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.

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.

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.

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.

Winners Adjudicator: Richard Junior Keyboard Junior Brass Junior Woodwind Junior Strings Best Junior Musician Senior Strings Singing Senior Keyboard Senior Woodwind Senior Brass Best Senior Musician Shephard, Esq.

Rachel Harran

Zoe Wight (trumpet)

Alison Calvert (clarinet)

Alexandra Heley (violin)

Rachel Harran

Alex Martin (violin)

Sophie Pearson-Hill

Dominic Greeves

Oliver Button (oboe)

Mark Allworthy (horn)

Dominic Greeves Andrew Wright

BAND REPORT 1993/4

After last summer's tour of the U.S.A. with the band playing in exotic locations such as Ocean City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to name but a few, and playing to capacity audiences, it was going to be hard work to get the band motivated to play in the more mundane surrounding of the School's Memorial Hall. Also we were going to lose a number of key players from most sections. The future did not look very bright — how wrong I was!

The major event of the year for all wind players in both St. Peter's and St. Olave's was to be a mammoth concert entitled "An Awful lot of Wind". Was this a good idea, I asked myself? Eight different ensembles playing in one concert, three for the first time in public (St. Peter's Wind Quintet, St. Olave's Brass, A Horn Nonet), Junior and Senior Schools together, twelve different stage movements and all to be over within two hours. Again I should not have fretted; all the performers played extremely well and, aided by Mr. Grant backstage, changes from one group to another went smoothly. One of the many high points of the evening was a performance of Schubert's "Marche Militaire" given by nine french horns, drawn from St. Peter's, St. Olave's and both fulltime and part-time teaching staff. As for fitting all of this into two hours, I put my baton down exactly on 9.30 p.m. As the audience left a collection was made for the 1st XV tour to Ireland and over £300 was generously given.

In the Summer Term St. Peter's band played in the concert given in honour of Keith Pemberton. Keith has given forty years of service to the band (in fact he was the founder back in the 1950's) both as conductor and on various instruments. He has played tuba for at least the past five years and I will personally miss very much the cheerful enthusiasm which he has at rehearsals and the firm support he has given at the bottom of the band. Christopher Blood

MUSIC STAFF

There were very few changes in the music staff this year. Gillian Holmes has proved herself a great asset to the piano department and Joe Williamson on percussion has proved that his enthusiasm can travel through several allegedly soundproof doors.

At the end of the year we said goodbye to two fulltimers who have both done so much for the music at the School. First Keith Pemberton — (a tribute is published elsewhere) who has been part of the music department, first as assistant, then Director of Music then assistant again and who has seen so many changes but always adapted to them and been such a dependable teacher.

Secondly to Jeffrey Gray who, though Head of Music in St. Olave's, has done so much in the Senior School. His performances with the Rockin' Hairdressers will be long remembered where his love of performing was given free rein. His membership of the Chamber Choir and contributions to the social life, especially of the choral music within the School, has been so valuable and his companionship on the two big recent musical tours to Germany and the U.S.A. — such an asset to pupils and staff. His promotion to a Senior School — Monmouth School as Director of Music could not be more deserved. We will miss him very much and wish him well in his new job.

To the other full timers who are remaining — Christopher Blood and Roger Carrington and to all the visiting teachers who make such an excellent team, my thanks on another good busy year.

The Belgrano School Choir from Buenos Aires visited us in the Easter Term. A choral group of forty, most of whom learn their music from prepared tapes by their conductor Eduardo Garcia Novelli who works tremendously hard on the choir's behalf. Together with our School Choir they performed in a joint concert — what a vibrant sound they made and what a credit they were to their School. The Missa Criola by Ramirez was one of the highlights of their repertoire with a rich-voiced tenor soloist contrasted with the full choir. Radio York broadcasted an interview and a couple of their pieces. We look forward to more visitors in the future.

CARLO CURLEY

Organ Spectacular — Friday 15 October

'Larger than life', 'the Pavarotti of the organ' — the pre-concert publicity was tantalising, the installation of television screens in the chapel to relay pictures from the organ console added to the excitement.

Meeting him off the train at York I was surprised to hear bird sounds coming from his case when we took the lift. In the evening a bird song accompaniment to a Handel organ concerto movement explained all.

A full chapel, with both senior and junior School choirs in attendance were treated to some exhilarating playing, demonstrating a phenomenal technique all interspersed with witty and entertaining comments. The combined choir's singing of 'Zadok the Priest' and Parry's 'I was glad' were very exciting and the audience really appreciated seeing a true showman in action. Organ Concerto in D minor G. F. Handel Adagio; Allegro; Larghetto; Allegro Soloist: Keith Pemberton

St. Peter's Chamber Orchestra

Gloria Antonia Vivaldi 1 Gloria in excelsis Deo (Allegro) 2 Et in terra pax hominibus (Andante) 3 Laudamus te (Allegro) Rebecca Newton; Julia Toms (Sopranos) 4 Gratias agimus tibi (Adagio) 5 Propter magnam gloriam tuam (Allegro) 6 Domine Deux, Rex caelestit (Largo) Sophie Pearson-Hill (Soprano); Jane Wright (Oboe) 7 Domine Fili unigenite (Allegro) 8 Domine Deus, Agnus Deu (Adagio) Cherry Alton (Contralto) 9 Qui tollis peccata mundi (Adagio) 10 Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (Allegro) Felicity Bevan (Contralto) 11 Quoniam tu solus Sanctus (Allegro) 12 Cum Sancto Spiritu (Allegro)

The Choral Society

633 Squadron Ron Goodwin Tribute to Glen Miller arr. Henry Gass An overture for band

Senior Band

We've only just begun Carpenters Money, Money, Money Abb arr. Parkes School Choir

MISCELLANEOUS

There have been some notable solo performances during the year. The growing body of horn players showing special promise, for example, Mark Allworthy's playing of Saint Saens' Morceau de concert in the Soloists' Concert last October. The performance of Frank Bridge's Miniatures for piano trio by Faith Alexander (violin), Clare Gordon (cello) and Rachel Harran (piano) were very polished indeed in the February concert.

The Rockin' Hairdressers, Jeffrey Gray, Oliver Button, Richard Hugill, Ryan All worthy and Alex Martin have again lent showmanship to our major concerts and this year the blend of their voices has been a special feature to add to their unique style and timing. Only one of their number remains next year and it will be a challenge to rebuild the group but we surely must do so as the pleasure they give is so evident. Fiddledy Jig Mark Goddard Carousel; Ballad; Minute and Trio; Ragtime and Tango

String Orchestra

With a little help from my friends Beatles arr. Gritton Stand by me King/Stoller/L.eiber

Chamber Choir

The Rockin' Hairdressers

Toy Symphony Leopold Mozart Allegro; Menuetto; Allegro

Music Staff Orchestra