London horn player is held in Chile

London horn player is held in Chile

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norman lebrecht

June 28, 2015

Alexander Harrild, 29, was arrested for drug trafficking in Santiago and is reported to have pleaded guilty. He faces a possible five-year sentence.

Alexander, a graduate of the National Youth Orchestra, plays in the Santiago Philharmonic.

His father, LSO principal tuba and ex-chairman Patrick Harrild, few out to Chile after his arrest and has since returned.

alex harrild

Comments

  • Tim Walton says:

    That’s what happens when you are stupid.

  • Dismissed Employee 12 says:

    Now lets see, at which specialist music school did this silly boy study music?
    Oh yes, of course, the PURCELL School!!
    It was here during sixth form, his parents were regularly called in [redacted]
    In fact, we recall, the school management turning a blind eye and deaf ears, (as was/still IS the Purcellian way of dealing with the many reccurances of drugs, paedophilia between pupils and teachers, and alcoholism) [redacted]

    Admittedly, the then hapless Head, John Tolputt, and Chairman of Governors, Graham Smallbone (who interestingly also sat on the governing body of Harrild’s previous school, Dulwich College) were forced to dismiss him [redacted]

    Maybe if The Head and Guvs had enforced a more realistic policy over such issues and dealt with this issue then, (rather than the usual Purcell way of waiting for a disaster to happen before acting and covering up serious issues that might paint The Purcell and Dulwich Schools in a bad light) then Mr Harrild might not be facing a prison sentence now…….

    We blame the Purcell School’s incompetent bad management and ongoing cover ups………

    • Tim Walton says:

      That’ all very well, and I agree with most of it. I am sprprised about Graham Smallbone as in the late 1970’s he was my choirmaster (Windsor and Eton Choral Society).

      BUT, Alexander Harrild is 29 years old. I presume he has a brain. Didhe just not use it this time!

      • Dismissed Employee 12 says:

        Just because Graham Smallbone was chorusmaster for your choral society Tim, doesn’t mean he was exempt from sweeping such issues under the carpet – particularly, if they were to reflect his judgement and responsibilities, as he did at Purcell School when he allowed a Head (Peter Crook), to return to working with children at the school, following two investigations of verbal sexual abuse by police & social services…….
        Mr Smallbone was also Head of Music at Eton, Cheltenham College, Head of Oakham School and sat on the Governing bodies of The National Youth Orchestra, Purcell and Menhuin Music schools, during which time, he was known for his bullying autocratic style of management – unacceptable tactics he allowed subsequent Heads of Purcell he appointed, to adopt and support.
        As former Chair of the Governors at Purcell, he is mainly to blame for it’s current demise and low status.

        If he hadn’t bullishly ignored advice and common sense, by not allowing a Headmaster who had been investigated twice for paedophilia return to lead this music school, then
        The Purcell School might still be the flourishing and happy music school with the outstanding reputation it once enjoyed…..

        • Tim Walton says:

          I agree with you and didn’t mean to imply that anything that happened after I knew him (He was at Eton when I knew him) was acceptable. I can only say that when I knew him he was a brilliant choirmaster. We were of course all adults in the choir.

          If what you say is correct and I have no reason to disagree with you, only that I wasn’t aware of anything you have said, so thank you for providing this information.

  • pandora says:

    ustedes no lo conocen asi que no pueden decir nada que tire la piedra el que este libre de pecado !!!!
    que facil juzgar a alguien cuando no se sabe el transfondo por favor no hablen de el es una exelente persona
    nadie es perfecto alexander harrild es una persona muy inteligente y buena yo estoy apollandolo

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