by Kerry R. Scott
TOPIC:- The Tudor Rose School of Music
by Kerry R. Scott
The Tudor Rose of Music was founded jointly by Kerry R. Scott and Jane Adams Schoener in 1975. The School was incorporated as a nonprofit organization and was also tax exempt as a 501c3 organization. It opened for instruction in September 1975 in a small house on the Danbury Road, Ridgefield CT.
The Tudor Rose School of Music moved from the Danbury Road location during the summer of 1976 and opened the new school year at what had been the Manressa Retreat House at 29 Takora Trail, Ridgefield Ct. The scope of this new location was indeed great. The facility boasted of a chapel, offices, a number of large reception rooms, a dining hall, a catering kitchen, a number of self contained apartments and approximately 72 bedrooms. The grounds bordered a lake and boasted of some incredible mature trees and shrubs. As can be seen from the photographs above this was an idyllic place to study and learn about music and as indicated in the enrollment numbers (that doubled and tripled while we were at that location) the musical community of Ridgefield thought so too.
In 1976 The Retreat House was for sale for $150,000.00, now less than the cost of a medium sized one family house. Back in 1976, however, this was a considerable amount of money and out of the league of the fledgling Board of Directors or my ability to raise those kinds of funds.
In addition the running costs of the facility were astronomical. 
For example during the winter months, the facility consumed 500 gallons of fuel oil every 2 weeks, there were over 500 light fixtures throughout the building and none of them were of the florescent (and somewhat more economical to run) variety. It was with great regret, but neccessary, therefore, that a year and half later we moved back to Danbury Road; this time acquiring two neighboring houses -- one of which was over a hundred years old.
We remained in those two houses for two further years. My part time position as Coordinator of the Milford Fine Arts Council then became a full time position and I and my family then moved to Milford Ct. Many of the Staff continued to teach the students of the Tudor Rose School of Music under the school's name but gradually the school slowly and gracefully went into a quiet and sedate sunset.
The Tudor Rose School of Music signature was that it did not simply give individual instrumental and voice lessons. Performances and ensembles were also a significant part of the curriculum. To that end the school boasted of a number of choirs, ensembles and also held regular student, faculty and ensemble concerts as well as hosting a year long concert series. In addition it premiered a number of original works and introduced a number of performers to the Ridgefield public.
For further information about the Tudor Rose School of Music and the other items listed above please use the links below:-
Follow the following links for more information about the topic and navigate the:-
ScottOpus Productions Website
Further Information on The Tudor Rose School of Music
A listing of First Performances of Compositions at the School
A Description of the Multi-Media Composition "Trinity" by Kerry R. Scott
Further information on Kerry R. Scott's life and Compositions
A listing/portfolio of the music compositions of Kerry R. Scott
Further information on the Music CD -- Bubble and Squeak
Further information on the Music CD -- Rattle and Rhyme
Further information on the Music CD -- Beyond the Virtual Creation
Further information on the Music CD -- Brandy Butter, Brass and Bells
Further information on the Music CD -- The Old, The New, and an Eclectic Medley
Further information on the Music CD -- Mass 2100
Orchestral Suite from Mass 2100 and Mass 2100 original performance edition.
Further information on the Music CD -- Smphony No. ! -- Soundscapes of a Forgotten Britian
Further information on the live recording of the first performance of Mass 2100
Further information on compositional and composition commissions.
Further information on the stories and writings of Kerry R. Scott.