St Paul’s Musicians Perform Across London

It has been a busy few weeks for the music department at St Paul’s, with three of the many high-calibre events reported on below, including a high-level chamber music competition in central London, a lively jazz set at the 606 Club in Chelsea and the Spring Showcase at St Paul’s. All three events demonstrated the strength and variety of the music programme at the School.

Southeast Schools’ Chamber Music Competition, Tuesday 17 March

On Tuesday 17 March, a quartet of sixth formers (Rex, Rohan, Zac and Jihang) gave a superb performance of Mozart’s Oboe Quartet at the finalists’ concert of the Southeast Schools’ Chamber Music Competition at St George’s Hanover Square.

The standard of performances was incredibly high, with just four groups selected to participate in the Intermediate Section final, so being chosen to perform at the concert in this historic central London venue was a great achievement. The adjudicator praised the performers for their stylish and musical interpretation. Well done to all the pupils who participated in this event, which was a truly fabulous evening of music-making.

Written by Mr Thomas Evans, Assistant Director of Music

Jazz at the 606 Club, Sunday 22 March

On Sunday 22 March, our jazz groups took over the 606 Club in Chelsea, an iconic venue that has hosted some key figures on the jazz scene for 50 years. From the Latin-tinged grooves of Henderson’s Mamacita and the dazzling Iberian colours of Corea’s La Fiesta, to classics by Sonny Rollins, Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington, the full house was treated to a wide range of jazz tunes, old and new. It is a wonderful opportunity for our jazz programme to be heard in a professional venue and a real highlight of the musical calendar.

Written by Mr Mark Wilderspin, Director of Music

Spring Showcase, Wednesday 25 March

On Wednesday, the Wathen Hall was packed to the rafters for a new musical event that combines elements of the former Spring Ensembles Concert and the Summer Term Spring Concert. Featuring over 150 pupils, a choir, three orchestras, and three specialist ensembles, and a giddying range of music from Dvořák to Disney, the Spring Showcase was both a celebration of group music-making and a spotlight on two Upper Eighth concerto soloists. Josh Ferro gave a spirited performance of the Telemann Viola Concerto, showing just what a great concerto instrument this can be. Here, Mr Stobbs shepherded the Baroque Ensemble expertly from the harpsichord. Later, Shekhu Pillai played Prokofiev’s first Piano Concerto, a fiendishly difficult and taut work with hardly any let up in its intense twenty minutes. By the end of it, his Bach encore was refreshing and edifying, and an extremely classy way to send the audience home.

Opening with a sunny tango from the freshly-formed Brass Ensemble directed by Miss Yates (who also played trumpet side-by-side with the pupils), the audience also heard Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks Concerto performed by our Sinfonietta: an ensemble made up of music award holders, and with each part effectively a soloist in its own right. Terrifying repertoire for most professionals, let alone a school, Dr Evans marshalled his top-notch band with precision and characteristic joy. St Paul’s Voices took us into the interval with a charming arrangement of the well-known Northumberland folk song Bobby Shafto.

Running through the evening was a celebration of all that the current Upper Eighth have contributed to SPS Music over their time. An exceptionally talented year group, they have given so much over the years and have really blazed a path for others to follow. One clear example was Tolga Mardin, who led the Sinfonietta and the Symphony Orchestra with aplomb, great skill and modesty. Many of these leavers were featured in the Symphony Orchestra, who not only supported Shekhu’s concerto but also played a little-known Dvořák tone poem with great skill. However much we will miss the gaps left by the Upper Eighth going forward it is clear, from the stylish Grieg of String Orchestra and a bombastic rendition of some of the greatest hits from Disney’s Aladdin from Wind Orchestra, that there is a wealth of talent waiting in the wings.

Written by Mr Mark Wilderspin, Director of Music