Scotch College

A fitter and turner who turned to musical excellence

A man who started his working life as a fitter and turner and was later a toolmaker is perhaps an unlikely candidate to encourage hundreds and hundreds of Scotch boys to love and appreciate music.

Nevertheless, that was the Peter Chapman story. Peter, who died in October at the age of 84, taught music in the Scotch Junior School for 33 years with great passion and ability.

Starting as an apprentice fitter and turner in a wartime job, Peter took singing lessons and earned a scholarship to Melbourne University, to study singing, languages and diction, and gained a Diploma of Music. Peter was appointed speech and music master in the Junior School in 1947, where he introduced choral and orchestral teaching, and music and speech training.

Peter married in 1950, and took Patricia, his new bride, to London where he sang in choirs and on film soundtracks, while studying at the Royal Academy of Music. He later returned to Melbourne and to Scotch, where he introduced the recorder, trained choirs to a very high standard, and coached cricket and football.

Among many musical activities, Peter directed the Canterbury Fellowship Choir at Melbourne University for a quarter of a century, presented music for schools on radio, and contributed to church music through the Royal School of Church Music in the UK.

Peter was a man of good humour who loved Scotch and made an important contribution to its musical life. In retirement he would often play the piano at year group reunions, and participate in happy reminiscences with his former students. He was ticket secretary of the Scotch Film Society and Patricia was treasurer.

Peter is survived by Patricia, as well as four children and 12 grandchildren.