Music Events Summer Term 2025
Welcome to Music, Summer Term 2025
The Summer Term at Clifton College offers a wide variety of musical experiences, from a series of rising star performances from Upper School pupils to our annual Commem performances, and the not-to-be-missed Summer Serenade Concerto Concert!
A first for our top music scholars this year, they will be performing at the prestigious Clifton International Festival Chamber Music Concert in June which promises to be an evening to remember.
Our Pre-Prep pupils will host a variety of performances to showcase their talents throughout the term as well as putting on a spectacular performance of Jack and the Giant on the big stage of the Redgrave Theatre, and our Year 8 Prep pupils will take you on a delicious journey with their performances of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
We hope to see you at an event soon!
James Drinkwater, Director of Music (Upper)
Julian Edgell, Director of Music (Prep)
Pip Gillam, Assistant Head (Pre-Prep), Head of Music (Pre-Prep)
Upper - Rising Stars Concert with Edmund H (Cello)
Wednesday 23rd April, 1.15pm-1.50pm
Christ Church with St Ewen, Broad St, Bristol BS1 2EJ
As part of this public recital series, Edmund H (Year 13 Music Scholar and runner-up in the 2025 Bristol Rotary Young Musician competition) performs a public lunchtime cello recital including works by Debussy, Shostakovich and Bach at this beautiful 18th century church in the centre of Bristol.
Upper - Junior Kadoorie Cup Competition
Friday 25th April, 6.00pm-7.30pm
Clifton College Chapel, accessible via Guthrie Road, BS8 3EZ
The wonderful singers and instrumentalists of Years 9-11 compete in the first part of this annual event. It is a really enjoyable concert with the added bonus of an adjudication from a visiting musical expert at the end - this year, Joe Cryan, Director of Music at the beautiful St Mary Redcliffe Church.
Free to attend
Open to all including members of the public
Free to attend
Open to parents and guests, pupils and staff, and OCs
Upper - Rising Stars Concert with Vera H (Violin)
Wednesday 30th April, 1.15pm-1.50pm
Christ Church with St Ewen, Broad St, Bristol BS1 2EJ
As part of this public recital series, Vera H (Year 10 Music Scholar and winner of the 2024 Bristol Rotary Young Musician competition) performs a public lunchtime violin recital including Brahms’s sunny A major Sonata and Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo capriccioso at this beautiful 18th century church in the centre of Bristol.
Upper - Senior Kadoorie Cup Competition
Friday 2nd May, 5.30pm-7.00pm
Clifton College Chapel, accessible via Guthrie Road, BS8 3EZ
The second section of the annual competition for soloists (both vocal and instrumental) is for sixth-form musicians. Always a highly enjoyable evening of high-quality music, with the benefit of some encouraging and informative words from a visiting adjudicator, this year, Elinor Cooper, Musical Director of the Bristol University Singers.
Free to attend
Open to all including members of the public
Free to attend
Open to parents and guests, pupils and staff, and OCs
Upper
- Music in the Crypt
Thursday 8th May, 7.30pm-9.00pm
The Crypt, located underneath the Clifton College Chapel
The final crypt night of the year will see a wide variety of pop offerings from upper school students - expect soloists, bands, covers, new material…always a great night and the last for our leaving pupils!
Prep - Informal Concert
Tuesday 13th May, 4.00pm-5.00pm
Prep Hall, Clifton College, BS8 3HE
Children from Year 4 to 8 perform to friends and familyexpect a wide variety of pieces and instruments and a friendly atmosphere!
Free to attend
Open to parents and guests, pupils and staff
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Prep - Commem Concert
Friday 23rd May, 1.30pm-3.30pm
Prep Hall, Clifton College, BS8 3HE
An opportunity for all our ensembles to perform - String, Brass, Guitar and Wind Ensembles as well as Orchestra, Swing Band, Junior Choir and Pop Groups!
Upper - Commem Concert followed by Music in the Marquee
Friday 23rd May, 6.30pm-7.30pm
Clifton College Chapel, accessible via Guthrie Road, BS8 3EZ
This Classical Spectacular will feature Orchestra, Concert Band, alongside top sixth-form soloists in music from a wide range of music. This is always a magical and emotional evening in a packed Chapel. Afterwards we move to the marquee for House Dance and top tunes from the Soul Band and Big Band; refreshments will be available.
