Valerie Watts

My friend and fellow bassoonist Valerie Watts has died of cancer aged 67. Valerie started to learn the bassoon at Wimbledon high school, south-west London, swiftly progressed to the Royal College of Music in 1961 and was soon a deputy in the Sadler's Wells Opera Orchestra.When a position became vacant, she was offered a full-time job and stayed with the orchestra for five years. She then became a freelance bassoon and contra player and was often to be seen cycling round Marble Arch, in central ...

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