By Caroline Oswald
Ask anyone from North Shields whether they’ve heard of Ernie Scott and the answer will most probably be yes. One of the last ever people to receive the Maundy money from the Queen in recognition of his exemplary service within the community, he has made a phenomenal contribution to the musical and cultural life of the town.
Ernie was born in Frater Maternity Home on Hawkeys Lane in North Shields. When he was three months old, his home in Balkwell was bombed during the Second World War. The debris from the bomb blast had buried all the local residents fleeing for shelter. Miraculously, baby Ernie survived and was passed back through the wreckage to be cared for by a neighbour until his mother was later rescued. After spending four years evacuated in Nenthead, Cumbria, Ernie returned to North Shields and grew up on Trinity Street and then Balkwell Avenue. He attended Tynemouth High School and studied Physics and Maths at Newcastle University. Ernie always harboured a love of classical music and joined the choir at St Peter’s Church, Balkwell, eventually becoming the church organist, which he still is to this day. He was the co-founder of the Priory Singers and has been the chairman of Tynemouth Choral Society. In 1987 Ernie attended The Leeds International Piano Competition and managed to persuade the American finalist, Marcantonio Barone to give a recital at Christ Church in North Shields before going on to perform at Wigmore Hall, among other prestigious music venues. In the following years, Ernie continued to attend classical music competitions to sign up countless major artistes to perform in the North East, and ‘Master Musicians International’ was born.
Over nearly 40 years, Ernie has attracted musicians from all over Europe as well as North and South America, Australia, China, Korea, Russia and Japan. This year has seen the thousandth recital for Master Musicians International in the North East, with Christ Church in North Shields at its hub. The esteemed international visitors always appreciate the Geordie welcome and enjoy immersing themselves in the community during their stays. Locals at pubs including the Seven Stars (formerly Oddfellows) and the Low Lights Tavern have often been stunned when these world-class musicians have offered up spontaneous performances whilst having a drink to unwind after their more formal concerts. With the help of good friends including Jim and Rowena, Ernie continues to play host to talented musicians from all over the world through Master Musicians International. Recitals are held throughout the year at Christ Church in North Shields on Friday evenings at 7:30pm. See the website for this year’s programme: https://mastermusicians.wordpress.com
