A correspondent writes:
Christine Phillis, who died on 22 February, aged 89, was a
musician and teacher, and, for 73 years, an organist.
Chris's musical career began at the age of eight, when she was
bought her first piano by her father. She worked her way through
grade examinations in the 1930s, and in the early years of the
Second World War, aged 16, played the piano and accordion in the
local church organist's dance band in London on Saturday
nights.
In 1942, the organist was called up. The vicar said to Chris:
"You play the piano, don't you?" An affirmative reply got her the
position of organist at St George's, Waddon. She had one lesson
from Lesley Smith, organist of Croydon Parish Church (now
Minster).
Chris was a founder-member and the first secretary of the
Croydon Bach Society, and this led to a closer association with the
Parish Church; ultimately she became choir mistress of the "9.30
Choir", and organist at the 9.30 service. Over the years, the choir
became a girls' choir, and, in 1970, Chris organised the first
choir holiday to Devon and Cornwall; this included the choir's
first evensong at Truro Cathedral.
That led to a 28-year association with Truro Cathedral, where
her choir sang after Christmas, at Easter, and during the summer
for many years. Hers was the first girls' choir to sing at Truro,
as well as at several other cathedrals.
The choir went on to sing in the cathedrals of Llandaff, Wells,
Portsmouth, Ely, Birmingham, Arundel, St Paul's, and Westminster
Abbey; in Bath Abbey, Buckfast Abbey, and dozens of other churches
around the country, and in Germany, Belgium, and Holland.
Chris and the choir gave secular concerts, and entertainments
for organisations as diverse as livery companies, charities, care
homes, and fire stations.
Chris was a talented teacher, and trained her choirgirls well.
Many felt that Chris made a difference to their lives. Her love of
teaching went back to her early years at Sefter School in Pagham,
West Sussex, where she was evacuated in 1939. She was reading with
the primary-school children for some months before her school
caught up with her.
The love of teaching took her back to school for three years in
the late 1960s, and, in parallel to her church music, she became a
mature student. After her teacher training, she taught secondary-
school music, and, in her second year, became Head of Music at Lady
Edridge Grammar School for Girls in Croydon. After six years at
Lady Edridge, she moved to Norbury Manor High School for Girls, and
taught there until she was 70.
Aged 73, Chris retired to Pagham. On the day she moved, Martin
How telephoned her from the RSCM to say that St Richard's, Aldwick,
a couple of miles from her new home, needed an organist and
choirmaster. It got a choir- mistress.
Chris played at St Richard's until August 2014. Despite memory
problems, and the progression of dementia, she could sight-read
anything given to her. On one memorable occasion, she extemporised
on a hymn tune for 15 minutes at a funeral, until we realised that
the congregation had turned into an audience enjoying the
performance.
Chris taught more than 3000 children in schools, and many
hundreds in choirs. Her joint passions of teaching and music
enabled her to make a difference to many lives. Her talent, wit,
and humour will be sorely missed by all who knew her.