Adrian Reed - Street Rep, joined 2021

Adrian Reed has been a volunteer for the charity for many years and in many roles, often simultaneously. He is a Street Rep and Tree Guardian in his road in Telegraph Hill, has worked for us as a tree auditor, and is a member of the Tree Care Team.

He likes a good lawn with edging. “I know that’s unfashionable, but as a gardener I’m very open to the unexpected too, I really am! I garden with my wife Becky and we’ll plant anything that takes our fancy. We are opportunists.” He also draws attention to his team-playing skills. “Becky is the designer for our garden. I do the donkey work”.

For Adrian’s long musical career team-playing skills were as important as musicianship. “I was a violinist in the orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Colin Davis gave me my first job and I rose through the ranks to the front desk of the first violins. I had to leave after 45 years when I partially lost my vision.”

“Retirement was quite a step. I not only had to say goodbye to my job but also to my violin. This was a fine Pressenda bought at the start of my career. We had to choose between a house and a violin. The violin won! It allowed me to keep up at work with the quality of instruments round me, which even included an Amati and a Stradivarius.”

“I’ve now switched to listening mode, which is probably fair after so many years of playing. Musically I keep busy by trying to broaden my tastes, but it’s difficult because I’m not interested in music that doesn’t speak to the heart. Also, I’m a bit of a musical snob. I remember listening to the Beatles in 1963 and saying, they’re not going anywhere, are they? Well, it’s sixty years later now. My latest interests are film music and enjoying the sheer musical range on French language Radio Classique.”

The photo of Adrian and Becky is a rueful nod to the role of the violin in Adrian's life.