Highlight of the Week

Girl Choristers - St Donats Arts Centre

On Saturday 13^th the Girl Choristers gave their first concert in a professional venue, the beautiful, historic surroundings of the Braydenstoke Hall at St Donats Arts Centre. There they sang the Faure Requiem, Schubert's Mass in G and the first performance in Wales of Geraint Lewis's orchestration of his wonderful piece: The Souls of the Righteous.

The orchestra featured players from BBC National Orchestra of Wales and Welsh National Opera - and our very own flautist: Rose Stevens. They also provided a platform for three of the school's soloists: Pollyanna Furness who gave a deeply moving performance of Faure's Elegie, Jenny Goss, our Canon's Scholar who sang Schubert's To Sylvia and Ben Creighton-Griffiths who played the first movement of Handel's Harp Concerto. Ben's harp playing also featured in the evening's other works.

There was another surprise: the Baritone soloist was John York-Skinner under whose expert direction the Girl Choristers had made so much progress over the past years. The soprano soloist was international opera-singer, Liz Donovan, who was so impressed with the girls' singing that she has offered to come and give a workshop next year.

It was a wonderful evening. The girls sang brilliantly and the atmosphere was tremendous.

The girls are now preparing, along with the boys, for the forthcoming Cathedral Schools' Netball and Football tournament that takes place on Wednesday at Magdelen College, Oxford. Next term the girls will be welcoming Mike Brewer, one of the leading Choral Conductors in the world who will be giving a workshop in June.