Michael C. Brewer

Michael Curtis Brewer (born 1945) is a convicted sex offender[1] and former British music teacher and choral conductor. He was the founding musical director of the National Youth Choirs of Great Britain and had been Director of Music for Chetham's School of Music in the 1980s and early 1990s. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1995, but was stripped of the honour in 2013 following his conviction on five counts of indecent assault against a girl who had been one of his pupils. He was jailed for six years.

Life and career

Brewer began his career as a schoolteacher. In 1966 he was appointed Head of Music at the Royal Liberty Grammar School in Romford, London, where he established a large choir. During his time in Romford, he also founded the Havering Youth Choir. In 1969 he co-wrote an opera, The Sword In The Stone, a modern work based upon the legend of King Arthur. In 1970 he moved to become Head of Music at The Latymer School and was later Director of Music for Chetham's School of Music.

In 1983 he founded with Carl Browning the National Youth Choir of Great Britain.[2][3] Brewer also worked as a consultant for various UK choirs and was adjudicator for the finals of "Choir of the Year" and the National Festival of Music for Youth in the UK and in international competitions. In 1983, he conducted The World Youth Choir and was later a guest judge on the BBC programme Last Choir Standing.[4] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1995.[5]

Conviction

On 8 February 2013, Brewer and his former wife, Hilary Kay Brewer, were both found guilty of indecently assaulting a pupil at Chetham's School of Music between 1978 (when she was 14) and 1982.[6] A fortnight earlier, on 24 January 2013, the victim had died of an overdose of antidepressants after giving evidence during the trial;[7] it was unclear whether the overdose was accidental or she had committed suicide.[8] It was claimed by prosecutors that in a separate incident Brewer had been forced to resign from Chetham's in the 1990s after an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old girl.[9] In March 2013, Judge Martin Rudland sentenced Michael Brewer to six years imprisonment on five counts of indecent assault; he sentenced Hilary Brewer to 21 months.[10] On 28 May 2013, Brewer was stripped of his OBE.[11]

References
  1. Pidd, Helen (26 March 2013). "Chetham's music teacher Michael Brewer jailed for sexually abusing pupil". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  2. Helen Pidd (29 January 2013). "Choir master accused of raping girl admits affair with another pupil". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  3. "National Youth Choir of Great Britain". Singers.com. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  4. BBC (17 July 2008). Last Choir Standing: Interview with Mike Brewer. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  5. "No. 53893". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1994. p. 10.
  6. Osuh, Chris (8 February 2013). "Former Chetham's choirmaster found guilty of five counts of indecent assault". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  7. Pidd, Helen; Ibbotson, Philippa (8 February 2013). "Sexual abuse victim killed herself after giving evidence at choirmaster trial". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  8. "Frances Andrade failed by mental health services, says coroner". The Guardian. Press Association. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 15 December 2017 – via Theguardian.com.
  9. "Rape accused tutor Michael Brewer 'quit over pupil affair'". BBC News. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  10. BBC News, Chetham's choirmaster Michael Brewer jailed for sexual abuse, 26 March 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2013
  11. "Former Chetham's director Michael Brewer stripped of OBE". TheGuardian.com. 28 May 2013.
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