On Thursday 23rd March, we hosted our annual Spring Concert in the Barrovian Hall. This event brings together a wide range of talent from across the years, from Fourth Form to Sixth Form. For our Upper Sixth students, this was their last formal concert of there time at college.
The programme was as follows:
Chapel Choir, For the Beauty of the Earth – Rutter
Georgina F, Theme from Beauty and the Beast – McLearnon
Ameya M, A Change In Me – Menken & Rice
Daisy M, Love Changes Everything – Lloyd Webber
Sara X, Cloudy Day – Trad.
Finlay H, Rondino – Street
Celize V, Little Buttercup – Gilbert & Sullivan
Rita Z, And Everything Is Still – Scott
Isabelle C, She Used To Be Mine from ‘The Waitress’ – Bareilles
Marlena G, Lotus Land – Scott
Norah E, Hot On The Line – Wedgewood
Sonya B, Melody – Skoric
Mikhaella H, Breathe – Kooman & Dimond
Louise V D M, Allegro from Concerto No.1 in D major – Mozart
Sebastien S and Darcey B, ‘Stars’ from ‘Les Miserables’ and Schönberg
Arwen H, Canzonetta – Pierné
Amy B, Valentine – Laufey
Farrel E & Sophie V D S, Until I Found You – Sanchez
Sebastien S, This is the Moment – Bricusse
Liam S & Tomas G, Danza – Cubana Trad.
Consort, Locus Iste – Bruckner
Aimee F, At Last – James
Jessie Q, Apres un reve – Fauré
Mr Steve Daykin, Director of Music at King William’s College said the pupils performed with great confidence and provided all present with a thoroughly entertaining evening. Mr Daykin also writes about the end of Spring Term at College and how the music department is one of the most pivotal departments for students:
As another busy terms draws to a close, it is a real joy to be able to come together to hear such a variety of performances, from pupils for whom it may be their first concert performance, to those for whom it will be their last at KWC.
Music continues to enrich our lives and serves to play not only a fundamental role in the life of the college, but also in the well-being of our pupils and their wider achievements. Not every child’s intrinsic strengths lie in academia, and music remains an accessible opportunity for all to find a creative outlet, develop and grow in confidence along with far too many benefits to list here, least of all the positive impact on academia itself.
Our team of professional Visiting Music Teachers have continued to deliver first class tuition to our pupils on a weekly basis, negotiating the complexities and demands of a busy and varied timetable. Their dedication, professionalism and resolve have served to nurture and inspire our pupils and underpin all that the department is able to achieve. For this, I am truly grateful.
Following a generous donation in 2017 from the Friends of KWC, which enabled us to replace a number of upright pianos in the department, we were grateful to receive a further donation from an anonymous donor, following a concert, which enabled us to carry out much-needed refurbishment work on the grand piano housed in our main rehearsal room. To complete the overhaul of our piano fleet we would like, at the smaller end of the scale, to look to replace one of the older upright pianos still within the department, whilst a more ambitious plan is to replace the baby grand piano in the King’s Court Theatre. Therefore, this evening’s retiring collection will help to start this phase of the piano replacement program.
The final concert of the year is always something of a bittersweet occasion. It presents an opportunity for us to celebrate much of what many of our musicians have achieved, but it is also a moment to wish a fond and heartfelt farewell to those pupils who are moving on to new challenges. Many of these pupils have been part of KWC since their formative years and I consider it a privilege to have been able to share in their musical journey with them. As tradition dictates, they will be presented with a yellow rose representing friendship and as a mark of our appreciation for all they have done during their time with us. They have come to know and appreciate the joy of performance and the sense of camaraderie found within an ensemble. I hope they will take with them a life-long love of music which will continue to enrich their lives and those of the people around them for many years to come. We wish them all well and look forward to hearing of their future musical endeavours.
My thanks also to each of you for the continued encouragement you provide which enables our pupils to flourish and find enjoyment in their music-making.
The Music Department
Mr S Daykin Director of Music
Mrs E Craine Teacher of Music
Mrs J Garrett Head of Music – The Buchan School
Mrs C Cutajar Music Secretary – music@kwc.im
Visiting Music Teachers
Mr S Breslin Guitar
Mrs A du Plessis Flute
Mrs M Kelly Piano/Recorder
Mr S Leach Drums
Mr G Moore Organ/Piano/Singing
Miss H Morrison Piano
Mrs K Solly Piano/Theory
Mrs K Sutcliffe Singing/Piano
Mrs K Sweetman ‘Cello/Piano
Mr C Sullivan Clarinet/Saxophone
Mrs R Tickle Singing/Violin
Mr J Wood Brass
