Detweiler Competition 2025

Foreword We are delighted to share with you the incredible work created by the boys for this year’s Detweiler Competition.

The Detweiler Competition was introduced to Bedford School by Rob Campbell (Director of Art 1994-2013) in 1997 and named after the Canadian composer, author and patron of the arts Dr Alan Detweiler, who so generously provided the prizes until his death in 2012. Initially set up as an Art competition, it now involves the English, Drama and Music departments and so encourages the arts across the whole school and, as such, is a major event in the school arts calendar.

This year’s competition, with the theme of ‘Structure’, was very well received by a large and captivated audience. It is one of the creative highlights of the academic year and we would like to congratulate all boys who entered the competition. We hope you enjoy this year’s winners and highly commended prizes!

ART Judges: Matthew Orr (OB) and Roderick Orr (OB)

2D Winner Sean Winward (Lower Sixth Form)

How many school rules can you see being broken in this painting?

This is my depiction of the theme structure, exploring social and school structure, specifically in terms of the school rules. School rules keep the structure and order of Bedford School.

In this painting, I have presented four students representing the idea of what Bedford School would look like with no ‘structure’ (no school rules).

Contrasting this with the middle figure, representing what the school looks like with structure.

3D Winner Ra’ed Rizwan

(Upper Sixth Form)

art

Highly Commended Ben Rioch (Lower Sixth Form)

Highly Commended Clement Rahwangi Gough (Upper Sixth Form)

Highly Commended Oliver Quince (Fifth Form)

Highly Commended Harrison Hughes (Lower Sixth Form)

Highly Commended John Lally (Fifth Form)

art

creative writing Creative Writing Winner Ethan Eniola (Fourth Form)

The Chain

The dawn of a chain, so constant it commands nature, instigated by an earthbound blob, as it burrows briskly like a torpedo, the earth is its canvas, the soil unsullied and pure, is gorged: roots, leaves, fungi anything to sustain itself, the pathetically piteous creature, becomes the domino, in the forlorn fight

A creature takes flight, a shooting star, to spare the righteous soil, from the tarnished worm, perching on the earth itself, like some mighty beast, it waits; a thunderous vibration reveals the hindrance, blood stained eyes lock on, a silent scream echoes

A wispy tail flows, cleaving the air like a sly spectre; furious steps skip, serrating the green blades with their sneaky swiftness: the royal hide, flaunts its apex status, the guile predator prowls stirred by an unquenchable desire, its movements insinuating something foul, a sweet scent of naivety exudes from the starling: pouncing like the sword of a king the blades snout pierces the star, a supernova of scarlet erupts, the free creature becomes the artwork of a monarch, its feathers are mutilated and transfigured, the bird’s desperate pleas fall on deaf ears

The fox trots cunningly, the ravens burst out, but not for the fox.

A silvery smoke slinks through the air, birthed from the tip of a small predator.

Despite itself, the fox died without ever facing the creature that killed it.

The chain was felled.

The creature that once stood at the pinnacle, was killed by a proud coward, that couldn’t show its face.

The worm is eaten by the bird. The bird is eaten by the fox.

The fox is killed by the human. But what eats the human?

Only a monster cannot be eaten.

Creative Writing Runner Up Ailbe Mantini (Fourth Form)

Structure of the Food Chain, a short story There lies a small, uneventful, inconspicuous grass petal dancing in the meadow of life. Only a few metres away is a newly born calf struggling into the world screeching, her eyes focusing on the grass petal and munching! The grass petal has gone.

Many years went by, and the young calf has become a strong cow, she has given birth 3 times and is now ready for slaughter. The farmer is grateful for its 3 years of milk, but it has now become the age for slaughter. Sadly the 5-year-old goes to the Butcher. The Butcher prepares his cleavers. The Man cuts the cow up into 8 parts. Then ships it to a steakhouse where the chefs prepare it for a ribeye, the waiter plates it up and hands it to the guest where they ingest it quickly with haste, devouring ribeye leaving no trace.

The grass petal has now been through lots of types of life.

Finally, the petal life goes around being turned into fertilizers to grow more grass petals and the cycle goes around again and again. Now what seems as just an uneventful grass petal has gone in an existing adventure through the food chain; however the grass petal can have a different life.

