A forgotten Hepworth and an important musical partnership – Bryanston approaches its centenary with an artistic flourish
© Bryanston School
A list of old Bryanstonians has many famous names – artists, musicians, actors, designers and film-makers, including Lucian Freud, Howard Hodgkin, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Terence Conran. It’s a legacy that goes back to the foundation of Bryanston School at Blandford nearly a century ago, and the tradition continues, recently boosted by the rediscovery of an important work by one of Britain’s greatest sculptors.
Barbara Hepworth’s Single Form (1962) has been living quietly in the study of the current head teacher, Richard Jones, enjoyed but overlooked in the way that things that are always there tend to be. It was spotted and recognised by the school’s newly-appointed archivist, Laura Sweetenham, during an update of the school’s artefact register.
The polished bronze sculpture came to Bryanston in 1975 as a bequest by a former governor, to inspire future generations of creative arts students. Now it is awaiting sale at Duke’s auctioneers in Dorchester on 17th April, and the proceeds will fund bursaries so that more talented youngsters can benefit from the exceptional creative provision at the school.
The exciting news about the Hepworth sculpture was followed in mid-January by the official announcement of a partnership between Bryanston’s music department and the London-based conservatoire, Trinity Laban. The collaboration will offer Bryanston’s existing and incoming Sixth Form pupils regular access to Trinity Laban’s world-class professors, and opportunities to visit the conservatoire, helping to prepare them for future pathways in professional music education.
He is celebrated in the name of the art department building.
He carved the names above the main corridor assignment rooms and created a tree of life sculpture outside the Coade Hall
Through tailored mentorship, pupils will receive expert guidance on audition techniques and essential skills required to excel as musicians. This will be ‘an invaluable opportunity for our music students. It allows them to connect with professional musicians and experience real-life conservatoire settings,’ says Xavier Iles, Bryanston’s director of music. ‘The partnership marks an exciting chapter for Bryanston’s music department, blending inspiration, education and opportunity for our musicians.’
Bryanston’s creative life has also been boosted by the launch of an arts advisory board, made up of former alumni who are all prominent figures in the arts and entertainment industry. They include Mark Wigglesworth, new chief conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, actress Emilia Fox, best known for her long-running role as Dr Nikki Alexander in Silent Witness, music producer Jake Gosling, known for his work with artists including Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga, Matthew Clyde, an executive producer at RiffRaff US, Kate Rothschild, head of UK operations for Roc Nation (founded by Jay-Z), contemporary artist Nina Brooke, and writer and executive producer Francesca Gardiner, whose work includes His Dark Materials, Succession and Killing Eve and who is working on the new television adaptation of Harry Potter.
Bridging a gap
The sculpture Single Form is an important work by Barbara Hepworth, acknowledged as the leading British female sculptor of the 20th century.
It was inspired by her 1937 carving of the same name, in lignum vitae. This work is part of the Hepworth Estate and is currently displayed at the Courtauld Gallery in London. The rediscovery bridges a 50-year gap in the artwork’s history. It was originally donated by Hepworth to a Save the Children charity auction in 1963, where the former Bryanston governor bid for it – and subsequently bequeathed it to the school.
Until recently, the Hepworth Estate had had no trace of the sculpture since the governor’s death in 1975.
Bryanston head Richard Jones says: ‘The rediscovery of this statue means we have the exciting prospect of providing opportunities for talented students who might not otherwise be able to benefit from a Bryanston education. Auctioning this historical artwork embodies our ethos and longstanding motto ‘et nova et vetera’, the new and the old, and honours the original intention behind the donation, which was to inspire young people.’
As Bryanston approaches its centenary in 2028, Mr Jones, who has been the school’s head for three years, sees an ever-growing role for its creative contribution to the community.
The arts have always been a core part of the school’s offering, he says, always supported by previous heads. ‘The school has always had a strong arts ethos. With our new arts advisory board, we can keep this growing and developing.’
He is well aware how lucky the school’s pupils are to have arts education provided by practising artists and musicians, with a breadth of experience and experience, and facilities including the world-class music department, the Coade Hall theatre and the state-of-the-art, purpose-built art department.
Many of these facilities are shared with the local community for events that include Dorset Opera Festival, theatre, concerts, films and talks.
There is, he says, a difference between the cultural and creative provision possible at a school like Bryanston and the “depleted creative curriculum” in many state schools. ‘We are always looking outwards as a school. We are lucky here and we want to be a creative hub for the south west. We want our offering to be as good as it can be for our own pupils, but we also want to enrich the lives of the community. What can we be doing to help the community more widely?’
This commitment is summed up on the school’s website: ‘By actively engaging with the broader community, we aim to showcase the positive impact of our approach, ethos and state-of-the-art facilities. Beyond the school, we actively collaborate with educational, cultural and social initiatives.
‘Our involvement in the Blandford Schools’ Network and close ties with local prep schools exemplify our commitment to supporting and working with neighbouring educational institutions.
‘We take great pride in actively contributing to our local community. Through resource sharing, partnerships with other schools and support for local initiatives, we strive to make a positive impact.’
