MUSIC After the Music Tour to the U.S.A. we lost a good number of able musicians and there was a certain amount of rebuilding work required, especially in the choir and band. Basses and trombones were missed for a while but gradually the gaps have been filled. The principle of steady building in all our groups has been one of the hallmarks of the year. I, unfortunately, missed the very beginning of the School year through a bout of blood poisoning — my thanks to all who covered for me during this very busy time.
CHAMBER CHOIR The Chamber Choir has gone from strength to strength this year and has added significantly to the repertoire while still retaining many of the old favourites. At the Commemoration Service their singing of Parry's 'My Soul, there is a country' was outstanding. In November, with the Headmaster driving one of the minibuses, we visited Bramcote School, Scarborough where we gave a concert to the pupils and some parents. The Brass Quartet and some soloists accompanied us and the 'new' Rockin' Hairdressers made their first appearance. Their sights have been firmly set during the year on a Summer Tour visiting southern Spain and singing various concerts including two in the sixteenth century cathedrals of Gibraltar. A report of this visit is included elsewhere.
SCHOOL CHOIR The School Choir has worked at a rather larger scale repertoire this year as we decided to put the School Choir and the Choral Society together for two large-scale concerts. The first of these in November was the cantata 'St. Nicolas' by Britten. A lively and demanding piece written for the centenary celebrations and Lancing College, and including two hymns for the audience to sing in typically, characteristic Britten arrangements. St. Olave's Chapel Choir provided the gallery choir, singing their chant-like interpolations very well. The tenor soloist, Michael Bennett, an ex-student of the Royal Northern College of Music, sang the demanding solos excellently and the moment when the 'pickled boys' were brought back to life while the choir entered the Chapel singing 'Alleluia, Alleluia' was quite magical. In the Summer Term the choir's main musical fare was Vivaldi's Gloria, another lively piece but, of course, completely different. It was especially good to have five of the girls singing the various solos and duets within the piece including Cherry Alton and Sophie Pearson-Hill who will be missed next year. Once again the choir produced a well blended sound. The various special services during the Christmas Term again kept the choir busy — the Old Peterite Service, Choral Evensong, Remembrance Day Service and the Advent Carol Service. The setting of Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis by Murrill sung at the Choral Evensong in October was a special highlight of the term. The Carol Service on the last day of term saw the choir again using the concert platforms in place for the Y.M.S. concert the following day. The now traditional processions to medieval chant with brass interludes again produced an atmospheric opening and the brass group as ever lent brilliance to the carols with Dominic Greeves' first trumpet as sure as ever. It was good to see so many former members of the choir in the congregation.
STRING ORCHESTRA/ SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The String Orchestra's influx of third-formers has meant that the music played has had to take account of their relative inexperience but a good range of music has been performed from Boyce's fourth symphony in the Christmas Term to a suite of modern pieces called Fiddledy Jig by Mark Goddard in the Summer Term. Occasional sectional rehearsals have been a great benefit during the year and Alex Martin has been an excellent leader. The Symphony Orchestra's contribution to the concert in February was the two L'Arlesienne suites by Bizet displaying all the various colours of the orchestra under Christopher Blood's incisive direction. They also accompanied Cherry Alton in a charming concertino for flute and orchestra by Cecile Chaminade with subtle changes of speed and difficulties of balance all well negotiated.
MUSIC COMPETITION Richard Shephard, Headmaster of the Minster School, was adjudicator this year and again the moving of the competition to the Easter Term gave the music department staff a little more time to sort out from the preliminary rounds who should go forward to the finals. The finals were as entertaining as ever and Richard Shephard's comments most constructive and encouraging. 26
