O.C Support for "The Guildhall School of Music & Drama"
Candy Blackham, Development Director GSMD writes :Linklaters Alliance make an annual donation to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama but the relationship really changed when the Senior Partner and his wife attended a Piano Showcase at Guildhall School.They particularly enjoyed the playing of Marko Martin (apianist from Estonia). The Principal invited Linklaters to be Marko's sponsor and at this point Lachlan Burn (1964 - 69) initiated a fund-raising drive.Within hours he had raised the full sum from the firm.. Many different people wanted to help - receptionists, secretaries, young lawyers and partners. In return, Marko was very pleased to give a private recital to the donors. Lachlan arranged for this recital to be recorded and transferred to CD. The effect on the company was dramatic. People who had never been to a live performance, and had not known what to expect from a "recital" found themselves unexpectedly moved by music. As you can imagine, they will never forget the experience. Linklaters has subsequently invested in a Steinway Concert grand (found for Lachlan by NJZ and restored by the same technician who restored the school Drawing Room Lipp. Ed.) and Marko gave the inaugural recital in the Linklaters Auditorium on June 15th 1999. Libor Novacek, another very talented young pianist, from Prague, now studying at the GSMD, gave the next performance, prior to giving concerts in Germany. A concert by the prizewinning 'Kungsbacka Trio' is planned for January 2000, and a varied and interesting series of chamber music concerts is taking shape. I think that this really is a marvellous partnership - we are helping each other and are both benefiting, often in unexpected ways.
Burn, Lachlan (64-69) is a partner of Linklater and Alliance. When his firm moved into their new building in Silk Street, across the road from The Barbican Arts Centre and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Lachlan realised that there was an opportunity for some mutual 'back-scratching' and from this idea has developed a thoroughly worthwhile project: the financial support of young musicians at one of the finest musical colleges anywhere. This most enterprising scheme seems to be tapping the generosity of a crosssection of this respected firm, and at the same time, supporting some of the best musical hopes of the future. Doubtless GSMD would welcome similar arrangements with the many other firms in the City. The first benificiary, Marko Martin, is well worth listening out for. His inaugural recital on the Linklaters Steinway (ending with the Liszt B minor Sonata) was stunning, as were his two performances of Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto at the Barbican and St John's, Smith Square.