We certainly marched up a musical hill this past half term reaching a summit of beautiful, compelling musical performances with students continuing to exceed the potential in their artistic enrichment.
Following our own adjudicated Chamber Music Concert, six groups got through to the first round of the South East Schools Chamber Music Competition. 70 groups, including NLCS students, were competing to gain a place in the Finals Concert held on 17th March at the lovely St George’s Church, Hanover Square. Two of our groups, an Intermediate group and a Senior group got through, performing Beethoven and Schumann.
The climax of the term came a few weeks earlier on 4th March, when all of the choirs and senior orchestras came together to perform in the fabulous Southwark Cathedral. This was a wonderful concert supported by the Doris Gregory Trust, enabling 170 students to gather great memories from their performance life at NLCS. Works performed included Parry I Was Glad, Handel Zadok the Priest and the Grieg Piano Concerto.
In the cause of musical performance for our students, the Music School is never resting and this last week of term saw a very busy and wide-ranging series of performance events, beginning on 23rd of March with the Spring Concert featuring most of the departmental ensembles, choirs and orchestras, with music by Bizet, Bernstein, Bernon and Boyce! As has become traditional in this concert, we honoured our Year 13 musicians for whom this is their last official performance before they depart for study leave, examinations and the next stage of their lives.
As a complete contrast we moved onto our silky, smooth Jazz Evening on 25th March featuring Jazz Band, Saxophone Ensembles and a number of vocal and piano solos. Solos included Dream a Little Dream, Moonlight in Vermont, Someone to Watch Over Me and Fly Me to the Moon whilst the Jazz Band entertained us with Ain’t No Sunshine and You are the Sunshine of My Life.
Two events on the penultimate day of term included another Radio Silence gig which was student led and organised; and the French Department’s evening of music and culture, the French Soirée. With our Founders Day celebrations imminent at time of writing, I wish everyone a wonderful Spring break!
Scott R McCall, Director of Music
