Dr Avril Dankworth

It is with sadness that I write of the death of Avril Dankworth this morning aged 90. She developed a chest infection last week and didn't recover. I was very fond of Avril, and she entrusted her precious music camp to me. She was an inspirational woman who had a great idea, and made it happen.

 AVRIL DANKWORTH 1922-2013

Avril  was an innovative and inspirational music educator best known for founding “The Avril Dankworth Childrens Music Camps” ( now known as the” National Youth Music Camps”).

 She was sister  to international  Jazz musician John Dankworth, and wife to Leslie Carew a famous trombonist during the big band era playing with the Jack Hylton, Ted Heath , Geraldo and Ambrose orchestras.

She was born in Southend –on –sea in Essex in 1922, and was educated at Walthamstow High School, Hockerill teachers training college, The Royal College, and Trinity College of Music.

Avril first worked as a singer and accompanist with Mathyas Seibers” Dorian singers”, and the “George Mitchell Choir”. She had a passion for teaching, and real desire to make music accessible to all. She taught in various London schools and colleges and was employed by the “Service Childrens Education Authority”. From this time Avril travelled the world lecturing, training teachers and adjudicating. She wrote several books including her best seller “Make Music Fun”. She also wrote a history of Jazz, and was instrumental in introducing the idiom into the music curriculum in schools.

In 1965 Avril and two like- minded colleagues founded the  “Sing for Pleasure” movement, and participation at “A Coeur Joie “ festival  in Vaison Provence gave her the idea of starting a music camp. In 1970 Avril’s brother John Dankworth and his wife Cleo Laine bought the Old Rectory in Wavendon Milton Keynes with the idea of turning the Stable block into a theatre. It was at this point Avril saw the field at the back of the Stables and realised she could fulfil her dream .

The music camps were for anyone aged seven to seventeen to spend a week under canvas and make music. There was to be no grade of entry, and all instruments and styles of music were welcome. The only qualification needed was a love of music. Forty three years later, the project remains unique.

In 1990 Avril was awarded an honorary doctorate for services to music education.  Many thousands of young people have been inspired by  Avrils music camps, and hundreds of teachers still talk about her innovative teachers courses. Avril Dankworth’s motto was  “Make Music Fun”, she certainly did this, often changing lives in the process.