MUSIC Symphony Orchestra Graham Kershaw's playing of Hummel's trumpet concerto in February was one of the musical highlights of the year. Controlled and sensitive, it was a clear reminder of what a good player he is. The orchestra's performances of Britten's Soirees Musicales and Vaughan Williams ever-popular 'Folk Song Suite' were lively and exciting; indeed, the Vaughan Williams was especially polished with the outer movements taken at a brisk pace.
THE MUSICAL YEAR School Choir The Old Peterite Service and the Choral Evensong early in die Christmas Term demonstrated the choir's steady development. Stanford in C proved a popular setting with its rumbustious 'Gloria'. On 12 October we had the honour of singing and the brass group playing in York Minster for the 75th Birthday Thanksgiving Service for Save the Children Fund - a beautiful picture of this occasion now hangs in the Music School. It is always exciting singing in the Minster and deputising for the Minster Choir as we have done over the years for an occasion service is always a treat. Rebecca Newton and Oliver Button were the Head Choristers this year and have both been loyal and reliable singers throughout tiieir time at St. Peter's. We wish them well in the future.
Words and Music for Lent Some of the richest and most profound choral music has been written for the season of Lent and Passiontide and it was good in March to hear the choir deriving such evident satisfaction from pieces like Howells' 'O p>ray for the peace of Jerusalem' and Bairstow's 'Let all mortal flesh keep silence'. This year the brass also participated as did the St. Olave's choir and Timothy Brogden (oboe) provided a beautiful obligato accompaniment to Rutter's 'The Lord is my shepherd'.
Mozart Requiem Tackling a large scale choral work like Mozart's Requiem in the Christmas Term after only eight weeks rehearsal was an ambitious project but the school choir and choral society responded to the challenge. The decision to use the full school choir with the choral society proved a good one. The opening 'Requiem Aeternam' had all the sombre majesty required and the 'Dies Irae' was electrifying. The soloists fulfilled their roles with distinction in the 'Recordare' and 'Benedictus' and the orchestra played excellently with Michael Tildesley (trombone) giving an impressive account of the 'Tuba mirum' when accompanying the bass; later in the year he was awarded a new prize very kindly donated by Keith Pemberton for brass and wind. Everyone who participated gained such a great deal from the experience. It had been hard work but the sheer quality of the music won everyone over. My own feelings were those of ambitions for the future and a desire to take performers and performances of this type of quality further afield. Carol Services The Advent Carol Service saw both St. Olave's Choir and St. Peter's Choir combined to sing in a beautifully candlelit chapel with new candle holders designed and made by Mr. Dawson. The service had even more magic this year although I wonder whether magic is the correct word to describe a service! The Carol Service in the Minster had a packed congregation including more Old Peterites than ever with a large contingent of ex-choir members and a wide variety of music, not only the traditional carols but also including an old Yorkshire version of 'While shepherds watched', a sixteenth century Spanish carol sung in procession, Harold Darke's evocative 'In the bleak mid winter' and the highly rhythmic 'Sir Christemas' by Mathias.
Czechmate Concert Like the 'Stars and Stripes' concert in 1993 the 'Czechmate' concert was an evening of mammoth organisational problems but so self-evidently worth all me trouble. The hall was arranged as if for a cabaret; in fact, as the school musical in November had been 'Cabaret', so many ideas and lighting effects could be re-utilised. The licensed bar and 'nibbles' and informal atmosphere lent a special feeling to the evening which was one of the very best musical evenings at St. Peter's. 24
