Knatchbull Concert
Many people recall the August Bank Holiday of 1979 when Nicholas Knatchbull, aged 14, was killed by an IRA bomb, alongside his grandfather, Lord Mountbatten, his grandmother, Doreen, Lady Brabourne, and Paul Maxwell, a fifteen year old helping out on the Mountbatten family's fishing boat. Nicholas, and his identical twin brother Timothy who survived the bomb, had left the Dragon School the previous summer. Their former class mates and everyone connected with the Dragon School were deeply shocked.
One of those class mates, Levon Parikian, is now an orchestra conductor. On hearing of the Nicholas Knatchbull Memorial Bursary appeal, he suggested holding a concert. A committee was formed under the chairmanship of John Marsh (OD 1953), and on May 16th 2004, the Knatchbull Concert was held at the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre, conducted by Lev Parikian, and sponsored by Guest Invest Ltd. Nicholas' parents, Lord Brabourne and Lady Mountbatten, were guests of honour.
Performers comprised members of the London Chamber Orchestra and stars connected to the Dragon, including the actor Robert Hardy (formerly a Dragon grandfather), the tenor Hal Cazalet (who left the Dragon in 1982) and the soprano Ann Mackay (a current Dragon parent). The Dragon School Choir performed a world premiere of 'Penny Toys'.
The reaction and support from the capacity audience of 250 was fantastic; profits from ticket sales totalled an estimated £30,000 and a further pledge of £10,000 was received on the night from one member of the audience. Advertising in the souvenir programme underwrote the entire cost of the evening, allowing all ticket sales to go to the appeal without deduction.
The evening was a unique occasion in the school’s cultural life, and was recorded on a double album CD. Please help us generate further funds by ordering copies for yourself and friends. Click here to order the CD. Production of the CD has been paid for by a benefactor, so every penny of the £15 price will go to Nicholas' memorial bursary.