Free to attend
Part of Commem event for parents and pupils
Free to attend
Part of Commem event for parents and pupils
Upper - Commem Chapel Service
Saturday 24th May, 9.30am-10.30am
Clifton College Chapel, accessible via Guthrie Road, BS8 3EZ
The annual Commem service with choir and instrumentalists is a special occasion; please await ticketing information from HoMs and SLT as regrettably not all parents fit into the space.
Pre-Prep - Guitar Concert
Thursday 5th June, 4.15pm-5.00pm
Pre-Prep Hall, Butcombe House, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
This concert provides an opportunity for our Guitarists to demonstrate their talents. We have many Guitarists across Year 2 and Year 3. Mrs George, our Guitar teacher, teaches across all three parts of the college and is very busy!
Free to attend
Part of Commem event for parents and pupils
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Pre-Prep - 2N String Assembly
Wednesday 11th June, 8.45am-9.00am
Pre-Prep Hall, Butcombe House, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
Come and hear our talented Year 2 class play in a special String Assembly to demonstrate their musical progress!
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Prep - Cross-College Guitar Concert
Thursday 12th June, 6.00pm-7.15pm
Prep Hall, Clifton College, BS8 3HE
A truly cross-college event - come along to hear guitarists from Year 2 to 6th form.
A lovely evening bringing musicians of all ages and levels together to enjoy playing their chosen pieces.
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Upper - Clifton International Festival Chamber Music Concert
Thursday 12th June, 7.30pm-9.30pm
St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 1LP
A wonderful programme at this prestigious festival - a first appearance for our pupils - will include complete performances of Schubert’s sublime String Quintet and Brahm’s stirring Piano Trio No.1 in B major. Our top music scholars will be performing, many of whom are also enrolled at the junior departments of the Royal Schools of music in London and Birmingham.
Ticketed event
Open to parents, guests, pupils, staff, OCs, and members of the public. More information here: https://www.cliftonfestival.com/
Pre-Prep - String Concert
Monday 16th June, 4.15pm-5.00pm
Pre-Prep Hall, Butcombe House, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
This concert is a chance to showcase our hard working String players. We are delighted to have four cellists in the Pre-Prep at the moment alongside many Violinists who have lessons with Mrs Gittings and Mrs Hall. Come along and hear them play.
Free ticketed event
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Upper - Composing for the silver screen - Martin Pring on Buster Keaton’s The General and other silent movies
Tuesday 17th June, 6.30pm-8.00pm
Joseph Cooper Music School, Guthrie Road, BS8 3ET
Our own strings specialist visiting music teacher and internationally in-demand film composer, Martin Pring, delivers an illustrated talk full of insight and examples on his careers composing new scores for classic films of the 1920s - as performed in Germany, Switzerland and in the UK
Pre-Prep - Recorder Concert
Wednesday 18th June, 8.15am-8.40am
Pre-Prep Outdoor Stage, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
Wake up your Wednesday with Miss Temple and all of Year 3 demonstrating the recorder skills they have learnt this year.
Free to attend
Open to pupils, parents and staff, OCs, and members of the public
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Pre-Prep - 2V String Assembly
Wednesday 18th June, 8.40am-9.00am
Pre-Prep Hall, Butcombe House, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
Come and hear our talented Year 2 class play in a special String Assembly to demonstrate their musical progress!
Pre-Prep - Summer Concert
Wednesday 18th June, 4.15pm-5.00pm
Pre-Prep Hall, Butcombe House, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
A lovely afternoon of music from our Pre-Prep musicians, featuring pieces played on the flute, cornet, voice, clarinet and French horn.
We are lucky enough to have an amazing range of instruments being played in the Pre-Prep at the moment. These children work very hard every week in their individual music lessons and are looking forward to performing to an audience.
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Pre-Prep - Piano Recital
Thursday 19th June, 4.15pm-5.00pm
Joseph Cooper Music School, Guthrie Road, BS8 3ET
We are lucky enough to be invited to the Upper School to play in their very special recital hall. We have many talented pianists in the Pre-Prep. You are very welcome to arrive early for a cup of tea and a tour of the amazing facilities.
