Michael Curtis Brewer (born 1945) is a convicted sex offender and former British music teacher and choral conductor. He was the founding

musical director A music(al) director or director of music is the person responsible for the musical aspects of a performance, production, or organization. This would include the artistic director and usually chief conductor of an orchestra or concert band, the d ...

of the

National Youth Choirs of Great Britain The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain (NYCGB) is the family of choirs for outstanding young singers, and those with outstanding potential, in the United Kingdom. It comprises a total of five choirs for around 750 young people between the ages ...

and had been Director of Music for

Chetham's School of Music Chetham's School of Music () is an independent co-educational music school in Manchester, England. Chetham's educates students between the ages of 8 and 18, all of whom enter via musical auditions. Students receive a full academic education a ...

in the 1980s and early 1990s. He was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in 1995, but was stripped of the honour in 2013 following his conviction on five counts of

indecent assault Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in some common law-based jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime and has significant overlap with offences referred to as sexual assault. England and Wales Indecent assault was a broa ...

against a girl who had been one of his pupils. He was jailed for six years.

Life and career

Brewer began his career as a schoolteacher. In 1966 he was appointed Head of Music at the Royal Liberty Grammar School in

Romford Romford is a large town in east London and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. Historically, Romfo ...

, London, where he established a large choir. During his time in Romford, he also founded the Havering Youth Choir. In 1969 he co-wrote an opera, ''The Sword In The Stone'', a modern work based upon the legend of King Arthur. In 1970 he moved to become Head of Music at

The Latymer School The Latymer School is a selective, Coeducation, mixed grammar school in Edmonton, London, Edmonton, London, England, established in 1624 by Edward Latymer. According to league tables, Latymer is one of the top state-schools in the country. Histo ...

and was later Director of Music for

. In 1983 he founded with Carl Browning the

National Youth Choir of Great Britain The National Youth Choirs of Great Britain (NYCGB) is the family of choirs for outstanding young singers, and those with outstanding potential, in the United Kingdom. It comprises a total of five choirs for around 750 young people between the ages ...

. Brewer also worked as a consultant for various UK choirs and was adjudicator for the finals of "Choir of the Year" and the National Festival of

Music for Youth Music for Youth (MFY) is a British charity which provides free access to educational and performance opportunities for groups of young musicians and audiences through a series of festivals and concerts throughout the UK. Two million children hav ...

in the UK and in international competitions. In 1983, he conducted The World Youth Choir and was later a guest judge on the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

programme ''

Last Choir Standing ''Last Choir Standing'' is a 2008 talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. Broadcast on BBC One in July and August 2008, the series saw amateur choirs competing each week to be the 'last choir standing'. The ...

''. He was appointed an

in 1995.

Conviction

On 8 February 2013, Brewer and his former wife, Hilary Kay Brewer, were both found guilty of indecently assaulting a pupil at Chetham's School of Music between 1978 (when she was 14) and 1982. A fortnight earlier, on 24 January 2013, the victim had died of an overdose of antidepressants after giving evidence during the trial; it was unclear whether the overdose was accidental or she had committed suicide. It was claimed by prosecutors that in a separate incident Brewer had been forced to resign from Chetham's in the 1990s after an inappropriate relationship with a 17-year-old girl. In March 2013, Judge Martin Rudland sentenced Michael Brewer to six years imprisonment on five counts of indecent assault; he sentenced Hilary Brewer to 21 months. On 28 May 2013, Brewer was stripped of his

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brewer, Michael C. 1945 births 20th-century criminals 21st-century criminals British music educators Living people English people convicted of indecent assault English people convicted of child sexual abuse People stripped of a British Commonwealth honour Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales School sexual abuse scandals