Passion for music strikes a chord

Jeffery began as a percussionist, then moved to clarinet and saxophone

Whether he is composing, conducting, playing or teaching, music is an 'incurable' passion for one Essex man.

Jeffery Wilson, who lives in Boreham, has been composer in residence in up to 12 European cities and travelled around the world as a performer.

In addition he teaches and adjudicates at several colleges around the country and organises concerts across Essex.

"Music is a universe and everybody seems to know everybody. And it's a passport, it gets you around," he said.

"Although I am an Essex man, I feel like I have an RAF accent - I've been around quite a bit because it simply takes you around the world."

Jeffery's time is split between composing, conducting and teaching at establishments such as Trinity College of Music and Guildhall School.

He also plays a variety of instruments, notably saxophone and clarinet, and has recorded a number of albums.

It's not so much that I'm hunting around trying to find a tune, it's that I'm hunting around trying to find time to write down the tunes Jeffery Wilson

He admits he has no preference to any particular aspect of music, explaining that each one feeds off the other.

"They're sort of intertwined - I can't live without any of them," he said.

His total love for music means he is never short of ideas for new compositions and is always learning new things.

"It's a disease, I tell all my pupils that," he said.

"When I started I didn't really know what I was doing, then somebody very kindly teaches you how.

"Then you learn still more as you get older and you've got that disease and it's incurable.

"So it's not so much that I'm hunting around trying to find a tune, it's that I'm hunting around trying to find time to write down the tunes."

Jeffery says he has no particular favourite genre of music

Jazz Extra

Another string to Jeffery's bow is as organiser of a series of concerts at the Cramphorn Theatre in Chelmsford.

This autumn sees the introduction of Jazz Extra, the first of which takes place on Sunday, 25 October.

"I've done Classical Extra before and of course the lunchtime concerts, but I thought we'd better give it a different tag this time and go jazz," he said.

"The reason I've cultivated this one is because I've conducted the Hertfordshire Youth Jazz Ensemble and they're great kids who are learning how to come out of their environment to play in another one.

"I can't tell you what a joy it is to see young faces enter a theatre - the smell of it, the look of it, the feel of it."