M ALVERN VIEW Issue 22 | Summer 2015
www.malverncollege.org.uk
‘Henry V’
Malvern View • Summer 2015
Lea-Smith Reading Competition
From the Headmaster
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Life at Malvern continues to be busy and productive: our 150th Anniversary celebratory events have inspired considerable goodwill towards the College from a range of different constituents – Old Malvernians, parents, pupils and other Friends of the College. In this splendid termly edition of The Malvern View, there is a focus on such events, but also on the academic, sporting, cultural and other activities of our pupils. There is a focus on the House community and on a myriad of activities across the spectrum of Malvern. I do hope that you enjoy this edition and I congratulate all who have made their contribution to the development of Malvern College over the past weeks.
From Harry Morrow’s (No.7) stylishly quirky poster, to the heats evenings listening to each other read in the darkened chapel, this year’s LeaSmith involved over 100 pupils contributing their time, enthusiasm and individual talents. It seemed a special privilege, in our community’s 150th year, to be in this place of beauty, culture and learning, sharing the pleasure of being read to. Of the many people to whom I’ve taught English, I can think of plenty who weren’t sure about reading but not a single one who didn’t like being read to. It is that tradition which the Lea-Smith Competition helps us celebrate and continue. The winners were: Emily Ingram (Foundation Year, No.6), Annie O’Gorman (Remove, No.3), Seb Thurlow (Hundred, School House), Joe Hefferan (Lower Sixth, No.7), and Justin Kwan (Upper Sixth, No.7). Joe Hefferan also won the overall best speaker for his funny, scary, vivid rendition of Dickens’s scene at the start of Great Expectations, where Magwitch is holding Pip upside down in the graveyard and threatening to eat his dear, fat little cheeks. The House competition was very close this year; No.3 were the runners-up and No.4 and School House tied in first place. Elizabeth Charman, English
Antony Clark Headmaster Joint Winners, No.4
Abe to join the ‘Exploration Vessel Nautilus’ Abe Konick (No.9) is one of eight secondary school leavers from across the United States and Europe who have been selected by the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) to take part in the 2015 Honors Research Program at the University of Rhode Island (URI) Graduate School of Oceanography. Abe will undertake a four-week academic summer programme followed by one week aboard E/V Nautilus during its 2015 expedition in August. Abe is studying Higher-level Biology for his IB and has a special interest in marine biology and water conservation. He is looking forward to his trip to the US this summer and says, “I am excited to learn more about my favourite subject and am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this programme. The Nautilus Live offers a unique opportunity to High School students and I am very pleased to be part of it.”
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Dining at the Elysee Palace
“Wouldn’t it be nice,” said my friend, “to see a French name up on the Long Room wall?” In truth, Arun Ayyavooraju is an Indian name – the family hails from Pondicherry in India – but Arun is as French as they come. He was playing for the French junior side at the time and it was obvious to any informed observer that he was a class act, a tall, wristy, technically correct batsman with natural timing and elegant stroke-play. Anyway, to cut a long story short, Arun came to Malvern as a bona-fide pupil in the summer of 2003, moving into School House under the care of Jamie Russell, where he soon settled down and made good friends. He also impressed his teachers with his diligence in the classroom, overcoming no little scepticism that his presence was a publicity stunt and that he had come only for the cricket. He had not come only for the cricket but cricket did constitute a large part of his raison d’être at Malvern. He swiftly established himself in the XI, gained his colours (his name is indeed up there on the wall in the Long Room as a member of the 2003 team) and more than repaid the faith of his benefactors by scoring heavily throughout the season. He made two centuries in successive matches, the first coming against the Gentlemen of Worcestershire and the second against RGS Worcester, sharing a record first wicket partnership of 232 with Charles Tolchard (No.5, 1998 – 2003) Could he have made the grade as an English professional cricketer? Possibly not. He developed into a fine club player though and, in any case, his career was already mapped out for him in IT back home in France. He continues to play cricket for the French national team, which he currently captains. It was in this capacity that he was invited recently to the Elysee Palace by the French President, François Hollande, to attend
a state banquet to mark the official visit of the Indian premier, Narendra Modi. “I had the privilege of sitting on the table d’honneur with both leaders and we gave Mr Modi a French shirt signed by all the members of the French team,” Arun told me. Did you discuss the art of swing bowling with your president? “M Hollande knows nothing about cricket,” he laughed. As we were reminiscing, I asked Arun about his time at Malvern. “I had a great time. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to play cricket at one of the best schools in England.” Did it help your French? “My French, Mr Murtagh, was already pretty good.” Like all Malvernians, Arun is nothing but polite and ever forgiving of his former teachers. “But my time there,” he went on, “helped me to improve my English and my social skills.” Hmm. What with my son, Will (No.2, 1998 – 2003), Charles Tolchard, Ben Edkins (No.7, 1999 – 2002), Will Gifford (No.1, 1999 – 2002) et al in the same team, I bet his social skills were put firmly to the test. “Do give my best wishes to all those friends and to *Mr Tolchard too. I learnt a lot about the game from him.” What are you doing now, Arun? “Working as IT Service Manager for Société Générale in Zurich.” And how is the health of French cricket? “We have improved a lot and are now in Division I in Europe.” And as a parting shot, he added this. “I am proud to have been the first Frenchman to score a century for Malvern!” D’accord. It was all my limited French could manage. Andy Murtagh, former Master i/c Cricket 1981 – 2008 *Roger Tolchard (OM, No.4, 1960 – 1964 ) was Cricket & Rackets Professional at Malvern from 1984 – 2006
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Young Yale Global Scholar Stephen Esiri (No.9) has won a place on the International Affairs and Security (IAS) session of the “Young Yale Global Scholars Program”. This is a fantastic achievement, and one he is naturally very excited about. Stephen says that he hopes to gain more knowledge about public policy and humanitarian aid, and to take advantage of the knowledge and experience that he can gain from the remarkable professors leading the programme.
Aston Society Chemistry trip to the University of Warwick
Malvern Chemistry staff at Warwick Mr Tom Newman, Mrs Carol Bennett and Dr William Stephen
Thirty-three budding scientists from our Remove year spent an exciting day in the Undergraduate laboratories in the Chemistry Department at Warwick University this term. The aim was to gain an insight into studying Chemistry at the next level and to learn a bit about what post-graduates are researching at Warwick. Our pupils carried out two experiments under the close supervision of Nick Barker and an enthusiastic team of postdoctoral and PhD students from whom the pupils learned a great deal. They synthesised a light-sensitive solution in order to recreate the ‘Cyanotype process’ (the world’s first photocopier) that was developed by English Chemist Sir John Herschel in 1842. Their photocopier paper developed outside in the sunshine on the balcony and they were thrilled to see the results emerge as their hand-drawn images appeared on the paper. Their second experiment was to synthesise an aromatic compound that had a characteristic fruit smell. Working in pairs, they carried out a rigorous stepwise procedure that involved the use of compounds and glassware normally only used at degree level. The student helpers were excellent at explaining that synthesis of drug molecules in the pharmaceutical industry is a bit like building a structure using Lego blocks. Our pupils were keen to show that their experiments had worked successfully and that they had correctly analysed the contents of their round-bottomed flasks using a technique called thin-layer chromatography along with the all-important smell test! At the end of the session, it was good for us to see how the Malvern pupils showed their appreciation for the instruction they had received to the university staff who volunteer to put on lab days for schools as part of their Outreach Programme. We very much look forward to a return visit next year. Dr William Stephen, Chemistry
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The art of photography Lucy Davies (No.3) used her expertise as an artist in her handling of face painting to embellish the subject matter for her AS Photography project. Tim Newsholme, Director of Art
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
150th Commemoration Tattoo Engaged in heavy fighting near Krugersdorp in South Africa during the Boer War, Captain David Reginald Younger (OM, No.4, 1885–1890) of the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders was killed whilst trying to drag a gun and ammunition into cover under heavy enemy fire and was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross. In honour of Captain Younger (aged 29 when he died), Malvern’s CCF planned and executed a fantastic Field Gun Run at Commemoration on the Junior Turf where a team of highly motivated cadets challenged the 1st XV Rugby team on an appropriately hot morning. The course was laid out to include obstacles and a long drag. The gun was a scaled-down version of the Ordnance BL 15 pounder, the British Army’s field gun in the Second Boer War, and both teams received extended training in manoeuvring and dismantling the gun from managers Lt Barry Brown (CCF) and Nick Tisdale (Master i/c Rugby). Ultimately, as it would have been in 1900, success for either team in the ensuing contest would be down to the great effort they would put in on the day.
