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| Chetham's school of music: further abuse allegations emerge | Chetham's school of music: further abuse allegations emerge |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Further allegations of sexual abuse have been made against two more teachers at Chetham's school of music in Manchester following the conviction of the institution's former director of music last week. | Further allegations of sexual abuse have been made against two more teachers at Chetham's school of music in Manchester following the conviction of the institution's former director of music last week. |
| Michael Brewer, 68, was found guilty on Friday of indecently assaulting his former pupil, Frances Andrade, who killed herself halfway through his trial. | Michael Brewer, 68, was found guilty on Friday of indecently assaulting his former pupil, Frances Andrade, who killed herself halfway through his trial. |
| Five women have since come forward to the Guardian to allege that a piano teacher, Ryszard Bakst, had sexually abused them while they were his students at Chetham's and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the 1970s. They all claim they made complaints to staff about what they say was his habitual groping, but that no satisfactory action was ever taken. | Five women have since come forward to the Guardian to allege that a piano teacher, Ryszard Bakst, had sexually abused them while they were his students at Chetham's and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) in the 1970s. They all claim they made complaints to staff about what they say was his habitual groping, but that no satisfactory action was ever taken. |
| Bakst died in 1999. Each year the RNCM commemorates him by awarding the Ryszard Bakst Memorial prize for the best playing of Chopin. | Bakst died in 1999. Each year the RNCM commemorates him by awarding the Ryszard Bakst Memorial prize for the best playing of Chopin. |
| Since the Guardian published claims about alleged abuse by a violin teacher, Chris Ling, who taught at both institutions in the 1980s, more witnesses have come forward to both the Guardian and police with information about Ling's alleged behaviour. | Since the Guardian published claims about alleged abuse by a violin teacher, Chris Ling, who taught at both institutions in the 1980s, more witnesses have come forward to both the Guardian and police with information about Ling's alleged behaviour. |
| In total, five teachers are now in the frame. Greater Manchester police confirmed on Tuesday that they were already investigating complaints about a further teacher before Brewer was found guilty on Friday. That teacher is not Bakst, Ling or Malcolm Layfield, who stepped down from the board at the RNCM on Monday amid claims he had a string of inappropriate relationships with 16- to 18-year-olds at Chetham's and the RNCM. | In total, five teachers are now in the frame. Greater Manchester police confirmed on Tuesday that they were already investigating complaints about a further teacher before Brewer was found guilty on Friday. That teacher is not Bakst, Ling or Malcolm Layfield, who stepped down from the board at the RNCM on Monday amid claims he had a string of inappropriate relationships with 16- to 18-year-olds at Chetham's and the RNCM. |
| On Tuesday five women made fresh allegations to the Guardian against Bakst, Bakst was a freelance piano teacher at the school Chetham's from the 1970s until 1994. | On Tuesday five women made fresh allegations to the Guardian against Bakst, Bakst was a freelance piano teacher at the school Chetham's from the 1970s until 1994. |
| One of Bakst's pupils, Woman I, said she began learning the piano with Bakst in 1971, when she was 16 and "very naive and immature". She claims that in her very first lesson he stroked her hair down her back. | One of Bakst's pupils, Woman I, said she began learning the piano with Bakst in 1971, when she was 16 and "very naive and immature". She claims that in her very first lesson he stroked her hair down her back. |
| Along with three other alleged Bakst victims, Woman I claims he would sexually assault her on the sofa in his house when she went there for private lessons. | Along with three other alleged Bakst victims, Woman I claims he would sexually assault her on the sofa in his house when she went there for private lessons. |
| Woman I claims he would put a record on and summon her to the chaise longue. There, he would take her hand and force it down on his crotch, until he became aroused. On other occasions she claimed Bakst would put his hand up skirt she had to wear as part of school uniform. She would have to physically fight him off, she said. | Woman I claims he would put a record on and summon her to the chaise longue. There, he would take her hand and force it down on his crotch, until he became aroused. On other occasions she claimed Bakst would put his hand up skirt she had to wear as part of school uniform. She would have to physically fight him off, she said. |
| In 1972 she said she plucked up courage to report the abuse to a member of staff at Chetham's. She claims the staff member reported it to a more senior colleague, who made a rule that no pupil should go to Bakst's house for lessons. | In 1972 she said she plucked up courage to report the abuse to a member of staff at Chetham's. She claims the staff member reported it to a more senior colleague, who made a rule that no pupil should go to Bakst's house for lessons. |
