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| Chetham's school of music: former pupils speak out | Chetham's school of music: former pupils speak out |
| (8 days later) | |
| Woman A | Woman A |
| Chris Ling drove a wedge between my parents and me, which was the beginning of the grooming process. He quickly became a guru in my eyes and I went from being a normal, happy child that hated practising the violin into a child that practised the violin between 10 and 12 hours a day. I became isolated from my family and friends and he took control of my life, saying that he would be there to support me if I got pregnant etc. | Chris Ling drove a wedge between my parents and me, which was the beginning of the grooming process. He quickly became a guru in my eyes and I went from being a normal, happy child that hated practising the violin into a child that practised the violin between 10 and 12 hours a day. I became isolated from my family and friends and he took control of my life, saying that he would be there to support me if I got pregnant etc. |
| He was obsessed with sex and his teaching seemed to revolve around it; he asked me in one lesson to play a piece of music and pretend that I was having an orgasm. I wasn't yet a teenager. He would question my desire to be a fantastic violinist by saying "if I told you that running down the street naked would turn you into a great violinist, would you do it?" He also used to give me money if I achieved various weekly goals. It was strange. On one level I felt extremely uncomfortable but on another level, I loved and adored him and needed him. I finally started to have lessons at his house in Manchester; he'd told my father that I was more comfortable there. I arrived at one lesson to find that he had clothes laid out on the bed, which he proceeded to dress me up in. In another lesson, he was clearly obsessed with my breasts and I remember him putting his hands under my t-shirt and fondling my breasts, even though I wasn't very well developed. I was feeling violated but was too young to really understand what was going on.He approached my father to ask if I could go and live and study with him in America. I was only 13. My father, rightly said no. | He was obsessed with sex and his teaching seemed to revolve around it; he asked me in one lesson to play a piece of music and pretend that I was having an orgasm. I wasn't yet a teenager. He would question my desire to be a fantastic violinist by saying "if I told you that running down the street naked would turn you into a great violinist, would you do it?" He also used to give me money if I achieved various weekly goals. It was strange. On one level I felt extremely uncomfortable but on another level, I loved and adored him and needed him. I finally started to have lessons at his house in Manchester; he'd told my father that I was more comfortable there. I arrived at one lesson to find that he had clothes laid out on the bed, which he proceeded to dress me up in. In another lesson, he was clearly obsessed with my breasts and I remember him putting his hands under my t-shirt and fondling my breasts, even though I wasn't very well developed. I was feeling violated but was too young to really understand what was going on.He approached my father to ask if I could go and live and study with him in America. I was only 13. My father, rightly said no. |
| The one thing that I cannot stress enough is the enormous impact this has had on my life. I've been anorexic, bulimic and have abused alcohol. I've suffered from depression for years and was unable to even touch the violin for seven years after leaving music college. | The one thing that I cannot stress enough is the enormous impact this has had on my life. I've been anorexic, bulimic and have abused alcohol. I've suffered from depression for years and was unable to even touch the violin for seven years after leaving music college. |
| Woman B | Woman B |
| Chris Ling started teaching me when I was 14 but I was 15 when he started to abuse me. It happened first when I stayed over at his house in Reading after a concert. I remember him saying, "Oh, you must be tired and stressed out, let me give you a massage." I agreed and soon it went way beyond a normal massage. He started with my shoulders and then told me to turn over so I was lying on my back. | Chris Ling started teaching me when I was 14 but I was 15 when he started to abuse me. It happened first when I stayed over at his house in Reading after a concert. I remember him saying, "Oh, you must be tired and stressed out, let me give you a massage." I agreed and soon it went way beyond a normal massage. He started with my shoulders and then told me to turn over so I was lying on my back. |
| Then he started massaging my breasts. He didn't leap on top of me. He knew how it works with blame. He made me feel like it was my fault. I didn't say anything because I felt such an idiot. | Then he started massaging my breasts. He didn't leap on top of me. He knew how it works with blame. He made me feel like it was my fault. I didn't say anything because I felt such an idiot. |