Prep - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Thursday 19th & Friday 20th June, 7.00pm-9.00pm
Saturday 21st June, 6.30pm-8.30pm
Redgrave Theatre, Percival Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3LE
Come and see our Year 8’s perform Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! Embark on a delicious journey with this hit West End musical based on the beloved Roald Dahl tale.
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff. Tickets should be reserved through the Redgrave Theatre box office where it will be listed as a private event: https://redgravetheatre.com/
Upper - Spotlight Concert
Friday 20th June, 5.30pm-7.00pm
Joseph Cooper Music School, Guthrie Road, BS8 3ET
An opportunity for soloists and chamber ensembles to show what they have been working on in the term.
Pre-Prep - 2W String Assembly
Wednesday 25th June, 8.40am-9.00am
Pre-Prep Hall, Butcombe House, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
Come and hear our talented Year 2 class play in a special String Assembly to demonstrate their musical progress!
Free to attend
Open to parents and guests, pupils and staff
Free to attend
Open to parents, pupils and staff
Upper - Britton Organ Recital
Wednesday 25th June, 12.00pm-1.00pm
Clifton College Chapel, accessible via Guthrie Road, BS8 3EZ
To celebrate the support of the Britton Trust and our Willcocks Organ Scholarship, we host a lunchtime concert featuring the whole range of organ pupils from Grade 3 to Diploma. The largescreen video will enable you to see the organists’ hands and feet in close-up detail at the console.
Upper - Rising Stars Concert with Alice H (Soprano)
Wednesday 25th June, 1.15pm-1.50pm
Christ Church with St Ewen, Broad St, Bristol BS1 2EJ
As part of this public recital series, Alice H (Year 13 Music Scholar and student at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music) performs a public lunchtime recital of arias by Mozart, Giordani, Schubert and Handel. at this beautiful 18th century church in the centre of Bristol.
Free to attend
Open to parents, guests, pupils, staff, OCs and members of the public
Free to attend
Open to all including members of the public
Upper - Summer Serenade Concerto Concert and Music in the Crypt
Thursday 26th June, from 6.30pm
Clifton College Chapel, accessible via Guthrie Road, BS8 3EZ
The Crypt, located underneath the Clifton College Chapel
A wonderful summer’s evening in College: inside Chapel we have a professional orchestra accompanying seven of our top scholars in virtuosic concerto movements for violin, cello, trumpet - from Mozart and Dvořák to Sibelius to Tomasi. Followed by jazz, rock and pop numbers making up our atmospheric Music in the Crypt. Not to be missed.
Pre-Prep - Jack and the Giant
Thursday 26th - Friday 27th June, 6.00pm-7.00pm
Redgrave Theatre, Percival Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3LE
Come and watch our Year 2 and Year 3 pupils put on a spectacular performance of Jack and the Giant on the big stage at the Redgrave Theatre!
Free to attend
Open to parents, guests, pupils, staff, OCs
Free to attend
Open to parents and guests, pupils and staff
Prep - Summer Music Concert
Tuesday 1st July, 6.15pm-7.30pm
Prep Hall, Clifton College, BS8 3HE
An evening dedicated to our most talented musicians from the Prep School.
Upper - Antonia Z Charity Recital
Wednesday 2nd July, 7.30pm-9.00pm
All Saints Church, Pembroke Rd, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3ED
In a special charity recital, Antonia Z. (Year 13 Music Scholar and winner of the 2025 Bristol Rotary Young Musician Competition) gives her emotional farewell violin recital.
By Invitation Only
Free to attend
Open to parents, guests, pupils, staff, OCs
Upper School
Thursday House Recitals
Our early morning recital series is a wonderful way to start the day! Come and hear 20 minutes of music from a talented Upper School musician - could be any age or instrument, but they are always most enjoyable.
• 15th May 8.20am - Joseph Cooper Music School
Moritz C (WaH) - Cello
• 5th June 8.20am - Joseph Cooper Music School
Elli S (WoH) - Cello
• 12th June 8.20am - Joseph Cooper Music School
Megan H and Emily R (HH) - Flute and Recorder
• 19th June 8.20am - Joseph Cooper Music School
Amy F (HLH) - Saxophone
Free to attend
Open to parents of performers, pupils and staff
Pre-Prep Fun Friday Sing
Every Friday of term time the Pre-Prep comes alive with the sound of music. All Pre-Prep families are welcome to come and sing together with Mrs Gillam in the Pre-Prep Hall.
