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ACADEMIC MATTERS
Music
KGS Music has seen a delightfully busy year, with lots of opportunities for performances which the students gladly embraced.
October 2021 saw three of our Music Scholars invited to perform at the Thames Concert launch event in Surbiton: Emma Stoner (trumpet and voice) performed Allegro con anima from Hansen’s Trumpet Sonata and sang Gluck’s O del mio dolce ardor, accompanied by Mr Laflin. Jemima Jordan (violin) performed Konzert in G by Haydn, and Sam Kelly (saxophone) finished off the night with the jazz standard Song for my Father by Horace Silver. A wonderful way to start the term. November saw the first event with an in-person audience since the start of 2020. It was wonderful to see so
The Junior Orchestra, directed by Mr Tierney and led by Chloe Jackson, gave a marvellous rendition of John Williams’ Jurassic Park. Mr Laflin conducted the Senior Symphony Orchestra in their performance of Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks, led by Jemima Jordan. The brass soared across the hall with their brilliant fanfares, and the winds and strings demonstrated technical expertise in Handel’s tricky, virtuosic passages. Following this were the Wind Band and Senior Guitar group, each displaying wonderful musicianship.
Needless to say, the choir produced an outstanding sound, finishing with a ‘mash-up’ of Wade in the Water and Hit the Road, Jack.
many students jumping back into co-curricular music and the Autumn Concert was the perfect opportunity to showcase all their hard work. The evening started with a beautiful performance from the Third and Fourth Year Choir who performed their two pieces, both unaccompanied and off copy. This was executed brilliantly and set the bar high for the rest of the evening. Following this, we heard from both the Junior and Senior Symphony Orchestras.
Attendance at First Year Choir has been really excellent this term, with nearly 40 students performing in the concert! Needless to say, the choir produced an outstanding sound, finishing with a ‘mash-up’ of Wade in the Water and Hit the Road Jack. Fifth Year students Miri Scott and Rosie Higham then treated the audience to a graceful duet of A Million Dreams from The Greatest Showman, accompanied by Mr Tierney on the piano.
KINGSTONIAN 2021/22
The final choral offering of the night was our Sixth Form Choir who gave a lively performance of Robbie Williams’ Angels, and Kander and Ebb’s Theme from New York, New York, made famous by Frank Sinatra. The jazzy harmonies of the latter were brilliantly executed and the whole performance was delightful to watch. We finished the concert with tunes from the Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble, directed by Mr Canniere. The students exhibited virtuosity in their solos and ended the night on a high.
Before we knew it, it was the end of term which was celebrated musically with our annual Carol Service at All Saints Church. The service began with an impressive organ voluntary from Stephen Westrop, followed by a candlelit procession to Once in Royal David’s City, led by soloist Jamie Scott. It was wonderful to hear everyone singing together again after such a long time. There were performances from each choir, all directed by Mr Laflin and accompanied by Mr Tierney on the piano. Emma Stoner from the Lower Sixth accompanied the congregation on the trumpet for a number of carols and the descants in particular sounded wonderful in the acoustics of the church.
