New Entrants' Concert September 2020

A video of the New Entrants' Concert recorded on Saturday 19th September 2020.

The introduction from the concert programme by Stephen Williams, Director of Music:

How wonderful it is to welcome you to this concert of live (hooray!) music given by pupils who are newly arrived. It is surely a sign of a great musical heritage that newer pupils are willing to get stuck-in and generously share their music with the wider School community. Throughout the globe musicians have missed performing to, and making connections with, their audiences. So it is right that we should have many reasons to feel excitement and optimism as this evening unfolds.

Our enormously impressive Assistant Director of Music, Maria McKenzie has masterminded all the arrangements for this evening; that it all will work so well is down to her organisational brilliance. She has been ably supported by many members of the School community, most notably the wonderful Shelley Oliver in the Music Office. 

The musicians you will hear this evening have been nurtured, inspired, and coached by numerous Directors of Music and Visiting Music Staff in a multitude of Prep and Junior Schools. That work has been particularly challenging in an online environment. I would like to pay tribute to their great dedication and thank them for their expertise which forms the bedrock of the performances you will hear this evening.

Joining, supporting, encouraging, and accompanying our soloists are the incomparable Susie Allan, Benedict Wilson, and David Joyce. I am grateful to them for their supportive and brilliant work that has made this evening possible.  

As an incoming Director of Music I will always have a particular enthusiasm and empathy for this group of young people as we set out together on our Salopian paths. Having heard snippets of their rehearsals I know that you are in for a treat.

I sincerely hope that it will not be too long before we are able to welcome you all - in person - to the Allington Hall for similar events.