Drummond Cook, who has died aged 90 in Forres, devoted decades to music and culture in Scotland.
He was born in Leslie, Fife, where his father was a keen amateur singer and violinist and his mother taught music.
When he left school, Drummond trained as a watchmaker in Glasgow and then spent three years as an instrument technician in the RAF stationed at Kinloss.
In 1961, he drew together talent from the area to enter Forres in the Top Town talent competition held in Inverurie, which drew entries from across Scotland.
Victorious
Forres emerged winners that season and repeated the success the following year.
As Drummond’s wife, Edith, explained: “As producer, he was heavily involved in writing the script, designing the set and costumes as well as arranging all of the music for the shows.
“For the performances, he required dancers, singers, comedians and a pianist to play in the band and accompany the singers.”
The legendary success of the Forres Top Town team culminated with an invitation to appear on Grampian Television.
The shows ranged from Scotland (Mairi’s Wedding) to France, the Swiss Alps, the Romans, Upandoon (an adaptation of Brigadoon) and more.
The unbeaten Top Town team performed their three winning shows at Forres Town Hall to sold out audiences over the course of a week and even had to add extra shows.
Recording artists
Drummond’s Scottish Dance Band, which had formed the backbone of the Forres Top Town team, went on to play together for over 50 years for dances the length and breadth of Scotland and beyond and recorded two albums.
During the 1960s, Drummond began teaching violin at schools throughout Moray and formed Forres Academy Strathspey and Reel Group.
Edith was touched by the many former pupils who have, since Drummond’s death, expressed how much their lives were enriched by the fiddle group and many recalled the thrill of winning various competitions and travelling to Germany where they gave the first performance of Mair Licht, a piece written by Drummond to mark the twinning association link with Vienenburg.
“He composed many tunes throughout the years. Some were written for close friends, others for particular Scottish country dances but all of them with Drummond’s hallmark of originality and sound harmonic structure and rhythm,” said Edith.
Craftsman
A talented craftsman, Drummond also made beautiful stringed instruments. He crafted seven violins, a viola, a cello, a five-stringed violin, and even two unique electric instruments, one violin and one cello.
It was during preparations for the Top Town competition that Edith Fraser was suggested to Drummond as the ideal pianist for the show. The two became acquainted, married in 1970 and went on to have two of a family, Carol and Calum.
Musical success
A devoted family man, he was extremely proud of the musical achievements of his children. Carol is the principal violist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Calum is the principal cellist in the same orchestra.
Both play regularly with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Rembrandt Chamber Players.
“It gave us great pleasure to view the recent chamber concerts streamed live from Chicago,” said Edith. “As a classical musician, Drummond himself played viola in many orchestras and chamber groups over the years.”
Skilled
Aside from his musical achievements, many will also know Drummond as someone who had the solution to practical problems and would invent a fix for any mechanical failures.
About this diverse array of talents, Edith commented: “It has remained a puzzle to his family and friends how his minimal education empowered him to do such a variety of things in life. He designed and built our home, created a wind-powered archimedes screw which continues to solve the drainage problem in the garden and even in his 80s was called upon to mend the town clock.
“He was a humble, unassuming man and will be sorely missed by all.”
At Drummond’s funeral, a recording of slow air called Norah Fraser, composed by Drummond was played. It had been recorded for the occasion with his daughter Carol playing the viola, Calum the cello and accompanied on the piano by Edith.
You can read the family’s announcement here.
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