Both teams did themselves credit exhibiting leadership, teamwork, brute strength and force of will to cover the course with the least faults in the best time. The CCF finally won the day but by the narrowest of margins. John Nichols, SSI Malvern College CCF
Matthew Guy – on a roll Congratulations go to Matthew Guy (Lower Sixth, No.1) who has had four major achievements this term and last. Over the holiday Matthew was appointed Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet for Worcestershire. His investiture will take place over the summer. At the end of last term he was selected to be one of the College’s Chapel Prefects and this followed the award of a RAF flying scholarship – and his Grade 8 Trumpet (with Merit)! Adam Wharton, Housemaster No.1
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Obituary: Captain David Reginald Younger (OM, No.4, 1885–1890) Born in 1871, David Younger, a School Prefect at Malvern College, became a Captain in the Gordon Highlanders. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic act of service in South Africa in 1900. “On the 11th July 1900, during the action near Leehoehoek, Krugersdorp a party of men accompanied by Captains Younger and Allan, under heavy fire from the enemy, succeeded in dragging an artillery wagon under cover and sought to recover one of the guns left in the open. Captain Younger asked for volunteers and whilst still under heavy fire, went out by himself, with great coolness, to secure a rope around the gun. He signalled to the volunteers to help him pull the gun in and as they did so three of the men and Captain Younger were hit. Many at school will remember him as one whose bright disposition combined with a singular charm of manner made him many friends and no enemies. He did not reach front rank in either work or games but he held his own and could always be relied on. He has been the first Malvernian to earn the V.C. and his memory will be proudly, though sadly, cherished by his old School, the memory of one who was the first to gain a soldier’s highest honour, and with it a soldier’s grave, in the service of his Queen and country.” From The Malvernian August 1900
Francis will visit the Czech Republic Having spent four years in Malvern College’s CCF in the RAF cadets, I decided to apply for the International Air Cadet Exchange (IACE) and was lucky enough to be selected. I have already travelled to RAF Gibraltar to attend a gliding scholarship and I can now fly a plane (but not yet drive a car!), but this is by far the biggest opportunity to come from being an RAF cadet at Malvern. The aim of the IACE is to foster international understanding, goodwill and friendship among young people who have an interest in aviation, and we will travel to the Czech Republic this summer on a twelve-day diplomatic tour of the country’s air force establishments. Francis Tocher (Upper Sixth, No.5)
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Adventure weekend in the Isle of Man Over the May Bank Holiday leave-out weekend six Lower School pupils and Tia the labrador pup took to the high seas on a trip to the Isle of Man. Over the three days we ‘gorge-walked’ through waterfalls, took on an assault course, abseiled from a 110ft sea cliff, sea kayaked, camped out on a beach around a bonfire, did some crate-stacking and finished it all off with a morning of coasteering with some rather large jumps! Despite the driving rain, which persisted for much of the weekend, a great time was had by all. Well done to all involved. We will be back next year! Jay Watts, Oudoor Pursuits
Three Peaks Challenge The Outdoor Pursuits team headed up to Yorkshire this term to take the ‘Three Peaks Challenge’: reaching the summits of three of the highest peaks in Yorkshire in under 12 hours. Eleven pupils and accompanying staff completed the route in 11 hours and eight minutes – success! They covered 24 miles and ascended 1,640 metres in the process. Funds were raised for two charities including £500 for the Paul Bush Foundation, which assists severely disabled people to lead more fulfilling lives, and £400 for the Worcester Animal Rescue Centre, a local shelter that looks after abused and abandoned animals. Fantastic, and well done to all! Jay Watts, Outdoor Pursuits
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Myeloma UK – charity netball match On the final Thursday of last term the netball team, captained by Lucy Davies (No.3), took part in a triangular charity netball tournament against the staff and the 1st XV rugby team! This was a great sporting afternoon with some very entertaining moments, and those who took part raised considerable funds for Myeloma UK. The pupils and staff baked cakes to sell and many others donated unwanted clothing to a ‘bring and buy’. The girls of No.3 put their heart and soul into this event and were thrilled that so many others in school donated their money and time to raising funds for the charity. The great news is that almost £800 was raised in just one afternoon! Not content with this exhausting day of fundraising they now plan a Mud Run to raise even more. Watch this space. Fiona Packham, Housemistress No.3
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Laura Dell’Antonio and Serena Smith
Worcester Competitive Arts Festival Malvern College was well represented at this year’s Worcester Competitive Arts Festival, held in March. The event offers a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to perform before the general public and to compete with pupils from local schools. It is also very helpful that in the process, they receive feedback from nationally accredited adjudicators who focus on character, presentation and acting technique. Serena Smith and Laura Dell’Antonio (Lower Sixth, Ellerslie House) were awarded first prize in the ‘Duologue Acting 17 years and under’ category, with brother and sister pairing Abe (Lower Sixth, No.9) and Cassie Konick (Lower Sixth, No.3) the runners up. Serena also scooped the prize for the ‘Write and speak a poem 17 years and under’ class. Alina Allison (Foundation Year, No.8) won the trophy for ‘Verse Speaking 14 years and under’, and Miranda Bruce, (Hundred, No.3) was the victor in the ‘Prose Reading 14 years and under’ category, with Sebastian Grace (Foundation Year, No.2) runner up. Valeria Cascón Pulido (Foundation Year, No.3) received a well deserved second prize in the ‘Acting Solo 14 years and under’ class, as did Octavia Wyatt and Arian Davison (Foundation
Year, No.4) in the ‘Acting Duologue 14 years and under’ competition. Receiving Merits and Distinctions for their performances were Walter Gonder (Remove, No.1), Garima Golchha (Hundred, No.6), Declan Swinburne (Remove, No.2), Tia Tanna (Foundation Year, Ellerslie House), Emily Ingram (Foundation Year, No.6), Sofija Rakcheva (Remove, No.6), Liza Rozenberg (Remove, No.6), George Advani (Foundation Year, School House), Toby Hollis (Foundation Year, School House), Jaz Gobbo (Foundation Year, Ellerslie House), Arina Znamenskaya (Foundation Year, Ellerslie House), Charles Izzard (Foundation Year, No.9), Dino Abduljawad (Foundation Year, No.9), Alexandra Medcalf (Remove, No.4) and Angus Good (Remove, School House). Each year a large number of pupils from Malvern College take part in the Worcester Competitive Arts Festival and the Speech and Drama department is very proud of their achievements. Bravo!
Staff Profile: Helen Chapman Receptionist at Malvern College Helen joined Malvern College in 2008 having worked for many years as a receptionist at Eckington First School. Prior to that she worked at Prince Henry’s High School in Evesham. She very much enjoys the role and being the ‘first point of contact’ for visitors. She has met many interesting people over the years: the challenges of being a receptionist are vast and varied! Helen is married to Ian, and they have two grown up daughters. LIKES: Watching most sports, especially football (Manchester United fan!), tennis and cricket. DISLIKES: Rudeness and untidiness.
Keith Packham, Director of Drama
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New Chapel Prefects The Headmaster is very pleased to announce the appointment of Chapel Prefect positions for 2015–2016.
Senior Chapel Prefect Robert Porter (School House)
Chapel Prefect Matthew Guy (No.1)
Chapel Prefect Joe Hefferan (No.7)
Chapel Prefect Heather MacDonald (No.3)
Chapel Prefect Carla Schröder (No.6)
Sacristan Toni Adejuyigbe (School House)
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Solar Eclipse Most of the College turned out to watch the exciting partial solar eclipse that occurred in March. Luckily for us the clouds parted to give us a good view of this fascinating occurrence which was captured by Dan Eglin, Housemaster of No.7.
