The School Chapel was packed on the evening of Friday 10 November for the first major concert of the academic year, given by the Big Band, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Band and Symphony Orchestra. These four major ensembles have been working hard in their weekly rehearsals since September, resulting in a full programme of accomplished music-making.
The Concert Band opened the concert with Holst’s dramatic Mars from The Planets, before entertaining us with two medleys of Duke Ellington swing hits and famous polkas. Despite the young age of many of the pupils in the band, they rose to the challenge of their first public performance very well.
The Symphony Orchestra then took to the stage to perform a major work – Strauss’ first horn concerto – accompanying Form 7 music scholar, Joshua. He gave a virtuoso performance of this demanding work, ably assisted by the distinguished orchestral playing of his peers in accompaniment. Three movements of Britten’s Soirées Musicales completed their part of the concert, in which they performed these characterful arrangements of music by Rossini with aplomb.
After the interval, the Chamber Orchestra took on a major work for string orchestra – Shostakovich’s Chamber Symphony in C minor, op. 110a. Their focussed and fearless playing in this deeply personal work was both intense and hugely captivating, as they held the audience spellbound throughout the work’s five challenging movements.
To conclude the programme, the Big Band was on highly entertaining form, performing five contrasting pieces embracing swing and pop styles. With the up-tempo Elton John classic I’m still standing and the sultry swing of Bernstein’s Cool from West Side Story to finish, they brought the concert to an excellent conclusion.
Congratulations to all our performers for putting on a terrific concert, and we look forward to our next Chapel Concert on Thursday 23 November given by our Lower School musicians.
The recording from the concert is available here.
