Friday’s Summer Concert was a vibrant celebration of musical diversity, showcasing the remarkable talent and versatility of our young musicians. Held in the Chapel, the concert unfolded with an energetic performance from the Brass Group, whose rendition of “You’ll Be Back” from Hamilton was bold and impressive. The String Orchestra followed with a thoughtful and lyrical selection of four Schubert songs. Each arrangement – The Hunter, Frozen Years, Serenade, and Farewell – was sensitively played, demonstrating the ensemble’s musical control and expressive phrasing.
Swinging in next, the Sax Group brought a burst of energy with Duke Ellington’s classic “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)”. Their tight ensemble playing had the audience tapping their feet and nodding along.
A standout of the evening was the Girls’ Choir, whose “a cappella” version of “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers was beautifully delivered, and offered a fresh, moving take on the rock classic.
Finally the Orchestra brought the concert to a powerful close. Their opening medley, Go West!, was a rousing tribute to Western film music. This was followed by a performance of the final movement of Haydn’s Trumpet Concerto, featuring Rafe B. as soloist, whose performance was both technically assured and musically engaging. The evening concluded with an exhilarating rendition of Lord of the Dance in the Riverdance version, eliciting enthusiastic applause from the captivated audience.
A thoroughly enjoyable evening, this concert was a testament to the hard work of all the performers, but most especially our exceptionally talented Upper Sixth musicians, who we will be very sad to say farewell to at the end of this term.
