On Friday evening, the annual Christmas concert took place in the Speech Hall, and featured the school’s major ensembles and chamber music groups, which have been preparing their performances throughout the term. The concert was attended by pupils including the whole of the Lower Fifth, together with many parents, friends and supporters.
The evening opened in an explosion of energy as the Big Band burst onto the stage with an upbeat rendition of “Flying Home”, followed by the sultry old favourite “Blue Moon”, which Maisy Brewer sang very stylishly, and with a lovely rich and velvety tone. Rafe Buxton played his trumpet solo in “Feelings” with confident expression, and the band then finished off with a funky arrangement of “Deck the Halls” starring Josh G. on saxophone.
The rest of the first half featured a number of smaller ensembles, beginning with the String Quintet which performed a movement from Boccherini’s Quintet in C major with a gentle flow and delicate intricacy. The eight members of the Sax Group were next up, playing a jazzy number “Watch your step” and the rhythmically complex “September Rain”, before the Cello and Bass Quartet’s beautifully intimate and nostalgic performance of an arrangement of “Ev’ry time we say goodbye”.
After the interval, the Brass Group kicked off with a festive and humorous medley of Christmas favourites called “Christmas Crackers”, before a complete change of gear with the murky and haunting opening of “The Pine of the Appian Way” from “Pines of Rome” by Respighi, played by the String Orchestra. Starting low down and very quietly, this piece builds up to a triumphant climax much in the same way as Ravel’s famous “Bolero”. and contrasted nicely with their second piece, “The Banks of Green Willow” in which the composer George Butterworth evokes the simple beauty of the English countryside.
It fell to the Symphony Orchestra to round the evening off with three very contrasting pieces. Starting off with the exquisitely beautiful and poignant theme from Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Swan Lake”, they then moved into Hollywood territory with “Star Wars Through the Years”, a piece which explored both some of the famous and also lesser known themes in the films. To round off the concert, they were joined by the Fourth Form Choir in festive spirit with a jazzy arrangement of “Beyond the Sea”.
After what has been a particularly long and busy term, with everyone feeling fairly exhausted, all of our musicians are to be heartily congratulated for their commitment and dedication, and for providing an evening of such entertaining and varied music-making.
Mr Phil Scriven, Organist-in-Residence