Kayak Polo What a game this is, and new to cocurricular sport at Malvern College this year. Kayak Polo involves combining the art of maneuvering a boat with ballhandling skills in a fast-moving and an exciting contact team game. Five players a side navigate the pool and aim to score in goals suspended two metres above the water level at each end. There are no fixed positions apart from the goalkeeper and players need to be able to paddle their crafts skilfully into space and flick the ball into the goal. This is a wonderful game that already has a strong following here at Malvern and is a great inter-House sport. Tom Newman, Housemaster No.5
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Music
Springtime in Paris Thirty-one pupils comprising the Concert Band and Jazz Band, accompanied by Mr Brown, Mr McDade and Mr and Mrs Swindell, left Malvern at the crack of dawn on the last Friday of the Lent term for a brief but extremely busy and enjoyable tour of music-making and sight-seeing in Paris. The first concert of the weekend was in the picturesque setting of the Jardin du Luxembourg. The ensembles enjoyed performing from the bandstand to a healthy audience of local Parisians and a good number of parents and Old Malvernians who, in spite the un-spring-like weather, were attracted by the enticing and melodic sounds drifting across the park. Following Saturday’s concert, pupils had the chance to take in the spectacular views of Paris from the gallery at the
top of the Montparnasse Tower, before boarding a riverboat for a trip along the Seine. On Sunday, the pupils enjoyed a day at the Disneyland theme park, after which the guests of the Dream Castle Hotel and members of the College community were treated to our second performance of the tour. Particular mention should go to Isha Kotecha (No.8), Charlie Bijl (No.2), Natasha Bishop (No.4), Matthew Guy (No.1) and Tom Arnold (School House) who performed solos, Carina Bäte (No.8) who helped to announce the concerts, and Heather Macdonald (No.3) who both performed a solo and impressed the audiences with her abilities as an interpreter! Ed Swindell, Head of Brass, Woodwind and Percussion
Worcestershire’s young musicians 2015 In March Cezar Rugasira (School House) was invited to sing in a Showcase Concert at the Huntingdon Hall, Worcester. The event, organised to celebrate the county’s young musical talent, featured a series of outstanding musicians selected from recent auditions. Rhian Grundy, Head of Contemporary and Popular Music
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
House Music Competition In the last week of term we witnessed a fabulous display of music at St Edmund’s Hall in the House Music Competition. Pupils represented their Houses in three categories and the competition was judged by Mr Nicholas Wilks. So many of those performing had taken part in the St John’s Smith Square Gala Concert the evening before and they did marvellously well to present yet another set of first-class performances in this competition. “It was very difficult to judge”, said Mr Wilks, such was the quality of these polished performances, particularly in the top category in which they were all outstanding. Nevertheless, in Category A the individual prize was awarded to Charlie Tuengerthal (No.6) with Chloe Underwood (No.4) placed second and Selina Yogeshwar (No.6) placed third. Carla Schröder (No.6) was placed fourth and Charlie Bijl (No.2) fifth. Winners in Category B were: Hannah Michell (No.4), Verity Manning-Cox (No.4) and Poppy Delingpole (No.4) with Henry Queen (No.2). Winners in Category C were: Stephen Esiri (No.9), Octavia Wyatt (No.4) and Jasmine Gobbo (Ellerslie House). In the Unplugged category the winners were: Joe O’Gorman (No.5), Sophia Paspaley (Ellerslie House) and Justin Luk (School House) performing with Claud Letts (School House). And the overall winner of the House Competition was a delighted No.4! Rhian Grundy, Head of Contemporary and Popular Music
Charlie Tuengerthal (No.6), the overall winner of the competition
Sunday in the Park No sooner had the Concert Band returned from their trip to Paris, than they were performing again, along with the Jazz Band, at the Bandstand in the Priory Park, Great Malvern. In this beautiful setting the audience gathered to listen with their picnics, chairs, hats, and ice creams to hand, prepared to be entertained. Helen Cussons (No.4) played a wonderful flute solo and under the baton of Mr Swindell, the pupils performed a programme that included Accidentally in Love from Shrek 2, Zorro’s Theme from The Mask of Zorro alongside Jazz classics such as Caravan by Ellington, Mills & Tizol.
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Summer Concert This year’s Summer Concert, performed in Big School, followed the excitement of Sports Day and a barbecue hosted by the Headmaster and members of the College Council. All of our major ensembles took part and this provided a varied and rich programme of music, from the Orchestra’s performance of the First Movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No.1 in C major, Op.21, Adagio molto – Allegro con brio, to the ever-popular Jazz Band that delivered toe-tapping favourites, including Stevie Wonder’s Superstition. The Percussion Ensemble, which is mostly comprised of Lower School pupils, performed an original composition by Jasmine Gobbo (Foundation Year, Ellerslie House) and the 116-strong Chapel Choir brought this very successful evening to a close with a passionate and powerful performance of Handel’s Zadok the Priest. Rhian Grundy, Head of Contemporary and Popular Music
Pitch Black Concert Charlie Tuengerthal (No.6), who, as part of her International Baccalaureate course of study, has been helping at The Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford, had the idea of putting on the Pitch Black Concert that took place in Big School. Charlie’s aim was to offer an unconventional experience of live music through the use of blindfolds, balloons and an unusual seating structure. The idea was to facilitate an understanding of how visual impairment makes an impact upon one’s perception of the world. Concentrating the stimulus through one sensory medium would also, she hoped, have the effect of making the music more powerful. Charlie, who is passionate about the Arts, found that fellow pupils were very supportive of her. She managed to put together an impressive programme of performances that ranged from classical to popular music for the enjoyment of all.
Vanessa Young who is Housemistress of No.6 says, “I have to say it was a simply amazing evening and everything about it was very creative and ingenious.” Performing were: Charlie Tuengerthal (No. 6), Will Raby-Smith (School House) Matthew Guy (No.1), Hannah Michell (No.4), Francis Tocher (No.5), Carla Schröder (No.6), Tash Bishop (No.3,) Heather Macdonald (No.3), Annie O’Gorman (No.3), Alice Elt (No.3), Hugh Beaumont (No.2), Cezar Rugasira (School House), Claud Letts (School House). The team helping with the organisation of the concert with Charlie were: Ben Jaletzke (No.2), Oliver Devillard (No.5), Stephen Esiri (No.9), Calvin Kuhn (School House), Mykola Baslakov (No.1), Polly Woodhouse (Ellerslie House), Izzy Fieldhouse-Allen (No.8), Arnaud Legrand (No.2) and Moritz Wendelstadt (No.7).
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Commemoration 2015 On Saturday 23rd May Malvern College held its annual Service of Commemoration at Great Malvern Priory. In this, the 150th year since the foundation of the College, the congregation was reminded of the vision of its founders and benefactors, and in the Commemoration given by the Headmaster, was encouraged to uphold and build upon that vision. This year the address was given by Professor Louise Gullifer, a long-standing member of the College Council who is Fellow and Senior Tutor in Law at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, and a specialist in Corporate Finance Law. Using the text of the Parable of the Good Samaritan she encouraged members of the College to consider the impact of the key choices they make, and the way in which their life at school prepares them to take their place in the moral and social community. Readings and prayers were delivered by senior pupils; the Chapel and Chamber Choirs sang Psalm 150 and the Nunc Dimittis to the settings of C. V. Stanford, C. H. H. Parry’s My Soul, there is a Country. The College brass ensemble played before the service. Parents and guests returned to the College campus to see exhibitions of Art and Design & Technology and Science in the new Razak Science Centre, as well as pupil performances in the Rogers Theatre. There was also a Wheeler Bennett Society presentation and performances in the Music School as well as a CCF Field Gun Run on the Junior Turf. At Prize-giving the music ensembles performed magnificently, introducing the speeches and the awarding of prizes that followed. The prizes were awarded by H.S.H. Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechenstein and speeches were also delivered by the Senior Chapel Prefect, Amy Elias (No.3), by the Headmaster, Antony Clark and by the retiring Chairman of the Malvern College Council, Lord MacLaurin of Knebworth.
In-coming and out-going Chapel Prefects with Chairman Lord MacLaurin and Headmaster Antony Clark
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House Art and Design Competition Winners of the House 150th Anniversary Art and Design Competition were Kirsten Hunter and Tiffany Lee from Ellerslie House, Hal Bartlett, Piers Morrell, and Max Reibestein from No.2, Cassie Konick and Emma Rix from No.3, Alex Metcalf from No.4, Jazmine Fenn from No.6, Josepha Pakesch from No.8, Jude Bedford from No.9 and Justin Luk from School House. The entries were judged by Bill Denny, former Director of Art at Malvern, who chose Cassie Konick (No.3) as the overall winner for her soft furnishing and superb fabric design with a 150th theme. These artworks all reflect a diversity of creative talent, from painting to textiles, from photography to ceramics. Pupils combined a 150th Anniversary idea with their own views of House identity, to create a unique piece. Sarah Angus, Deputy Head: Pastoral
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The Magic of Science Malvern College hosted over 90 local Year 6 primary and preparatory school pupils and their teachers on two occasions this month at “Magic of Science” events. These science days began in the College’s Lewis Lecture Theatre in the new Razak Science Centre, where great excitement was created by an enthusiastic Dr Rebecca Kaner, a teaching and research Fellow at the University of Warwick. The pupils were spellbound by her chemical demonstrations that ranged from creating elephant’s toothpaste to deep-freezing a banana with liquid nitrogen. Afterwards the pupils worked in the new laboratories, rotating around the three sciences. In Biology they investigated their own senses and responses to stimuli; in Chemistry they looked at colour changes, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and then had the challenge of creating a rainbow in a test tube! There was great energy and enthusiasm in Physics labs as the pupils tested Newton’s theories by using light gates to measure the increasing speed of a chain as it slid off the edge of a table. The events were staged as part of Malvern College’s 150th Anniversary celebrations. The schools attending on 2nd June were: Broadwas CE Primary School, Callow End C of E Primary School, Wyche CE School, Malvern Wells C of E Primary School and Malvern Parish Church of England Primary School, and on June 9th: Great Malvern Primary School, Suckley Primary School, Leigh and Bransford Primary School, Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Primary School and The Downs Malvern Preparatory school. Dr Watson, Head of Chemistry said, “The Magic of Science days were a great success. The children were very excited about the demonstrations that they saw and the experiments they were able to perform for themselves in the labs. It was a funfilled hands-on experience enjoyed by everyone involved.”
