15 minute read
Music
from Oct 1995
by StPetersYork
THE MUSICAL YEAR
School Choir
The Old Peterite Service and the Choral Evensong early in die Christmas Term demonstrated the choir's steady development. Stanford in C proved a popular setting with its rumbustious 'Gloria'. On 12 October we had the honour of singing and the brass group playing in York Minster for the 75th Birthday Thanksgiving Service for Save the Children Fund - a beautiful picture of this occasion now hangs in the Music School. It is always exciting singing in the Minster and deputising for the Minster Choir as we have done over the years for an occasion service is always a treat.
Rebecca Newton and Oliver Button were the Head Choristers this year and have both been loyal and reliable singers throughout tiieir time at St. Peter's. We wish them well in the future.
Mozart Requiem
Tackling a large scale choral work like Mozart's Requiem in the Christmas Term after only eight weeks rehearsal was an ambitious project but the school choir and choral society responded to the challenge. The decision to use the full school choir with the choral society proved a good one. The opening 'Requiem Aeternam' had all the sombre majesty required and the 'Dies Irae' was electrifying. The soloists fulfilled their roles with distinction in the 'Recordare' and 'Benedictus' and the orchestra played excellently with Michael Tildesley (trombone) giving an impressive account of the 'Tuba mirum' when accompanying the bass; later in the year he was awarded a new prize very kindly donated by Keith Pemberton for brass and wind.
Everyone who participated gained such a great deal from the experience. It had been hard work but the sheer quality of the music won everyone over. My own feelings were those of ambitions for the future and a desire to take performers and performances of this type of quality further afield.
Carol Services
The Advent Carol Service saw both St. Olave's Choir and St. Peter's Choir combined to sing in a beautifully candlelit chapel with new candle holders designed and made by Mr. Dawson. The service had even more magic this year although I wonder whether magic is the correct word to describe a service!
The Carol Service in the Minster had a packed congregation including more Old Peterites than ever with a large contingent of ex-choir members and a wide variety of music, not only the traditional carols but also including an old Yorkshire version of 'While shepherds watched', a sixteenth century Spanish carol sung in procession, Harold Darke's evocative 'In the bleak mid winter' and the highly rhythmic 'Sir Christemas' by Mathias.
Symphony Orchestra
Graham Kershaw's playing of Hummel's trumpet concerto in February was one of the musical highlights of the year. Controlled and sensitive, it was a clear reminder of what a good player he is. The orchestra's performances of Britten's Soirees Musicales and Vaughan Williams ever-popular 'Folk Song Suite' were lively and exciting; indeed, the Vaughan Williams was especially polished with the outer movements taken at a brisk pace.
Words and Music for Lent
Some of the richest and most profound choral music has been written for the season of Lent and Passiontide and it was good in March to hear the choir deriving such evident satisfaction from pieces like Howells' 'O p>ray for the peace of Jerusalem' and Bairstow's 'Let all mortal flesh keep silence'. This year the brass also participated as did the St. Olave's choir and Timothy Brogden (oboe) provided a beautiful obligato accompaniment to Rutter's 'The Lord is my shepherd'.
Czechmate Concert
Like the 'Stars and Stripes' concert in 1993 the 'Czechmate' concert was an evening of mammoth organisational problems but so self-evidently worth all me trouble.
The hall was arranged as if for a cabaret; in fact, as the school musical in November had been 'Cabaret', so many ideas and lighting effects could be re-utilised. The licensed bar and 'nibbles' and informal atmosphere lent a special feeling to the evening which was one of the very best musical evenings at St. Peter's.
The band's selection from 'The Lion King' and 'Les Miserables' proved popular choices and Prokofieff s 'March in B flat' was crisp and stylish.
Some movements from Malcolm Arnold's trio were very well played by Timothy Brogden (oboe), Rachel Harran (flute) and Alison Calvert (clarinet).
