Wilson's School

Chamber Concert

Last week, the Music Department held its first regular Chamber Concert. Whilst outside, a wet and windy evening unfolded, in the intimate space of the Recital Room in the Britton Centre, the audience was warm and cosy, and treated to an array of accomplished performances. Indeed, the breadth of musical styles and ensemble formats was quite remarkable—from string quartets, clarinet and guitar ensembles to Chamber Choir. Two string quartets formed of students from Year 7 (one - remarkably with pupils from just one tutor group!) made their debut with music by Starke and Beethoven, and the cello quartet performed ‘Fragment from Parsifal,’ a composition by Jacobowsky based on the Wagnerian opera. Brass and woodwind ensembles gave us film and show tunes, and jazz improvisation. And Skiaull, our folk ensemble, gave an energetic and uplifting performance that melded ‘The Rocky Road to Dublin’ with other Celtic folk tunes. Each half included a solo piano performance, the first by Terry in Year 10 playing the A movement of a Beethoven sonata and the second by Husniddin in Year 11, who performed Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in B minor Op.32 No.10 (the composer's own favourite piano work).

The concert was bookended by rousing performances by Chamber Wind conducted by Dr Clayden and Barbershop by Mr Hann.

Thanks to the PFA for providing refreshments, to the site staff for setting up the rooms, to Tai for taking many splendid photographs, and to Mrs Straw for working the ticket desk and helping things run smoothly behind the scenes.

You can see a selection of photos from the evening posted on our Music at Wilson’s Instagram account below —