There lies a small uneventful inconspicuous grass petal dancing in the meadow of life. Only a few metres away is a newly born kit (baby rabbit) waiting for its mother’s milk. The kit has only 3 weeks old and the baby can now run at full speed. 2 months later he is old enough to survive on his own. He has been on his own for 1 year and is an experienced gatherer and he is looking for a mate, he has eaten lots of berries and grass in his time. A fox has just learned to hunt and he is looking for a quick kill. The two lock eyes and the chase begins.

Unfortunately for the young fox, he does not have the experience. Rabbits are faster than foxes even at adulthood, so they should employ a different tactic called sneak attack. An animal that will use said-tactic is a lynx, and it will hunt foxes for food. Although lynxes hunt alone, their predator, the wolf, will hunt in a pack lurking at night to pounce on their prey, devouring and howling their packs are dangerous to all.

Hiding in a bush is a bear who just woke up from hibernation and is quite grumpy as he wakes to this dreadful howling. He waits for the perfect attack, dragging the lone wolf to its cave never to be seen again. He wanders too far looking for food and stumbles across

a pack of mountain lions. He fights for his life, but the numbers are too many. The mountain lions are a feast for days. The mountain lions are prowling the territory when they see poachers they lock eyes and hunt the begins.

It’s served, and the grass petal has had 2 very different lives, but in the end, it goes to the same thing: humans.

Dashing through the rocks bobbing and waving, at last the mountain lions escape for another day every day. The poachers came back, and the hunt began again, but this time one lion wasn’t so lucky and got shot. The lion hide is on its way to the highest bidder. The rich group is waiting for the relish of the lion.

creative writing

Creative Writing Runner Up Arun Ramnarain (Fourth Form)

A Broken City

Through the branches the lonely forest shows glimpses of a city far out, The thought of how it fell as quickly as a snap It shouldn’t have fallen they should’ve thought it through We could have done it with more money… or people… all lies All because in the ground there was just one quake Surely it could have been avoided if they just had better structure Everywhere concrete lies still and unmoving There is a building with people who lie now lifeless Steel rebar pierces out of the ground to impale a slab of concrete Plants rule now and because of that sadly it won’t be rebuilt Nobody wants to remember the tragedy of that day Maybe it was a sabotage with hijackers planting bombs in the ground but it was probably a mistake somebody forgetting a material or doing a miscalculation Surely it could have been avoided if they just took more time

Everywhere is overtaken and tangled by leaves and bushes What was once neat buildings no more in straight narrow lines An old plant pot support a monster of a vine wrapped around a house or… what was left of it, There is a doll house broken and degraded with two young girls sleeping peacefully by it Rubble on rubble there is no end in sight, sad to think all these houses, gone It should’ve been built better, with better structure But in the rubble, the carnage, the terror there is hope The dazzling sun illuminates a Rose whose Spindly roots burrow into the soil like a mole, But the stem stands mighty and proud to support the plant, Its petals unfurl to release their beauty, And a pleasant aroma wafts through the gentle breeze.

Maybe this is a tragedy but at least there is a light.

Drama

Drama Winner Shreyan Patel (Fourth Form)

The Playlist

This scene takes place in an empty room in an apartment in Brighton, England during 2015. Two friends are moving in together and are now listening to one of their playlists (Alex’s). The other friend, Jamie, notices that the playlist reflects Alex’s life and emotions, but Jamie finds a way to help him to break his playlist, change it, and rebuild it.

straighter, feeling the change.

The stage is bare, except for Alex and Jamie sitting crosslegged on the floor. A phone rests between them, playing music out loud. A happy, upbeat song plays faintly in the background. Alex sways slightly to the beat, bobbing their head. Jamie looks over at Alex, grinning.

Alex: (shrugging) It’s like pretending everything’s okay when it’s not.

Jamie: (grinning) Let me guess. This is your “everything’s fine” song.

Alex: (laughing) Nailed it. It’s the one I play when I want to feel like I’ve got my life together.

Jamie: (teasing) It’s got that “main character in a movie montage” vibe.

Alex: (nodding) Exactly. Like, “Look at me, running through fields, being all carefree!”

Jamie: (noticing) What’s going on?

Alex: (quietly) I don’t know. Sometimes, this song feels fake.

Jamie: (confused) Fake?

Jamie: (thinking) But it’s still a good song.