| Then we went to his bedroom and he started kissing me so violently, it felt like I was going to choke. He wanted to teach me how to give him a handjob. He put my hand on his penis and showed me what to do. Then he asked me for oral sex and I said no – I knew what that was. He didn't force me but he asked me quite a few times. He started fingering me, asking 'do you like that?' It was repulsive but I didn't know what to do. I remember he ejaculated on my back. | Then we went to his bedroom and he started kissing me so violently, it felt like I was going to choke. He wanted to teach me how to give him a handjob. He put my hand on his penis and showed me what to do. Then he asked me for oral sex and I said no – I knew what that was. He didn't force me but he asked me quite a few times. He started fingering me, asking 'do you like that?' It was repulsive but I didn't know what to do. I remember he ejaculated on my back. |
| I was so confused. I didn't know what to think. Does it mean he likes me? I thought that if people did sexual things then it meant they loved each other. | I was so confused. I didn't know what to think. Does it mean he likes me? I thought that if people did sexual things then it meant they loved each other. |
| The next day he came to talk to me about it and said it was a very natural thing between a man and a woman. I asked him what about his girlfriend? He said it wasn't anything to do with her and was a natural thing. | The next day he came to talk to me about it and said it was a very natural thing between a man and a woman. I asked him what about his girlfriend? He said it wasn't anything to do with her and was a natural thing. |
| After that he would grope me from time to time. He used to invite me to the "coffee cupboard", a horrid little cubbyhole along the corridor from Mike Brewer's office. There, he used to drag down my top and play with my breasts. | After that he would grope me from time to time. He used to invite me to the "coffee cupboard", a horrid little cubbyhole along the corridor from Mike Brewer's office. There, he used to drag down my top and play with my breasts. |
| The last time he groped me was at his house in Reading while his girlfriend was downstairs, crying. I remember seeing her crying and then going upstairs and he started dragging up my bra. I said no and he never touched me again. | The last time he groped me was at his house in Reading while his girlfriend was downstairs, crying. I remember seeing her crying and then going upstairs and he started dragging up my bra. I said no and he never touched me again. |
| Woman C | Woman C |
| Chris Ling didn't abuse me straight away but after a while he asked me to play naked. I refused, I was such a shy girl and the thought of being naked in front of anyone was unthinkable for me at the time. I was 15 or 16. | Chris Ling didn't abuse me straight away but after a while he asked me to play naked. I refused, I was such a shy girl and the thought of being naked in front of anyone was unthinkable for me at the time. I was 15 or 16. |
| He used to take me to the pub in Manchester and out to dinner and would buy me little presents. I remember once he tried to buy me underwear but I was too embarrassed and so he bought me a coat instead. | He used to take me to the pub in Manchester and out to dinner and would buy me little presents. I remember once he tried to buy me underwear but I was too embarrassed and so he bought me a coat instead. |
| During the holidays I went for private lessons at his house in Reading. He had a photography studio set up and asked if he could naked pictures of me – it was "perfectly normal", he said. He showed me photos he had taken of other students and told me he had taken pictures of naked pupils before. | During the holidays I went for private lessons at his house in Reading. He had a photography studio set up and asked if he could naked pictures of me – it was "perfectly normal", he said. He showed me photos he had taken of other students and told me he had taken pictures of naked pupils before. |
| I remember he had a whole shelf of books about mind games and hypnosis. | I remember he had a whole shelf of books about mind games and hypnosis. |
| When he was supposed to be giving me private lessons at his house when I was about 16 he would take me for boozy lunches then make me play strip poker. He would get fully naked but I always kept my underwear on. He asked me to spank him, along with other acts. One time I remember he pushed it too far and I threatened to go out into the close and scream "RAPE!" | When he was supposed to be giving me private lessons at his house when I was about 16 he would take me for boozy lunches then make me play strip poker. He would get fully naked but I always kept my underwear on. He asked me to spank him, along with other acts. One time I remember he pushed it too far and I threatened to go out into the close and scream "RAPE!" |
| Later on, I remember after a concert me and some other girls stayed at his house. He gave us all so much alcohol that one girl was sick. That night, he came into my room and tried to make me have sex with him, but I lay still and pretended to be asleep. He left the room and I heard him try the same with other pupils and then he got into his double bed with one girl. Suddenly it dawned on me that I wasn't the only one. He had always implied that he was only interested in me, but suddenly it became completely clear to me what he was doing. Some of these girls were much younger than me. | Later on, I remember after a concert me and some other girls stayed at his house. He gave us all so much alcohol that one girl was sick. That night, he came into my room and tried to make me have sex with him, but I lay still and pretended to be asleep. He left the room and I heard him try the same with other pupils and then he got into his double bed with one girl. Suddenly it dawned on me that I wasn't the only one. He had always implied that he was only interested in me, but suddenly it became completely clear to me what he was doing. Some of these girls were much younger than me. |
