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David Plunpton was due to visit the stage door on 17 May 2020 but that was the day that Zoom broke down. Many people would not have bothered to return but David agreed to do so on the 7 June, That was typical of the man. One of the kindest and most generous persons that I have ever met as well as one of the most talented. Zoom behaved itself on 7 June. We had a great discussion with plenty of contributions from the audience.
My first question to David was how he came to take up the piano. He replied that his mother had been a pianist and that his sister was also musical. They were his first piano teachers. His mother taught him until she fell ill with multiple sclerosis. Then his sister taught him. She worked as a primary school teacher in London and gave him lessons on her visits home. He remembers trying the different keys after each lesson. He found he had an affinity for the instrument. The more he practised the better he became. His passion for music snowballed from there.
It must have been about that time that David began his career as an accompanist. When he was 18 he had a friend called Trevor who was a classical pianist. Trevor used to play in a cocktail bar in an hotel in Darlington. Knowing that David had just finished his "A" levels and was looking for work Trevor invited David to cover one of his classes at a local dance school. David was reluctant at first but accepted the invitation. He found that he enjoyed the work. He got on well with the teacher and she liked him, Trevor never came back so David was given his job. He stayed at that school for about three years.
The dance teacher in Darlington introduced David to Suzanne Whitworth of Northern Ballet Theatre as Northern Ballet was then known. Christopher Gable was then Artistic Director and Suzanne Whitworth worked in Learning and Access. She was teaching a BTech course in Newcastle and she arranged for David to play for her class. David made a number of connections at that time one of whom arranged for him to play at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Afterwards, Suzanne Whitworth introduced David to the company. He played for the company's classes and rehearsals as well as for their outreach activities.
David said that a number of people had asked him why he had never worked for Northern Ballet full-time. He had received two offers to work for the company over the years.
"Because they could never afford you?" I suggested.
David denied that was the reason. He relished variety and different experiences which would not be possible if he played only for one company.
At this point, David spoke about his family life. He was a Yorkshireman by birth and upbringing. He had always lived in the family home in a small village between Darlington and Northallerton. He lost his mother when he was in his twenties and he stayed at home to look after his father. His father had died quite recently and for the last years of his life, his father required a lot of care. David had been close to both of his parents and was devastated after each of them died. It is only now that he is recovering from his father's death.
David added that his attachment to home was another reason why he was reluctant to take a Jon in Leeds. He had made several tours but these were always for finite periods.
He had often played in the orchestra pit in pantomimes and musicals. He particularly liked musical theatre which is why so many of his CDs incorporate tunes from musicals. However, he also liked classical composers, particularly Mendelssohn. Also, Tchaikovsky, he added.
"And Khatchucharian?" I said remembering the music he had played in the classes that I had attended.
"But show tunes" work well for class, David explained.
I asked David whether he had played for Gable.
Two or three times when he conducted class", David replied.
Some of the rehearsals included "A Simple Man" which is not only one of my favourites, but also one of David's too. "Carl Davis's music is wonderful" David added. I suggested that "A Simple Man" was the company's best work ever. David agreed but then added that he also admired David Nixon's "Wuthering Heights" Another of Nixon's works that we both admired was "Madam Butterfly". I opined that it was Nixon's best ballet Also "Midsummer Night's Dream" I suggested.
"An interesting mix of music" replied David, "Mendelssohn with Prokofiev. "
"Northern Ballet is a great company," said David, "I have many friends there."
"And they hold you in great affection", I replied, "as do audiences/"
Earlier in the conversation about Suzanne Whitworth, he mentioned the name of Annemarie Donoghue. I told him that she had been my main teacher. He observed that she was lovely as was Jane Tucker one of my other favourite teachers, whom he described as "a lovely friend,"
Suzanne Whitworth introduced David to Marion Tait at the Birmingham Royal Ballet who in turn introduced him to others at the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Royal Ballet. He had played for both companies. One of Marion Tait's introductions was to David Bintley. Our guest had played for several of David Bintley's classes.
An engagement of which David Plumpton is particularly proud is his work for the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars. He was proud that it was in Yorkshire but also proud of some of the students for whom he had played including Xander and Demelza Parish. He had met some great teachers at those seminars including Kevin Hagan of the Hamburg Ballet from whom he had learned a lot.
I asked him about his sound recordings which seem to be used by every teacher who had ever taught me. He said that he had not set out to make CDs but he relented to requests from teachers. He had been reluctant because there were already great recordings by American pianists and he wondered what he could possibly add to their work. The recordings proved to be very successful and their unexpected popularity makes him feel very humble. His audience expects a lot from him and he has always to think of something new. Each recording has to be better than the last He is something of a perfectionist, He spends ages choosing tunes and recording them. He practises each tune up to 30 times. It is all very hard work. His biggest market is the USA followed by Japan, South Korea, the UK and Australia, His recordings are on sale in all the world's opera houses including the Salle Garnier in Paris, a city that he loves.
The first question from the floor came from Sarah Lambert who noted that it was one thing to be a good pianist but quite another to be a good accompanist. David seemed to know exactly what was in the teacher's mind as if by telepathy. Sarah asked how that was achieved. David replied that it came through practice.
Yvonne Charlton, a teacher from the Dolstra Dance Centre in the Netherlands who had worked with David last September spoke of the rapport that she had developed with him in just one class. Hr was able to anticipate hee instructions before she had delivered them. The experience had been great. David congratulated Yvonne and Yvonne David, I suggested to Yvonne that she should invite David to IJsselstein. She readily agreed.
Yvonne told us that the lockdown regulations in the Netherlands permitted her to teach children in the school playground but they had to wear trainers which were quite unsuitable for classical ballet. The studio hoped to open in July but social distancing restricted how many students could take class, where they could stand, where they would enter snd where they would leave, Yvonne mentioned that National Ballet had been allowed to return to its studio. However, the Dutch government had cut off funding to the Scapino Ballet and another company in the Hague and there was a lot of concern for the National Ballet.
Janet McNulty asked David how he obtained permission to play his works. She had heard that some composers like Andrew Lloyd Webber simply refused permission. David explained that he could usually obtain permission from the collecting society but he had to approach Andrew Lloyd Wenner's separately. He was glad to say that his request for a licence had been granted.
Helen Brewer of Harpenden reminded David that she had met him at the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars and had bought all his CDs. David said that he remembered the meeting. Helen said that she employed 5 pianists in her school but kept the CDs in reserve. She agreed with David about the importance of live music. The pandemic had put a lot of strain on ballet school proprietors. Her son had been a great help[ in recording bits of the syllabus and preparing the studio for social distancing. David acknowledged the difficulties. He was happy that Helen and her students were safe and well and that their school was still in business.
Sarah Stewart asked David whether he had any advice for an adult on learning an instrument. He replied that they would need inner passion, practice, patience and perseverance. It might take a long time but their efforts would eventually be rewarded.
Christine Longster expressed her appreciation and how much she longed to return to the studio. She reminded David that he played the piano when she took her first class after 30 years.
Bo Zhang asked David whether he was a movie fan. He replied that he was but not so much for action films. Part of his enjoyment came from the theme tune. Examples included "Out of Africa", "Dances with Wolves" and "Harry Potter". In answer to a written question from Sarah Lambert, he said that he composed his own music.
David's chosen charity is the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars. You can donate here using PayPal. I have started the ball rolling. I urge everyone who appreciates David and his music to did deep.
