10 minute read
Music is the of St Peter’s 2-18
from The Peterite 2021-22
by StPetersYork
Whole School Foundation Concert
In mid-February St Peter’s held its annual Whole School Foundation Concert. Well done to all who took part in this spectacular event!
Mr Miles-Kingston, Director of Music at St Peter’s, said: “It was a joy to welcome musicians from across 2-18 last night. There was a wide range of music, from the touching This is the Moment sung by the 2-8 choir to Mozart and Haydn played by small ensembles, guitars from 8-13, Glenn Miller from the 13-18 Swing Band and choral items from the Chapel Choir 8-13 and the 13-18 Barbershops. We finished with an energetic joint choir medley of two songs from ‘Mary Poppins’!”
Mrs Craven, Head of Music at St Peter’s 8-13: “It was great to have so many involved from 8-13, with Chapel Choir performing the technically tricky Kyrie from Andrew Carter’s Missa Brevis and then the stunning I Remember by Sarah Quartel; they sang with real warmth of sound. Our Senior Guitar Ensemble had members from J2-J5 – and played incredibly well – led perfectly by Chris Green. It was marvellous to hear a Wind Quintet made up of children in J4 and J5 play with some fabulous ensemble skills. More than anything, it was just wonderful to see how much enjoyment pupils take from making music.”
Mrs Hayden, Head of Music at St Peter’s 2-8, said: “It was a long time coming but it was so good to be back once again as a whole school. The 2-8 choir sang their hearts out. Their first song, The Moment by Craig McLeish, was very fitting: ‘United in song… waiting so long… this is the moment we’ve been waiting for!’ Our 2-8 children enjoyed listening to performances from the older pupils and have really been inspired to follow in their footsteps. The highlight was the final piece when the three parts of school came together to sing a medley from Mary Poppins. We have all missed making music together and this was a fabulous and fitting end to a great concert.”
A Musical Christmas in School and at York Minster
We celebrated the end of term with three special Christmas services, with some back in York Minster as a school community together at last.
Children from St Peter’s 2-8 gathered in Chapel for their Christingle Service on Wednesday 15 December, a wonderful way to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. The service included popular Christmas carols, including a candlelit rendition of Away in a Manger. The children sang beautifully and held their candles very carefully throughout the service.
On Thursday 16 December children from St Peter’s 8-13 gathered for their Carol Service in York Minster. This was the first time that the school’s Carol Service had been held there since the school became the Choir School for York Minster in September 2020. The choristers sang at the service alongside other children from the St Peter’s 8-13 Chapel Choir.
Finally, St Peter’s 13-18 celebrated the end of term with their traditional Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols in York Minster on Friday 17 December. The service was cancelled last year due to Covid restrictions, so this year’s service was particularly poignant and a welcome opportunity to celebrate the school’s achievements after another challenging year.
St Peter’s 13-18
Choral Music
St Peter’s 13-18 pupils enjoyed a return to choral music this year, with visits to Durham Cathedral, York Minster and St Mary’s Cathedral, Edinburgh. Due to restrictions in recent years, this was the first time a number of the singers were able to sing at a service outside school. The Chapel Choir’s visit to St Mary’s Cathedral at the end of February was particularly memorable, as we had not sung there in over 20 years. St Peter’s School was also honoured to be the first visiting choir to sing at St Mary’s since the start of the pandemic! The Chapel Choir sang evensong at York Minster at the end of March. It is always a pleasure to make music in this inspiring place and the singers did amazingly well, performing repertoire by Ayleward, Purcell and Walmisley.
Junior Music Festival
In mid-June we enjoyed fine performances from our Third and Fourth Form musicians in our Junior Music Festival Final. There were 80 performances in the rounds before half-term with 30 of those put through to the final, adjudicated by Andrew Penny, an experienced orchestral conductor, teacher and adjudicator. Congratulations to the winners in each of the classes. The winner of the Junior Music Festival Prize for the Outstanding Performance of the Evening was Fred for his virtuosic performance on the clarinet of Lorito Caprice by Gomez. Huge congratulations!
Senior Music Festival
We had a very encouraging Senior Music Festival Final at the beginning of March, with performances of a very high standard in every category. We have always had very good musicians in school but over the past few years there has been an increase in the number of pupils reaching an advanced level. Congratulations to Rachael, the winner of the Senior Music Festival Prize for this year.
