Patron's Message St. James Palace H.R.H. The Prince of Wales, K.G.

The text on this page, has been taken from "Walton - A Celebration - 2002", published by William Walton Trust, March 2000. A comprehensive guide to Walton at the Centenary of his birth: the man, his music and the development of his legacy.

As Patron of the William Walton Trust and a great admirer of the composer and his wife, I am delighted to have been asked to write a foreword to mark the centenary of his birth. He was a man who had a huge influence on British music and indeed, the whole artistic landscape of the last century, and it is good that the nation-wide events in 2002, encouraged by the trust, gave a broader audience the chance to share in this celebration.

William Walton was born in Oldham, brought up there and educated at Oxford. Later, he settled in Ischia in the Bay of Naples where he found fresh inspiration for his music, and where he and his wife, Susana, crafted a wonderful house and garden in a beautiful sub-tropical paradise. I remember a magical visit to La Mortella in 1991. And each summer many thousands of visitors share this very special experience. The garden and the Walton archive are living memorials to Sir William and his music.

La Mortella provides a home for the Trust to offer opportunities to young musicians from Italy and Britain to perform and to work with eminent practitioners from around the world. In the United Kingdom the trust has established a substantial programme of educational projects with Powergen. This will continue to grow in the future.

Finally, I must say how delighted I am that Susana Walton has been honoured with the MBE for her commitments to the continuity of Sir William's legacy, and for her energy and efforts on behalf of so many young people. That momentum was fully demonstrated during the celebrations of the centenary year and, I am sure, will continue to be sustained and developed