A week full of performances for musical Salopians

The music department has had a busy week full of performances for some very special occasions.  

To start a weekend of music making, we were delighted to welcome some musicians from Packwood Haugh to perform in the lunchtime concert. All 11 students played exceptionally well, I hope they enjoyed the experience, and we look forward to watching their progress over the years to come!  

On Saturday Marina (EDH, LVI) and Ranen (I, IV) were invited to play as part of the 3rd London Prokofiev Festival with artistic director, Yulia Chaplina at Coach House Pianos in Fulham. Marina performed Ravel’s Sonatina and Etude Tableaux by Rachmaninov and Ranen performed Rachmaninov’s Moment Musical in E minor, they were in a recital along with students from St Paul’s School, the Purcell School and from the Junior Guildhall School of Music & Drama.  

The weekend concluded with Remembrance Sunday in which Lydia C (QE, III) performed Gournod’s Ave Maria, Ranen movement II of Poulenc’s Clarinet Sonata along with some spectacularly sensitive choral singing for the occasion. This year the Libera me was performed by Billy G (SH, UVI) in the Chapel and Anna M (EDH, UVI) in the Alington, after very moving services, the school processed to the memorial for the two-minute silence, with Ivo W (I, UVI) performing the poignant Last Post and Reveille.  

As if that wasn’t enough there were two further musical events on Sunday, the first of which was a Charity Concert for Macmillan in The Abbey in which a number of our talented musicians performed as soloists or as members of a chamber ensembles, the concert was very warmly appreciated, despite the chill of a cool autumn evening in The Abbey!  

Sunday evening saw the final event of the weekend, a relaxed Open Mic in the Quod, providing the opportunity for some of our popular musicians to take to the stage, there were lots of fantastic performances, a highlight being Angus (R, UVI) in his debut singing Hopelessly devoted to you from the musical, Grease, alongside this were acts from bands and singer songwriters. What a splendid way to end a busy weekend! 

Maria McKenzie

Director of Music