School_Matters_Issue_34

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MUSIC SCHOLARS’ PLATFORM

After nearly six months of virtual concerts, our Music Scholars were at last able to present the first, limited audience, concert of the academic year in the Theatre. A small, but appreciative, audience of staff gathered in the auditorium whilst parents, pupils and other supporters tuned in to watch a live stream. Lottie Sanderson, S10, kicked things off with Charlie Parker’s fiendish 11/4 on the alto saxophone. Lottie was one of several Scholars to perform on their second (or third!) instrument. Other highlights included Sofia Caironi’s fireworks at the keyboard in a transcription of Prokofiev’s Dance of the Knights, new S7 Zephany Coleman’s debut with a refined yet playful set of minuets from Bach’s Suite for Cello in G, and newly-inaugrated President of Music, Max Eastland- Park, in a crunchy rendition of jazz classic Misty. Mr James Bartlett, Director of Music

BERKELEY ENSEMBLE PERFORM PVI COMPOSITIONS It was a pleasure to welcome back the Berkeley Ensemble, IPS's Ensemble-in-Residence, to develop through workshops the classical compositions of the PVI IGCSE Musicians, and perform and record all pieces live in an evening concert. The group gave the pupils helpful feedback on performance issues such as articulation and dynamics and occasionally more technical details specific to individual instruments. It was hugely informative for the pupils and also highly enjoyable for the players who were playing together for the first time for many months. The quality of the compositions was such that many would not have been out of place within an A-level Composition portfolio. Congratulations to: Emma Atkinson, Thomas Boyle, Edie Clemo Gibbins, Matthew Greenaway, Farida Hassan, Aden Hingorani, Joseph Lee, Kimee Mansour, Casper Martin and Yueyang Wang. Mr Nicolas Walker, Teacher of Music

Sophia Caironi, S9

FILM SOUNDTRACK RECORDING Mr Bartlett was contacted by the production team behind Soho , a new animated musical, to ask for the School of Music’s assistance in recording the soundtrack ahead of a major pitch to Netflix. The film tells the story of an intrepid group of friends and their adventures around London in the aftermath of the Second World War. We welcomed a professional sound engineer for a socially-distanced recording session, along with composer Brian Bennett, best known as drummer of 1950s rock and roll group The Shadows and composer, with guitarist Bruce Welch, of the classic 1960s hit ‘Summer Holiday’. The pupils were magnificent and the production team was most complimentary of their talent, focus and professionalism through a gruelling two-hour session during which the singers were definitely put through their paces. We hope to hear them on screen soon!

SENIOR 7 PERFORMERS’ PLATFORM The entire Senior 7 group sat in enraptured silence as 14 brave pupils made their debut on the IPS Theatre stage. The programme opened with Teresa Boyle’s rendition on the flute of an Ennio Morricone classic and moved through a diverse and eclectic range of composers, from Bach to Ellie Goulding.

The concert was recorded so that it could be watched ‘on-demand’ by parents unable to be present. Well done to all the participants. SOLOISTS’ PLATFORM

Zephany Coleman, S7

Rhianna Boyle

Twelve musicians working towards music examinations at the end of the Autumn Term had the opportunity during this platform to ‘road test’ some repertoire ahead of their looming assessments. Well done: Honor Lynn, Beatrice Gates, Talulla Curtis Green, Arina Maslova, Rhianna Boyle, Finlay Hunter, Matilda Allard, Lola Harrison, Mark Li, Imogen Day, Olivia Brett and JJ Jeannon.