Music
Symphony Under the Stars This year’s event was a highly anticipated return to live performances by the Barker Middle and Senior School ensemble program. All performers were delighted by the enthusiastic applause from the audience. It seems almost churlish to highlight any ensemble, but perhaps most notable for the life of the School was the first (delayed) appearance of our coeducational Middle School Choir. The healthy size and high standard of all ensembles after the enforced break is testament to the talent and enthusiasm of students and the dedication of the music staff. Our incomparable compere, David Giltrap, once again demonstrated his mystical meteorological abilities by proving he can break any drought by simply saying “Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen and welcome to Symphony Under the Stars.” The heavy rain left some performers doing the dash from the Music Centre to Rosewood looking like they had just stepped out of the PE showers BUT the rain did not dampen their spirit.
20 • The Barker • Issue 131 • Winter 2021
A new tradition concluded the evening. The grand finale presented the usual combined forces of strings, winds and voices, but gone this year were the fireworks, probably a good thing during a biblical downpour, and the pyrotechnics were formed of an audience singalong of two Karaoke Classics – Toto’s "Africa" and the Barker meme, "Sweet Caroline". As glorious music echoed around the Rosewood Centre there was no doubt that Barker Music was back in full flight…and it IS so good to be back. Simon Smith Head of Music
