MUSIC Two stage productions have also had major musical contributions mis year. 'My Fair Lady' reviewed elsewhere was a major undertaking and the ability of our instrumentalists to cope wim difficult music and the type of disciplines required from a pit orchestra was impressive. Similarly me orchestra provided for the Junior School production of 'Tom Sawyer' deserves congratulations. Our annual music competition proved as valuable and enjoyable as ever wim lively adjudication by Karen Evans.
MUSIC COMPETITION Senior Woodwind Senior Brass Senior Keyboard Senior Strings Tudor Howat prize for composition Junior Woodwind Junior Brass Junior Keyboard Junior Strings
Martin Kershaw Nicholas Barham-Hall Tifanny Richards Tifanny Richards
(clarinet) (euphonium) (piano) (viola)
Martin Kershaw Richard Hugill Dominic Greeves Lucinda Francis Jane Mindenhall
(saxophone) (trumpet) (piano) (violin)
Finale The last two weeks saw a period of frantic musical activity in preparation for Commemoration, Leavers' Service, Concert for the Duchess of Kent, visit by the band to Rowntrees and a joint concert with a choir from Norway. In my experience we have never rehearsed so much in a concentrated period and the results were plain to hear: greater stamina from the wind and brass players, tighter ensemble from all instrumentalists and singers, more attention to exact intonation and importantly a greater sociability and group identity witiiin each unit. On Monday 2nd July the choir of Osteroy Church near Bergen in Norway provided us wim an evening of church music including Allegri's 'Miserere', Bach's 'We Hasten' and two large scale English andiems:- Stainer's 'I saw the Lord' and Balfour Gardiner's 'Evening Hymn'. All were sung with enthusiasm. During the evening some of our School instrumentalists performed including Jane Mindenhall's (violin) well-controlled playing of 'Meditation' from 'Thais' by Massenet and Richard Hugill's lively and humorous performance of Paul Harris' Foxtrot on the saxophone. Katy Wood (violin), Claire Altman (flute) and Tifanny Richards also gave a breezy account of movements from Beethoven's Serenade.
GENERAL NOTES The Senior Band has had a busy year always producing enjoyable, stylish performances and providing important contrasts in our concert programmes. Their performances in the joint concert with Bromley School's Orchestra was especially notable; they provided die bulk of the programme in the Musikfest and then again featured in the Summer Concert. The Summer Term's final week saw them performing at Rowntrees factory for the centenary celebrations and on Thursday 5th July providing music to welcome the Duchess of Kent to the School. Many of the members also contribute so much to major musical occasions. The Brass group continues to be an essential element in our major Minster services and also has contributed to Chapel services, for instance the Choral Evensong when Bishop Trevor Huddleston visited us. A group from the band played at the Advent Carols by Candlelight — accompanying the St. Olave's Chapel Choir. Many members of die band will be leaving this year but we will have a large intake of brass and woodwind players in September.
The Royal Concert on Thursday 5th July was the musical highlight of the year. All the performers gave tiieir very best. The brass at the beginning was sonorous and majestic. The choir, all attentive, sang widi vigour, a sense of line and real contrast. The String Orchestra accompanied Claire Altman's beautifully measured flute playing wim great sensitivity. Mozart's 'Andante' from 36
