Highlight of the Week

Lent Term Choral and Orchestral Concert 2017

This week over 160 pupils took part in our annual Lent Term Choral and Orchestral Concert, a wide-ranging showcase of instrumental and vocal music, exhibiting our major ensembles from the Senior Section.

The concert began with an arresting fanfare played by Brass Quintet, directed by Mr James. Deus in Adjutorium from Monteverdi’s 1610 Vespers showed off the brilliance of the brass timbres to impressive effect, accompanied by Mr Moore on the Cathedral organ. Our middle school orchestra, Sinfonia, numbering over 40 players, played a beautifully orchestrated arrangement, Three Czech Folk Songs, balancing the various instrumental sections and colours or the orchestra most attractively.

Senior Flute Choir, directed by Mrs Jones, performed an arrangement of Sheep may Safely Graze, well-suited to the tender quality of the flutes, and showing off the unique character of the ensemble very beautifully. Brass Ensemble, directed by Mr James and numbering over 20 players, played majestically and was certainly an impressive sight to behold in its delivery of Handel’s Minuet from the 1717 Water Music. With an even larger group of nearly 30 players, String Ensemble, directed by Mrs Blackman, was also in superb form, giving impressive and musically convincing renditions of Rigaudon, from Grieg’s Holberg Suite, and Karl Jenkin’s signature piece, Palladio.

Bringing the first half of the concert to a brilliant conclusion, the Boy and Girl Choristers, directed by Mr Moore and accompanied at the organ by Mr Aspden, combined in a climactic and triumphal concert performance of Stanford’s famous, Magnificat in C, followed by Philip Wilby’s lyrical anthem, Wondrous Cross, accompanied on the piano by Mr Hill.

The second half of the concert began with our Senior Orchestra, conducted by Mr Aspden and numbering 60 players. Beginning with an intense and impassioned performance of Brahms’s Tragic Overture, a lighter mood was achieved through a Swing Jazz-inspired medley of show tunes, including Singin’ in the Rain.

By way of culmination, Senior Chamber Choir, directed by Mr Aspden and numbering over 90 voices, gave one of the first public performances of Will Todd’s recently published, Footprints Choral Suite, superbly accompanied by Jazz Ensemble, including Ms Scullin, Mr Graham-White, and Tom B. Whilst challenging in many respects, Senior Chamber Choir certainly rose to the challenge and gave a most convincing and stylish rendition, our young singers giving energy and life to the contemporary jazz grooves and evocative harmonies.

More photos from the concert can be found here http://www.cathedral-school.co.uk/gallery.html