To end the spring term in style it was fantastic to welcome family and friends to our first live Spring Concert since 2019.
Musicians, bands and choirs from across all year groups put on a show to remember with hosts for the evening, Sixth Formers Sam Bourke and P Kay introducing each act in style.
The Big Band opened and closed the show with some dance floor and disco classics and it was great to welcome back our brilliant Shiplake bands, Idle Thoughts, Rare Groove and Shockwave who put on some outstanding performances which were way beyond their years. They now have Shiplake Rocks! on 27 June firmly in their sights.
The concert introduced a new ensemble - our Lower School Band - comprising a horn section, drums, piano and guitar, who performed Tracks of my Tears with soloists from Lower School Choir. Most of the pupils involved in the band have only been learning their instruments for a matter of months and have been practising hard with Mr Elliott. The band then gave way to the Lower School Choir who Rick-rolled the audience before a blistering performance of 500 Miles by The Proclaimers.
Our Clarinet Quartet performed an upbeat and fun rendition of Clarient Rag while Camerata wowed the audience with Cold Play's Viva La Vida.
Special mention goes to our soloists, Leo Guo who flew us to the moon with Bart Howard's classic song, Sam Bourke for his performances with Rare Groove and P Kay for her soulful solo in Say A Little Prayer by Six-of-One, a blended choir of staff and pupils who handled this beautiful arrangement impeccably. Thanks also to DJ Robbie Dawson who entertained the audience before the show.
Director of Music, Mr Richard Curran, said: "Watching the pupils perform with smiles on their faces as they shared their work with such a warm audience was the most perfect way to close the term.
"The choirs sung with panache and the bands just keep getting better. With Shiplake Rocks! on the horizon our young musicians have a dynamic summer term of rehearsals to look forward to."
Our thanks goes to the following ensembles for putting on some outstanding performances:
- Big Band
- Camerata
- Leo Guo Connection
- Lower School Choir & Band
- Rare Groove
- Clarinet Quartet
- Shockwave
- Six-of-One
- Idle Thoughts
- DJ Robbie Dawson
