Shiplake Rocks 2026

2 July 2026

Shiplake College's annual summer music festival, Shiplake Rocks, returned on Monday 30 June, welcoming pupils, parents, staff and friends of the College for an evening packed with live music, entertainment and festival atmosphere on Front Field. The event showcased the incredible depth and breadth of musical talent across the College. Guests relaxed in the summer sunshine while enjoying a varied programme featuring choirs, orchestras, ensembles, bands and solo performers.

Opening the evening was DJ Xander Fox, who set the tone as guests arrived and settled in for the festival. From there, the performances came thick and fast, demonstrating the hard work and dedication that pupils have shown throughout the year.

One of the highlights of the evening was the opportunity for all Lower School pupils to perform. The Year 7 Vocal Ensemble, Year 7 Choir, Year 8 Choir, and Lower School Orchestra all took to the stage, while the ever-popular Little Big Band once again showcased the progress pupils have made through the College's music programme.

The concert also featured a fantastic variety of pupil bands and ensembles including Radio Vipers, Blown Away, Blumfield 5, Eyes Scream, 3+1, Crow's Echo, That's A Lot of Sax, River Pirates, Wild Nectar, Midnight Collar, Highliners, Rare Groove, and The Big Sound (Big Band). Audiences were also treated to performances from Camerata, Chorus, VMT Band, and solo artists including Sicily, Jack Dag, Inki, Horizon, and Grandpa.

Adding to the festival atmosphere, food, drinks and ice cream were available throughout the evening, helping to create a relaxed and enjoyable environment for performers and audience members alike. Many pupils embraced the festival theme, sporting colourful outfits and Hawaiian shirts as they took to the stage.

Shiplake Rocks remains one of the highlights of the College calendar, providing a wonderful opportunity for pupils of all ages to perform in front of a large audience and celebrate another successful year of music-making at Shiplake.

Congratulations to all of the performers and thank you to the Music Department and visiting music teachers whose hard work, enthusiasm and commitment made the evening such a memorable success.