Hail, Bright Cecilia!
Autumn Concert Showcases Musical Talent.
As Graham Ellis, Director of Music, welcomed the audience he
spoke briefly about St Cecilia. ‘Although she may have fallen from favour within
the official Roman Catholic hierarchy, she is still beloved of musicians.’
Were St Cecilia to be looking down from Heaven on the evening of Wednesday
22nd November, I am sure she would have been delighted with the programme in her
honour. Covering everything from the Big Band playing Swing classics, to a Haydn
quartet, with Greenday and Khachaturian thrown in, there was something for all
tastes. Click on the photograph for a larger image
The backbone of the first half was the Inter-Schools Brass Ensemble, directed with customary energy by the irrepressible Julie Baker, and featuring Eleanor Williams and Patrick Anstey on solo horns, during Peter Graham’s ‘A March for Peace.’ The piano, in the capable hands of Sam Davies, James Kealey and William Marshall, thrilled and soothed, with renditions of Ernest Bloch’s ‘Dream’, ‘Spinning Song’ and Khachaturian’s ‘Toccata’, respectively. Charlie Somauroo, although dwarfed by his enormous guitar, showed huge charisma in his rendition of Greenday’s ‘Good Riddance.’ Junior and Senior clarinet ensembles showed strength in depth and plenty of talent for the future.
Strings dominated after the interval, with the Senior Strings,
String Quartet and Chamber Orchestra covering Beethoven, Elgar and Haydn. Gwilym
Jones took the solo spot in Oskar Rieding’s Violin Concerto in G. The Year 8 and
Year 9 ensembles rose to the challenge, before the Big Band brought proceedings
to a lively conclusion.
A splendid showcase with displays from all ages and abilities, and a fitting
tribute to Bright Cecilia!