| Despite this, Woman I went on to study with Bakst at the RNCM. She claims that after a concert during her studies there Bakst once abused her while her parents were drinking tea downstairs. | Despite this, Woman I went on to study with Bakst at the RNCM. She claims that after a concert during her studies there Bakst once abused her while her parents were drinking tea downstairs. |
| After leaving RNCM in 1977 she went back home and never played the piano again. She feels Bakst's abuse has had a long-term detrimental effect, and that "men have treated her badly" ever since. | After leaving RNCM in 1977 she went back home and never played the piano again. She feels Bakst's abuse has had a long-term detrimental effect, and that "men have treated her badly" ever since. |
| Woman I said she is horrified at the memory that the first person she confided in about Bakst was Michael Brewer, in the early 1980s. But she said: "Regardless of what happened to me at Chet's, it still has a very special place in my heart. We were told we were part of a family there, and I feel it still; I have many dear friends from that time." | Woman I said she is horrified at the memory that the first person she confided in about Bakst was Michael Brewer, in the early 1980s. But she said: "Regardless of what happened to me at Chet's, it still has a very special place in my heart. We were told we were part of a family there, and I feel it still; I have many dear friends from that time." |
| Another Bakst pupil, Woman J, said Bakst used to "run his hands over my body brushing past my breasts or rest between my legs as he told me to relax" during lessons. "Of course, I couldn't relax or play the piano properly," she said. | Another Bakst pupil, Woman J, said Bakst used to "run his hands over my body brushing past my breasts or rest between my legs as he told me to relax" during lessons. "Of course, I couldn't relax or play the piano properly," she said. |
| Woman J said a member of staff noticed her unhappiness and asked, "has he [Bakst] done something?" She explained what had happened and recalls the staff member shaking his hand and saying, "Not again". Woman J then confided in another teacher and claimed he told her: "The trouble is, Bakst teaches all the best males – Paul Lewis, Tim Horton, etc. It would ruin their career … could you live with that if you took the matter further?" So, she said: "I didn't." | Woman J said a member of staff noticed her unhappiness and asked, "has he [Bakst] done something?" She explained what had happened and recalls the staff member shaking his hand and saying, "Not again". Woman J then confided in another teacher and claimed he told her: "The trouble is, Bakst teaches all the best males – Paul Lewis, Tim Horton, etc. It would ruin their career … could you live with that if you took the matter further?" So, she said: "I didn't." |
| Lewis and Horton, both internationally renowned pianists, have told the Guardian they support calls for an independent inquiry into sexual abuse at Chetham's. | Lewis and Horton, both internationally renowned pianists, have told the Guardian they support calls for an independent inquiry into sexual abuse at Chetham's. |
| On Tuesday the Guardian asked Chetham's if it was going to open an inquiry, along with questions relating to Bakst and what the school knew of his activities. A spokeswoman replied via email, saying: "The police are now investigating some historic allegations of abuse at the school which have been the subject of recent newspaper reports. We will be assisting the police in whatever way we can. While this investigation is ongoing it would not be appropriate for the school to comment any further save to say that we encourage anyone who has any relevant information to contact Greater Manchester police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111." | On Tuesday the Guardian asked Chetham's if it was going to open an inquiry, along with questions relating to Bakst and what the school knew of his activities. A spokeswoman replied via email, saying: "The police are now investigating some historic allegations of abuse at the school which have been the subject of recent newspaper reports. We will be assisting the police in whatever way we can. While this investigation is ongoing it would not be appropriate for the school to comment any further save to say that we encourage anyone who has any relevant information to contact Greater Manchester police on 101, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111." |
| Another Bakst pupil, Woman K, said Bakst was deemed to be the most prestigious pianist at Chetham's. She said: "He was the old maestro if you want to put it that way. In the classical world it is so difficult, because really it was a privilege to be with such names and taught by them but if they didn't know how to behave then things should have been monitored far more closely." | Another Bakst pupil, Woman K, said Bakst was deemed to be the most prestigious pianist at Chetham's. She said: "He was the old maestro if you want to put it that way. In the classical world it is so difficult, because really it was a privilege to be with such names and taught by them but if they didn't know how to behave then things should have been monitored far more closely." |
| A further student, Woman L, said she started lessons with Bakst around the age of 13 while attending Chetham's between 1969 and 80. "Although an excellent teacher, his general demeanour was quite intimidating," she said, and he exerted a "Svengali-like influence on many of his pupils." | A further student, Woman L, said she started lessons with Bakst around the age of 13 while attending Chetham's between 1969 and 80. "Although an excellent teacher, his general demeanour was quite intimidating," she said, and he exerted a "Svengali-like influence on many of his pupils." |