Alex: (nodding slowly) Yeah, but sometimes I wish it was a little more… real.

The song fades and is replaced by a track with a deeper, slower beat. The mood shifts again. Jamie looks over at Alex, sensing the change.

Jamie: (softly) This one’s a bit… heavier.

Alex: (staring at the phone) Yeah. It’s the “in-between” song.

Jamie: (raising an eyebrow) In-between what?

Jamie: (pretending to run, exaggerated) “Look, I’m happy!

I’ve got it all figured out!”

Alex: (shrugging) In-between fine and… not fine. Like when you don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but you feel it.

Alex: (snorting) Yep.

Jamie: (nodding) I get it. It’s like being stuck.

They both laugh, but Alex’s laughter fades first. They stop swaying and glance down at the phone as the music shifts to a slower, softer tune. The lights dim slightly. Alex sits up

Alex: (sighing) Yeah.

They sit in silence for a moment, letting the music play. The

next song begins, and the beats grow louder, more chaotic.

Alex fidgets, tapping their fingers on the floor, clearly uncomfortable. They stand up abruptly and begin pacing around, unable to sit still.

Alex: (interrupting) Perfect?

Jamie: (concerned) What’s this one?

Jamie: Exactly. It will change. And change is something you can get used to. It’s for the better. And, how about we get rid of any… chaotic songs. Yeah? Just add your favourites.

Alex: (shouting over the noise) The “everything’s too much” song.

Alex: (nodding) Sure. Yeah. You don’t always have to stay stuck in one song or one genre. I need my own genre.

Jamie: (eyes wide) Too much?

Jamie: (playfully) Now you get it!. Come on Mr DJ. Pick the one that fits. Build your own bridge.

Alex: (gesturing with frustration) Yeah, like when you’re juggling a hundred thoughts at once, and nothing makes sense.

Alex: (smiling) No promises, but… I’ll try.

Alex: (sighing) It’s chaos.

They both laugh softly as the music continues to play in the background. They sit together, both shouldering and playfully fighting as the stage fades to black.

Jamie: (calmly) So, what do you do when it gets like that?

End Scene.

Jamie: (nodding slowly) So it’s just noise.

Alex: (stopping, standing still) I don’t know. Keep going?

Jamie: (looking at the phone) You could skip it.

Alex: (looking at Jamie, blinking with confusion) Skip it?

Performed by Shreyan Patel and Lucas Hill (Fourth Form)

Jamie: (shrugging) Yeah. You don’t have to stick with a song that’s making your head spin you know?

Alex: (hesitating) But what if the next one’s worse?

Jamie: (smiling and interrupting slightly while standing up) Or what if it’s not? What if it’s better? (Jamie goes over to Alex) Alex considers it for a moment, then. Jamie reaches down and presses the skip button on the phone. The music shifts to a softer, calm tune. The lights brighten just a bit. Alex exhales deeply, sitting back down with Jamie.

Jamie: (smiling) Feel better?

Alex: (thinking) Different.

Jamie: (grinning) Different can be good. Think of it as… maybe a bridge. When that bridge falls down, you can most certainly rebuild it, but it will never be exactly the same. It will never be-

drama

Drama Runner Up George Garosi (Remove Form)

Structure

Sam is waiting in line to go into his GCSE French exam. A chair is placed in the centre stage. Sam is standing upstage right. He looks at a diagonal to the chair.

Sam: Right, I got this! I know the drill, I’ve done French exams plenty of times before. I’ve got my clear pencil case, I’ve got my water bottle, I’ve got five pens, I’ve got my five pencils and most importantly I’ve got the right mindset to do well!

Sam nervously yet boldly takes a slow step forwards towards the chair.

Sam: Ok, the queue is starting to move! I’ve got to keep serious now, no smiling, laughing or giggling or I’ll get disqualified. Just keep your cool and remember what Mrs Sullivan said “I guarantee that you’ll get a nine after all!”

Sam takes another step forwards Sam: Uh-oh, I’m at the door. I just need to take a deep breath in and out.

Sam: Inhale.

Sam takes a slow deep breath in.

Sam: And Exhale.

Sam slowly breaths out.

Sam: They are calling you in. All you have to do is walk over to your desk number.

Sam timidly walks over to his desk and sits down.