After the rigours of Mozart's Requiem in the Christmas Term, items such as 'Big Spender', 'Best of the Beach Boys' and a 'Whiter shade of pale' were a complete contrast. At the final rehearsal Ian Lowe observed that 'Big Spender' was not 'sexy' enough. I passed this on to the choir who responded magnificently on the evening widi a 'stylistic' performance!
The first appearance of the girls' close-harmony group with 'Imagine' and 'Can't help lovin' that man' were a special delight during the evening and the Rockin' Hairdressers gave beautifully polished accounts of 'Mister Moon' and 'Yes sir! that's my baby'.
Summer Concert
The Summer Concert was well received, opening with the string orchestra which has played to a high standard this year under Katy Pittman's leadership and Miss Marsh's direction.
The chamber choir added a Czech piece — 'The forsaken lover' by Dvorak to their repertoire for the concert and sang with their usual skill.
The swing band and their drummer James Yeomans were enthusiastic and produced several lively performances including 'Birth of the Blues' and 'Barbara Ann'.
The school choir's singing of some old favourites including Elgar's beautiful 'As torrents in summer' and Ireland's 'The Hills' were impressive and the evening finished with some well-shaped performances by the senior band including Stuart Johnson's 'Fairground Suite' with its graphic descriptions of a ghost train, carousel and finally a rollercoaster ride: this showed all the band's departments to good effect and, of course, Sousa's march 'Semper Fidelis' was a treat.
Barbecue
The Music Tour party's barbecue and concert on the Music School lawn was favoured by the weather and by a lovely atmosphere. In just a few weeks, time the same groups will have performed in me Old Town Square in Prague in one of die most beautiful settings in any city.
Commemoration
By the time Commemoration comes around the music which we have performed during the year passes before me, especially when one is writing a report for the Peterite. We do get through a large amount of music as our new members of the music staff have commented. This is a good thing, I believe; musical quality and quantity can go together and invariably do. Rehearsing one or two pieces endlessly can lead to a dull performance whereas a choir which has the ability to learn a piece quickly can have a wider, more varied diet of music and can bring this experience to bear in good performances.
The Headmaster, who has been so supportive of music in the school, suggested Faure's 'Cantique de Jean Racine' for the Minster Commemoration Service; a wonderful piece which is so fantastically vocal in conception and merefore a delight to sing. We added to this Vaughan Williams' lively 'Let all me world in every corner sing' from his 'Five Mystical Songs'. All sang in front of perhaps the greatest singer England has ever produced, Dame Janet Baker; it was an honour indeed.
Spring Fete
On Spring Bank Holiday Monday we held a fete in the Museum Gardens in aid of the forthcoming Music Tour to Prague and Bratislava with stalls, sideshows, rides and a raffle which were all organised by a hard-working committee headed by Miranda Smitii, Barbara Allworthy, Ann Hainsworth and a great number of helpful parents.
The school bands played, the choirs sang and me rain was only slight at times and at the end of it all £1,700 had been raised. A special thank you to all who helped.
In early February we had held a Barn Dance also in aid of the Music Tour. It was a most enjoyable evening with a bar and lots of energy expended in dancing wim a host of adults and many children enjoying themselves greatly. Perhaps having an annual event like this would be a good idea; they really are so much fun for all involved — another thank you to all who helped wim this event.
Visitors from Eastern Europe
As a type of prelude to our Music Tour the Bratislava Girls' Choir came to visit St. Peter's from 4 June until 8 June, giving concerts in the National Railway Museum, Ripon Cathedral, Bramcote School, Scarborough and finally, to a good audience, in our own school chapel. We leave for Prague and Bratislava on 22 August wim the bands and choirs filling a double decker seventy-four seater coach! Visits like these are always enjoyable and the different styles of singing and the different repertoires are intriguing. The value of touring is immense and encourages all mose essential qualities of teamwork and spirit while also raising standards.
Chamber Choir
The chamber choir has, as usual, had a busy year — at Christmas time fulfilling their usual requests to sing at Bootham Park Hospital and St. Sampson's Centre as well as raising money for the Eastern European tour by singing at a corporate entertainment evening at the Merchant Taylors' Hall.
