Biography of Anne

Anne is a professional pianist and also currently teaches piano and music at Benenden School.

Anne grew up in Pretoria, South Africa. She studied music there and taught at a boy’s school for a while. She moved to the UK when she was offered a scholarship from the Royal School of Music. While at the School of Music she worked in several small jobs – one of which was an educational music project at the National Military Museum in Chelsea. The project aimed to teach children about music in World War 11 and how women were drafted in to entertain the troops. For the job she has to wear a uniform which was thick and scratchy, and she had to have her hair done in the style of the day. But it was great fun, she says.

She became a junior fellow at the Royal College of Music – an apprentice-type position – where she worked in the woodwind section. As a pianist she found that hard but she learned a lot, she says.

Working as a musician means taking on lots of freelance work – there is little stability and, as Anne says, you have to grab opportunities when they present themselves. It is important “to have a tough skin and take everything on the skin.”

A friend persuaded her to go on a flute course with James Galway in Switzerland and, as a result of that, Anne was asked to accompany James Galway on tour. She toured all over the world. After she had her first baby she reduced her touring to Europe and took her baby with her, but that was hard, she says. She had also started work at Benenden School, but the school was very supportive and allowed her to be flexible.

She has now been working at Benenden for seven years, where she works with senior students teaching piano and performance skills. She and her husband moved to Rye a few years ago. They love the sense of community in Rye and Anne has played at Rye Festival and she also works with Rebekah Gilbert doing local performances. She is also involved in the Bridgepoint Centre in Rye.

You can find out more detailed information on Anne on her website: https://www.annejmarshall.com/

Audio of interview with Anne