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Anniversary Cricket match: Malvern v Repton At the end of April cricket supporters gathered at the Pavilion, overlooking the Senior, to watch the 150th Anniversary match. Onlookers reflected on the past and the strong sporting links that have evolved between the two schools and anticipated the matches that would be played in the future. They were also given a glimpse of what might form part of that future in terms of technological advancement as the match was recorded and streamed live on the internet to allow all those who could not be enticed away from their desks to watch the match too. Repton won the toss and elected to bat. As the first 20 overs were played out the home side’s seamers, bowling with pace and control, began to dominate. At 45 for 5, runs for the Repton side were hard to come by. Malvern’s catching in the slips was first rate and Ben Twohig (No.2), at second slip, took one of the best catches by a schoolboy I have witnessed on the Senior. The bowling unit was on top form and ably led by Fred Wynn (No.7) who finished with figures of 3 wickets for 18 runs. Repton were, in the end, bowled out for 116. After the lunch break, the in-form openers Ben Tegg (No.5) and Fred Wynn set about making the total with controlled aggression. They picked up the singles well and put away the bad ball to allow Malvern to knock off the runs within 28 overs, for the loss of one wicket. Ben Tegg made 46 and Fred Wynn 60 not out. A great day for Malvern both on and off the field!!
Repton: 116 all out Malvern: 117 for 1 Malvern won by 9 wickets
Mark Hardinges, Master i/c Cricket
Buckingham Palace What could be nicer than tea at Buckingham Palace? Fourteen of our pupils and three members of staff were welcomed to the Palace by HRH Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, who had expressed a personal interest in our forthcoming canoe expedition to the Coppermine River in the Canadian Arctic. The Duke of York has a particular interest in the region that we plan to visit, and in wilderness canoe expeditions in general. At the Palace he introduced us to his former Headmaster from Canada, himself a canoeing enthusiast, and his wife, Sue. The Duke has paddled the wild water that we plan to navigate and was keen to tell us about his experiences. I think the pupils were surprised at just how relaxed they began to find themselves in his company – this was clearly a unique experience as not many expeditions are researched in the grandeur of Buckingham Palace in the company of royalty! We had a most memorable
day and one of the more excitable members of the party was forthright in declaring, upon leaving the Palace, his utter disbelief at what he had just experienced: “One of the best days of my life, sir!” We are now counting down the number of days to departure on our
150th Anniversary venture to the Arctic, and this momentous and extraordinary visit to Buckingham Palace will stay with us on the trip and form part of the collection of anecdotes that will be recounted long after the trip is over. Justin Major, i/c Outdoor Pursuits
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150th Gala Concert at St John’s Smith Square Malvern College’s Gala Concert was a magnificent and magical experience for all involved. Held in London at St John’s Smith Square, on Sunday 22nd March, it involved over 130 of our pupils and featured world-renowned organist Thomas Trotter (OM, School House, 1970–1974). They performed an impressive and diverse programme of music for the 300-strong audience that was enthralled by this event. The evening opened with the 44-piece Concert Band (under the baton of the Head of Brass, Woodwind and Percussion, Mr Ed Swindell) that entertained with an eclectic collection of popular tunes. Next were the 31 members of the Chamber Choir, conducted by the Director of Music, Mr Jonathan Brown, who sang their pieces by Stanford, Tippett and Parry with tremendous musicality. Let the bright Seraphim (Handel) was confidently delivered by soprano Lydia Westwood (No.8), accompanied on the piccolo trumpet by William Raby-Smith (School House) and Head of Keyboard, Mr Michael Philips on the chamber organ. The penultimate performance of the first half was given with great finesse by Thomas Trotter who performed JS Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G, BMV 541. Just before the interval, Mr Stephen McDade
(Assistant Director of Music & Head of Strings) demonstrated his command of the Orchestra by leading them through a polished performance of the First Movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No.1 in C Major, Op. 21. At the start of the second half of the programme, Mr McDade handed the baton to Mr Brown to conduct the Chamber Orchestra in support of Thomas Trotter’s second performance of the evening – Handel’s Organ Concerto No.2 in B flat major, HWV 290, Op.4 No.2. Next was ever-popular 22-piece Jazz Band that was on great form, with Natasha Bishop (No.4) featuring triumphantly in the vocal solo Valerie (Payne, McCabe, Harching, Chowbury & Prichardt). Thomas Trotter then played his final piece, Prélude and Danse Fuguée by Litaize, a piece with rhythmic vibrancy and extraordinary harmonies. The evening concluded with three pieces performed by the 115-strong Chapel Choir and Orchestra. They brought the evening to a close with Give unto the Lord by Elgar, Insaneae et vanae curae by Haydn and Handel’s Zadok the Priest. This was a simply thrilling evening, and we hope, a taste of things to come! Rhian Grundy, Head of Contemporary and Popular Music
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Choral Evensong at Tewkesbury Abbey Ninety-seven members of the Chapel Choir sang the daily office of Evensong at Tewkesbury Abbey as part of the College’s 150th Anniversary celebrations. In the glorious space of what is one of the most exquisite churches in England, the Choir sang, with great skill and commitment, a demanding programme of music expertly accompanied by Michael Phillips, the College organist. Responses by Ayleward, Psalm 150 to the setting by Stanford, Stanford’s evening canticles in C and Elgar’s Give unto the Lord were all delivered with the controlled, open sound for which the Choir is well known. The service was rounded off with the hymn Glorious things of thee are spoken to Abbot’s Leigh and Michael Phillips playing his own
composition, The Tewkesbury Pilgrim, for the final voluntary, a piece with a real rhythmic vitality incorporating a number of different styles. The Rev’d Andrew Law, Chaplain of Malvern College, led the prayers, Matthew Guy (No.1) and Heather Macdonald (No.3), both Chapel Prefects and members of the Choir, read the lessons. The Rev’d David Coulton, Associate Priest at the Abbey, officiated at the service and expressed the hope that we might return to the Abbey to sing again. Jonathan Brown, Director of Music
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‘Henry V’ by William Shakespeare To mark both the 150th Anniversary of the founding of Malvern College and the 600th Anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, Malvern staged a production of Shakespeare’s rousing play, Henry V. On St George’s Day, and according to tradition, on the Bard’s birthday, this marvellous version of the historical play was performed on two nights at the Rogers Theatre. Costumes were hired from the Royal Shakespeare Company and a talented cast that featured past and present pupils proceeded to deliver a most worthy performance. Serena Smith (Ellerslie House) as the Chorus opened the play by setting the scene. James Crellin (OM, No.2) as Henry V, performed as the eponymous hero who is persuaded to go to war with France by the Archbishop (Annie O’Gorman, No.3) and his courtiers, the Duke of Exeter (Henry Wall, No.2) and Westmoreland (Sebastian Hubbard, School House). Montjoy, the French Ambassador was played by Elise Black (No.3), and the Dauphin cleverly portrayed by Sebastian Thurlow (School House). As Henry rallies his troops with the iconic “Once more, unto the breach, dear friends”, they prepare for battle. Comic exchanges intervene in the narrative and were well managed by Cecily Warrilow (No.3) as Welsh captain Fluellen and Captain Gower (Lauren Maxey, No.3) and Captain Macmorris (Martha Doherty, No.4). Meanwhile Rebecca Gray (Ellerslie House) as Katherine, the French King’s daughter has her own comic scene as the princess tries to learn some English prior to her betrothal. Amelia Wall (OM, No.3) played her maid and the linguistic ‘gymnastics’ of the two performers made for a
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wonderfully whimsical scene. On the night before the battle of Agincourt, Harry, in disguise, walks amongst his restful troops to gauge morale. Amelia Wilson (No.4) as Williams and Chloe Underwood (No.4) as Bates were highly effective in their roles as infantry. As the English learn that they are outnumbered, Henry delivers Shakespeare’s inspiring ‘St. Crispin’s Day speech’. Further relief from the tension of engagement is provided by Pistol (Joe Hefferan, No.7) who has taken a French prisoner (Charlie Tuengerthal, No.6) as they humorously try to communicate. The English army overcomes the French in battle and the names of the dead, on both sides, are read out. Henry woos Katherine in a scene with wonderful comic flair. Alice’s translations and Henry’s courting of Katherine using bad ‘schoolboy’ French makes a fitting finale to the production. Heather Fryer’s costumes and Steve Doidge’s Globe Theatre styled set, placed us firmly in 1415 and Drama Assistant Rosalind Lawton’s sound design added to the creation of mood and atmosphere by creating a powerful battle soundscape. This 150th anniversary production was a thrilling evening of theatre with an almost professional standard of acting. As the cast took the final curtain call it seemed that the audience had warmly received their production and had ‘kindly’ judged ‘our play’. Keith Packham, Director of Drama
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Reception at The House of Lords In May, over 230 Old Malvernians, parents, present and former members of Common Room, and Friends of the College gathered at the Cholmondeley Room and Terrace overlooking the River Thames for a wonderful drinks and canapÊs reception. Most of the guests took advantage of the one-hour tour of the Palace of Westminster before joining the reception. The gathering was an extremely happy and successful one. Our host, Lord MacLaurin, welcomed the guests and then the Headmaster introduced Dominic Sandbrook (No.1, 1988–1993), the author, columnist and BBC presenter, who entertained everyone with a most compelling speech about how his education at the College prepared him so well for the academic challenges that lay ahead and which have enabled him to pursue such a broad, illustrious and successful career. Syd Hill, Secretary to the Malvernian Society
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Dominic Sandbroook, Antony Clark and Lord MacLaurin
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Malvern Art: Past, Present and Future A major exhibition celebrating Malvern Art: Past, Present and Future was held in St Edmund’s Hall for ten days in March. It showcased works by over fifty artists including established Old Malvernian artists, distinguished members of the Malvern College community, present pupils and winners of the 2015 Prep School Art Scholarships. The earliest work on display was produced in the 19th Century and the most internationally distinguished artist on show was Christopher Wood (OM, Day House, 1918–1919) who was painting in the 1920’s and moved in the circle of artists that included the Nicholsons, Cocteau and Picasso. The majority of the OM artists who exhibited however are very much alive and pursuing successful careers as fine artists, architects, sculptors, photographers and authors. The exhibition was formally opened by Sir Roy Strong FRSL, the eminent art historian and former Director of The National Portrait Gallery and the V & A museum. He addressed more than a hundred people at the Private View, commenting on the impressive quality and variety of work on display. Along with all manner of paintings, sculpture, photography, and architectural models, were textiles, video installations, woodcuts, etchings, history of art books and even a model of a set design for a Noel Coward play. The exhibition was curated by Bill Denny, former Director of Art at Malvern College, and Martin Frayn, former Head of the Sixth Form. Over three hundred people visited the exhibition.
Sir Roy Strong talking to Tim Newsholme, Director of Art at Malvern College
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Journey to Ypres We made our ‘Journey to Ypres’ to mark Malvern’s 150th Anniversary and to commemorate the 457 former members of the College who died in The Great War. Pupils and teachers were joined by Old Malvernians, parents and members of Common Room on a journey of remembrance to each of three cemeteries (where a significant number of Malvern’s Fallen are recorded) and to St George’s Chapel to unveil a memorial plaque in memory of those lost to the College. On the first morning the party assembled at the Menin Gate, where 31 Malvernian names are recorded. A private Act of Remembrance was conducted by the Rev’d Ken Madden, a member of the Malvern College Council and CCF Sgt Matthew Guy (No.1) played the Last Post and Reveille. The Headmaster, Antony Clark, and Malvernian Society Secretary, Syd Hill laid wreaths. Colonel Piers Storie-Pugh (OM, No.9, 1963–1967) read the Kohima Epitaph and the Headmaster read The Exhortation. At St George’s Memorial Church a plaque was dedicated to ‘Our Brothers’, in a service conducted by the Rev’d Brian Llewellyn, Priest in Charge of the Memorial Church, and the Rev’d Ken Madden. George Lacey, (OM, School House, 2004–2009), assistant organist at York Minster, played the organ and was accompanied by Matthew Guy (No.1) playing the bugle. Syd Hill read an extract from ‘This foul thing called War’ by Brigadier General R. J. Kentish, (OM, No.3, 1890– 1895), and the Headmaster read from St John’s Gospel. Many more of those lost in the Great War are similarly remembered at St George’s Chapel, by their schools, their regiments and their families. The part played by the town of Ypres in the course of the war was explained to us at the ‘In Flanders Fields Museum’ and here we heard the sombre and moving story of the unfolding of the war. At Gheluvelt, a town nearby, we paused at the Black Watch Memorial, where 2Lt. P E A Blair (OM, No.5,
2007–2011) died during the course of the first Battle of Gheluvelt. We visited the memorial that stands at the centre of the town there, as a tribute to the 2nd Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment, that won a Battle Honour for their staunch defence of the town. (This was the same regiment that had sponsored the Malvern College Officer Training Corps (OTC), when it was established at the College in 1891.) Many Malvernians fought with this regiment in the Great War, ten of whom lost their lives. Roger Berkley (OM, No.2, 1950–1955), who served with the regiment as a National Serviceman, and current pupil, Hannah Michell (No.4) laid a wreath here in their memory. At Tyne Cot cemetery, Joseph Zivny (School House) laid a wreath to commemorate the 11 Malvernians who are remembered in this enormous cemetery. And finally at Lijssenthoek Cemetery, where five Malvernians are commemorated, Dr Phillip Stafford, a member of Common Room, laid a wreath to his fellow Northern Irishman, Lt WSE Eames (OM, No.4, 1903–1907). The last formal event of the journey took place at the Menin Gate in the evening, where, at the end of each day the Last Post is still sounded as part of a service performed by the Ypres Fire Brigade. At the appointed hour the traffic came to a halt and the crowd of nearly 500 fell silent as the representatives of many different groups paid tribute to those they had lost. The College Archivist, Ian Quickfall and Anna Yaudzemis (No.6) laid wreaths on behalf of The Malvernian Society and Malvern College. We are most grateful to all who helped to make this ‘Journey to Ypres’ so successful. Ian Quickfall, Malvern College Archivist
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Anniversary Receptions in Germany Headmaster, Antony Clark, Alexandra Albright, Head of Development and three former members of the Common Room, Roy Allen, Martin Frayn and Ian Quickfall, made a whistle-stop tour of Germany in March as part of Malvern College’s 150th celebrations. They attended three receptions that were organised to thank the German community for their association with the College, particularly in the years since the introduction of the IB into the curriculum in 1992. The first reception was held at the Anglo-German Club in Hamburg and was organised by Christoph Stoecker (OM, No.3, 1973–1975) who is a member of the College Council. Almost fifty Malvernians, Friends, parents and guests attended this delightful occasion at a very picturesque location on the banks of the Alster Lake. The following evening the team assembled at the Industrie Club in Dusseldorf where Richard Bockel (OM, No.7, 2005–2008) had organised for over forty guests to share wine and canapés. Finally, over sixty guests met at the Seehaus im Englischen Garten, in Munich to enjoy a convivial evening in each other’s company. We are most grateful to Yannick Hecker (OM, No.1, 2007–2009) for organising this final event. The strong link that already exist between Malvern and its Friends was well illustrated by the numbers of former pupils and parents of pupils who attended the receptions abroad this year. It was wonderful for us all to get together on this occasion in Germany where these receptions took place just days after the wedding of Michael Hill (OM, No.2, 1993–1998), (son of the Secretary of the Malvernian Society) to Susie Cromme (OM, No.4, 1998–2003). Ian Quickfall, Malvern College Archivist
‘What the Crisis in the Muslim World means to Muslims and to the West’ Ahmed Rashid The third in the series of OM lectures, that marks the 150th Anniversary of the College, was delivered by Ahmed Rashid (OM, No.4, 1962–1966), a world-renowned author and commentator on Afghanistan, Pakistan and Middle East affairs. His talk was delivered in the very impressive surroundings of The Bingham Room at Gray’s Inn, London to an audience that included many of his contemporaries at the College. Ahmed spoke about the complex causes and repercussions of militant Islam and all those present were privileged to hear his analysis of events and his insightful comments. Syd Hill, Secretary to the Malvernian Society
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Anniversary Receptions in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur Two Malvern College receptions were held in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur on 28th April and 1st May 2015 respectively, to celebrate the College’s 150th Anniversary. The Headmaster, Antony Clark hosted both events accompanied by Head of Development, Alexandra Albright. In Hong Kong, approximately 45 guests attended, including Old Malvernians, parents of pupils currently in the school and Friends of the College. Parents particularly enjoyed the opportunity to talk to the Headmaster and to hear at firsthand of their children’s progress. Some guests had travelled considerable distances to attend the gathering, with some OMs attending from as far afield as Germany. The event was held at the historic Mandarin Oriental Hotel, a sumptuous 1960s building in Hong Kong Central, with the Reception venue overlooking the terrific panorama of Victoria Harbour. The Reception in Kuala Lumpur, also held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, was a particularly memorable occasion, attended by the Honourable Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia (OM, No.2, 1968–1971), and his brother Dato’ Johari Razak (OM, No.2, 1969–1972). Prime Minister Najib was able to take time out of his exceptionally busy schedule to attend the event as the College’s distinguished Guest of Honour and to address the assembled guests, who again encompassed OMs, Friends and parents, as well as a number of Ellerslie Old Girls. The British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Her Excellency Vicki Treadell CMG, MVO, was also present. The 65 guests in Kuala Lumpur travelled from all across the ASEAN region to join this special Malvern College gathering, including Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines. Dato’ Sri Najib spoke compellingly of his education at the College and described how well his time at Malvern had prepared him for his political career.