Their singing of Howells' supremely evocative and difficult setting of 'Sing Lullaby' at the Carol Service was excellent as was their performance in the 'Czechmate' concert. Bairstow's 'Jesu grant me mis, I pray' was suitably penitential for the service of Words and Music for Lent while Byrd's beautiful Sanctus and Benedictus from the five-part Mass was their atmospheric contribution to the Commemoration Service.
Friday evenings in the music school continue to be working sessions but also with time for relaxation over a hot drink and a biscuit!
Music Staff
This year the Music Department has two new full-time staff members, Joanna Marsh, School Organist, and Adam Leslie, Head of Music in St. Olave's. Both have already made a significant contribution to the department with Mr. Leslie taking the Rockin' Hairdressers under his wing successfully as their appearance in the Easter Term showed while Miss Marsh has provided excellent support for the choir and her establishment of a Girls' Close Harmony group is an exciting development.
Joanna Marsh's atmospheric organ preludes before chapel have been bom interesting and challenging and it has been so good to see the congregation staying behind after our major Sunday Services to listen to the organ voluntarily. Adam Leslie's counter-tenor voice has been a useful acquisition and perhaps may encourage some pupils to take up this voice.
This year we have initiated the idea of soloists' concerts for each year group whereby many of our talented musicians can have regular opportunities to perform in public in an informal atmosphere. Miss Marsh has organised tfiese most effectively and they have proved most entertaining and sociable evenings.
Mr. Carrington leaves the department after a considerable time and next term Margaret Lamb, currently a member of the Philharmonic Orchestra, joins the department as Head of Strings.
Chris Blood has continued to work steadily to raise standards of brass and wind playing within the school. The evening entitled 'Trumpet and Organ in concert' featuring Chris Blood and Joanna Marsh was a lovely evening with variety and excellent musicianship.
We look forward eagerly to the imminent conversion of the Music Annexe and especially the new Recital Room and recording studio which will provide excellent new facilities.
My thanks as ever to all the music staff — twentyfive visiting musicians who set high standards in all they do, to Pearl Huitson who helps us so much with secretarial work and the full-time staff who do far more than just the call of duty.
String Orchestra
The String Orchestra fought its way through some tough repertoire during the course of the year. The Autumn Concert comprised a bright palette of Irish fiddle reels, a Boyce Symphony and "Rock" for strings; me latter a nightmare in rehearsal with its off-beat accents, long held chords and timings that had a ten to one chance of being miscalculated (with dire consequences for the final chord). This piece held together — but how?
The Easter Term programme gave soloist opportunities to Ginny Mackie, Faith Alexander and Davina Cooke in Handel's concerto Grosso in G. The Deux Aquerelles (Delius) provided a taxing contrast, the players significantly exposed in a texture which subdivided the orchestra into eight sections.
The leader, Katy Pittman, brought calm and dignity to the role over the year. There was no misplaced overenthusiasm here (by comparison the director generally felt fraught and eccentric).
But what determination they all exhibited in rehearsal. So engrossed in the spirit of the music, the back desk of the seconds did not look up from it until at least the last week of the Easter Term.
A pleasantly successful year, all in all, of sawing, scraping, shoring and very occasionally smiling!
The Girls' Barbershop ("The Salon Selectives")
A strange misnomer. This new group is far removed from the sunny mellow blend of male close harmony. One might find them lurking in the Music Department on a Monday night working on a focused strident sound in such favourites as "Diamonds are a girl's best friend",' 'Can't help loving' that man" and "Imagine", some of the current repertoire. We haven't quite mastered the twinklein-the-eye glamour looks yet, but these girls certainly don't go to barbers!
J. B. Marsh
WIND BAND/SWING BAND REPORT
Two 3'ears have passed and once again the band are preparing for another tour, this time to the far reaches of Eastern Europe: the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The band has risen to the task admirably, thanks to the dedication of all the wind players, particularly the horn section. Under the guidance of our long-suffering leader, Mr. Blood, we set about expanding our repertoire throughout the Christmas and Easter Terms, in time for the "Czechmate" concert on Comic Relief Day.