Sam: Remember what mum said. One. Don’t make any eye contact with the invigilators, Two. Face forwards and Three. Don’t make a sound. Confidence is the key, remain confident and I’m guaranteed to do well. This does not define me as a person and my teachers know how conscientious I am. I know the structure as first there is the three mark listening question then the five mark listening question and then the eight mark listening question which I always nail! Then it’s the writing and I’m going to be given four words in a box which are most likely to be in different tenses and I’ll write a 10-mark answer using the question and the words above. Finally, it’s the reading which is the easiest of them all where there are three sixmark questions and four nine-mark questions.

Sam looks to his right in shock and his breathing rate rapidly increases.

Sam: They’re starting to hand out the papers. Soon I’ll have this all done and out of the way. Just three more desks to go until the invigilator comes to mine.

Sam sits in silence for five seconds. He closes his eyes and gently takes a deep breath in and out. He opens his eyes in shock after the exhale to find the invigilator who abruptly tapped him on the shoulder waiting to give him his paper.

He quickly takes the paper and mouths the words “sorry” to the invigilator.

Sam: Oh no! The exam hasn’t even started, and I’ve already made a fool of myself.

Sam inspects the paper on his desk looking specifically at the thickness.

Sam: This is an unusually thick exam paper for GCSE French. Maybe they accidentally included some blank pages in the printing, or they have put our exam timetable inside the paper. Or maybe there is a marking sheet for the examiner. That must be it! The good folks down at Edexcel are probably just saving the examiners some time.

Although the back page states that this is for IGCSE and not GCSE like Mrs Sullivan said it would be. I’m sure it’s fine. After all, the syllabus content is practically the same and I am an A star student.

Sam straightens up in his chair and takes a pen out of his pencil case.

Sam: Ok, they are about to start. Ten seconds to go. Five.

Four. Three. Two. One. Sam quickly opens his paper with a smile on his face and reads the first question. He instantly looks panicked.

Sam quickly sticks his hand in the air in distress.

Sam: Why won’t these invigilators answer my question!

They can see my hand!

Sam angrily waves at them.

Sam: Yoo-Hoo! I know you’re not blind! Just come on!

Stop shaking your head at me and attaint to my needs!

Sam plummets his hand down.

Sam: Wait. If TV taught me anything, it’s that they are legally obligated to stop the exam if someone dies. So that means if I pretend that I die, maybe they will come over.

Sam looks around and behind him to not disturb the other candidates.

Sam: Right, I’m gonna do it! Just fall onto the floor and don’t make a noise, that way you will not disturb everyone else. Three. Two. One. End of Scene Performed by George Garosi

Sam: This is a bit different. Strangely, they’re starting with the nine-mark reading question but that’s ok as it’s one of my strong points. Right, let’s look at the text.

Sam looks at the text below. He scrunches up his face and scratches his head in puzzlement.

Sam: Demoni..Demonis..Demostis. Mrs Sullivan never taught us that and it certainly wasn’t on the vocabulary list. I’ll just read around it. Toklor..Toklora..Tobam. I’m so confused. Perhaps they put the hardest question first to catch people out so I’ll check the rest of the paper to find an easier one.

Sam flicks through his paper. He starts to become upset and panic.

Sam: Hang on… Fifteen markers!...forty-five minutes!...

Timer says: Latin!?

drama

Drama Runner Up George Williams (Remove Form)

Structure

(Setting: A dimly lit room, a single spotlight on the speaker, who stands center stage.)

Structure - it forms a daily routine in our lives that we stick to, and are often bound by. It gives us an aim for each day, and a direction for life. In the mornings, depending on our inclination, we may choose a punchy coffee, a reluctant run, or, the really brave may opt for a bracing bath of ice! It’s like we’re performing in a daily show, each of us playing our own unique part. But what happens when this structure falls apart and life throws us a curveball? How do we keep in character, play the part, keep up the act? Well ... you know what they say - the show must go on!

For me, life used to look rosy. Wonderful colours swirling through my days bringing joy and adventure in their wake.

Everything had purpose, pleasure, even pride. Life was full and happy. I had all I could ever wish for. What could possibly go wrong? And then... and then things changed.

In the blink of an eye, the walls came tumbling down, the framework shuddered, and the structure began to crack.

