Musical Marvels!

It has been a memorable Spring Term for members of our Senior Music Department with two piping ensembles successful at the Scottish Schools’ Pipe Band Championships and a number of young musicians selected to perform with the National Youth Choirs and National Youth Orchestras of Scotland.

Pipe Bands do the Double!

Senior School pipers enjoyed a day to remember at the Scottish Schools’ Pipe Band Championships, taking place at the William McIlvanney Campus, Kilmarnock, on Sunday 12th March.

More than 120 schools from across Scotland competed across eight categories. Our musicians clearly hit the right note with judges, winning in both the Freestyle (Fusion) and Junior B categories.

This was not the first time that the School had tasted success at these championships, with previous victory in the Freestyle category in both 2015 and 2016.

Congratulations to our successful pipers, brass players, guitarists and percussionists:

Fusion Band - Freestyle Category Winners:

Archie, Sandy, Max (all S6), Callum, Scarlet (both S5), Mustafa, Zayd, Andrew, Rory, Sasha, Alexander (all S4), Jesse, Robbie (both S2) and Cairn (S1).

Pipe Band - Junior B Category Winners:

Archie, Eva, Alex (all S6), Mustafa, Zayd, Andrew, Max, Rory, Sasha (all S4), Matthew (S3), Evelyn, Finlay, Jesse, Robbie, Oscar (all S2), Suleman and Cairn (both S1).

HSOG Pupils Represent NYCOS & NYOS

Six Senior pupils will be representing the National Youth Choirs of Scotland, while a further four musicians take up their place in National Youth Orchestras of Scotland for 2023.

Taking their place in the prestigious NYCOS Main Choir, comprising the most promising young singers in the country aged 16-25, were Kirsty (S6) and Scarlet (S5). Scarlet will also be part of the NYCOS Touring Choir, an impressive accolade!

Ollie, Theo (both S2) and Jacob (Transitus) were selected to be part of the National Youth Boys Choir of Scotland while Laura (S5) was chosen to represent the National Youth Girls Choir of Scotland for 2023.

Elsewhere, violinists, Rachel (S3), Claire (S2) and Caitlin (S1), as well as cellist, Jamie (S2), were selected for the NYOS Development Orchestra. This replaced the NYOS Junior and Senior Orchestras for 2023 and is for aspiring orchestral musicians aged 11-18, who have reached Grades 5-8 or equivalent. Good luck to all involved!

Remembering Rabbie

Junior 5 have been learning all about ‘The Bard’ throughout the Spring Term.

Pupils were introduced to Scotland’s national poet with a visit to the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum in Ayr, where they had a great time learning more about his fascinating life. They even enjoyed the chance to dress up in the 18th century Burns-era outfits!

Junior 5 shared their learning with the rest of the Junior School during a morning assembly, before having the opportunity to do the same for parents and other members of the High School community at a Burns’ Supper on Thursday 26th January.

This culmination of their learning topic saw guests dressed in kilts and cocktail dresses as they took in an unforgettable evening of songs, poems, musical recitals and dancing to celebrate the life of Rabbie Burns. Of course, no Burns Supper is complete without a delicious feast of hearty haggis, nutritious neeps and tasty tatties! Well done to Junior 5 for organising every element of this tremendous evening - it was a true triumph that The Bard would have been proud of!