Music teacher and pianist;
Born January 14, 1919;
Died March 13, 2008.

MURIEL More, who has died aged 89, was a gifted pianist who became a leading musician for the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society (RSCDS) and inspired dancers for over 40 years.

She was born in the west end of Glasgow to Harold Skrimshire and Muriel Reid and the family later moved to Bishopbriggs. After attending school locally, she became a pupil at the Glasgow High School for Girls and soon grew passionate about the piano, progressing to become a student at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music, then in St George's Place.

In 1947 she graduated to teach music in local schools and later gave private piano lessons, many describing her as an inspirational teacher.

Many also remembered a young aspiring actor named Dirk Bogarde, who stayed with his aunt in Bishopbriggs and while there made up plays for everyone to join in, including More.

For some years during the war she was a nurse at Law Hospital in Lanarkshire, where she also helped Polish soldiers in their efforts to learn English.

Over a period of about 45 years, she gave unstinting service to local dance classes and the Glasgow branch of the Royal Scottish Country Dance Society.

She met Dr Jean Milligan, co-founder of the RSCDS, and was enthused to become pianist for a range of evening classes across the city. As well as classes, she played for concerts, social evenings and festivals, including the Glasgow Music Festival.

As pianist for the RSCDS Glasgow branch demonstration team, she accompanied dancing and singing events in modest church halls as well as in prestigious hotels.

Moreover, many elderly residents of care homes had their spirits lifted during an evening of her music when, after the dancers had performed, she would play for a sing-along.

From the 1960s until the 1990s she was the pianist for the team of demonstration dancers invited to perform in Glasgow City Chambers as part of the entertainment and introduction to Scotland, given by the council to overseas students or foreign dignitaries.

Her vigorous playing and partnership with the demonstration team teacher gave dancers the chance to improve their style and grace and collect trophies at competitive festivals around Scotland.

With Duncan MacLean as team tutor, More accompanied the demonstration dancers to Germany in 1974 as part of the Glasgow Week in Hamburg activities, which promoted the twinning arrangement between the cities. More's talents were recognised beyond Glasgow and she was in demand in towns and cities across Britain and abroad. She was regularly invited to weekend schools from Inverness to London, as well as in the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany and Austria. In autumn 1989 she undertook a tour of Scottish country dance groups throughout Austria and Germany and was playing for a social dance class in Berlin one evening in November 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down.

Until 2001, More was a popular pianist at the RSCDS summer school at the University of St Andrews, where she helped many students from all over the world. As one of the Music makars, she took great pride in providing exactly the music that was required, and supported the teaching staff by readily adapting to the pace and requirements of the class.

Her lively personality and fun-loving nature attracted friends from the international community of Scottish country dancers and she continued to receive letters from people she had met at St Andrews - from as far afield as Canada and Japan.

In 2001, More was awarded the RSCDS Scroll of Honour, granted for exceptional effort and outstanding service to the society, and in 2002 she was an RSCDS nominated guest at the Royal Garden Party in Edinburgh.

She was pre-deceased by her husband, David, whom she married in 1949. She will be remembered by many Scottish country dancers and fondly missed by her daughter, Muriel, and son, David.

MURIEL BONE