On the weekend of 9th March, St Mary’s was one of a number of schools from across the South of England to participate in a Piano Festival at Pangbourne College. Fourteen girls from right across the age range took part, providing them with a wonderful opportunity to play on a Steinway Model D grand piano.
On Tuesday 5th March we welcomed a group of Year 5 and 6 girls to take part in The Greatest Showman Musical Theatre Workshop, and it certainly was a full day of ‘the greatest show’!
The week before Half Term saw the beginning of this year’s Fourth Form Music Festival, starting with the preliminary rounds. The Festival is an opportunity for our junior musicians to play or sing to a live audience of their peers, regardless of what standard they have reached. We had girls who had only been learning their instrument for just over a term, proudly performing their pieces alongside girls who have already reached the upper grades.
On Sunday 20th January, St Mary’s musicians created some very special musical memories, with a day’s residence at the Royal Academy of Music, London. This was followed by our much-anticipated evening concert, ‘Inspire!’ as part of the school’s Cantabile Concert Series, raising funds for the Armed Forces Fund.
After some 30 years’ service to the Nesbitt Room, our ageing grand piano, which had been in situ ever since the Music Department was built in the late 1980s, was replaced with a brand new Yamaha C5X model during last year’s summer holiday. On Monday 14th January, we were joined by the Berkshire musician, Mrs Pamela Chilvers, for a dedication concert.
On Tuesday 11th December, Junior Consort visited Fairways retirement home in Chippenham to give their annual festive concert.
We are delighted to invite you to a stunning musical event at the Royal Academy of Music in London on Sunday 20th January 2019, at 6pm. St Mary’s Concert Artists will be taking part in a Gala Concert of star-studded performances and will share the stage of the Duke’s Hall with sensational artists of our time. The concert will raise money for The Armed Forces Fund and will be hosted by BBC Radio 3 Presenter, Petroc Trelawny.
The school gathered in St Mary’s Church, Calne, for the annual Carol Service on Sunday 9th December; the service began with UV (Year 11), soloist, Belinda, singing the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City in the candle-lit church.
On Monday 10th December, the LIV (Year 7) girls made the short walk along the Oxford Road to entertain the residents of Penn Court with some seasonal cheer. Bedecked with Christmas jumpers, tinsel, antlers and hats, there was an array of festive colour on display.
On Thursday 6th December, selected senior musicians attended a private event at Cadenham Manor, by kind invitation of Mr and Mrs Martin Nye. The Rahman Quartet played a sensational programme of music by Chausson and Dvorak and the beautiful intimate setting of the music room ensured that the girls were totally enthralled by the music performed.
On Thursday 29th November, the girls gave a stunning performance in Chapel in the form of the Autumn Concert. It set out primarily to celebrate the work of our instrumental ensembles, alongside welcome guest appearances from our Music and Choral Scholar vocal duettists.
On Thursday 15th November, the Junior Choir, comprising all of the girls in LIV, headed to Devizes to take part in the Choral Festival of the annual Eisteddfod.
On Saturday 17th November, the Chamber Choir performed David Bednall’s Requiem in the Chapel of Merton College, Oxford, alongside 50 of its alumnae (2008-2017 leavers). The occasion marked the 10-year anniversary of the first performance of the piece (on 14th November 2008), and was a testament to the affection shared by all the girls for this music, and indeed for their time in the Chamber Choir.
On Friday 9th November, St Mary’s held its fourth annual Sir Bryn Terfel Song Prize, with esteemed vocal pedagogue Penelope Price Jones as this year’s adjudicator. The finalists, Charlotte, Elan, Ella, Iona, Kirsten and Lauren, presented terrific recitals.
During Donaldson Week, MIV (Year 8) pupils participated in a Songwriting Workshop: singer/songwriter Rich Cottell visited the school to help the girls create a song of their own, based around the theme of diversity.
On the evening of 8th October, selected musicians and Junior Consort gave a varied and entertaining concert as part of the Calne Music & Arts’ Festival at Marden House.
On Friday 5th October, the annual Cecilia James Company Music Festival took place and was adjudicated by Jo May (an orchestral percussionist who trained at the Royal College of Music and a folk musician). It began with the Instrumental Ensembles with each Company representing themselves well, with a variety of different sized groups and unique blends of instruments.
On Friday 28th September, the girls who had toured to Krakow, Poland in July performed a showcase concert to parents in Chapel.
On 25th September, four girls from St Mary's, along with Director of Music, Mrs Cavill, enjoyed presenting to the pupils at St Margaret's Preparatory School about their amazing experiences on the Music Tour to Poland in July.
Last Christmas, we reported on the launch of a fundraising campaign to help fly the choir of St John’s Church, Devizes out to Latvia. We are delighted to report that, after 15 separate events over the course of the Spring and Summer Terms, their efforts raised a magnificent £17,000 towards the tour (around 60% of the total cost), with the choir members themselves funding the remainder. After all their hard work and preparation, a huge party of 60 (comprising the 22 children and 18 adults in the choir, along with 20 excited parents, brothers and sisters) departed for Riga on Tuesday 28th August.
