Featured Singer: Maureen Trowbridge

MAUREEN  TROWBRIDGE

Although Maureen was born in West Bromwich, she moved at six months to Hendon and has spent the rest of her life south of Watford. Maureen’s parents were both musical, and between them founded a community choir shortly after the war. Rehearsals often took place in their house. Music in the home was therefore an important factor in developing Maureen’s eclectic love of music, and this was reinforced by her membership of the Highgate’s Children Opera Group. This offered great advantages for children from poorer families, with voice training and touring productions, including singing at Wigmore Hall. Her coeducational Grammar school had a strong music tradition and was also an important influence. The School Choir sang a range of part songs, both from a folk and classical tradition . The choir featured regularly  for the BBC’s schools programme, and in addition took part in music festivals and touring. This enabled Maureen to  perform in Berlin on two occasions, one on the radio – all  before the Wall went up!

While much of her early musical experience was in the classical tradition, Maureen’s teens coincided with the explosion of pop music in the sixties. Her musical tastes were broadened with frequent concert attendance – including Gilbert and Sullivan operas performed by the D’Oyley Carte Opera Company at the Golders Green Hippodrome.

Maureen left school after A levels and her first significant job was as PA to the Technical Director of Reed Paper Group based in Piccadilly. She married in 1967, and started work locally in the public library service, and joined Barnet Choral Society performing a normal choral repertoire. She has two children Gemma and Ben, both are musical. Maureen was eight and half months pregnant when she performed Elijah, so it isn’t surprising that Gemma has a music degree.

When her husband’s work brought the family to Maidstone, Maureen joined MCU singing with them until recently. She also joined the Weald Singers for a while and some 18 years ago joined Kent Chamber Choir and still sings with them. With 2 children in MYMS and singing with MCU, music was a central feature of a busy life, and also an important source of support following her divorce. When Jeffrey offered the opportunity to join The Maidstone Singers as a founder member, Maureen grasped it with relish, and has many fond memories of concerts and tours. She has only missed two tours which combine her love of travel while affording the opportunity to perform great music in very special places.

Since moving to Maidstone Maureen had many jobs as a single parent working in a local book-shop/picture framer  and as a lunch-time supervisor in a local girls’ grammar school, a cycling proficiency officer,  and as an invigilation officer over exams at a local college.  When her children were older she worked for Kent County Council as a Technical Assistant in the department involving Highways and Transportation for 16 years in  Springfield and Aylesford.

Maureen met David Trowbridge many years ago, became partners some 18 years ago, and married in June 2014. Maureen loves being with her extended family, reading, going to concerts, opera and ballet, cinema, theatre, gardening ( as much as her severely arthritic back will allow), socializing with retired friends and, of course, singing.

Maureen says her philosophy can be captured by “Life ain’t what you might want but it’s all you’ve got, so stick a geranium in your ‘at and be happy!” and  “With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she shall have music wherever she goes.”