Music

THE ARTS

MUSIC

Round-up

In a Quarter marked by the sound of leather on willow, the sun shining in the sky and the beauty of Charterhouse, the Music Department continues to offer students a healthy balance to their academic pursuits, even though the spectre of exams looms heavy over many of them.

Evening Recitals and our ongoing Ralph Vaughan Williams Series have been real highlights of the year. Claire Wang (Su) opened the concert with her virtuosic piano playing, offering a mini programme of Chopin, Scriabin and Liebermann. Then came the winners of LQ’s Senior Woodwind Prizes, Kirstie Kwakye (Su) and Horace Choi (G), on recorder and bassoon respectively, who oozed musicianship and professionalism. The concert closed with Claire Wang at the piano once more, now joined by Adrian Choy (L) and Jonathan To (L) in a performance of the first movement from Beethoven’s Ghost Trio, an extraordinary piece of composition played quite brilliantly. This year, music fans globally celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Charterhouse’s own Ralph Vaughan Williams. In celebration, we welcomed the highly acclaimed Sitkovetsky Trio to Charterhouse to give the RVW Celebratory Concert IV, the second in the Investec International Music Festival. It was a pleasure to host this concert at which the Surrey Hills Young Composer Competition prize was also presented. The concert was a real delight and a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to witness such musical excellence. The fifth concert in the RVW Series saw our Charterhouse musicians take to the stage, with performances from the Brass Quintet, Justin Wang (L) playing the Charterhouse Suite in its piano version, the beautiful consort singing of pupils and staff in some Vaughan Williams part-songs, and finally a super rendition of Finzi’s Five Bagatelles for Clarinet by OC Antonio Zhang (H21). In the following week, we invited pupils from Hoe Bridge, Edgeborough and St George’s, Windsor to take part in our Choral Day, wonderfully led by Head of Department, Mr Mark Shepherd. Collaborating on this scale has, understandably but unfortunately, been on hold for the last few years. To see everyone back together in the aweinspiring setting of the Memorial Chapel was truly fantastic. The pupils sang their hearts out through Faure’s beautiful Requiem, with a lovely solo in the ‘Pie Jesu’ by Laura Wilmouth (Su). The Jazz Band also took advantage of freedom from restrictions, performing at the Godalming Bandstand on a glorious Saturday afternoon and delighting the massed crowds with their toe-tapping numbers under the direction of Head of Woodwind Mr Sam Corkin. They were so popular that they’ve been booked again for next year!

Prep Schools’ Choral Day

Above: Chamber Choir performing works by Ralph Vaughan Williams

Right: Prep Schools’ Choral Day Below: Sax Quartet

Eve of Carthusian Day Concert

Almost all of our woodwind Ensembles took to the stage in Evening Recital II, a lovely occasion celebrating all the hard work of our Visiting Music Staff. This concert had everything from Bach to ABBA, via a host of composers in the middle, including Vaughan Williams, who featured again at our annual Singing Prizes event. We were thrilled to welcome Mr Robert Rice to adjudicate proceedings who witnessed, alongside the very supportive and very large captive audience, a veritable smörgåsbord of English song, German lieder, Italian arias, French chanson and several entries from the world of Musical Theatre. Overall winners in the three categories were Oliver Ferry (D), Tianzong Cheng (H) and Aomi Hiroi (Su) – congratulations!

Composition and Organ prizes round off the musical School year. This year, we were thrilled to welcome Mr Paul Whitmarsh and Mr Simon Bell to adjudicate. Our Fifth form composers all offered up their IGCSE coursework compositions for scrutiny, as did our A-Level musicians. Each pupil was able to showcase a piece of great thought and care, with performances from both staff and pupils. Mr Whitmarsh was most impressed by the display and array of textures attempted. Verites dominated the prize list with Pradeep Sahni taking the Junior and Taki Ejima-Dalley the Senior. A variety of factors meant that Organ Prizes this year was more of a masterclass, but an equally enjoyable and fascinating evening. Joshua Bernardi (G) played Brian Solomon’s Aria, Max Gerhardt (H) offered Handel’s Zadok the Priest and Edward Wilmouth (G) masterfully managed the tricky Fugue in G minor, BWV 543 by JS Bach. Mr Bell was most impressed with the level of playing and commented on the wealth of the students’ potential.

Without doubt, an end-of-Quarter highlight was the truly outstanding Eve of Carthusian Day Concert, given by Symphony and Chamber Orchestra with its four soloists, all under the baton of Dr Millard and Mr Bolivar. There was no better way to celebrate the talent that these four pupils have invested in Charterhouse Music during their time here. Taki Ejima-Dalley (V) opened the concert with JS Bach’s Keyboard Concerto in D minor, BWV 1022. Masterful, technically brilliant and always in tune with the surrounding Chamber Orchestra, this was a wonderful performance, full of life and vigour. Next was Horace Choi (G) who gave us Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major, K.191. As expected (but how pleasant to be reminded!), Horace achieved a beautiful sound with his instrument, getting round the phrases with thought and poise. Mozart is not easy to play, but Horace made this work sound completely effortless. Bravo, too, to Chamber Orchestra for preparing these works so efficiently. After a stage rearrange, Symphony Orchestra appeared for the second half of this concert, opening with the first movement of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto no.3 in C minor, op.37, with soloist Michael Huang (G). Michael is a musician of such maturity, professionalism and consideration, and all these aspects shone through in his playing. His interpretation of this music was second to none and the way he worked with the orchestra also showed a level of musicianship well beyond his years. The evening was brought to a splendid close with Sophie Ju (F) offering the first movement of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor. With its instantly recognisable melody and melodic writing, Sophie ensured that this performance was filled with flair, musicality and bravado. To see her crown all her achievements with this superb performance was a real highlight, and a splendid way to finish the evening. Bravi tutti! I must not forget to mention Dr Millard, Mr Bolivar and all the staff who helped make this concert a highlight of the academic year.