Writes Samuel Hill, Music Administrator
This term’s large scale instrumental concert, the Winter Concert, took place on Monday, bringing together over nearly 150 musicians from across every year group.
The concert opened with Sousa’s inimitable Liberty Bell March played by the Concert Band under the baton of Mr Tonks, who then played two contrasting pieces: first Gorb’s A Little Salsa Music, before ending their set with Pixar Movie Magic, bringing together much-loved themes from many different films.
Miss Martin’s Dixieland Band played next, with Copenhagen by Charlie Davis. The American theme continued with Taylors’ Brass, who played two movements from Jim Parker’s A Londoner in New York. Dressed with bow ties, the Wind Band came next, and under the direction of Miss Martin played Monty Norman’s famous theme to James Bond. The final item of the first half was Scott Stroman’s Chicago Shuffle.
Having had an opportunity to stretch their legs and enjoy a glass of wine during the interval, the audience returned to the Great Hall to enjoy hearing the Chamber Orchestra play Corelli’s Sonata No. 3 under the direction of Mr Couldridge.
The Percussion Ensemble played next, giving exciting renditions of Duke Ellington’s Caravan, and then Mancini’s Peter Gunn. A swashbuckling Sinfonia then took to the stage, with Klaus Badelt’s stirring themes from Pirates of the Caribbean under Mr Crawford’s baton.
The final ensemble to play was the Symphony Orchestra, who gave a marvellous rendition of Ravel’s orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition which closed with the ever-popular Great Gate of Kiev.