| He used to boast that there were other teachers having relationships with pupils. He said even Mike Brewer had a girl. | He used to boast that there were other teachers having relationships with pupils. He said even Mike Brewer had a girl. |
| He was so brazen about it. It was so out in the open. It was as though he didn't see that he was doing anything wrong. He seemed to think it was one of the perks of the job to take advantage of these naïve girls shut up in this hot-house environment. It seemed to be open season for him. Now I think: how dare he do that to me? How dare he do that to my friends? How did the school not ask what was going on? I was always crying upstairs and yet my housemistress never asked what was wrong with me." | He was so brazen about it. It was so out in the open. It was as though he didn't see that he was doing anything wrong. He seemed to think it was one of the perks of the job to take advantage of these naïve girls shut up in this hot-house environment. It seemed to be open season for him. Now I think: how dare he do that to me? How dare he do that to my friends? How did the school not ask what was going on? I was always crying upstairs and yet my housemistress never asked what was wrong with me." |
| Woman D | Woman D |
| I spent seven years at Chet's between 1979 and 1986 and believe I was there when it was at its worst – was a den of iniquity. There was an abject lack of boundaries between staff and pupils, alcohol and drug abuse as standard, and the absence of any properly ordered discipline.In many cases, teachers could not empathise with the intensity of experience which us vulnerable, exceptionally talented and, in at least some cases, highly strung and damaged young people were having. Simply put, an utter shambles, and a dangerous one at that. | I spent seven years at Chet's between 1979 and 1986 and believe I was there when it was at its worst – was a den of iniquity. There was an abject lack of boundaries between staff and pupils, alcohol and drug abuse as standard, and the absence of any properly ordered discipline.In many cases, teachers could not empathise with the intensity of experience which us vulnerable, exceptionally talented and, in at least some cases, highly strung and damaged young people were having. Simply put, an utter shambles, and a dangerous one at that. |
| I myself was groomed over a period of some 18 months by Ling, who subsequently went on to target my best friend and various other girls in a horribly calculated way. I wasn't even his pupil but he zoomed in on me straight away, as soon as he arrived. I was about 13 but he used to take me out in his two-seater sports car and we would go for dinner or to the pub. I would often sneak out of my boarding house to the Mitre, a hotel near Manchester cathedral, where he used to stay before he got a house up there. He kissed me a few times but it didn't go any further than that because he soon dropped me for one of my best friends, another school girl .By the time I left at 17 (like Frances Andrade, I threw in the towel a year early) I was a fractured, disordered, unbalanced mess. Much of my adult life, despite career success and an outward patina of calm authority, has been marked by suicidal depression, anxiety, self harm and a total inability to form meaningful, adult relationships. Responsibility for much of this I land squarely at Chets' door. | I myself was groomed over a period of some 18 months by Ling, who subsequently went on to target my best friend and various other girls in a horribly calculated way. I wasn't even his pupil but he zoomed in on me straight away, as soon as he arrived. I was about 13 but he used to take me out in his two-seater sports car and we would go for dinner or to the pub. I would often sneak out of my boarding house to the Mitre, a hotel near Manchester cathedral, where he used to stay before he got a house up there. He kissed me a few times but it didn't go any further than that because he soon dropped me for one of my best friends, another school girl .By the time I left at 17 (like Frances Andrade, I threw in the towel a year early) I was a fractured, disordered, unbalanced mess. Much of my adult life, despite career success and an outward patina of calm authority, has been marked by suicidal depression, anxiety, self harm and a total inability to form meaningful, adult relationships. Responsibility for much of this I land squarely at Chets' door. |
| Woman E | Woman E |
| I joined Chetham's in the late 1980s. Chris Ling was at my audition and immediately insisted I join Chet's and that he would be my teacher. There was a cult of personality around him. People loved him and treated him like some sort of god. | I joined Chetham's in the late 1980s. Chris Ling was at my audition and immediately insisted I join Chet's and that he would be my teacher. There was a cult of personality around him. People loved him and treated him like some sort of god. |
