Life Before RHS – Jess E
Back with the weekly feature of Life Before RHS, what’s in store for readers this week? A member of staff who’s led orchestras, sworn to never enter the world of teaching, and had their very own musical performed in the West End. Read below to find out more!
Mr Martineau – Assistant Head co- curricular and teacher of music
Favourite Memory Before RHS?
”When I was Director of Music at Warminster School, I somehow managed to secure the UK amateur premiere of The Phantom of the Opera — my all-time favourite musical. I directed, produced and conducted it myself, standing at the front of the stage leading the orchestra and chorus. The moment when the chandelier came crashing down, the cast sang at full power and pyrotechnics exploded everywhere was pure theatre magic — honestly one of the greatest moments of my career.”
What Was Your School Career Like?
“I kicked off my musical life as a chorister at Westminster Abbey, in a school so tiny it had just 33 pupils. Every one of us sang daily services, TV broadcasts and royal events under the Abbey’s enormous arches — not a bad classroom! From there I went to Uppingham School as a music scholar, where I wrote my first musical. It was performed by the school and even had a week-long run in the West End. I loved school — and I’m a teacher today because of the incredible music teachers who inspired me back then.”
Did You Always Want to Work in Education?
“Not in the slightest! At university I avoided every module that even hinted at teaching. My plan was to work in technical theatre — maybe producing or stage-managing in the West End. Then one morning, stuck for two hours on the 7:36 train from Sevenoaks to Charing Cross, I suddenly realised how much I missed making music. By the time the train reached London, I’d decided to train as a teacher. It was meant to be a short stopgap… and 26 years later, here I still am.”
Something Not Many People Know About You …
“My first professional musical “gig” was as a child chorister in the Oscar-winning film Amadeus. I’m on screen for about four seconds — blink and you’ll miss me — but it still technically counts!”
Fun Fact:
“Before RHS, I worked at Aiglon College in Switzerland, where music and mountains collided in the best way possible. My tutor group and choir once hiked to the top of a mountain and performed at the summit. Slightly short of breath, but utterly unforgettable!”
Mr Martineau at the top of the mountain!
Today, Mr Martineau is now Assistant Head Co-Curricular at RHS, where he still hasn’t entirely ruled out a Phantom sequel — chandelier and all.
That’s it for this week on ‘Life Before RHS’ if you want to know more secret insights into the life of your teachers before they became a part of RHS, come back next week for an insight into another member of staff!
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