Taylorian

Music and Concerts

Music Scholars’ Concert

Autumn Concert 10th November 2022 Including music from a wide range of styles and periods, the Autumn Concert opened with the Percussion Ensemble’s performance of an arrangement of a Stevie Wonder song, before Sinfonia, the School’s junior orchestra, gave a stately rendition of Sibelius’s Andante Festivo . Taylors’ Brass then offered a punchy American march, after which the Choir sang three contrasting songs, from the foot-tapping ‘Fascinating Rhythm’ (including the Director of Music playing bass guitar) to Rutter’s lyrical ‘Look at the World’. Wind Band and Concert Band, under Mr Tonks’s baton, followed with lively performances, including the lesser known Robert W. Smith’s adventurous and tumultuous work, ‘Into the Storm’. Informal Concert 30th November 2022 This concert included music from the Recorder Consort, the latest addition to the wide range of ensembles offered by

the School. Marc Yee deserves especial mention for his polished rendition of the Presto from Tartini’s Sonata, ‘Diodone Abbadonata’, while Aarnav Hastantram’s vocal performance of ‘Love Walked In’ by Gershwin was excellent. The Vernon Service 7th December 2022 The Chamber Choir travelled to the City of London for the annual commemoration of the life and benefaction of John Vernon, Master of the Company in 1609. The choir led the congregational carols and sang three solo items: ‘Adam Lay Ybounden’ by Peter Warlock; ‘Riu Riu Chiu’ by Mateo Fletcha the Elder; and ‘A Maiden Most Gentle’ by Andrew Carter. Each showcased a different aspect of the choir’s skill: the first was unaccompanied, the second was written in medieval Spanish, and the latter possessed sweeping melodic lines. Directed by Mrs Stubbs, the choir was warmly thanked by members of the congregation for its contributions.

28th September 2022 Our four new Music Scholars took part in the first concert of the academic year in the Recital Hall: Thomas MacMillan, Hugh Suggett, Ben Cooper and Dhiren Khemlani all demonstrated tremendous skill and played with stylish expression. For our established scholars, pieces ranged from the light-hearted theme from the television show Ground Force – performed by tuba player Kai Elvey – to Duke Ellington’s ‘I’m Beginning to See the Light’, played with lyrical expression on the trumpet by Ben Keyte. Ralph Suggett, meanwhile, played Vaughan Williams’s song ‘The Vagabond’, which was striking in its narrative communication. The concert closed with the dramatic ‘Danse Espagnole’ by the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla, played expertly by violinist Kian Conti.

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Taylorian 2023