Chilling testimony from a Chetham’s sex victim

Chilling testimony from a Chetham’s sex victim

main

norman lebrecht

January 11, 2020

Campaigners for victims of sexual abuse at music schools have assembled a dossier of oral evidence on Christopher Ling, the influential violin teacher at Chethams who was facing 77 charges of student abuse at the time of his suicide in 2015.

The victim, known here as ‘Laura’, reflects with great calm and clarity on the ways that Ling tried to destroy her mind and her life.

Those in charge at Chet’s have never faced any court, or any disavowal by the music edication industry.

This remains a seeping wound at the heart of the music process.

‘I was a violinist and I was supposed to be sexy and attractive, that was my goal.’

Listen here. 

Comments

  • Nijinsky says:

    I wonder whether the amount of people stalking this site, wonder that their behavior quite often approaches the attempts here delineated in making others part of their fantasy, and when it doesn’t come out that way they resort to all the verbal abuses you read here.

    Is there a difference, when someone does something different than your fantasy to make out they should be their for your pleasure in a way different than their own nature, desires, wants etc..

    One person I won’t mention, for example, who played my music, was paid (I wasn’t, couldn’t be given the abuse I’ve suffered and the where it put me in society), she found it spot to call Jesse Norman someone she said “they” would call “just enormous,” who “they” then are…..

    How many more pages can I fill !?

    • V.Lind says:

      Probably depends how much more you imbibe. Most of your recent maunderings have been mad. Your last paragraph above is unintelligible.

  • One of many says:

    As a survivor, it’s too upsetting for me to listen to the testimony of victims. However, I thank you for the link, as it may be educational or informative to others.

    • Frank Chalmers says:

      The matters are still unresolved I feel. Even though the testimonies and evidence are now public, but the school has not properly confronted its own responsibilities going forward. Even though I was not in school during this period, the effect on all chets people – even now elderly ex students, is profound. How could it not be so? The reputation alone is sullied, the feelings of mutual hurt felt by ex students vicariously is deep. Chetham’s is a family, and people in our family have hurt and caused hurt. This remains unresolved, until the institution talks to all the injured parties.

  • Brian v says:

    Always a strange feeling when I go to the lunchtime master classes

  • Anon says:

    That first comment from the link to his suicide in 2015 didn’t age well.

  • MOST READ TODAY: