Music

Generation XX

Generation XX is NHEHS’s first rock band launched in 2018! It’s made up of six talented members including a drummer, guitarist, base player, pianist and two singers. The rock band’s name started off as Generation X but we soon realised that wasn’t our generation but our mums/dads generation. So we added another X making it instead the female chromosome.

We’ve played in many school concerts and even opened a local festival called Party In The Park. We are a rock band but we sing other genres as well, including songs such as Rolling in the Deep by Adele and Get lucky by Pharrel WIlliams. The band started off with only three people but no drummer or singers. Then at the beginning of 2019 a drummer was added and about half way through myself and my friend joined as singers. We practise every Monday lunchtime with the help of Mr. Edge and try to perform as much as possible.

Iris Cumming, Year 7

NHEHS Musician of the Year

Along with several other girls from Years 7 to 12, I competed in the school's second ever Musician of the Year competition on Wednesday the 13th of February.

It had two categories; one for Years 7 to 9 and one from Years 10 to 13. It was judged by an external adjudicator, Patrick Martin, Director of Music at St. Helen’s School, Northwood. It was incredibly enjoyable to hear so many talented musicians perform and we all had a lot of fun together. Everyone played extremely well and it was nice to see such a variety of instruments being played, including the violin, flute, guitar, voice and saxophone.

I was delighted to be declared the winner of the senior category, with Shreya in Year 9 being awarded the winner of the Junior award. I really like it, the girls are friendly and hardworking. There is never a dull moment!

I like children and I like music! I used to work in film music but found it a bit lonely; I really like the sense of community that you get from working in a school.

I love teaching young people music because no one ever reacts in the same way; there are always different answers and responses. I find meaning in music (it is my favourite art form) and like to see others enjoy it.

I’m currently training to be a yoga teacher so I can do lots of pretzel-like poses!

I love early 20th century music in particular. My top three favourite composers are Stravinsky, Debussy and Bach. I’d describe Stravinsky as a “musical chameleon” because he changed a lot over the course of his career and developed throughout history. I like his clever composition and attention to detail. I love Debussy because of his harmonies and more philosophical approach to sound where not everything has to sound “correct”.

My phone, a piano and a friend.

I would choose my mum as she always knows what to do in stressful situations and Ghandi as he would probably be very calm and inspiring. For my third person I should probably choose someone musical! Maybe Louis Armstrong because I think he would be quite fun and entertaining.

In the music department, we have had a range of events. Firstly, many brave soloists competed in the NHEHS Young Musician of the Year Competition. An external adjudicator came to judge the performances and after many superb performances and some refreshments, a decision was made. Well done to Miranda Simmons and Shreya Grover for being the first ever winners of the competition. A special thank you to Mr Janik for accompanying the students and the external adjudicator for judging the competition.

In March, we had a visit to the primary school, Kew College, with our Jazz Band and Chamber Choir. We introduced the enthusiastic students to a range of genres and had them listen to a few pieces from choral music, jazz music to 20th-century music as well as interactively introducing them to different instruments.

Finally, we had the Spring concert where we had two talented concerto musicians, Miranda Simmons who played ‘Nigun’ by Bloch and Emilia Rayner who performed the ‘Chaminade Flute Concertino’. We also had a variety of performances from Senior Choir, Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra including pieces such as the classic, Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’, and Strauss’, ‘Radetzky March’, where the audience clapped along to the music.

Overall, it has been a busy year for the extra-curricular side of music and we are privileged to have had so many opportunities to perform and enjoy music at NHEHS thanks to the wonderful Music Department.

Grace Pang, Year 12

My Musical Interest: Clara Schuman

Clara Schumann (nee. Clara Wieck) was born in 1819, daughter of Friedrich Wieck, a well-known musician of the time. She was a bit of a child prodigy, performing her own compositions from age 11, and composing her first piano concerto at age 16. She married Robert Schumann, a former pupil of her father’s in 1840 and together they had 8 children born over the course of 10 years. During this time, Clara and Robert toured Russia, Germany and other parts of Europe. In 1854, Robert was committed to a mental asylum, having attempted suicide following years struggling with mental illness. He died 2 years later and Clara had to singlehandedly afford the upkeep of an 8 child household, so composition took a backseat and she focussed on being a concert pianist. Brahms was a good friend to both Robert and Clara, and the three shared ideas and critiqued each other’s compositions. Clara’s piano trio in G minor was the only piece of chamber music she wrote and it was finished in 1846. Clara’s influences include Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Bach. Bach’s influence is especially prominent in this trio, Clara having studied counterpoint and fugue throughout the 1840s.

A Night at the Musicals

Singing in ‘A Night at the Musicals’ was one of the highlights of my first year at Notting Hill. I was asked to sing a duet with my older sister of the song ‘A Million Dreams’ and it was a dream come true.

Our weeks of hard-work paid off, and on the 10th of July a large portion of the school took part in ‘A Night at the Musicals’. It was a massive production consisting of well-loved songs from many musicals such as ‘The Greatest Showman’, ‘Les Miserables’, Matilda’ and ‘Hairspray’ taken and recreated by an incredible team of dancers, singers, front of house and the extremely talented, backstage team.

The whole school came together and bonded over the eventful night. The hall was filled with excited students in the afternoon and eager parents in the evening. Overall, it was a big success and this is just the beginning of an amazing NHEHS tradition and I very much look forward to what ‘A Night at the Musicals’ will bring next.

Salem Yosief, Year 7 Dancing the solo of My Fair Lady, “I Could Have Danced All Night”, was an amazing experience. I enjoyed all of the music from each musical, be it dramatic or light and airy; that’s why it was so fun to dance to.

I thought that the theme of showcase was a great choice, because it meant that the audience could experience the recreation of such amazing classics.

Although the dancing itself was fun, I also enjoyed bonding further with the rest of the dance squad, the singers themselves, and all of the helpful tech people backstage.

One of my favourite things was watching all of the decorations, props and set go up, it made the performance feel even more real.

Finally, I think the band did an amazing job of playing all of the songs, because a dance without music isn’t very interesting.

Maia Roman, Year 7