In both Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur the Headmaster also enlightened guests about recent developments at the College. These include the opening of the Razak Science Centre, named in honour of Prime Minister Najib and his brother, and the most recent developments with Malvern’s new international schools. The two receptions gave the Headmaster an opportunity to express the College’s gratitude to all current donors and to thank all guests for their wonderful support over the years. Both events were extremely happy occasions, and a great time was enjoyed by all.
OM Dinner at the Leash Club in New York City In March, Antony Clark was the Guest of Honour at an OM Reunion in New York City held to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the College. Some 25 OMs of all generations and their guests enjoyed dinner and each other’s company at The Leash Club in East 63rd Street, a venue kindly arranged by the OM representative in NYC, Chip Burke (OM, No.7, 1972–1973), who is also a member of the College Council. Antony Clark was able to update OMs about all the recent developments and improvements to the College campus and about the schools overseas linked to the College.
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Sports Day The bad weather held off and Sports Day was a great success! An outstanding 11 School Records were broken, including the coveted senior boys’ 100m by Nnamdi Ndili in a time of 11.1 seconds. Other impressive performances include Amy Elias (No.3) in the senior girls’ 1500m (5.12 mins), Joe Hefferan (No.7) in the senior boys’ high jump (1.17m) and Lauren Maxey (No.3) in the junior girls’ discus. Lauren’s distance of 28.60m actually also beats the current senior girls’ record! The new addition of the Housem egg and spoon race was a raging success, with the female Housems coming out as champions, with absolutely NO foul play!
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No.3 says farewell to its Leavers The time approaches for all of our Leavers to fly the nest. Each of the Houses bids farewell to their senior pupil teams who have helped so much in the running of their respective Houses and who have been leading purveyors of House spirit. We wish the girls of No.3 luck as they enter the last few weeks of their school careers, we hope they will do well in their examinations and we look forward to seeing them all at the Leavers’ Ball at the end of term. Fiona Packham, Housemistress No.3
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No.9 Leavers The departing Upper Sixth in No.9 set up a spectacular Leavers’ photo to rival the best. Sebastian Engert masterminded the event and, although he confessed to concerns about whether all the elements would come together on the day, he managed to create a fantastic picture. The helicopter was privately chartered, two obliging parents loaned them two very classy cars and the result is very Bond – a great way to remember a stylish and remarkable Upper Sixth! Paul Wickes, Housemaster No.9
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Tennis Smyth Cup: County Singles Competition
Polina Burak and Carina Bäte
Four Malvern College girls, Polina Burak (No.4), Carina Bäte (No.8), Maria Boncompagni (No.6) and Theresa Wendelstadt (No.6) competed in the County Singles tournament held at Malvern St James on Sunday 17th May. There was some great tennis on display in this competitive contest. Polina Burak won all her matches, showing great determination and focus. Carina Bäte lost only one match – to Polina Burak. The final result was first and second place to Malvern: Carina was the runner-up and was presented with a medal and Polina Burak was the winner of the 2015 Girls’ Singles County Tournament and presented with the Smyth Cup.
Scott Cup: County Singles Competition Two members of the Senior tennis squad and two from the Juniors competed for the Scott Cup, the County Singles title. Pavel Burak (No.5) got through to the quarter-finals, Michael Yeung (School House) and Grigory Kryukov (No.7) won places in the semi-finals, and Luca Dell’Antonio (No.7) made it all the way to the final, in which he played some excellent tennis. In the final he was beaten by an opponent who was three years older and as Luca is still in the FY we hope that he will have four more chances to challenge for the title! Richard Thurlow, i/c Tennis
Runner-up in the Scott Cup, Luca Dell’Antonio
Girls’ County Doubles Competition In the U16 County Doubles Competition held at Malvern St James, Malvern’s U15 1st pair, Claudia Cascón Pulido (No.8) and Issy Dewe (No.8), were runners-up to the winners losing only one match. Well done, girls! Barbara Swart, Girls’ Tennis
Claudia Cascón Pulido and Issy Dewe
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U14 & U16 Boys’ County Doubles Tournament Malvern College was the host for the County U14 & U16 Boys’ Doubles Tournament in May. The U14 event was dominated by Grigory Kryukov (No.7) and Luca Dell’Antonio (No.7) who won all five of their matches with the loss of only two games and were crowned U14 County Doubles champions. This is the second year in a row that Grigory has won the tournament. The U16 event was a much closer affair. Malvern entered four pairs and watched as three of the four, George Elias (No.2) & Fraser Cox (No.7), Filippo de Bortoli (School House) & Dan Ferris (School House) and Alex Best (School House) & Seb Hubbard (School House) all finished on the same number of set wins, with exactly the same points differential. The three joint county winners entered a play-off to determine which pair would be the overall winner. George Elias (No.2) and Fraser Cox (No.7) won, to become County champions. A good year therefore for Malvern College and the first time Malvern has won both trophies – congratulations to all and very well played. Mark Cox, Tennis
Winners of the U14 Doubles tournament: Grigory Kryukov (No.7) and Luca Dell’Antonio (No.7)
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Matt Hind wins Beacon Trophy Following the Beacon Trophy Qualifying Tournament held last November the eight top Malvern College golfers went forward to the matchplay phase of the competition. They were Matt Hind (No.5), Henry de Spoelberch (No.1), Alex Taylor (No.5), Charlie Hickman (No.5), Nicholas Rosenthal (No.7), Joe O’Gorman (No.5), Max Taylor (School House) and Chris Crisp (No.7). The tournament concluded in the final in March 2015 at Puckrup Hall Golf Club. At the close it was between Matt Hind from the Upper Sixth and Chris Crisp from the Hundred and it was a closely-fought contest. The score was all-square after nine holes but three unfortunate tee shots from Chris allowed Matt to win three consecutive holes and take the lead. Despite Chris’ best efforts the final score was 3&2 to Matt. Matt Hind has now won the Beacon Golf Trophy twice in successive years.
Worcestershire Schools’ Golf Championships Malvern entered a team of six players for this tournament which took place at the Gaudet Luce Golf Club at Droitwich in the last week of the Easter holiday. The team performed extremely well putting up their best ever performance in the event: Matt Hind (No.5), Chris Crisp (No.7), Giles Winthrop (No.5), Charlie Hickman (No.5), Alex Taylor (No.5), and Ally Renton (No.7) made up our squad for the day. The Malvern College team won the team Gross competition with a total of 230: Matt Hind (76) was second, and Chris Crisp & Charlie Hickman (both 77) were tied for fourth, and these three made up our counting scores. Giles Winthrop (16th) and Alex Taylor (18th) also played well. In the Nett Competition Malvern were also winners, with a team score of 208: Charlie Hickman (67), Ally Renton (69) & Chris Crisp (72) our top three scorers. In the separate U16 Competition Charlie Hickman was second in both the Individual Gross & Nett Competition. Malvern College will represent Worcestershire at the National Schools Team Finals on Wednesday 8th July at Woodhall Spa Golf Course.