• 25th April 8.00am - 8.20am
• 2nd May 8.00am - 8.20am
• 9th May 8.00am - 8.20am
• 16th May 8.00am - 8.20am
• 23rd May 8.00am - 8.20am
• 6th June 8.00am - 8.20am
• 13th June 8.00am - 8.20am
• 20th June 8.00am - 8.20am
• 27th June 8.00am - 8.20am
Location
Pre-Prep Hall
Free to attend
Open to all parents, pupils and staff
Pre-Prep Proms in the Playground
A series of weekly outdoor concerts to spread the joy of music to the Pre-Prep pupils.
Pupils from the Prep and Upper school perform on our outdoor stage at break times and lunch times.
Location
Pre-Prep Outdoor Stage, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
Free to attend
Staff and pupils of the Pre-Prep
Music Scholarships 11+, 13+ and 16+
Clifton College has a strong musical tradition, and the study of music is an integral part of the curriculum.
We offer pupils a unique opportunity to achieve academic distinction and personal excellence.
Each year, we offer a number of scholarships, awards and bursaries to individuals with that spark of potential. Talented musicians are encouraged to apply for a Music Scholarship whatever their instrument.
There are scholarships at 11+ for entry into Year 7, 13+ for entry into Year 9 and at 16+ for entry into Year 12. These scholarships are merit based and competed for via examination, audition or other appropriate assessment.
The scholarship programme aims to enable pupils to pursue music to as high a level as they wish. Some will look to study music beyond Clifton and aim to go into the music profession, whereas for others it is a wonderful way to relax and achieve something of real value alongside their academic studies. We look to help all musicians individually achieve their goals, whatever they might be.
Previous Music Scholars have gone on to study music at Oxford, Cambridge, Royal Academy of Music, Royal College of Music and other conservatoires; others have been members of award-winning close harmony groups and recorded their own albums.
Find out more information at:
www.cliftoncollege.com/upper/admissions
Or contact: Mr James Drinkwater, Director of Music: jdrinkwater@cliftoncollege.com / 0117 3157 230
Sir David Willcocks Organ Scholarship 16+
In 2012, Sir David Willcocks announced his generous commitment to a new sixth-form organ scholarship in his name at Clifton College. A partnership with Bristol Cathedral was established to augment the role, and the inaugural Willcocks Scholar was appointed in 2013. Holders since then have won organ scholarship places at several Oxbridge colleges as well as at Hereford Cathedral.
A 32-foot extension of the Pedal Ophicleide reed at Clifton College was installed in Autumn 2017, and a CD recorded by Regent Records of the College choirs with pupil organists and brass was recorded in 2018 to celebrate this addition.
This 16+ post is for a sixth-form entrant, running for two years. Candidates may also jointly apply for the 16+ academic scholarships. The successful candidate will receive support from the Sir David Willcocks Trust as well as the opportunity to apply for generous means-tested funding towards either a boarding or day pupil place, which could be as much as 100% of fees and free instrumental lessons.
Directions to Venues
Preschool: Clifton College Preschool, Guthrie Road, Clifton, BS8 3ET
Forest Garden: Clifton College Forest Garden (opposite side of road from Preschool), Guthrie Road, BS8 3ET
Pre-Prep Hall: Clifton College Pre-Preparatory School, Butcombe House, The Avenue, Clifton BS8 3EZ
Prep Music Department: Top Floor of Merry House, Clifton College Preparatory School, The Avenue, Clifton, BS8 3HE
Prep Hall: Clifton College Preparatory School, accessible from The Avenue, Clifton, BS8 3HE
Chapel: Access to Chapel either through Memorial Arch, opposite 32 College Road BS8 3HJ or from Reception on Guthrie Road, BS8 3EZ
Joseph Cooper Music School: Located on Guthrie Road, BS8 3ET
The Crypt: Located underneath the Clifton College Chapel, accessible from the Sports Field side
The Redgrave Theatre: Percival Road, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3LE
On street parking is available for free after 5pm.
Keep up to date with Music at Clifton College on X, including videos and photos of concerts and events: https://x.com/ccolmusic @ccolmusic
