Andrew Green (Staff, 1975-2009) died in October 2022, aged 72. Andrew came from a small village near Barnsley and showed great musical talent from an early age – he was soon adept at playing piano, recorder, organ and violin, for example. He progressed to gaining a 1st in Music at Newcastle University, where he impressed not only by the breadth of his grasp of all things musical, but also by his amazing commitment to the subject, and his energy in pursuing a wide range of musical activities. Having opted to move into teaching, after a period on post-graduate study at Newcastle, he joined the staff at King’s, which was to be his only school, in 1975, duly becoming Director of Music in 1983.

Throughout, high standards of academic attainment were secured by the small number of students who opted to take the subject in public examinations, but Andrew also was able to lead a music department that undoubtedly flourished in all its aspects under his leadership. He managed the not inconsiderable feat of making his subject come alive for very large numbers of not always initially willing non-specialists, as well as inspiring and providing opportunities for huge numbers of individual pupils to develop their talents in the subject through the school’s extremely broad programme of individual tuition. Choirs and orchestras also flourished at King’s under Andrew’s guidance, and indeed gained national recognition for their consistent high standards.

There were far too many outstanding school productions to name, too – though it would be remiss not to highlight how Andrew’s sense of humour was well reflected in his ability to persuade four members of the senior management of the school at the time to dress as cleaning ladies and perform the solo parts for three vacuum cleaners and a carpet sweeper in Malcolm Arnold’s ‘Grand, Grand Overture’! Outside school, too, Andrew was exceptionally busy, performing with, and directing, several choirs and orchestras locally. Non-musical relaxation, especially in later life, aside from his committed life as an active Christian, came on the golf course, where he was a highly respected member of Macclesfield Golf Club.