Deryk Barker commented:
>Edward Heath is also an organist and has conducted. He was IIRC organ
>scholar at his college in Oxford, which implies a great deal more than
>merely amateur status.
He was Organ Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford. Organ Scholars at
Oxbridge generally fall into the distinguished musician category at
about the age of 2. Dudley Moore was one, amongst other illustrious
names. They automatically qualify for professional status according
to the tax people in the UK!
Of course, deciding between racing a yacht, managing a nation or conducting
a choir or two implies a certain degree of competence in each. (I happen
to think he is a dreadful conductor and was not much use as prime minister,
but that's just personal!!)
CR