On Tuesday 4th December, as part of Cranleigh Music’s community outreach programme, an orchestra of 20 pupils, staff and musicians from the Merriman Concert Orchestra gathered to rehearse and perform Howard Blake’s touching musical score for ‘The Snowman’ by Raymond Briggs.
The schedule was a hectic one with the morning spent rehearsing and the afternoon giving separate performances at Cranleigh Primary School and St Cuthbert Mayne Catholic Primary School. The day ended with a third performance at Cranleigh Prep School as part of the new afternoon Concert Series aimed at younger audiences.
In all, over seven-hundred children heard the performances which were narrated by David Hitchen and conducted by Marcus Pashley. The role of the ‘boy’ was taken by Cranleigh Prep School pupil James Walker who sang the famous ‘Walking in the air’ confidently and effectively. Marcus Pashley began the performances by introducing the various instruments of the orchestra to the young children, particularly the more unusual ones required including the harp and celesta.
MCP
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