have been useful in the event of him being called up for conscription, as he would have had performances booked.

Solid logic. Also, a letter of disappointment is the *worst* thing ever.

Ref: HH/1/19

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Needing a reminder that he is still young and should chill out, Hilda Collens writes to Hubert Harry with the view that he should travel Europe during the holidays, learn French and write to a bunch of people. You know, relaxing stuff.

Ref: HH/1/18

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

With piano lessons just once a month, Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) is noticing some discrepancies in advice and progress. Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) encourages him to get more lessons and hang in there!

Ref: HH/1/17

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) seems to want to switch it up and get a new piano tutor. Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) suggests Paul? Baumgartner, a Swiss pianist who escaped Nazi Germany.

Ref: HH/1/16

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Some updates about the Northern School of Music's new premises and performances post-war from Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) to Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music). She says she heard about the Geneva Competition, a swanky international competition open to all instruments. It was founded just before WW2 and ceased to operate during the war. Hubert would compete in different competitions throughout his career as a pianist, including winning the Geneva Competition later on!

Ref: HH/1/15

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

"Stay abroad because otherwise the army would claim you!"

Hilda Collens encourages Hubert Harry to stay in Switzerland and continue his piano studies despite whether or not he is fully satisfied.
She updates him on the Northern School of Music which is getting new premises and has about ten new male students, some of which have just come out of the army.

Ref: HH/1/14

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

There's a lot on Hilda's mind here. She writes to Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) and is chuffed he met with Clifford Curzon (1907-1982, pianist). She tasks him to listen to his tutor in his advice about the way he plays, "Fischer means not sufficiently care-free, it is a question of language... rather over-cautious and not quite adventurous enough."
She reminds him that he is only 19 and to try new things. She also encourages him to stay in Switzerland and not come home for a break as it will undo all his hard work and will probably "get called up". "I know you are going through it but believe me dear every experience you are having is helping to make you what you want to become."

Ref; HH/1/13

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

A lovely catch up between Hilda Collens and Hubert Harry, teacher and pupil, in 1946. There's a Harvest Festival which sounds jolly good fun and then a possibly optimistic but slightly onerous message that she's written to the Ministry of Labour about his progress in his studies in Switzerland.

No pressure, Hubert.

Ref: HH/1/12

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Hilda Collens (1883-1956, founder and principal of the Northern School of Music) seems very pleased with the progress Hubert Harry (1927-2010, pianist, student of the Northern School of Music) is making in Lucerne. He's managed to bag private lessons with Edwin Fischer (pianist, conductor, educator), and she reminds him "learn from anyone who has anything to give you."

Ref: HH/1/11

Part of the #NSM2020 project "A 20/20 Legacy: the centenary of the Northern School of Music" supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.