The curtain is about to close with a flourish on another year of fabulous, busy music-making and this past Half Term certainly brought us plenty of treats to assuage the senses.
The Summer Festival week, this year renamed Out of the Blue, allowed us to take the Music Department out and about around the school. The Atrium in the Ideas Hub hosted Chandos and Spiritus as well as our Vocal Trio, whilst a day of solo concerts gave plenty of students the opportunity to volunteer to perform their favourite music. At the end of the week we took Sinfonietta into the Old House, where the students were able to perform some Baroque music in the beautiful acoustic which inspired Handel some 300 years ago when he was the composer in residence to the Duke of Chandos.
The Summer Concert arrived on 2nd July, an evening packed full of wonderful music, including dramatic symphonic music by Schubert and Mozart, beautiful Copland melodies of the Appalachian Spring as well as the warm and lilting Cavatina on guitar with string orchestra. There was plenty of choral music from across classical, folk and pop genres and we were enriched by the lovely Harp and Cello ensembles; whilst the Saxophone and French Horn ensembles provided vibrant, energetic performances. The final concert of the year was held in Drummond on 6th July which gave the advanced musicians from the Junior School the opportunity to perform in the Senior School’s Old House Recital series.
At time of writing the Music Department is on final rehearsals and preparations for the Music Tour to Seville and Granada. Have a happy and restful summer holiday.
Scott R McCall
Director of Music
