SENIOR SCHOOL

The recent A-level and GCSE music recital was the culmination of months of outstanding composition and practical work by Year 11 and 13 pupils. The Year 13 pupils started the evening with a display of assured instrumental playing from Francesca Hill, showing versatility on the French horn and then the xylophone. Singers Hannah Evans and Charlotte Mason then treated the audience to an imaginatively varied programme of art songs, dramatic opera and operetta arias.

The GCSE programme mixed performance and composition work with two or more contributions from each pupil, all of whom provided a highlight for the evening. Nessie McDonald performed a delightful rendition of ‘Finbar's Fancy' by John Adams. Brahmjort Jagpal's composition ‘Duo' for two pianos and Victoria Jackson's ‘Courtly Variations', played by Mr Forbes-Peckham and Mr Moscovici provided a wonderful contrast. Zara Edwards, with help from fellow pupils, presented her moving ensemble performance ‘Weep You No More' by Roger Quilter and then a dazzling solo performance of Goddard's ‘Allegretto' for flute was performed by Catherine Okey. The evening ended in dramatic fashion with a colourful account of Brahms' ‘Scherzo in G Minor' for violin from Tamsin Elsey.