MUSIC

Tonbridge’s House Music Competition returned to the stage as a fully live show, with around 200 boys demonstrating their talent and versatility before a sell-out audience at the EM Forster Theatre.

Boys performed one amplified and one acoustic song, playing their own arrangements of classic tracks, as all 12 Houses competed for the sought-after House Music Cup. Songs included innovative acoustic arrangements of Khalid’s Silence, The Script’s Rain and Louis Armstrong’s What a Wonderful World.

The competition was judged on criteria including standard and variety of performance, musical creativity and age range of performers.

Mark Forkgen, Director of Music, said: “It was such a thrill to have everyone to experience the buzz of live performance again. This year’s competition had an eclectic mix of songs, showcasing a wealth of talent.”

Parents were able to watch via YouTube, and the show was also streamed live to boys at the School via the giant screens in Big School and the Barton Science Centre. A ‘crew’ of Tonbridge boys was also involved in the stage management of the event, providing sound, filming and technical support.

Winner of the House Music Cup: Whitworth

Runners Up: Oakeshott House and Welldon House

Cullen Award for Best Acoustic Item: Manor House for Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

The Paul Gamblin Award for Best

Amplified Item: Welldon House for The Caves of Altamira

Best Arrangement: Sam Lomax (MH5) for Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Shakespeare in Symphony: Boys perform in orchestral concert

More than 50 boys took part in Play on: Shakespeare in Symphony, an hour-long performance of pieces by Walton, Nyman, Mendelssohn and Prokofiev. Boys displayed their talents in all the sections of a full symphony orchestra, including violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, timpani and percussion.

The Symphony Orchestra concluded the performance season, which included Shakespeare In Chapel: Organ And Brass; Shakespeare In Song: Solo Vocal Music; and Shakespeare On Stage: Opera and Musical Theatre.

Tonbridge’s Chapel Choir joined forces with the Chapel Choir of Benenden School for a special Evensong on 6 February, marking the 70th anniversary of the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II.

Music included Handel’s Coronation anthem Zadok the Priest (which has been sung at every coronation since that of George II), Herbert Howells’ Collegium Regale setting of the Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (written for King’s College, Cambridge), and Choirmaster Julian Thomas’ own setting of the Preces and Responses.

l Our Second Year Music Scholars, pictured in the Lent Term. Music plays an important part in Tonbridge life, with regular performances and concerts, across all genres, each term.

Julian said: “It was wonderful to be able to join with the Benenden girls and to mark this occasion with such uplifting music. The boys also enjoyed the opportunity of working with Benenden’s conductor, Edward Whiting, and experiencing being part of such a large choral sound.”