A Matter of Ethics

Neil Bradley returns to Netherdale Polytechnic after a minor stroke, and is not surprised to find the underlying ethos in the School of Music unchanged. The goodwill that exists among staff and students is still tainted by a tiny, backbiting minority within the staff. Neil has been the object of the jealousy and ill-feeling of Hedley Dalton and Jonathan Woodhead from joining the department, but he is alarmed to learn that they have now begun to channel their mischief towards him through one of his students.

Lynne Dempster is an outstanding piano student for whom Neil has the highest aspirations, but he finds that he has to protect her at every stage of her student career from the damaging attentions of his self-styled rivals.

The unpleasantness continues in its various manifestations as the department prepares for a vitally important BBC broadcast concert, when tensions are at their highest.

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