Concordia

Concordia Winter 2021

T o coin a football phrase, the year since the last edition of Concordia has been a game of two halves. It began with only online MTS Together events and ended with many in-person events and no need to socially distance. We have learned much from our online events and we’re extremely grateful to all of our speakers who have encouraged us to establish a series on a myriad of interests, showcasing just what breadth and depth of experience there is in the OMT and parental community. We’ve had thought provoking, entertaining and very informative talks on a huge range of topics that have transported us to America on the Mayflower, into the intriguing world of art theft, life as a radio DJ, as well as offering insight into politics, climate talks, trade deals, mindfulness and film journalism. The online events have all been complimentary to join; the speakers have all volunteered their time and we’re very grateful to them for sharing their expertise so generously. We’ve hosted 15 relatively informal talks involving boys as moderators. OMTs living in the US, EU, Australia and Canada have joined parents, OMTs, boys and friends from closer to home. There continues to be a desire to hear more of the fascinating lives, experiences and opinions of our online contributors. For that reason, in the NewYear, we expect not only to be hosting events in person but to continue to present a number of online events as well. All of the previous online talks are available to watch through the development website by clicking the QR code at the bottom left of the page. Development 0 Class of 2021 OMTs Lucas Johnson, Aadam Quraishi and Cameron Stanhope at the Recent Leavers’ Barbecue 2021 Events Roundup

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At the start of the new school year, we were joined at the Recent Leavers’ Barbecue in the Inner Quad by over 130 young OMTs, including at least half of the 2020 year group and a further 120 parents. Teaching staff were glad to be able to celebrate their former pupils’ achievements and there was a wonderfully warm atmosphere despite the overcast and slightly cool weather. Before the barbecue, the Class of 2020 attended a special assembly in the Great Hall with their parents. We had numerous positive comments from our guests who had found it very emotional to come back to the school, having had such a strange and unexpected last day of school in March 2020. The school song was a particularly emotive highlight and the OMTs cheered when the Head Master uttered the word ‘Sprezzaturra’ during his assembly! Photographs of the barbecue can be seen on our Flickr account available as a link through the previous event pages of the school website. This Autumn, the school has enjoyed concerts, plays, and the Triennial Service at St Paul’s Cathedral (featured on pages 26 and 27), while the OMT Annual Dinner returned to Merchant Taylors’ Hall after a year off, with tables full of OMTs from every decade from the 1940s onwards all celebrating and enjoying the firm friendships formed at school and strengthened in the years and decades since. An album of photographs from the evening can be found on Flickr through the previous event pages of the school website.