My father, John Nicholson, who has died aged 82, was director of music at the Scottish boarding school Gordonstoun over two fruitful decades.
The number of international music professionals who graduated during John’s era was incredibly high, and he had a gift for being able to match pupils to instruments, even ones they had never considered. The percussionist Chris Brannick recalled that John persuaded him into action by saying: “You’re a music scholar and we need a timpanist. Really, all you do is hit it!”
