Senior Music Scholars’ Recital

The first pupil recital of the academic year, on Tuesday 9 October 2019, proved to be an impressive exposition of the talent at the top end of the school. Max (DG), fresh from success at the recent round of NYJO Academy auditions, began the programme with a sensitive Mouvement de Menuet from Ravel’s Sonatine. This set the tone for an evening of high-quality performances.

It was particularly good to see our four new scholars on stage in the Dominions Theatre: Kirsten (DG) gave an ebullient rendition of Rota’s Toccata on the harp; Lucy (DG) sang Se tu m’ami of Pergolesi with poise and polish; Eleanor’s (Gr) Elègie, op. 3 no. 1 by Rachmaninov on our beautiful Steinway B was stylishly haunting; and I think it’s fair to say that the audience lived and breathed every note with Theo (DG) in the virtuosic variations on the tune Grandfather’s Clock by Doughty.

The concert finished with the CH Jazz Sextet, led by Arthur (Gr) and including several other scholars, playing ST’s lively arrangement of the old favourite Chattanooga Choo Choo. A wonderful end to a wonderful evening.