On 8th March, a celebration of Oundle music was held in one of Europe’s premier concert venues, the Symphony Hall, Birmingham.
Every member of Oundle School, all 1110 pupils together with staff, parents, former pupils, governors and guests, travelled to Birmingham for a whole School Concert incorporating both the traditional and innovative elements of music at Oundle. Over three hundred and fifty pupil musicians and singers performed with an emphasis on whole School and massed performance, combining string groups, bands, choirs and large ensembles. The whole School was involved in singing Novello’s Keep the Home Fires Burning and Parry’s Jerusalem.
Oundle pupils last performed in Symphony Hall in 2011 and prior to that in 2006 as part of the 450th celebrations of the founding of the School.
Before the concert began concert-goers were entertained by members of Oundle Brass, who set the tone for what was a hugely enjoyable afternoon. During the interval, percussion ensembles joined forces to entertain in the foyer.
The concert opened with Curnow’s Fanfare and Flourishes, performed by Oundle’s Wind Orchestra. The Chamber Orchestra followed with the first movement from the Jupiter Symphony by Mozart, after which a strings and percussion with choirs from Laxton Junior School and Oundle School performed Adiemus. Schola Cantorum and Chapel Choir sang Coming Home and Sure on this Shining Night respectively.
The first half concluded with Oundle School’s Jazz Orchestras performing a selection of numbers including It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing) by Duke Ellington.
The Symphony Orchestra opened the second half with the first movement from Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2 with former pupil and current teacher, James Kirby on piano. Boys from St Anthony House, the winners of the House Part Song competition performed Let it Go from the Disney film Frozen and the event was drawn to a dramatic close with pipers, snares and organ performing Highland Cathedral and the School’s Combined Cadet Force Drumming Corps and CCF Marching Band performing Olympic Spirit.
Click here to view a photo gallery of images from the concert (gallery is at bottom of page).