We should perhaps come back to Sue Simpson’s summary from her contribution to Robert Bouffler’s memorial service booklet:
“His legacy to those of us privileged to have had him as a teacher is a new insight into music and musicianship, a heightened self-knowledge, an appreciation of the 20th century music he championed, an awareness of the beauty of sound, and a desire to pass on those same gifts to others.”
Sue Simpson
Robert’s life was cut short when he was one of the first casualties of AIDS in this country, at a time when the disease was barely known and even less understood. His partner, the singer Jonathan Robarts. wished to put his legacy from Robert to good use and proposed a fund to assist young people with their musical education. The Robert Bouffler Music Trust was therefore set up to sustain the spirit and objectives that were behind Robert’s work, by encouraging and supporting young talented musicians in the area in which Robert had lived and taught.
The work of the Trust, albeit with its dwindling resources, continues today.