ALUMNAE NEWS FROM THE PREP SCHOOL

If you are heading to the cinema soon to see the new Todd Field film

TÁR starring Cate Blanchett, look out for the cellist, Sophie Kauer, a Prep School alumna, playing the part of Olga. Sophie (2020) started playing cello aged 8, and just 18 months later, was accepted into the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music in London. TÁR is Sophie’s film acting debut. She was discovered through an international casting call from among hundreds of cellists as well as actresses. All of ‘Olga’s’ playing in the film was live recordings of Sophie’s performances. Sophie is studying classical cello performance at the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo in the class of worldrenowned cellist Torleif Thedeén.

In November, we were very lucky that VOCES8, a group of 8 internationally renowned A Capella singers visited us at School. We started the day with the Big Choir workshop for which we were joined by choir members from George Abbot School, Guildford, which meant we had the boys to sing tenor and bass and some more girls to join the soprano and alto parts. It was lovely to make some new friends and the huge choir sounded brilliant with all the voices. Workshops followed for Cantores of St Cat’s and the Senior Choir and Male Chorus voices of George Abbot. These were particularly exciting as VOCES8 showed us different ways of doing things with smaller choral groups. Each member of the group introduced themselves by singing a song about themselves, and our warmup was really interesting because we didn’t actually sing! VOCES8 would do an action and we had to react to it with a sound. They taught us not just to sing out but to focus on making a clear sound with our voices. In the group rehearsal they gave us some really constructive advice on how to add some light and shade to our pieces.

At the evening concert to a packed auditorium, we were able to show off what we had learnt in the workshops and rehearsals, and we all thoroughly enjoyed performing as school ensembles, with members of VOCES8 alongside, as well as getting to watch VOCES8 perform live. It marked the end of a great day and an experience we will never forget! A big thank-you to the Music Departments in both schools for making it happen.

Ruby (Head Girl 2022-2023)