Concerts
The Autumn Concert in mid-November was our first major concert of the academic year at St Peter’s 13-18. The concert showcased some excellent solo performances from our Upper Sixth musicians and some small ensembles, including the Brass Ensemble, Clarinet Choir, Chamber Choir and Upper Sixth String Ensemble. It was very encouraging to feature two larger ensembles, the String Orchestra playing Mendelssohn’s String Symphony No. 2 in D, and pieces by Wesley and Dyson from the Chapel Choir.
We continued with our Christmas Concert in December, which featured a wide range of music, from more traditional carols to seasonal favourites, such as It’s Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas. There was an array of ensembles from the Wind and Swing Bands through to School Choir, Clarinet Choir, Little Big Band and both Girls’ and Boys’ Barbershops. Although still working with additional measures in place, such as reducing audience numbers, splitting the school choir over two nights and spacing ensembles, the pupils had a wonderful time and brought some needed festive cheer!
In March, we were also able to host our Choral and Orchestral Concert in school, featuring the Wind Band, String Orchestra, and some accomplished soloists. For the second half of the concert, we moved through to the Chapel for an uplifting performance of Vivaldi’s Gloria with the Chapel Choir and Choral Society.
Cabaret
Our Upper Sixth were on top form in July with stunning Cabaret solos, featuring a wide range of pop and jazz songs. The Swing Band continued to develop into fine singers and acted as a strong foundation for many of the numbers. The concerts also featured various small ensembles, including the Clarinet Choir, the Chamber Choir, the Little Big Band and both Girls’ and Boys’ Barbershops, as well as our School Choir. Well done to everyone who took part.
Individual Musical Successes
Each year we are astonished by the quality of music produced by our pupils.
Rachael
Accomplished Upper Sixth pupil Rachael accepted an offer to study clarinet and saxophone at the Royal Northern College of Music for September 2022, following auditions in December 2021. She began this exciting journey studying on the junior RNCM programme. Rachael joined St Peter’s at the age of nine and developed into a highly accomplished soloist and ensemble player. She led our Swing Band and was an essential part of our Clarinet Choir, Saxophone Quartet and Wind Band. She also sang in our School and Chapel Choirs and the Girls’ Barbershop. Rachael took clarinet and saxophone lessons with our specialist peripatetic teacher Mr Bayley throughout her time at St Peter’s, guiding her to a distinction in her ARSM clarinet diploma in June 2021.
She continued to delight and amaze audiences with her performances as she entered her final weeks at St Peter’s. She drew rapturous applause when she played a showpiece on the saxophone to the school in Morning Chapel, and then won the East Coast Young Musician Competition, against strong finalists from East Riding and further afield. Rachael had gone through to the final as the winner of the U18 classical category. This competition has grown in stature and size since it was established in Bridlington 13 years ago.
The gold award players from each age category were then invited to play to a panel of three judges as part of a concert hosted by Hornsea Music Society. Rachael performed the beautiful virtuosic Solo de Concours for clarinet, written by Andre Messager in 1899 for the annual Paris Conservatoire student contest. She followed this with a stunning jig-like movement from Charlotte Harding’s Voyage 111 for soprano sax. Rachael also played for St Peter’s 8-13 Assembly, where her musicianship, technical agility and engaging delivery will doubtless inspire the next generation. She also starred in the end-of-term Cabaret Concert.
Fred and Tristan
Also successful in the East Coast Young Musician Competition, where the initial rounds were judged on recorded submissions this year, Fred on saxophone (Third Form) and Tristan on clarinet (St Peter’s 8-13, J5) both achieved fantastic silver awards.
Emily
Upper Sixth pupil Emily achieved an LTCL advanced diploma in flute performance, with distinction. This is the first time a pupil at St Peter’s has achieved a licentiate diploma, which is designed as part of the examination process for third-year undergraduate pupils at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London. Emily’s outstanding achievement is the result of an intense and sustained period of work on concert repertoire over the past year.