Lee Westwood Golf final For the second year running Chris Crisp (No.7) has qualified for the national finals of this prestigious competition and has done so by winning the U16 category at Kings Norton last month. This is a significant achievement and we wish him luck in October for the final that takes place in Newcastle, at Close House on the Lee Westwood signature Filly course. The format will be three rounds of golf with a cut in the field after the first two rounds: the top players going forward to compete for the title. Chris will also take part in the Jamega Pro Am Tour in September at Magnolia Park in Boarstall, Buckinghamshire.
Chris with the Lee Westwood official and receiving the signatory Lee Westwood belt.
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New Golf facilities Thanks to the generosity of the Old Malvernian Golfing Society, Malvern College now has two new, purpose-built, golf facilities on which golfers at Malvern College can hone their short game skills all the year round. We have installed three Huxley Golf all-weather golf mats on our designated short game area, adjacent to the Firs Tennis Courts. This enables pupils to pitch towards targets at 45, 65 and 85 yards respectively, improving their accuracy and distance control in this crucial element of the game. We have also installed a Huxley Golf synthetic 60’ x 30’ putting green, that feels and plays just like grass, on the area in front of the Grub Lawn. This kind of surface has the bonus of being all weather and virtually maintenance free so that our golfers can practise their chipping and putting skills at any time of the year. Both facilities are within a five-minute walking distance of any of the boarding houses and contained within the College grounds so there is no excuse for not practising! Graham Hawkings (PGA Professional) who is attached to the College and who runs our coaching programme, knows only too well how important the short game is in lowering individual scores on the course, and envisages significant improvements in this area of the game over the coming months from all our youngsters.
Articles by John Cox, i/c Golf
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Captain of the Wales and Borders Junior team in Tetrathlon Freddie Ashworth (No.5) captained the Boys’ Junior Wales and Borders Tetrathlon team that competed at the Junior Regional Championships at Moreton Morrell at the end of May. Tetrathlon comprises of four phases: pistol shooting to a target, swimming, cross country running and cross country riding. It is the junior version of the Modern Pentathlon with only the fencing phase missing. Seventy boys aged 15 years and under took part, making up seven different regional teams, with 18 boys making the trip over from Ireland. Freddie finished in eighth position individually, the best placed boy from Wales and Borders, and the team came third but behind two strong Irish teams. Freddie has been training for his events at school with Mr Rob Young, Sports Complex Operations Manager, who has run some early morning swimming sessions for him in the pool, and with Mr Jordan Nwachukwu, i/c Cross Country, who has been training him hard in his running. There is still a further year to go in this age group for Freddie so with an additional 12 months to prepare he may well improve his placing.
Next he aims to qualify for the UK National Championships held at Bishop Burton College in North Yorkshire at the end of August, and we wish him the best of luck!
Photographs by Blueski photography
Tom Newman, Housemaster No.5
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U15 side wins the Mercian League Last season, this side, captained by Nye Owen (No.9), didn’t miss a chance to display their footballing talent. Highlights were the winning of the Mercian League Southern Division, followed by a victory over Oundle (Mercian Northern League champions) 3–2, in their last game of the season, effectively making them champions of the Midlands Mercian League. This year’s squad of 14 players trained hard and worked for each other throughout the season. Nye Owen took on the role of playmaker and Josh White (No.7) and Lucas Heappey (No.7) linked up well and were the suppliers of many of our best crosses. Up front, Jake Preston (No.9) proved to be a real handful for defenders and scored a total of 14 goals, with two hat-tricks, against the Royal Grammar School Worcester and King’s Worcester and five against Marlborough. Although they were not always regular starters both Jake Mann (No.7) & Dare George (No.1) trained as hard as the rest and were essential to the team’s success.
In the defence, Will Lane (No.9) Will Sharp (No.5), Obi Ndili (No.5) and Max Taylor (School House) were consistent in repelling attacks, but on the few occasions that there was a break through, Jack Bishop (No.7) in goal was brave and committed and proved difficult to beat. The team only conceded 11 goals all season. Paul Döhring (No.9) deserves credit for the protection he provided for the back four and for launching numerous attacks. His work rate was impressive and his tackling and driving runs through midfield were in evidence in every game. The side lost Oli Garnett (No.5) upfront for most of the season – he developed a back injury – but Max Richardson (School House) then had the chance to play; a chance he took with both hands and he was awarded with the most improved player of the season. Player of the Year was Nye Owen (No.9)
Girls’ ISFA Football selection Congratulations to Zoe Taylor (Hundred, No.3) who has been invited to join the U18 England Football training camp that will be held at Oakham this summer. Zoe plays at right back and won selection after playing extremely well for the South West of England in the ISFA inter-regional tournament held at Harrow in March. Joe Gauci, i/c Girls’ Football
John Cox, i/c U15s
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Lucas Nelson, Andrew Tudor, Cassie Bedford, Amelia Law
National Fives Competition The College Fives teams have had recent success at U16 level. At the start of the Easter holiday, Lucas Nelson (School House) and Andrew Tudor (No.9) won the National U16 doubles, beating the two top seeds from St Paul’s and Winchester along the way. This was an incredible effort; the standard in the latter stages of the tournament is very high. This victory is the first for Malvern at a national level since the competition began. Many auspicious Fives players from the adult world
watched the final and commented on the quality of the match. The girls’ Fives team also proved to be an unstoppable force in their recent national competition. Amelia Law (No.3) won the Singles in commanding fashion, and partnered Cassie Bedford (No.3) to do the double! Afterwards, rumours of a Wimbledon-style dance of the victors abounded! Chris Thomas, i/c Fives
Trampolining star Zoe Pemberton It is with great pleasure that No.4 have been following the fortunes of one of their Upper Sixth, Zoe Pemberton. As well as studying hard for her A levels, and recently completing her Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, she has still found time to train and compete to a high standard in the field of trampolining. Success in a recent regional competition held at Solihull prompted us to find out more about her trampolining prowess. Her sports coach Richard Crane from The React Trampoline Club writes: “Zoe’s training and development has always been to a high and consistent standard, and she is prepared to learn new skills to incorporate into each competition routine. She has always wanted to compete even from an early stage of her development and has achieved some really fantastic results within the competition structure for the West Midlands Region. Her best result was in her last competition in March where she was 0.4 marks off securing a National finals position, a truly great result, especially as she was nursing an injury. Zoe has achieved a regional ranking of third place in the 17+ NDP1 category and now stands as reserve for the British Championships. And Zoe’s dedication to trampolining also extends to coaching. She has an affinity with working with children and her excellent communication skills have made her a great supporting coach for the club.” Anne Sharp, Housemistress No.4
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NPSCCC at Malvern Malvern hosted the 22nd annual National Prep Schools’ Cross Country Championships in March in which over 1,000 pupils from more than 80 schools competed. The four races were run in good conditions across the College campus and Wells Common and yielded the following year group and team winners for U11 and U13 girls and boys. In the U11 Girls’ race, Pippi Spawforth from Danes Hill was the individual winner and Cheam won the team competition. Matthew Taylor from Yardley Court won the U11 boys’ individual race, helping his school win the team competition. Molly Williams of Spratton Hall and Oscar Millard from Newton won the U13 girls’ and boys’ U13 individual races respectively. The U13 girls’ team competition was won by Danes Hill and Cheam won the boys’ team competition. In the Small Schools Awards, Maidwell Hall won the U11 girls’ race and Abingdon Preparatory School won the U11 boys’. St Richard’s won the U13 girls’ race and Tockington Manor School won the U13 boys’. Paul Godsland, Deputy Head: Logistics
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
Junior Race The Junior Race was held in March and is traditionally run by the Lower School or by those who are ineligible to run the Ledder because they are too young. Spring was in the air and the sun broke through as the race began, making conditions perfect for the challenging 3.4-mile course. Over 150 competitors collected on the start line, shoulder to shoulder, fighting to get to the front…and they were off! With the runners competing for both individual and House glory, the race proved to be as competitive as ever! James Hooker (No.5) showed patience and excellent judgement to cross the line in first place, in a time of 23 minutes and 21 seconds. Nye Owen (No.9) managed to narrowly grab second in a closely contested battle with Luc Gillard (No.1), who finished third. First home for the girls was Ariana Davison (No.4), who won convincingly with a time of 26 minutes 35 seconds, two minutes ahead of the next girl, Alina Allison (No.8) who was followed by her House-mate Holly Needham (No.8) who came third with a time of 29 minutes 44 seconds. In the House competition, the No.5 boys won convincingly with their six best runners amassing an impressively low score. The girls’ competition followed in a similar vein with the No.8 girls winning relatively comfortably. There was a great atmosphere and buzz throughout the race, testament to the spirit in which everyone competed. Inevitably the Common claimed some trendy footwear but overall it was a fantastic afternoon at Malvern College. Jordan Nwachukwu, i/c Cross Country Ariana Davison (No.4)
