On Tuesday 22 November, around 50 students from the Boys’ and Girls’ Prep Schools delighted audience members to an evening of well-prepared instrumental music. A variety of ensembles performed a range of music, with an underlying theme of music from the movies.
The Prep School Orchestra began the evening with a version of ‘Wallace & Gromit’. Although a small ensemble, they played with precision and enthusiasm. Their rhythms were crisp and clear and it was a whimsical way to begin the evening of music. The String Ensemble followed the School Orchestra in the concert and wowed the audience with a version of ‘Hedwig’s Theme’ from the ‘Harry Potter’ films. The melody was brought to life through their delicate playing. The Girls’ Prep School Hit IT! ensemble performed a fun piece that kept you on the edge of your seat! The rhythms were up-beat and the girls did a fantastic job focusing on their part to ensure they played in a steady beat. The Boys’ Prep Guitar ensemble took the stage and rocked out to ‘Seven Nation Army’. Half the ensemble played the rhythmic chords, while the other half played the melody. Their performance was amazing; you even saw members of the audience moving to the beat of the song in their seats. Following on the stage next was the Prep School Wind Band. ‘Feed the Birds’ from Mary Poppins was the song they performed, and it was a perfect fit for this ensemble. The flutes played the melody while the trombones and trumpets confidently nailed the harmonies. It is not easy to play a song with multiple changes of key signatures, but the Boys’ Prep Hit It! ensemble smashed it! Each of the boys even performed a solo to show off the skills they learned throughout the term. The concert ended with a performance by the School Band. Performing ‘Happy’ from ‘Despicable Me’ was a great way to end an evening of instrumental music. The band musicians had fun on stage and brought the hall down with their fantastic performance.
It is hard to believe that after only seven weeks of rehearsals, the pupils performed such brilliant pieces in a formal setting. Well done to all of those pupils involved!
