Ann Rachlin

Ann Sybille Rachlin MBE (born 1933), is a musician, author of children's books, and the founder of "Fun with Music", a stream of online stories for children with music. She is an authority on Dame Ellen Terry, the Victorian actress, and her daughter Edith Craig.

Life

Rachlin was born in Leeds, England in 1933, as Ann Lyttleton. Her parents were Russian and Welsh, and her father was a tailor.[1] Most of Rachlin's family were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.[2][3]

Rachlin married Neville Ziff, with whom she had two daughters and one son. They divorced after eleven years.[1][2] She married American conductor and pianist Ezra Rachlin, and they remained married until his death in 1995.[4]

Career

In 1965, Rachlin started to teach classical music to children through her Fun With Music classes. In these classes she related stories over classical tracks. Fun with music expanded to include a series of cassette tapes and then CDs. Former students at her classes included Prince William, Prince Harry as well as the children of Peter O'Toole, Barry Humphries and Edward Fox.[1]

In 1976, Rachlin founded the Beethoven Fund for Deaf Children (now incorporated with The Elizabeth Foundation for Deaf Children). She is President of both charities.

Rachlin's public performances around the world included family "Funtasia" concerts in 1986 with the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by her husband, Ezra. When Ezra Rachlin died in 1995, Ann Rachlin continued her work with colleague Iain Kerr.[5] In 1996 she was the subject of This Is Your Life when Yehudi Menuhin (Baron Menuhin(, Sir Georg Solti and Lord Runcie joined many celebrities, friends and former pupils to pay tribute to her life's work with children and music.[6]

Rachlin is a children's writer whose "Famous Children" books have been translated into languages including Indonesian, Finnish, Czech and two Chinese versions. She is an authority on the Victorian actress Dame Ellen Terry and her daughter Edith Craig; her collection of Terry memorabilia includes the as yet unpublished reminiscences of Edith Craig.

In 1986, Rachlin was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II for her services to music and deaf children. In 2010, Rachlin was awarded a Fellowship at Grey College in the University of Durham. She lives near Winchelsea in East Sussex where she remains active in theatrical and musical circles.

References
  1. Welch, Frances. "Listen with Mahler". Independent. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  2. Ann Rachlin site
  3. Jarrow and Hebburn Gazette
  4. Ezra Rachlin site
  5. Kerroy.com
  6. "This is your Life: Ann Rachlin". IMDb. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
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