Wednesday evening concert

Blundell’s School at Sidholme Music Room

 

Blundell’s School at Sidholme Music Room

On Weds 26th April, an enthusiastic audience was treated to a programme of solo items, ranging from Handel to Phillip Martin, performed by 6th Form pupils of Blundell’s School near Tiverton, ably directed by Dr Oliver Leaman. The pupils were equally enthusiastic and poised, and gave very professional performances.

The programme started with a bold clarinet solo, with good variety of tone and excellent presence, waking up our senses for what was to follow.

There was then a bass vocal solo from Adam, an Oratorio by Handel, showing maturity, with good diction, and a triumphal delivery.

Roselea transported us all with her pure soprano notes as she sang Grieg’s ‘Solveig’s Song’, and  Louisa kept us breathless on her piano rendering of P Martin’s ‘Allegro con Brio’.

There followed flute, with delicate trills and gentle feeling, from Hattie, and then two songs from the shows ‘Losing my mind’ from Imogen, and ‘It’s gonna rain on my parade’, from Louisa. Both of these, and the following Brahms’ piano piece by Cullum, showed us just how intense teenager’s feelings can be and what a wonderful medium music is to express and channel these emotions.

As ever the Music Room provided the perfect setting for these solo pieces. We had a wonderful treat of hearing a Bach setting of a choral on the renovated organ, played by one of the teachers, before all the pupils gathered to sing to us. Their first piece had been arranged by themselves and was followed by two contrasting pieces by Arvo Part from Estonia, and the well-known Howard Goodall’s setting of ‘The Lord is my shepherd’ with bell-like tones from the soprano solo. The final piece was a gospel song, showing their good ensemble singing.

We are fortunate indeed to have this series of excellent concerts to raise funds for the renovation of the chandeliers, which it is hoped may be started this summer. The next few concerts look like being of equal quality. For a full programme check the website ‘Friends of Sidholme music room’.

Angela Bea

From Friends of Sidholme Music Room website (see photo of singers there)