MUSIC The string orchestra continued to perform well as their performances of Handel's Concerto Grosso in G and Leroy Anderson's 'Jazz Pizzicato' in February demonstrated, and Kathryn Wood's leadership has been first-rate. The symphony orchestra's accounts in the Summer Concert of Eric Coates' 'Westwards' and Ronald Binge's 'Elizabethan Serenade' were lively and controlled. The provision of proper rehearsal time for a symphony orchestra is still a problem and an experiment of placing this early on a Monday evening next Easter term will be tried. The visit of the Royal Artillery Band at the end of May was exciting; the two concerts during the day which many pupils from the Senior and Junior Schools attended were exhilarating affairs and with Sousa marches like 'Stars and Stripes' and film music like 'Lawrence of Arabia' they could not fail to please. This year has seen a healthy increase to eight pupils studying 'A'-Level music in the sixth form. With this increase has come a greater awareness and wish to have influence on the music performed which is to be welcomed. In all areas of the music department the work of the full-time staff is greatly valued — Roger Carrington's help with the String Orchestra and string tuition, Keith Pemberton's continual administrative and accompanimental help, but especially this year Jeffrey Gray's extra help with band work and orchestral work resulting from our being short of one member of staff. Many of our senior pupils are increasingly becoming involved in decision-making and the day to day running of the music department which is a most pleasing development. We hope that those who leave us this year will continue their music involvement and interest and thank them for all their contributions to the musical life of the School. The music annexe (Methodist Building) is now used in an increasing variety of ways — for teaching, rehearsing both during the day and the evening and by a wide variety of groups including choirs, bands, pop groups, orchestras and jazz groups. This demonstrates the need for areas specifically designed for these activities. The Choral Society's main concert this year was a performance of Handel's 'Messiah'; the School orchestra's ability to cope with the demands made by this was excellent to see and the experiment involving all the Junior School's J4 classes in most of the choruses proved a success. Schubert's Mass in G was the main work in the Autumn together with two large-scale anthems — Mendelssohn's 'Hear my Prayer' and Bairstow's 'Blessed City' — both conducted with authority by Jeffrey Gray and sympathetically accompanied by Keith Pemberton on the organ.
Tifanny Richards, principal viola for the National Youth Orchestra.
GENERAL NOTES Much of this year has been spent in looking forward to the tour to Germany by the School Choir and Senior Band in late summer. In practical terms this has meant rehearsing and preparing repertoire and focusing our attention on raising the level of performance ready for touring. During the year there have been some notable performances including Tifanny Richards' account of Hoffmeister's viola concerto with the School orchestra, Charles Barlow conducting Purcell's Chacony for strings, Martin Kershaw's performance of a set of variations for clarinet by Jean Francaix and Andrew Moxon and Claire Altman playing Vivaldi's double flute concerto; also the success of Six Appeal — Christopher Braganza, Timothy Dunn, James Fieldsend, Miles Layram and Stephanie Sanderson — in the Daily Telegraph's Jazz Competition, testifies to the high standards achieved by our musicians. 35
