Unsung Hero: Berrylands piano teacher has coached children for 50 years

6:00am Sunday 22nd December 2013 in News By Eleanor Steafel

A piano teacher has coached children to prizewinning success for half a century, and even helps organise the music festival they enter.

Mavis Wilton, who has lived in Berrylands for more than 50 years, has spent that time giving piano lessons after making her mind up in 1943.

She said: It certainly doesnt feel like 50 years, but this is a dream that I have been playing out since I was 10 years old, when I decided I wanted to be a piano teacher.

My piano teacher used to visit. She used to have a music case bulging with new music.

Now I have got drawers full of lovely new music ready for teaching.

Miss Wilton, 80, said she knew she wanted to play the instrument for a living when she took part in the Kingston Performing Arts Festival as a child.

She said: I actually entered the competition myself in 1942 when I was nine years old and still at school.

Now I have pupils of my own in the festival every year and my daughter has carried on the tradition too.

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Unsung Hero: Piano teacher has coached children for 50 years