My Yorkshire: Dame Fanny Waterman

Dame Fanny Waterman, founder, chairman and artistic director of Leeds International Pianoforte Competition is still celebrating her 90th birthday, which was in March. A Freeman of the City of Leeds, Director of Harrogate Festival, she travels worldwide, seeking the cream of concert pianists.

What's your first memory of being outdoors?

I was about four. I came from an impoverished family and we never went on holiday, we couldn't afford to, but the treat was to go to Roundhay Park. I always remember the zinging of the tram as we went across Soldiers' Field and we knew when to get off. We'd go to the pierrots in the bandstand. Inside the enclosure you paid tuppence for a deckchair, but we sat outside.

What's your favourite part of the county and why?

The Dales and the Moors. I love them in the autumn with the heather and gorse. My husband (the late Dr Geoffrey de Keyser) and I often used to go for a run in Wharfedale at the weekend. I love the colours and the wonderful fresh air. It's so natural and peaceful. You're kind of in commune with God.

What's your idea of a perfect weekend/day out in Yorkshire?

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I like a day out in Harrogate or Richmond. I go with three of my friends to Rudding Park for lunch: it's a lovely outing. From there we might go on to Harrogate to do some window-shopping. Richmond has lovely antique shops and it's so charming. Harrogate is more sophisticated.

Do you have a favourite walk, or view?

I love the view when you are leaving Harewood and you go down the bank and turn towards Harrogate. The view on the right towards Almscliffe Crags is spectacular. I never tire of that view. When I was in Vienna, on the jury of the Beethoven Piano Competition, we went to the Vienna Woods and I remember saying to my husband: "Give me the Yorkshire Dales." There's nothing more beautiful.

Which Yorkshire sportsman/woman (past or present) would you like to take for lunch?

Don Revie, he was a friend of ours. He was manager of Leeds United and England and was absolutely charming. He invited us down to the Cup Final when Leeds were playing Liverpool. He once heard me giving a lesson and he said: "I behave exactly the same as you do before they have a match." I don't criticise a student before a concert. He said: "That's what I do with my team, the psychological approach." I'll always remember that. They used to live near us and he used to take my boys to school.

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Which Yorkshire stage or screen star, past or present, would you like to take for dinner?

Dame Judi Dench. I've watched her on television and she's a marvellous actress and she's from York. She belongs to the Dame club as well so we'd have plenty to chat about.

If you had to name your Yorkshire hidden gem, what would it be?

It's not hidden, but Harewood House. I never tire of going round and seeing the wonderful paintings and furniture. I like sitting on the terrace and looking out over the lake designed by Capability Brown. I take members of our international jury there and they are very impressed. It compares with the most beautiful houses anywhere in Europe. I think it's a pearl.

What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

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The beautiful scenery; the simple food, like Yorkshire pudding; and the frankness of Yorkshire folk. I love the market towns like Skipton and Otley; they've got their own special identity. I also think the hospitality of the people is unique. Our volunteers for the piano competition look after visitors from all over the world. I've made so many friendships over the years and I've been given six birthday parties with six cakes.

Do you follow sport in the county, and if so what?

I might see Leeds United when I flick on the television, but I enjoy watching the tennis, like Wimbledon.

What about Yorkshire's cultural life?

It's rich. We have the Leeds International Piano Competition every three years and it's considered to be the greatest in the world. We have wonderful symphony concerts on Saturday nights at Leeds Town Hall and we also have a chamber music series. Then we have Opera North, Huddersfield Choral Society, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds Youth Orchestra and many music clubs all over Yorkshire.

Do you have a favourite restaurant or pub?

A little Chinese restaurant called Sweet Basil in Roundhay Road, Leeds. I go regularly. I like the spare ribs, lemon chicken and banana fritters. Everything they make is really simple but nice. I also like Bettys in Harrogate

Do you have a favourite food shop?

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Myers Jewish delicatessen in Moortown, Leeds. I go in for one thing and come out with 10. Their bread is very nice, much better than the supermarket, and the chopped herring and chopped liver are absolutely delicious.

How do you think Yorkshire has changed in the time you've known it?

I'm saddened that too many fine buildings in the city centre have been knocked down and been replaced by buildings of undistinguished modern architecture. I like the modern atmosphere of Shanghai, but that's

quite different.

Are those changes for the better?

No. The skyline upsets me. I like the architecture of Leeds Town Hall and places like Temple Newsam. But beautiful Leeds stone houses have been knocked down for flats. If you go through Alwoodley it's one block of flats after another.

Who is the Yorkshire man or woman you most admire?

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Dame Janet Baker, one of the greatest artistes in the world. She's Patron of the Leeds International Piano Competition and from York. I admire her for being a great human being. It's a great privilege to be a friend of hers.

How has Yorkshire influenced your work?

I've had great support from my native city of Leeds and the tremendous

number of volunteers for the piano competition. In my work I go all round the world and I meet people, but there's something about Yorkshire folk, their frankness and the ones I mix with are honest and hard-working. My husband was a GP in Morley and when I was tempted to leave Leeds to go to London, he said: "I'm not leaving Yorkshire; my patients are the salt of the earth." And that's it. I've had the greatest honour that any citizen of Leeds could have. They made me a Freeman of the city and the one before me was Nelson Mandela.

They say you don't stop work because you grow old: you grow old because

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you stop work. So I say grant me work until my life is done and grant me life until my work is done. I want to go on working.

Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer

I could go back to the Bronts, but at the moment it's Alan Bennett. I love one of his latest books, The Untold Story. He gave readings at Harrogate Festival and donated his services. Yorkshire Cancer Research sponsored the concert and he spoke about living with cancer and it was very, very, moving. My favourite artist would be David Hockney. I never listen to CDs. I've got it all in this house, it's ringing with music. I have musical evenings here with all my wonderful students from all over the world. One of my students, Benjamin Frith, is marvellous, so I'll have him as my performer. He was on my Desert Island Discs.

Where is the one place you would recommend as a must see for a first-time visitor to Yorkshire?

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Definitely Harrogate because the run there gives you an idea of how beautiful Yorkshire is and when you get there you have the flowers, like the crocuses in the springtime, the flowerbeds in the summer. It's adorned all the year round. It's a magnet for visitors, of which we are all very proud.

Tonight, Portuguese pianist Artur Pizarro will perform specially for Dame Fanny when the Friends of Leeds International Pianoforte Competition throw her another birthday party at Leeds University.

YP MAG 4/9/10