| He abused me at a music course at his house in Reading when I was 13. There were other girls there and he used to give us alcohol and make us watch scary films. I remember when I was sleeping in the attic room he told me and another girl that the house was haunted and we were so frightened. | He abused me at a music course at his house in Reading when I was 13. There were other girls there and he used to give us alcohol and make us watch scary films. I remember when I was sleeping in the attic room he told me and another girl that the house was haunted and we were so frightened. |
| On the last day, in a private lesson, he introduced the idea of rewarding my good playing with money, and punishing any mistakes. I think he offered me a pound for every phrase I got right, and then said that if I was getting a reward for doing well, there also ought to be a punishment for playing badly. He asked me something like: 'how would they punish bad girls in the olden days?' and I think I might have even volunteered that they would have got a smacked bottom. I remember then getting a bit wrong in my piece and him putting me over his lap, pulling up my dress and pulling down my pants and spanking me. It happened more than once. | On the last day, in a private lesson, he introduced the idea of rewarding my good playing with money, and punishing any mistakes. I think he offered me a pound for every phrase I got right, and then said that if I was getting a reward for doing well, there also ought to be a punishment for playing badly. He asked me something like: 'how would they punish bad girls in the olden days?' and I think I might have even volunteered that they would have got a smacked bottom. I remember then getting a bit wrong in my piece and him putting me over his lap, pulling up my dress and pulling down my pants and spanking me. It happened more than once. |
| I didn't know what was happening but I think I knew that it was perverted and I felt horrible. I remember he said to me, "do you think you will tell your mum about this?", in such a way that I agreed that no, I wouldn't. And I remember being in the car on the way back knowing that I should tell my mum but couldn't. | I didn't know what was happening but I think I knew that it was perverted and I felt horrible. I remember he said to me, "do you think you will tell your mum about this?", in such a way that I agreed that no, I wouldn't. And I remember being in the car on the way back knowing that I should tell my mum but couldn't. |
| Woman F | Woman F |
| I only attended Chetham's when I was a sixth former, between 1988 and 1990, so I was older than most of Chris Ling's other pupils when I first started with him. Very quickly he said to me something like: "If I told you that you had to play naked in your lesson in front of me, for me to tell you what was wrong with your technique, what would you say?" | I only attended Chetham's when I was a sixth former, between 1988 and 1990, so I was older than most of Chris Ling's other pupils when I first started with him. Very quickly he said to me something like: "If I told you that you had to play naked in your lesson in front of me, for me to tell you what was wrong with your technique, what would you say?" |
| I told him I wouldn't stand for it and he never asked me again, but it made me wonder what else he was up to. Along with a friend of mine, I started discreetly asking around other girls who were being taught by Chris Ling. We were disgusted with what we heard and jotted everything down in a notepad and went to see John Vallins, the head at the time. I remember him saying that he would look into it, but I never heard of any action being taken. I do remember that Ling was confronted with certain allegations against him that he said something very perverse, looking back on it. He said: "Why would I do that when I'm getting married this summer?" In the summer of 1989, he married Pip Clarke, who had been his pupil at Chetham's. | I told him I wouldn't stand for it and he never asked me again, but it made me wonder what else he was up to. Along with a friend of mine, I started discreetly asking around other girls who were being taught by Chris Ling. We were disgusted with what we heard and jotted everything down in a notepad and went to see John Vallins, the head at the time. I remember him saying that he would look into it, but I never heard of any action being taken. I do remember that Ling was confronted with certain allegations against him that he said something very perverse, looking back on it. He said: "Why would I do that when I'm getting married this summer?" In the summer of 1989, he married Pip Clarke, who had been his pupil at Chetham's. |
| I do remember another girl plucked up the courage to complain about Ling too, but her complaints were also brushed off. | I do remember another girl plucked up the courage to complain about Ling too, but her complaints were also brushed off. |
| After leaving the school I did eventually become a musician but that was in spite of, not because of, Chetham's. Somehow I was able to regain the notion that music is pure and wonderful, while Chet's made it dark and hideous. | After leaving the school I did eventually become a musician but that was in spite of, not because of, Chetham's. Somehow I was able to regain the notion that music is pure and wonderful, while Chet's made it dark and hideous. |
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