Highlight of the Week

Percussion Master Class and Concert

Music students spent Monday afternoon (15 September) in a two hour master class on percussion with Fusion percussion ensemble, headed by Cathedral School percussion teacher Graham Bradley, who performs regularly with the BBC National Orchestra and the Welsh National Opera. As a result of this intense master class, the Cathedral School samba band was formed, and could be heard processing around the campus trying out new routines with a variety of percussion instruments during the afternoon.

The day's learning was crowned with a splendid concert. Fusion presented the world premier of ‘Reasons' by Matthew Hall (the composer was present to hear the premier, which was received very enthusiastically by the audience) and Cathedral School pupils presented a wide variety of pieces: Samba for Mallets, Strauss' ‘Thunder and Lightening Polka' by soloist George Jones, along with popular favourites such as the James Bond theme and A La Samba.

Percussion is growing in popularity at the school, and the school's percussionists were centre stage last term at the termly outreach concert, playing to pupils from ten local primary, and two local secondary schools in the Cathedral, where they enjoyed sustained and enthusiastic applause for a form of music many of those present had never seen or heard before.