And whilst the once-cherished routines tumbled out of control, a chink in the armour presented itself. A beam of light inching to break into the darkness. Amidst the turmoil and discomfort that had become my newfound friends, an unexpected reprieve came my way. Despite

the chaos of my outer world, I began to find peace in the ever-faithful structure loosening its grip. No longer was it steadfastly holding me to account like a stern parent willing me to conform. On the contrary, I was now, by my pain, set free from all expectations and at last could flow in the previously unknown bliss of freedom.

In this knew reality, I came to understand that life can be beautiful in its unpredictability. Within the challenges, are lessons. Within the despair, there is hope. I no longer needed to be governed by the structured existence that I knew so well. I could instead freefall through the unrestricted clouds of my mind. And come to a place, free of the demands that structure beholds.

In the end, I realised that structure could be forgiving. It was not a rigid, unchanging barrier. It was not a dutiful solider, standing on guard. On the contrary, it was a compassionate friend, gently keeping me on track, whilst simultaneously encouraging me to bend with the winds of change.

Performed by Matt Hackney (Fifth Form)

music Music Winner Harry L’Estrange (Lower Sixth Form) Modality When presented with the theme of ‘structure’, it was interesting coming up with potential ideas in terms of interpretation. In this minimalist/jazz inspired piece for soprano sax, string quintet, piano and vibes, the main way in which I have depicted structure is in the way I have used the harmony to determine the rhythmic figures as heard prominently throughout, firstly by the strings at the beginning. To elaborate a touch, I have taken 6 out of the 7 harmonic modes (different scales) and replaced each tone interval with a crotchet and each semitone interval with a quaver.

And since there are 12 semitones in an octave, this works nicely when the determined rhythms are put in a 12/8 or 12 quavers in a bar, time signature.

These rhythms come out creating very interesting subdivisions and accents within each bar, giving for a kind of Peter Erskine 12/8 kind of feel!

I have clearly presented the structure or form of this piece in its entirety, by implementing contrasting textures as boldly heard in the B section, by the drop out of many forces making the climb back up to the recapitulation as such, more emphatic. As well as its

main harmonic structure by modes, I have used other jazz inspired harmonic techniques. For example at the end, you can hear sequential quartal patterns used as a way of realising a sort of coda, as a build to the end.

And I think it is appropriate that the whole piece should finish on a bar of complete homophony, which each instrument playing together, one of the main rhythmic figures that I have talked about previously.

I do hope you enjoy!

Music Runner Up Andrew Blake (Lower Sixth Form)

Gigue in G Minor

I have written a Gigue, in a baroque style for the Harpsichord. The use of binary form creates a highly structured ‘A’ and ‘B’ section, where key melodic themes are presented and developed throughout. The first section is in a fugal style, where the subject is repeated, developed and imitated. The tone of this creates an atmosphere of clear organisation and helps the listener to easily digest the new music as it is presented. Sequences are seen throughout the piece, and they have been used to emulate a clear sense of coordination and structure.

In the ‘B’ section, I start in the same key, but quickly modulate to create more of a sense of freedom and liberation in the music. The quicker harmonic rhythm keeps the listener attentive, whilst enabling the music to explore different ideas. Even though this section is based more loosely on the principles of a fugue, the key theme of structure is quickly noticed again when more and more sequences are added, leading to the final phrase which is similar to material herd in the first section.

This adds continuity and a sense of finality, especially in the ‘Tierce de Picardie’ at the end.

Music Third Place Koya Okusaga (Lower Sixth Form)

Te Lucis Ante Terminum

I decided to approach the theme of structure through a specific form of music. Inspired by early renaissance and baroque polyphonic works by the like of Robert White and Thomas Weelkes, I decided to write my own, but in my own conventional style of writing, disregarding any sort of rules that there may be, all surrounded by a cantus firmus which I had created.

I decided to use the text Te lucis ante terminum (To thee before the close of day), an old Latin hymn, which I had drawn inspiration after listening to Thomas Tallis’ rendition of the setting.

I decided to use my cantus firmus as a standalone plainchant in both the opening and the closing verse, with the middle verse being the main component of the setting, with the polyphony. I’ve split it into four polyphonic phrases, based on the four lines in the setting with brief pauses to space out some time before the start of the next phrase. At the end of the chanting, I made sure to put the amen at the end to round off the piece properly.

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