| She claimed he abused her when she was under the age of consent, first by touching her inappropriately in the chest area when demonstrating technique. He sometimes invited pupils to his home for lessons, in the Prestwich area of Manchester. There, she recalled, he would sit close beside her on a sofa while he played records to demonstrate different interpretations of a piece. He would take her hand, placing it over his genital area, over his trousers. She said she would feel him become aroused, after which he would leave the room for a few minutes, before returning to continue the lesson as though nothing had happened. | She claimed he abused her when she was under the age of consent, first by touching her inappropriately in the chest area when demonstrating technique. He sometimes invited pupils to his home for lessons, in the Prestwich area of Manchester. There, she recalled, he would sit close beside her on a sofa while he played records to demonstrate different interpretations of a piece. He would take her hand, placing it over his genital area, over his trousers. She said she would feel him become aroused, after which he would leave the room for a few minutes, before returning to continue the lesson as though nothing had happened. |
| Woman L said the school was a hotbed of sexual activity. "Pupils that were involved in affairs with each other used to use large instrument cases to carry sleeping bags around so they could have sex in the practice rooms," she said. | Woman L said the school was a hotbed of sexual activity. "Pupils that were involved in affairs with each other used to use large instrument cases to carry sleeping bags around so they could have sex in the practice rooms," she said. |
| Another pupil, Woman M, recalled studying under Bakst as a postgraduate at the RNCM in 1973 when she was 25. She claims that soon after starting her studies with Bakst, he began to touch her inappropriately. He would tuck his hands under her arms whilst she was playing in order to "demonstrate", then fondle her breasts and squeeze her body. | Another pupil, Woman M, recalled studying under Bakst as a postgraduate at the RNCM in 1973 when she was 25. She claims that soon after starting her studies with Bakst, he began to touch her inappropriately. He would tuck his hands under her arms whilst she was playing in order to "demonstrate", then fondle her breasts and squeeze her body. |
| After a while, she said, he asked her to come for lessons at his home in Manchester. There he would take her upstairs to his living room and ask her to sit on the sofa while he played her LPs. He would then come and sit beside her on the couch, and put her hand on his penis. . | |
| An RNCM spokeswoman said it had no comment to make on the Bakst allegations. The Guardian was unable to trace any of Bakst's relatives for comment. | An RNCM spokeswoman said it had no comment to make on the Bakst allegations. The Guardian was unable to trace any of Bakst's relatives for comment. |
| Meanwhile, more claims have emerged about Chris Ling, a freelance violin teacher at Chetham's who since 1990 has lived in the US. One woman, Woman N, said she was sexually assaulted by Ling in 1987 when she was 15. He employed her to clean his house in Reading, she said, and claimed that after catching her stealing small change he ordered her to strip naked. She said he made her then lie across his lap and spanked her. | Meanwhile, more claims have emerged about Chris Ling, a freelance violin teacher at Chetham's who since 1990 has lived in the US. One woman, Woman N, said she was sexually assaulted by Ling in 1987 when she was 15. He employed her to clean his house in Reading, she said, and claimed that after catching her stealing small change he ordered her to strip naked. She said he made her then lie across his lap and spanked her. |
| Woman N alleges he then ordered her to come back to the house the following week. There, instead of cleaning, he again ordered her to take her clothes off. She claims he then blindfolded her and appeared to take pictures of her. She said she reported the assault to Thames Valley police shortly after but the case was dropped when she refused to let officers tell her parents what had happened. | Woman N alleges he then ordered her to come back to the house the following week. There, instead of cleaning, he again ordered her to take her clothes off. She claims he then blindfolded her and appeared to take pictures of her. She said she reported the assault to Thames Valley police shortly after but the case was dropped when she refused to let officers tell her parents what had happened. |
| Another Chetham's pupil, a man who attended between 1983 and 1988, told the Guardian he raised the alarm about Ling in 1987. The man, who does not want to be named, said he told a member of staff at the school that Ling's behaviour should be investigated by police. | Another Chetham's pupil, a man who attended between 1983 and 1988, told the Guardian he raised the alarm about Ling in 1987. The man, who does not want to be named, said he told a member of staff at the school that Ling's behaviour should be investigated by police. |
| The man said the housemaster told him he was being a "vulgar, smutty schoolboy spreading rumours". No action was taken. | The man said the housemaster told him he was being a "vulgar, smutty schoolboy spreading rumours". No action was taken. |
| Earlier this week the Guardian reported claims from 10 women that Ling had abused them from the early 80s right to 1989 when he taught at Chetham's.. | Earlier this week the Guardian reported claims from 10 women that Ling had abused them from the early 80s right to 1989 when he taught at Chetham's.. |