Walter Carroll

Walter Carroll (4 July 1869 - 9 October 1955) was a composer, music lecturer and author. He was born at 156 Bury New Road in the Cheetham district of Manchester.

He was a pupil at Longsight High School, Manchester. Leaving school at the age of 14, he went to work at the Manchester textile firm of J. N Phillips and Co., learning office routine and account keeping. Joining the choir of St. John Chrysostom Anglican church, Victoria Park in 1886, he studied with the organist there, Frederick Pugh. He composed music for the choir there and became the librarian. In 1887, he also joined the Halle Choir in Manchester which broadened his choral experience widely.

In 1888, Carroll (on the advice of Pugh) joined Owens College (later to become part of the Victoria University of Manchester) where he studied advanced music theory with Henry Hiles. In 1891, in the absence of a Music degree at Manchester, Carroll entered for the external Mus. B. degree of the Durham University. This was also the first year of the Durham Mus. B. examinations and Carroll was successful. On the recommendation of Hiles, Carroll was appointed Singing Master at the Owens College Day Training College for Teachers. In 1892, Carroll was appointed Organist and Choirmaster at St. Clement's Church, Greenheys, Manchester.

In 1893 he became a lecturer in harmony at the newly formed Royal Manchester College of Music and held chairs at the college of harmony and composition (1904-1920), and of the art of teaching (1909-1920).

In 1894, Carroll studied at Manchester University for the newly established Mus. B. degree and he was awarded this is 1896. In 1900 he became the first student to gain by examination, the degree of Mus. D from Manchester University.

Carroll started a training course for music teachers in 1907 and was appointed music adviser by the Manchester Education Committee in 1918. He gave up all his other work in 1920 to concentrate on music for children. Carroll regularly visited and advised teachers in about four hundred schools, lecturing on the teaching of singing, instrumental music, and music appreciation. The city’s education department had decided that children with no musical training should have a chance to perform. The Manchester Children's Choir was therefore formed in 1925 by Carroll from elementary schools in the area. The choir existed from 1925-1939 and gave concerts, usually in local town halls, during Civic Week. The concerts with the Halle lasted from 1929 until Walter Carroll's retirement in 1935. This choir performed on the famous 1929 recording of Nymphs and Shepherds.

...
Wikipedia