Live Music Now ex-chief has died
mainWe’ve been informed of the death in Manchester of Christopher Yates, aged 76.
Chris was for many years Vice Principal of Royal Northern College of Music. He was also chair of the Musicians Benevolent Fund and Live Music Now.
LMN has tweeted: ‘His impact on our organisation was enormous, and he will be greatly missed.’
Our sympathies to his family and wide circle of friends.
So sorry to hear this news. Chris was a wonderful guy and a benevolent mentor to many at RNCM. He was Dean of Postgraduate Studies when I was there 1986-1989 and then let me hang around (using college facilities with or without John Manduell’s permission, I was never sure) for another three years, as he discreetly fostered and then became Board Chair of the Manchester International Festival of Expressionism 1992, ensuring its success.
He was a great encourager of student efforts and a happy facilitator. One funny memory of Chris sticks vividly in the memory, though: of him preventing a college intruder from fleeing by blocking the miscreant’s exit down the staircase simply by getting in the way (he was not a slender man) until the police could arrive.
Many will associate him with happier times @ RNCM, and his leadership @ the MBF and LMN will forever be remembered with enormous appreciation.
I really liked Chris. He was my Dean of Postgrad Studies at the RNCM, just before David, above. Never at a loss for a sardonic one-liner, he was also an extremely accomplished flautist.
All my old profs are disappearing. I don’t like it.