"One of the few times when music is not running through my head is when I'm playing chess" says Nic, who drives across from his home in the West Midlands every Thursday to rehearse Charnwood Orchestra. "I fell in love with the game when I was 16 and have played league games and week-end tournaments ever since. It's hard work, but also a great relaxation."

These days he is joined by his 21-year-old son, Jeremy who, having also started at 16, is fast improving - (the last two years has seen him win a graded section of the British Championships) - and already, somewhat disrespectfully, now out-grades his father!

"Jeremy is even more obsessive about the game than I was at his age and, unlike me, has time to study. Planning rehearsal schedules and future seasons, booking and rehearsing with soloists, above all learning new scores - not to mention playing and teaching the violin - take up too much time."

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