A popular Moray music instructor has brought the curtain down on a career spanning more than 30 years with a moving celebration concert.
John Mustard has shared his passion for the arts with generations of youngsters, many of whom have gone on to become professional musicians.
At the weekend, about 20 of them travelled from across the country to turn out once again with their mentor for the annual Moray Music Centre concerts – the final of which featured Mr Mustard at the helm.
The line-up joined current students for a rousing rendition of Deep Purple’s rock anthem Smoke on the Water after the programme, which featured a mix of classical pieces and pop songs.
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Some of the ensemble were part of Mr Mustard’s first intake of pupils when he was teaching at West End Primary School in the 1980s.
Yesterday, the respected cellist described the sight of former students meeting again after many years apart as one of the highlights from the Elgin Academy concerts.
He said: “It was so much fun. The thing that struck me the most was seeing them all, particularly the older ones, reconnecting after many years apart.
“The music centre has always had a fun social element and it was so nice to see that has stuck with them after all this time.
“Some of them I might only send an odd e-mail to now and again, so it means a lot to see they had made such an effort to come up for it.”
The musician now has just two weeks remaining of his career with Moray Council after quitting in protest at an 85% increase in tuition fees as part of the authority’s budget for the forthcoming financial year.
Although the rise was later restricted to 10% amid fears of a mass exodus from the service, Mr Mustard explained his original decision, prompted by fears that access to a life-long passion could soon prove unaffordable to many, was “final”.
He added: “This certainly wasn’t the way I intended to end my career, but if I had planned a send-off, then I couldn’t have planned it better than the one I got.”