Midlands & Northern Independent Schools’ Cross Country Championships The Malvern College cross country season got off to a good start at Shrewsbury School in the Midlands & Northern Independent Schools Cross Country Championships, now in its 56th year. The competition attracted some tough opposition from Oundle, Rugby, Shrewsbury, and Sedbergh with a large field of over 250 runners. In the Junior boys’ race all of our runners put in strong performances which resulted in a third place finish in the team competition. The Senior boys’ team also performed well but the biggest success of the afternoon came in the Open Girls’ competition. Amy Elias (No.3) stormed home to finish in first place with Georgina Denham (No.6) in fourth place (very impressive for a FY competing in a Senior Race). The girls’ team won the team title and were awarded the Stowe Shield. All in all a very successful day for Malvern College Cross Country in their first year at this competition; well done to all those who represented the College and contributed to this success. Jordan Nwachukwu, i/c Cross Country
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The Ledbury Run The annual Ledder, run from Ledbury to Malvern, was contested by over 160 pupils as well as a healthy contingent of staff and Old Malvernians. The course was tough in places owing to the recent rainfall but, on the day, it was warm and the sun was shining. The atmosphere on the startline was electric with nerves tingling and hearts thumping! The pounding feet of 180 runners striving to be the first up the hill and out of the starting field sounded like a herd of buffalo searching for water and this was quite a spectacle to behold. Seven and three-quarter miles to go and only time would tell who would be the winner! Fifty-four minutes and 22 seconds later the first boy, Thomas Eiserman (No.5), ran on to the Senior and earned himself the traditional Ledbury Cap along with the Tennant Cup, and a place in the Malvern College history books. Julia Bijl (Ellerslie House) was the first girl across the finish line in a time of 60 minutes 14 seconds. She too earned herself a Ledder Cap and was awarded the Sarah Fellows Cup. Traditionally, Ledder Caps are awarded to the first nine boys who complete the course. In the girls’ race, the number varies each year – one cap is awarded for each complete group of 10 girls who run in the race. This year 43 girls ran the race therefore four Caps were awarded. Congratulations to all those who earned Caps this year. Jordan Nwachukwu, i/c Cross Country
Rosslyn Park Sevens Malvern attended the Rosslyn Park Sevens tournament in March. The squad was in great spirits and played their first game against Shrewsbury School, with the result going Malvern’s way, 26–10. The next game was against Eton, known to be strong, and the winning side in last year’s encounter, but this year Malvern won 34–14: a great win, and the best Sevens rugby I have watched Malvern play in my six years of coaching here. We lost the game we played against Barnard Castle School who went on to win the group and in the final match against Bristol Grammar School, we spread the play around so that the younger players could gain valuable experience. We lost this game but only just – well done indeed to these boys for the great effort they put into the game. All of the squad can be proud of their performances in this year’s Sevens season; we have had some very good games against stiff opposition. Nick Tisdale, Master i/c Rugby
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Malvern View • Summer 2015
EIGHT8 Cricket This year’s EIGHT8 tournament at Malvern College produced some wonderful cricket. Each of the 10 preparatory Schools, kitted out in coloured clothing, bowled, fielded and batted with determination and skill well beyond their years. In a keenly contested final, Worcestershire’s Abberley Hall played the debutants Cumnor House from Surrey. The scores were extremely close producing a thrilling finish. Cumnor House was victorious in the end was but Abberley Hall had made them play their best cricket. Packwood Haugh from Shropshire beat St Hugh’s from Oxfordshire in the Plate competition. Well done to all who played and congratulations to Cumnor House on their victory. Mark Hardinges, Master i/c Cricket
Cumnor House School
Packwood Haugh
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Ben Twohig: England U17s The trip to Dubai with the England U17 team was a fantastic experience for me. During the first five days we had to practise hard to get used to the new conditions, and each other! Our first game was a warm-up match against an UAE U19 side and this was my first taste of what playing on these wickets was going to be like. I quickly realised that I would have to bowl a lot quicker. We lost the opening One-Day International against Pakistan but there were plenty of positives to take from the game. I was rested for the second game and returned for the last. Weather held up the start of that game but not for rain. This delay was because a sand storm was heading our way!
A late start then to this match, but my best performance to date. I took two wickets in the win for England, and this was definitely a high point for me, and my first win in an England shirt. The tour closed with a three-day game, a real challenge for me and I had to think on my feet. The Pakistan batsmen played an attacking game and we needed to contain the runs. This match was eventually a draw but in the second innings I took two wickets and helped ensure that Pakistan didn’t run away with it. I thoroughly enjoyed my first tour with England and I am hoping that it is the first of many! Ben Twohig (No.2)
First five-wicket haul for Ben Twohig Spinner Ben Twohig (No.2), part of the Worcestershire County Cricket Club 2014/15 Academy intake, achieved his first five wicket haul for the county 2nd XI on the opening day of the match against Somerset 2nd XI at New Road this season. Ben finished with 5–33 from 11.1 overs. He bowled unchanged and surpassed his previous best figures for the WCCC 2nd XI, of 3–25 against Hampshire CCC in a three-day fixture at New Road last September.
Match drawn Somerset 2nd XI: 179 in 39.1 overs (all out) Worcestershire 2nd XI:138 in 62 overs (for 9)
Jack is selected to play for Fiji Malvern pupil Jack Charters (No.1, Hundred) has been picked to play cricket for Fiji in the U19 World Cup in January 2016 in Bangladesh. Jack joined Malvern in the Foundation Year from Terrington Hall Preparatory School in Yorkshire, and qualifies to play because his mother is Fijian. From the outset it was clear that he had a strong bowling action that, with his height, allowed him to generate pace and bounce. His hattrick against Bradfield for the 1st XI whilst still in the FY was evidence of his huge potential. Over the past three years Jack has worked tirelessly on his bowling with Mat Mason (Worcestershire CCC bowling coach) and our resident professional Noel Brett. He has also been part of the Worcestershire Academy and our own Elite Player programme which have helped him to improve his strength and conditioning. At 16 Jack has still to reach his full height and that will be substantially over the six-feet mark. He is a very exciting prospect and we wish him the best of luck. Mark Hardinges, Master i/c Cricket
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Left to right: Olivia Behan (N.4); Holly Needham (No.8); Verity Manning-Cox (No.4) (holding the horses) Katie Archer (No.8)
Dressage team triumph! What a fantastic day it was for the Malvern College Dressage team comprising Katie Archer (No.8), Olivia Behan (No.4), Verity Manning-Cox (No.4) and Holly Needham (No.8) that finished first at Princethorpe College on Saturday 25th April. As a result the girls have secured a place at the NSEA Championships to be held in October at Addington Manor. It was a wonderful team effort with Verity finishing first in the Prelim section with 72.5% and Holly and Katie finishing second and third with 71.4% and 65.4% respectively in the Novice section. Olivia Behan finished eighth in the Prelim section with 62.3% and came second in the ‘warm up‘
test. Holly Needham came first in the individual Elementary section. The girls were presented with rosettes, sashes and a magnificent silver cup and, as always, were a credit to the school. The organisers complimented the team on their smart attire and good turn-out. Rhys Chapman (No.9) represented the school in the 80 and 90cm show jumping competitions on Sunday 26th April at Princethorpe College. No rosettes on this occasion but a great effort by Rhys on his new horse, Pixel. Heidi Andrews, i/c Riding
Future Activities 2015 Follow us!
27th – 31st July
29th Anniversary Bunbury E.S.C.A. Festival
Malvern College now has a social media presence and you can find us on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter. We hope that you will enjoy reading news about what is going on at Malvern, and sending us your comments.
OPEN DAYS Saturday 10th October Malvern College Friday 9th October The Downs Malvern Saturday 10th October The Downs Malvern For further information please visit www.malverncollege.org.uk or www.thedownsmalvern.org.uk SUPERCAMPS Various day courses for children aged 6 – 14, based at Malvern College from the 20th July. For more information please visit the Supercamps website: www.supercamps.co.uk FOOTBALL CAMPS 27th – 31st July and West Bromwich Albion Football camps 17th – 21st August Day camps for children aged 4–14, based at Malvern College. To book a place please visit www.thealbionfoundation.co.uk