In honor of his 100th birthday, a Beatles violist marches 10 kilometers to collect money for an eye hospital
Kenneth Essex is a well-known violist who has had a long and famous musical career spanning nearly six decades. On July 19th, a day before his centenary birthday, he completed a 10-day walkathon to raise money for Moorfields Eye Hospital in London.
The virtuoso is helping to raise funds for a specialized eye hospital.
Kenneth was a former member of Hurwitz String Quartet which was created in 1946 by the prominent British violinist Emanuel Hurwitz. The group provided the instrumental background for the Beatles’ renowned song ‘Yesterday,’ which was recorded in the summer of 1965.
Kenneth wrote the theme song for the British sitcom Fawlty Towers in the 1970s, performed at the Royal Variety Performance, competed in multiple Eurovision competitions, and recorded a solo piece for the soundtrack of Meryl Streep’s 1981 romantic film ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman.’
The well-known chamber musician has collaborated with well-known artists and contributed to a film score.
‘Last of the Summer Wine,’ a long-running British sitcom, featured incidental music by the Muswell Hill resident. He is regarded as a highly respected figure in the classical music world due to his significant professional experience.
Kenneth Essex was born in Hinckley, a market town in southwest Leicestershire, on July 20, 1920, and reared there. Kenneth’s father, a baker and confectionary manager, encouraged him to enroll in violin lessons at his elementary school.
Kenneth’s music tutors quickly realized he possessed a great talent for the viola, and he went on to study at The Royal Academy of Music, the UK’s oldest conservatoire.
After taking tuition for six pence a session, the maestro developed a passion for music.
Kenneth spent six years in the Royal Marines during WWII, serving on the HMS Euryalus and HMS Belfast, before deciding to pursue music full-time. He joined the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra after being demobilized.
The veteran is currently receiving treatment for age-related macular degeneration, a kind of eye illness that is the major cause of vision loss in people over 60.
Kenneth pledged to walk two 500m increments a day for ten days in order to cover a distance of 10km as a way of expressing his thanks for the eye hospital’s services. Not only did he succeed in this endeavor, but he also surpassed his fundraising goal of £15,000, bringing the total to well over £17,000.
Robert Dufton, the chief executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital, complimented Kenneth’s outstanding volunteer work.
“Kenneth is an inspiration, and we are grateful for all of his help.” Macular degeneration research at Moorfields Eye Hospital and the University College London Institute of Ophthalmology will help us better understand this eye disease and improve the lives of people who are blind in the UK and around the world.”
Kenneth received a letter from the Queen on his 100th birthday, which he celebrated with his immediate family. Outside his North London home, he was greeted by his neighbors who sang “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow” and praised him on his fundraising efforts.
Kenneth has decided to bump up his donation objective to £20,000 due to the positive public response to his sponsored walk. Click here to learn more about Kenneth’s new objective and to assist him in achieving it.