The concert opened with Prokofieff's "March in B Flat", which with much relief after several disasters in rehearsals, was delivered perfectly in every respect, followed by a selection of music from "Les Miserables", an excellent sequel to "Phantom of the Opera" which we played last year.
The second half saw the Swing Band take the stage, getting the audience in the mood with an old favourite "Basin Street Blues" which, as usual, brought the house down. The saxophone section then gave us a chorus of "Mack the Knife", with fine solos from Johnny Reeves on alto sax and Neil Forshaw on trumpet, before concluding with "Barbara Ann" which brought the band a deserved standing ovation.
The finale gave the wind band a chance to perform the music from Walt Disney's "The Lion King", but this did not get off to a good start, as our drummer, James Yeomans had disappeared and it looked as if we would have to pack up one piece early. However, at the last minute Mr. Blood recruited a nice, friendly bear to help us out. We were dubious, but he turned out to be a much more gifted musician than James ever was.
The Summer Term did not look good: with the departure of many senior members of the band, much responsibility rested on the younger players, but, with a large amount of patience, Mr. Blood helped us to learn new pieces and prepare ourselves for the coming tour. He was greatly assisted in this by Carl Mosby, a seasoned campaigner of the clarinet section, and Oliver Button, who when he decided to attend rehearsals, divided his time between percussion and oboe.
In late May we defied the weather to give a concert in the Museum Gardens, and spirits were raised by the enthusiastic reception, proving that the band was back in top form.
The Swing Band were also popular, with Oliver Gill making a brave return after breaking his wrist earlier in the term. James Mee and Chris Maunder treated us to excellent solos, while Richard Collier provided a solid bass line on guitar. After we had finished, the crowd were crying for more, and our trumpet section, Andrew Acaster, Ed Goodall and Zoe Wight were happy to carry on all day, but, in all honesty, the rest of us had had enough.
After a successful performance, the signs can only be good and we can look forward to an exciting and educational trip in August. On behalf of all the instrumentalists, I should like to thank Mr. Blood for his light-hearted and talented leadership over the year, as we have all learnt a great deal from him. Look out Prague, here we come!
Michael Tildesley
December 1994
Grade Name 2 Jaqueline Lloyd 3 Oliver Gill Peter Hield Preeti Bhat Philip Kerrigan Emma Taylor Rachel Lewis Thomas Bray Nicholas Clark Wendy Chung Robin Jackson 8 Miki Ayton
Instrument Results 1 James Tilston Piano Piano E flat Saxophone Theory Theory Theory Flute Theory Theory Theory Piano Horn in F
Alison Calvert Piano Piano Pass Pass Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Pass Pass Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Mark 211 111 131
94 93 92 115 85 80 69
123 118 114 115
108 104 114 110 5 Benjamin Firth Violin 5 Jonathan Reeves Theory 5 Rowena Smith Theory 5 Alexandra Heley Theory 6 Oliver Hainsworth Violin 6 Philip Kerrigan Flute 7 Zoe Wight Trumpet 7 Guy Lewis Violin 7 Adam Gill Piano 7 Michael Tildesley Piano 8 Michael Tildesley Trombone 8 Oliver Button Singing
Easter 1995
2 Alan Fisher Tuba 3 William Temple Flute 4 Peter Hield Clarinet 4 Emma Stone Piano Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Distinction Merit Pass Pass Merit Pass
Summer 1995 4 4
Mark Shoat Oliver Gill
5 5 5 5 6 6 6 Piano EFlat Saxophone Louis Fell Cello Victoria Hales Violin Rachel Taylor Violin Alexander Banerjea Theory Robin Jackson Piano Alexandra Heley Violin Jonathan Reeves E Flat Saxophone Virginia Mackie Violin Merit
Distinction Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass
Merit Pass 106 88 80 66 118 111 131 121 116 107 120 111
120
131 105 114 117 81 114 105
128 110