Highlight of the Week

Teilo win House Singing

A huge thank you to all those who took part in the House Singing this week as singers, conductors, pianists, arrangers, page turners, helpers or just as spectators!     

Our theme was Rodgers and Hammerstein songs, so all the large choir songs were drawn from that wonderful Broadway post war boom period.  Dyfrig started with a very wistful performance of Edelweiss, which was cleverly conceived and at one stage involved the rows parting and Charlie P stepping down into the limelight.  Euddogwy followed this with an up-tempo version of You’ll never walk alone, which was very secure rhythmically and melodically, and featured a particularly fine bass section to add depth.  An energetic Climb every mountain from Teilo completed the first round.   

The a cappella  songs were a real joy.  Dyfrig’s secure and lively performance of Jessie J’s Flashlight was augmented by clever use of lights, with the main choir on the balcony swinging small torches in time with the music.  Euddogwy’s Some nights by Fun again featured a very full sound and Teilo’s I want you back by the Jackson Five closed the competition: it was a crescendo of glittering energy and they did not miss the chance to buy in some signature Jackson trilbies.   

Canon Brendon Clover was our judge, and as he deliberated the crowd was wowed by a hastily assembled barber shop choir; their moving rendition of Hallelujah took everyone’s mind off the frantic hair pulling and head scratching that was going on backstage.  Father Brendon appeared from the wings and put everyone at ease by recounting stories of his old parish ministry in King’s Cross, and managed to get us all on side before he made the day of one third of the school and broke the hears of the other two thirds.  All three houses were utterly professional in all songs – in tune, on the beat, creative, energetic, enthusiastic -  so his task was doubly difficult and any house could have won. 

In the end, he was particularly impressed by Euddogwy’s main choir song, and by Teilo’s a cappella. But he had to name someone the winner, so on balance, and by a tiny margin, Teilo won, with Euddogwy second and Dyfrig third. More photos from the event can be found at http://www.cathedral-school.co.uk/gallery.html