Josh
Josh, the School’s Head Chorister, had exciting news in July. He successfully auditioned for the main National Youth Choir of Great Britain, for 18-25-year-olds. Josh had been singing with NYCGB throughout his time at St Peter’s. Starting in the boys’ choir, he then rose through the ranks of Cambiata Voices and Training Choir, having to audition each year, and is now very pleased to have been offered a first bass place in the 80-strong main choir, with approximately ten singers on each voice part. Josh will tour with the choir and take part in four residential trips and various concerts, including at the Royal Albert Hall, during 2022/23. Josh was also offered a choral scholarship by the University of St Andrews with the University Renaissance Singers.
6-2-7 concert
In early May we held our final 6-2-7 Concert of the year in Chapel. It was great to have so many of our smaller ensembles playing, including our new Electric Guitar Group. We have never had a group like this before and it was very exciting to hear them play for the first time. The Flute Group, which had been recently re-formed, played three items to finish the concert and it was encouraging to see them rebuilding with new members. There were also beautiful contributions from our two string ensembles, and we enjoyed hearing the Bassoon Trio play Gershwin. Thanks also go to Keonhee and Joe for their accomplished piano solos.
Duke Ellington Jazz Eucharist
Our School Choir had an exceptional opportunity on a memorable Wednesday evening in June to work with the Clark Tracey Orchestra in York Minster to mark St Peter’s Day. The Jazz Eucharist featured music from the Sacred Concerts by Duke Ellington and was an extraordinary service, with over 1000 in the congregation. Our choir sang beautifully, supported by some of the best jazz musicians in the country, excellent soloists and an outstanding dancer. It was good to work in partnership with the clergy and choir of York Minster and we were fortunate to have the Archbishop of York preaching. Stephen Cottrell preached to mark the Patronal Festival of York Minster (St Peter’s Day), a special celebration day for St Peter’s School, York. This service will live long in the memory and has been warmly received by all who attended.
Paul Miles-Kingston, Director of Music St Peter’s School 13-18, said: “It was joyful to hear these rare and moving pieces once again in the context of a eucharist service.”.
Jeremy Walker, Head Master at St Peter’s School, added: “We were so proud to collaborate with York Minster again to offer world-class music opportunities to our pupils and share the results with the wider community.”
Summer Music Tour to Barcelona
By Charlotte, Josh, Rachael, Sophie and Wilf
Our trip began at school at 1.30am on Monday 18 July with a palpable buzz of excitement, despite the time. After nearly 14 hours of travel, we were grateful to be greeted in Barcelona by both the gorgeous weather and our courier Marianne.
After a well-deserved lie in, we enjoyed a guided tour of Barcelona on day one. It gave us a great appreciation of the city and its history before we were let loose on Las Ramblas for lunch. We also got to visit the Olympic stadium – Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys – and admire the incredible sights of Barcelona from on high.
Our first concert was in Blanes where there was eager anticipation of the paella. The concert featured impressive solo work by Sixth-Form pupils alongside the ensembles, and we came away feeling relieved, proud and excited for the coming week. Day two saw the tour party travel to Figueres, where we had a memorable morning in the Dali Museum, in awe of the outstanding creativity on show. We found a special connection with our second concert location as it was a church dedicated to St Peter!
Day three was full of well-earned rest and relaxation. The morning was spent soaking up the sunshine at Caldes D’Estrac beach. Then it was back into Barcelonato to visit the Arenas de Barcelona shopping centre. The top floor provided us with stunning panoramic views of Barcelona for photo opportunities! Dinner at La Tagliatelle was followed by an impromptu visit to the spectacular fountain show at the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc.
On the fourth day of the tour we were treated to Illa Fantasia Water Park – one of the best in Spain! This was followed by a concert in Reus, with more outstanding Sixth Form solos and ensembles pulling together to produce one of our best concerts so far.
As the week closed, our last evening saw a final concert in the Crypt of La Sagrada Familia. Our previous guided tour of the nave in the morning highlighted how special the building is, and inspired us to play our best in such an iconic venue. It was an incredibly emotional evening, and a chance to showcase the music, friendship and community developed throughout the week.
Travelling back through Frankfurt Airport on Sunday was a sad affair, only made better by the abundance of German pretzels and duty-free chocolate. It was indeed a surreal experience to bid the teachers farewell at 1.30am on Monday, and concluded the most memorable and enjoyable school trip we have ever had the pleasure to take part in.